Ise Udon Chitose

After my visit to Ise, I was planning to eat Ise udon, and following Fukusuke near the Inner Shrine, I went to Ise Udon Chitose near Ujiyamada Station. This is the restaurant where Ise udon became known throughout Japan. In 1971, the entertainer Rokusuke Ei introduced Ise udon in the media as “Ise udon,” and since then, udon, which was once just a local food of Ise, has become nationally known.

Because this is such a restaurant, it is absolutely essential to visit here when talking about Ise Udon. I took a bus from Okage Yokocho where Fukusuke is located and headed for Ujiyamada Station where Chitose is located…

Actually, a famous restaurant introduced in the TV program “The Kodoku no Gourmet”… Ise Udon Chitose is a restaurant like this…

On the bus on the way to Ise Udon Chitose, I checked an article on the Internet and found that the restaurant was introduced in the year-end special of the TV program “Kodoku no Gourmet”. 

I thought to myself, “This is not good…”. If there was a long line in front of the restaurant, my plans for the rest of the day would be ruined. In Kyoto or Osaka, it is common to wait for 30 minutes even on a weekday afternoon. But fortunately, 15 minutes before the restaurant opened, there were no customers ahead of me. I entered the restaurant easily without any waiting time.

The exterior and interior of Ise Udon Chitose is a very Showa-retro looking restaurant, but in fact, it was founded in 1914, so it has already been in business for over 100 years. Considering that, it seems a bit lukewarm to describe it as “Showa-era retro,” doesn’t it? According to official information, the restaurant seats 25 customers. During my stay, all the customers were local old men, and there seemed to be no TV influence at all. It has a real retro and nostalgic feel, not just a retro look-alike. I like this kind of store…

Goro Inokashira of “Kodoku no Gourmet” also ordered it… How was the Meat Tsukimi Ise Udon recommended by the waiter at Ise Udon Chitose when I actually tried it?

Let me introduce the Meat Tsukimi Ise Udon recommended by the waiter at Ise Udon Chitose (price: 980 yen including tax) that I ordered this time. After about 5 minutes of waiting after ordering, the Meat Tsukimi Ise Udon was brought in front of me like this…

The broth is black, but the noodles are thinner than the handmade Ise udon noodles from Fukusuke that I had just before, and they look more like regular udon, including the amount of broth. The udon is topped with a large amount of beef, chopped green onions, and a poached egg. Goro Inokashira, the main character in “Kodoku no Gourmet,” added prawn tempura to this Meat Tsukimi Ise Udon…

The noodles are very thick and flat, and have a fluffy texture that is hard to compare with the noodles at Fukusuke. I wonder if these noodles are boiled for a long time before the restaurant opens in order to produce this fluffy texture. I guess this is the norm for the people of Ise, but for a stranger like me, it makes me think, “Wow…”.

On the other hand, the broth used for this noodle is a type in which the aroma of soy sauce can be felt, and the salt content is also rather strong. So, at first, the impact of the broth made me think, “Whoa!” but in the latter half of the meal, I felt a little tired of eating it. At that time, I was glad that I had the “dropped egg”. If you mash this egg and make sure it is spread evenly in the broth, the flavor will change to a milder one, and the dish will go straight to the finish line. Personally, I think that an egg is a must-have item for Ise Udon Chitose. 

With a generous amount of beef, I was fully satisfied with the Meat Tsukimi Ise Udon at Ise Udon Chitose. I think that 980 yen including tax is an unbelievable price for an udon restaurant in the city center. It is located near a train station, and it is just right for stopping by before or after visiting Ise Jingu Shrine. However, I personally feel that it is a restaurant that I would not like to share with others…

Examples of other menu items at Ise Udon Chitose (prices include tax)

• Tempura Ise udon: 930 yen
• Meat Ise udon: 930 yen
• Yamakake Ise udon 760 yen
• Ise udon 600 yen
• Miso nikomi udon 930 yen
• Nabiyaki udon 930 yen
• Kitsune udon 650 yen

Not only Ise udon, but also rice bowls and set menus are available… To get to Ise Udon Chitose, a 3-minute walk from the nearest station, Ujiyamada Station on the Kintetsu Line!

In addition to Ise Udon, Chitose also offers a set meal menu…

Curry rice, fried rice, oyakodon, and many other simple dishes that Japanese people will never get tired of eating… Like Ise Udon, most of these dishes are available for less than 1,000 yen. I really like the atmosphere of this kind of simple set restaurant… If I have a chance to visit the restaurant next time, I might try to get a bowl of rice with Ise Udon as a set.

Now, here are the details of the restaurant…