"Yoyogi walking map, what's the next shop we should go to?"
"I'd like to have gyoza and beer."
It was a midsummer day in July, and the city was bathed in aggressive sunlight at noon.
It was a little after 8 p.m.
As I watched passersby hurrying home with their white skin peeking out from their blouses, my mind was filled with thoughts of gyoza.
With a beer in hand, I munched on some gyoza.
As I headed towards Yoyogi Station with this fantasy recurring over and over, a red sign came into view on my right.
"Chinese Restaurant Sansuiro"
Look for the red light just after exiting the north exit of Yoyogi Station
There are surprisingly few Chinese restaurants that are perfect for drinking alcohol.
There are countless Chinese restaurants, from cheap and delicious chain restaurants to Chinese restaurants where you'll be full even before you've eaten a full course meal, but there are few Chinese restaurants that offer a good balance between menu size and price, and above all, that have a bar-like atmosphere.
Sometimes I get a sudden craving for Chinese food for lunch.
In such cases, a Chinese restaurant with a cafeteria-like atmosphere is a good choice.
And perhaps due to societal needs, there are far more Chinese restaurants here.
"No, no, I think there are plenty of Chinese places where you can drink alcohol."
I hear such objections, but I think they are either mistaking a decadent atmosphere for a bar atmosphere, or they are truly blessed.
The Chinese food you eat at any Chinese restaurant is delicious in its own way, but there are some restaurants that serve Chinese food at lunchtime, some that serve Chinese food in the evening, and some that serve Chinese food late at night or early in the morning.
And Chinese restaurants, perfect for an evening out, have the scent of entertainment.
A perfect balance between the symmetrical exterior and the ostentatious lighting
That was a long introduction, but Sansuiro, a long-established Chinese restaurant in Yoyogi, is the perfect place for drinking.
The gyoza at Sansuiro are large.
These days, it's not uncommon to come across small gyoza that make you wonder, "What is this, just a cheap snack?", but here they serve proper gyoza.
The gyoza served at most restaurants that have a decadent atmosphere are cheap snacks.
"If you're going to drink, you'd be better off with some cheap snacks like gyoza."
No, that's not right.
It is no exaggeration to say that gyoza is the symbol of Chinese restaurants at night.
In contrast to randomly choosing a restaurant for lunch during your lunch break, there's always a sense of excitement when eating out at night.
And behind that sense of elation there is always an image.
The filling is packed tightly into a thick white skin that encases it.
They are neatly lined up in a oiled wok and after boiling water is poured over them, they make a sizzling sound as they are delivered to the people waiting for them.
With that image in mind when you open the door to a Chinese restaurant at night, there's no way that the gyoza can be considered cheap snacks.
The gyoza at a Chinese restaurant at night are best when they taste like real gyoza.
And a proper gyoza is one that feels like a proper gyoza down to the very last piece.
The lovely melancholy of the only dumpling left on the plate
Next up is the overwhelming champion of Chinese restaurants at night,
"Mapo tofu"
It's hot and rich in flavor.
Enjoy a drink with some of these foods as snacks.
It is no exaggeration to say that the luxury of getting drunk at a Chinese restaurant is epitomized here, so when I drink at a Chinese restaurant, I don't order white rice, and instead stick to Chinese-style side dishes.
It's a speedy operation, with food being brought to you in less than five minutes.
They face each other and hold a silver spoon in their right hand.
After a string of hot and humid days, the spiciness and umami flavors permeate your tired body.
The food was piled high on the plate, so close it was about to spill, and he eagerly went through it.
Ah, food!
Even as I thought that, my thirsty body craved beer and I reached for the glass.
The real pleasure of eating Chinese food at night is the ambivalent feeling it gives you.
A perfect presentation that could be used as a food replica
Having come this far, there are two possible outcomes.
The final dish is a dazzling one, featuring a stellar lineup of dishes such as fried rice, ramen, yakisoba, and burnt rice.
Alternatively, you could go for a gentler finishing touch with almond tofu.
Although he feels uncomfortable repeating mapo tofu and almond tofu, he orders the almond tofu, knowing that she is the only one who can save him from the violent summer.
I was completely red from consuming gyoza, mapo tofu, and a large bottle of beer, when pure white almond tofu was presented in front of me.
Its nostalgic appearance allows you to bask in the afterglow of the day.
The lone cherry sitting there is intriguing.
So refreshing, so rustic. What a way to end summer.
We cooled down with some lightly seasoned almond tofu and then reflected on the day.
I look around, blankly thinking about all sorts of things.
Most of the customers were office workers with the top button of their shirts undone.
In between, lively girls' get-togethers are held with mugs of beer in hand.
After quenching their thirst, their choice of words seems sharper, and when one of them speaks the other covers his face with his hands, and when the other starts an impersonation the other laughs, his face already red from alcohol turning even redder.
In the kitchen at the back front, the flames continue to burn vigorously along with the vigorously swinging wok.
I called out to the proprietress, who was walking around the store in a good mood, and paid the bill.
Sansuiro, in front of Yoyogi Station.
The recommended lunch dish is crab omelet.
Chinese Restaurant Sansuiro
〒151-0053
1-33-4 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3379-3282
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