A note on the words: gyoza are the pan-fried dumplings of Japan — a thin wrapper around minced pork and vegetables, crisped on one side and steamed on the other. Pidan is the century egg, a duck egg cured until the white turns dark and translucent and the yolk goes soft and green. Chashu is braised or roasted pork, sliced thin, and here it has been seared over flame. Akaboshi means “red star,” the name drinkers use for a beer by the star on its label. Ameyoko is the open-air market street beside Ueno station.
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Shoryu on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hey there, Hangover Meshi here. When it comes to good gyoza in Ueno, the name is Shoryu! A famous place with a line outside it every time. I had never quite had the chance until now, but on this day I felt like a bit of a drink from midday on, so I put in a solid fifteen minutes in the line and went to eat. Looking forward to it! After a while they showed me to a seat on the second floor.
Even while I was in line, quite a few people came by to order gyoza to take away.
Ramen, 720 yen
Gyoza, four pieces 600 yen; six pieces 900 yen
Seared chashu pork, 880 yen
Pidan, 450 yen
This time I decided to build around the gyoza and order a beer and a few snacks to go with it.
Beer first, of course — the Akaboshi!
Once I had let that run down my throat, the snacks started trickling out!
I know pidan is something people either love or hate, but that deep, nourishing savor is wonderful. The contrast between the sticky, clinging feel of the yolk and the springy white is lovely. The scallion served with it brings a fresh note that lifts the rich pidan flavor — delicious!
And here is the gyoza!!
The signature dish, all right — or rather, these are enormous gyoza. At what must be twice the usual size, the visual impact alone is outstanding. The thick wrapper is chewy and satisfying to eat, and inside is packed with the savor of meat and vegetables. Take a bite and the juices come flooding out. The sheer volume and the juiciness are overwhelming. These alone would honestly fill you up. They are firmly, distinctly seasoned, so I am sure they would go well with rice too.
Mmm, this one is seriously good too. Or rather, it goes seriously well with beer.
If you are drinking, this is one you should definitely order. It has been seared to a fragrant finish, and the crisp charred bits are delicious. And yet the inside is meltingly juicy, and this sauce draws out the savor of the pork to its fullest. Melting chashu, so good!
So, I drank about three beers and left. The gyoza are pretty substantial, so this is plenty for a lunch. It was every bit as good as the rumors said, so when you are wandering around Ueno near Ameyoko, dropping in for a break over some of Shoryu’s jumbo gyoza would be a fine thing to do! Maybe next time I will buy some gyoza to take home as a gift.
Shoryu (Chinese / Keisei-Ueno Station, Ueno-okachimachi Station, Okachimachi Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.4
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
