When visiting Kumamoto, you shouldn't miss the local specialty Taipien, and Kourantei is a popular, long-established restaurant where you can try it. Inside, the traditional space, red lanterns, and Chinese-style decor create a strong nostalgic atmosphere with a distinctive charm. Kourantei's Taipien uses smooth glass noodles instead of regular noodles and includes ingredients such as shrimp, sliced meat, vegetables, and egg. The broth is flavorful and refreshing, with a mild taste that isn't too greasy. The glass noodles fully absorb the broth, making them especially flavorful. It's also a good choice for older people who aren't used to some Japanese dishes.
Kourantei Shimotori Main Store | Review by Linda Liao
Other Reviews by Linda Liao
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Kayanoya COREDO Muromachi Nihonbashi Store
A former soy-sauce storehouse turned specialty ingredients shop. Kayanoya has spent 120 years helping more people enjoy “Washoku”, the world-recognized intangible cultural heritage of Japanese cuisine, with easy to use ingredients.
While visiting COREDO Muromachi near Nihonbashi, I saw Kayanoya and of course couldn’t pass it up, so I immediately went in to stock up! The classic “Kayanoya Dashi” is a must-buy. It’s great for everyday soups and rice dishes, and you can also open the dashi packet and use the contents directly as seasoning. This time, I also found small packages of dried soup cubes, miso soup, and various instant soups. They’re especially convenient to keep at the office—just add hot water at lunchtime for an easy meal full of Japanese flavor.
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Bâton d'or
Glico, the brand known for Pocky and Pretz also launched a luxurious dessert sweet in 2012. It’s called Bâton d'or, meaning “golden stick” in French. Each rich, buttery pretzel stick is made with a dough that’s packed with refined butter and cooked to perfection, along with an aged, golden butter sugar blend.
I came across this by chance in the food hall of a department store in Osaka. It was really delicious, so it’s no wonder many people call it the “Louis Vuitton of Pocky.” My favorite was the one in the blue package, with its savory, salty flavor. The biscuit itself was crispy with a subtle buttery aroma, and every bite had so many layers〜 But I could only indulge a little since it isn’t cheap.
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Meishoku Bigansui Medicated Skin Lotion
This acne-targeting toner comes from the loving story of a founder who wanted to make his wife smile despite her acne troubles. Other than its effects on acne, it is also highly acclaimed as an almighty toner that can care for shiny skin and open pores.
Meishoku Bigansui is a classic Japanese medicated toner designed to help with acne, pores, and skin texture. It feels refreshing and non-sticky. Personally, my skin felt fresher after using it, and the effects were especially noticeable on acne-prone, oily skin. Some people also use it as a localized toner pack or to wipe their T-zone. However, it has a noticeable alcohol feel and a distinctive herbal smell, and it may cause stinging or dryness when your skin is sensitive or its barrier is compromised. Overall, it is better suited for localized care on oily, acne-prone skin. If using it for the first time, apply only a small amount and avoid the eye area.
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