Fukuoka - To Eat - Ganso Hakata Mentaiju (Famous Mentaiko joint in Tenjin) ABBA Contribution Fragrance. K 03Oct2019

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Ganso Hakata Mentaiju
元祖博多めんたい重
Famous Mentaiko joint, one of the big three things Fukuoka is known for. 
(Tenjin Area. Main shopping place)

Ganso Hakata Mentaiju is apparently very famous for Mentaiko.

 Ordered On:
03Oct2019

ABBA contribution and review by Fragrance.K 

Food 4/5
*Food is good but a bit jelak from too much mentaiko especially the noodles.
The mentaiko clear soup is really refreshing! Would drink from time to time when i feel a bit jelak of the noodles.*
Prefer the rice box over noodles as the warm broth for the noodles is really too thick to my liking I opted for medium spicy (not spicy at all)
Ambience 5/5
I rate 5 as i avoided peak period and restaurant was quiet. Went at 2.30pm.
Service 5/5
Typical Japanese service, the server took time to explain how to enjoy the set to the fullest
Value 3/5
*I thought it was a bit expensive (but I didn’t try other mentaiko restaurants so I cannot really compare either.*
Total cost me ¥3916 as i added onsen egg to my noodles,
set without onsen egg will cost ¥3718

 Click here for Ganso Hakata Mentaiju 元祖博多めんたい重

Fukuoka - 27March2019 市場ずし 魚辰 Ichiba-zushi-gyo tatsu

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Getting there
Renting a Bicycle

Go to level 4 of Hilton Sea hawk hotel to the concierge. Have your room number and name ready. Fill out the necessary details and they hand you the keys. The self locking white bicycles are located on level 1 and free for rental.

Click here for ABBA location of Gyo Sushi  市場ずし 魚辰〒810-0072 Fukuoka, Chūō-ku, Nagahama, 3-chōme−11−3 市場会館

Ichiba-Zushi-Gyo Tatsu
市場ずし 魚辰
NO CREDIT CARD ACCEPTED
There are ATMs there for you to withdraw some cash

Came recommended by a Fukuoka resident who now resides in Singapore. A place offering good, value conveyor belt Sushi. Although its located beside the Fish Market, this place is nothing like what you'd expect at Noryangjin Market or Tsukiji Fish Market. Totally quiet and non-touristy. Even the Gyo Sushi joint was located in a multi story business center of sorts with most of the small eateries located on the ground floor.

*A 30min cycle here. Saw some docked squid boats.*

Ordered On
27March2019
18Plates in Total. 

Really??

 *Selection of Toro from Normal to Fattiest. Pretty fair deal but fairly thin cuts. Not over the top Toro.*

Fed 2 at 5500yen in total.
Food 3.5/5
Ambience 3.5/5
Service 3.5/5
Value 3.5/5

In comparison to Conveyor belt Sushi, for the pricing and quality range it offers it does edge out the two cheaper value options Sushisho (NRT) and Kura Sushi (NRT). However it still looses out in overall variety and options in comparison to Chio Si Maru (NRT). Sushi-Gyo here seems to specialize mostly in their white fish varieties which were pretty enjoyable, with their stand out to be their rock fish. 

Out of the way location, but possibly en-route to Tenjin. The place had a queue on a Wed before doors open and filled out within 15mins of its opening.
Click here for ABBA location of Gyo Sushi  市場ずし 魚辰〒810-0072 Fukuoka, Chūō-ku, Nagahama, 3-chōme−11−3 市場会館

Fukuoka - To Eat 19Jan2019 (Sho La Ku Montunabe, Mark IS Food Court Options)

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Sho La Ku
もつ鍋 笑楽 天神店
Motunabe
 Located at B2 of Solaria Stage
(Tenjin Area. Main shopping place)
Getting To Tenjin Area

There's two shuttle buses to the Tenjin Area from Hilton Seahawk with regular timings and ea displays. The express W1bus takes about 20mins to get to town while the regular service takes a little longer. Return stops just in front of Mark IS Mall and the other In Front of Hilton Seahawk. Bus Does not pull back into the drop of point of the hotel.

Sho La Ku
もつ鍋 笑楽 天神店
Motunabe
 Located at B2 of Solaria Stage
(Tenjin Area. Main shopping place)

Stumbling into Sho La Ku was kind of a third choice. After having passed Ganso Hakata Mentaiju, which after asking the local long queue lines which started at 1030am, and even longer by 1230pm that the place is apparently famous for Mentaiko.

The second was Hyotan sushi located on the same floor not too far from Sho La Ku. A (researched) popular local sushi joint, Hyotan Sushi which also had a long queue when we reached. Hence the third choice of Sho La Ku.

Here at Sho La Ku, one can get to try to of the main things which Fukuoka are known for. The first being MENTAIKO Spicy cod roe. This is famous in Fukuoka and is commonly served as a side dish everywhere from yatai food stalls to izakaya and even ramen shops. Secondly is Motunabe which is Another affordable yet satisfying soul food or innards hotpot. The beef or pork tripe is topped with lots of chives and cabbage and boiled in a spicy miso broth. Noodles or rice are added to the soup to round off the meal. This is a winter favorite but served and eaten year-round.

Click here for Location of もつ鍋 笑楽 天神 Sho La Ku

Ordered On:
19Jan2019
Special Lunch and Offal Hotpot with choice of Soy Sauce Based Soup.
On the menu it was stated that Shoyu was the most popular soup since its opening and it did not disappoint at all! 
You can order different sets as the main shared dish is the same.

The only difference between the two is the addition of Horse Meat Shashimi (nothing spectacular), Vinegar Offal (the ponzu and vinegar tends to overpower everything else. More of a textural thing). The surprisingly welcome dish was the serving of Champion noodles which was typically an asian Birthday noodles that goes into together with that delicious rolling broth.

The main hotpot itself is quite unique. Though there isn't a lot of inert, but it does have a flavorful, almost fatty texture and consistency. Very delicious but not too filling like eating pork fat. Same same, but slightly different.
Fed 2 at 3260Yen

Food 3/5
Ambience 3.5/5
Value 3.5/5 (For basic set probably)
Service 3/5

For a first time experience of Montunabe, this was really quite enjoyable. Not much comparison to others, nor suggesting this is a famous or known one. A great exposure to one of Fukuoka's dishes that was throughly enjoyed. 

Click here for Location of もつ鍋 笑楽 天神 Sho La Ku

Mark IS Food Court
Ordered On
19Jan2019
Drive In Tori

Food 3/5
Value 3/5
Ramen
located beside Udon Stall

(Staff from the Drive In Tori stall said this was the better one of the two ramen stalls within the food court.)
Food 3-3.5/5
Value 3/5
Okay nothing special. Survival.

 Located at Mark Is Shopping Center Lvl3

Fukuoka - To Eat (24Dec2018 Kanazawa Maimon Sushi 金沢まいもん寿司 マークイズ福岡ももち店)

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金沢まいもん寿司 マークイズ福岡ももち店
 Kanazawa Maimon Sushi
Mark IS Shopping Center Sushi Lvl3(AVOID!)

 *Long queues seemingly at all times of the day. Remember to take a queue number first. Their estimate times seem to be moving targets.*

 *Many items at 1800hrs were sold out or not avail.*

Sea Hawk area starting to look like a survival joint. Survival eats with many of them located in Mark IS shopping center. Located on the 3rd floor along with the food court is this Sushi joint. Long, long queues. Tried to get it at about 1300hrs. Wait time for a single seater was 225mins. Over 3hours! Dinner early at 1700hrs was no better. Wait time of 45mins which honestly was a moving target.13min -16mins.

So popular at all times, or could be because of the holiday.
Located at Mark Is Shopping Center Lvl3

Ordered On:
24Dec2018
As seen with some missing pictures. As the courses came in, they were so uninspiring and unimpressive that it just wasn't worth it.

 *Pictured Chutoro which honestly lacked luster. Didn't even bother with their Ottoro orders which seemed pricey and from photograph expectations vs reality its quite a big difference.*

 Total Fed 1, 3,304Yen
Food 3/5
Service 3.5/5
Value 2/5
*The long wait times weren't really an issue if the food met the standard. However that failed miserably and a total waste of space and time. You're better off finding somewhere else to get your sushi fix.*
Ambience 3.5/5

Will absolutely avoid. Food court may have simpler, cheaper alternatives over this crazy long wait and poor showing of sushi. As of 1800hrs, I'd say about 10% or so of their menu options weren't available. Pricey and not worth.
You maybe interested in more worth while sushi joints
Osaka : Kuromon Sakai Sushi
Sushi Zanmai Chained restaurant

Narita: Chio si maru

 900Yen from food court lunch.
*Similar to Osaka Marugame Seimen Udon located beside Sheraton Miyako Hotel.*

Located at Mark Is Shopping Center Lvl3