[Gyoza no Ohsho]
I have not visited “Gyoza no Ohsho” for a while, but the other day I visited the first Gyoza no Ohsho store, Shijo Omiya in Kyoto, for the first time, and after learning about the “Just Size Menu,” I became addicted to drinking at Ohsho.
Since the first Gyoza no Ohsho restaurant opened in 1967 in Shijo Omiya, Kyoto, Ohsho has expanded nationwide with the sales policy of “fast, tasty, and inexpensive” and currently has 542 directly managed restaurants (including 2 overseas) and 190 franchise restaurants, totaling 732 restaurants. The first thing you see when entering a Gyoza no Ohsho restaurant is the open kitchen. Contrary to the image of a chain restaurant, Gyoza no Ohsho insists on providing handmade, freshly prepared, and hot food prepared by highly skilled staff. Most of the ingredients, including rice, pork, chicken, and vegetables, are domestically produced. Each restaurant has its original menu, so some customers visit all the restaurants in Japan.
The first store, located in front of Shijo Omiya Station, is a four-story building entirely devoted to Gyoza no Ohsho. On the outer wall, a stone tablet with the inscription “The birthplace of Gyoza no Ohsho” is unnoticed, suggesting that this is where the hundreds of Gyoza no Ohsho restaurants that now exist throughout the country began. It is not unusual to see people waiting outside the restaurant in the evenings, but turnover is quick because of the large number of seats on the four floors: counter seats on the first floor, comfortable sofa tables on the second floor, tatami rooms on the third floor, and the employees' offices on the fourth floor, which also has an elevator.
First of all, the signature item, gyoza, is indispensable. The dumplings, which are not frozen at all and baked on a griddle to a nice crispy color, have moderately chewy skin that is well balanced with the richly flavored bean paste! The dumplings are just like the king of dumplings, Gyoza no Ohsho! I never get tired of eating them, and I order gyoza every time. The menu also offers “Garlic Gyoza,” which is made with more than twice the amount of garlic from Aomori Prefecture, and it is also delicious with a kick of garlic.
The set menus are also good and hearty, but I recommend drinking at Ohsho. Although menus vary by store and region, Gyoza no Ohsho has a “Just Size Menu,” which is a small and affordable version of the regular menu, starting in the 100-yen range. It was a hit to be able to enjoy a little bit of all kinds of freshly made, homemade Chinese food, such as fried bean curd, chive liver, crab balls, fried chicken, and so on. And the beer is cheap! Even if you order a bottle of beer, a few items from the just-size menu, gyoza (Chinese dumplings), and fried rice, you can enjoy a small drink for around 1,000 yen per person, filling your stomach and heart.
Gyoza no Ohsho is now so ubiquitous that it is easy to pass it on the street. Why don't you go there on your way home from work, alone, with your friends, or with your family? If you are in the neighborhood, please visit the Shijo Omiya branch, a sacred place for Gyoza no Ohsho fans.
Gyoza no Ohsho Shijo Omiya
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7eqixrYQbfdmf3bK9
What is the "Just Size Menu"?
https://www.ohsho.co.jp/english/menu/justsize/
Showroom Information
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/
References
https://www.ohsho.co.jp/english/kodawari/
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A4%83%E5%AD%90%E3%81%AE%E7%8E%8B%E5%B0%86
https://recruit.ohsho.co.jp/business/
