A note on the words: baijiu is Chinese grain spirit, clear and very strong, and erguotou is one of its plainest, most everyday styles. Kikurage is wood ear, a dark, crunchy mushroom; the white kind is a paler, frillier relative. Komatsuna is a mild Japanese leaf green and bok choy is the familiar Chinese cabbage with thick pale stems. Laohucai is a Chinese salad whose name means “tiger vegetable.” Nira are garlic chives, flat green stems with a mild garlic bite, and manju here means a filled bun.
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Roshuho on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hey there, Hangover Meshi here. Roshuho, the no-compromise Chinese place in Ueno! Here I am again.
Last time I drank baijiu and, as I recall, got pretty well drunk — but this time it was the evening rather than lunch! The place was packed, and what they offered was: the counter by the entrance — which, honestly, is more of a service station for the food than a counter — if you are happy to stand and drink around there, be our guest! So I decided to take them up on it.
In the evening it is absolutely jammed. Buzzing.
After looking things over I decided to go a la carte.
Beer first!
This shelf is where the dishes get set down, ha.
And look at that — not just the ordinary kikurage, but white kikurage too.
For anyone who loves kikurage this has to be irresistible! That crunchy texture with a good tart sauce — outstanding!
Today’s stir-fried greens! Komatsuna? Bok choy? I have a feeling it is probably one of the two!
Stir-fried greens eaten at a proper Chinese restaurant come with plenty of oil and serious heat behind the wok, and they are so good.
And then, the cilantro salad! A salad with a good solid amount in it. Firmly seasoned, and delicious.
The cilantro is right out front, and the fresh note of the green chili (which, to be fair, is not so hot that it hurts) goes with it nicely. The seasoning is on the strong side too, which makes it a perfect salad to drink alongside, I would say.
Right around this point they told me a seat had opened up upstairs, so I moved.
Now that I was upstairs, baijiu! 56 percent, ha.
That is a decent bit of strength, is it not. This time, so as not to get drunk, I adjusted it with a little extra soda, ha.
I am gradually growing fond of that distinctive flavor.
And last, nira manju!
While I was down on the first floor I saw someone order them and thought, those look good.
Inside a plump, chewy wrapper is a filling packed with garlic chives! Mmm, delicious. The wrapper is fairly thick, so they are substantial too.
And that is where this one ends! Once I start on the baijiu I really do get drunk! But if you are going to eat hard-core Chinese food with seasoning this distinctive and unfamiliar, baijiu is the best match there is! The prices are not all that high either, so slipping into a gap in the crowd for a quick drink strikes me as a fine way to use the place! Recommended.
Roshuho (Chinese / Okachimachi Station, Naka-okachimachi Station, Ueno-hirokoji Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.5
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
