Latest news with #JapanSuperBudgetDining
SoraNews24
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
What's the best way to spend 1,000 yen at Kura Sushi?【Japan Super Budget Dining】
Fish, noodles, and heresy are all on the table as our panel of hngry reporters puts together 10 different meals for 1,000 yen or less. Our Japan Super Budget Dining panel is coming off two straight meaty meals, having made recent visits to the Mos Burger and Matsuya chains for hamburgers and gyudon (beef bowls), respectively. So today we're giving beef a break and instead heading to Kura Sushi, or Kurazushi, as it's pronounced by locals in Japan. Kura Sushi is one of Japan's most popular kaiten sushi/conveyor belt sushi chains, and among that section of the dining scene it's known as an especially budget-friendly tasty place. So, as we do in this series, we gave each of our panel members a budge ot 1,000 yen (US$6.90) and told them to put together the best meal they could from Kura Sushi's menu. ▼ Takamichi Furusawa's 'Kura Sushi Beginner' set (920 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Marinated matured tuna (115 yen) ● Salmon (115 yen) ● Umadare sauce salmon (115 yen) ● Kisslip squid (115 yen) ● Pacific flying squid (115 yen) ● Natural dashi udon noodles (230 yen) 'This is actually my first time to eat at Kura Sushi. Since I don't have any experience with their menu, I went with things I saw being promoted on their website and in-restaurant signs and posters, plus a few things I always order at kaiten sushi restaurants. But when I broke up rotation between tuna, salmon, and squid, I was shocked by how good the udon's dashi bonito stock broth. The combo of sushi and udon is like a revelation, and I can't believe I found noodles that taste this good at a sushi restaurant.' ▼ Go Hatori's 'Shrimp All the Way' set (945 yen) ● Shrimp (115 yen) ● Shirim with avocado (150 yen) ● Seared gratin-style shrimp with mayo (170 yen) ● Seard shrimp with cheese (170 yen) ● Tempura shrimp nigiri sushi (170 yen) ● Tempura shrimp sushi roll (170 yen) 'I regularly make whole kaiten sushi meals out of nothing but cooked shrimp sushi, so I went down that path again, grabbing both some conventional and some unorthodox plates. But even this isn't all the cooked shrimp options Kura Sushi has!' ▼ Masanuki Sunakoma's 'Super Honor Roll' set (995 yen) ● Kaisen mixed seafood gunkan (115 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Salmon (115 yen) ● Squid with oba (Japanese basil) (115 yen) ● Special of the day tuna with green onion gunkan (115 yen) ● Seared bonito without rice (190 yen) ● Natural dashi udon noodles (230 yen) 'You've got to keep your eyes on the conveyor while you're at Kura Sushi, since the daily specials, like the three-piece tuna with green onion plate, might not be on the menu. Picking that up made my stomach and my soul feel very happy.' ▼ Yuichiro Wasai's 'Drawing Out the Full Potential of Inexpensive Sushi' set (990 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Matured tuna (115 yen) ● Salted marinated yellowtail (115 yen) ● Sered bonito with yuzu citrus salt (115 yen) ● Yuzu citrus flounder (115 yen) ● Kisslip squid (115 yen) ● Iberian pork (130 yen) ● Corn fritters (170 yen) 'There's no getting around it: a lot of my favorite types of sushi are expensive. There're exceptions, though, with less expensive ingredients with a little extra effort put in to maximize their potential in how they're prepared or seasoned. Basically, cheap ingredients made to taste better than they otherwise would. My selection is kind of heavy on salty flavors overall, but there're some sweet notes too in the pork and corn, making every plate great. ▼ Yoshio's 'Cheap but Ultimate' set (920 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Salted marinated yellowtail ( yen) ● Large-serving scallop sushi (115 yen) ● Yuzu citrus salt bonito (115 yen) ● Salmon (115 yen) ● Pangasius (115 yen) ● Mackerel (115 yen) ● Sardine (115 yen) 'When I go to kaiten sushi, I'm all about maxing out on the affordably priced stuff. The bonito and sardine in particular were super thick and fresh, especially for the low price, so I totally recommend getting some of those.' ▼ Ahiruneko's 'Ultimate Kura Sushi Alcoholic Drink Side Order' set (930 yen) ● Maguro yukke (tuna with egg) (130 yen) ● Chanja (spicy cod innards) (115 yen) ● Marinated salmon (115 yen) ● Small-size goro chicken fried chicken (150 yen) ● Gin lemon soda (420 yen) 'Gunkan (battleship-shape) sushi is a little more expensive that regular nigiri sushi, but it makes for a great side order snack to have with alcoholic drinks, and since gin with lemon and soda water is something you don't often see at chain kaiten sushi restaurants, I wasn't going to pass that up. The fried chicken is the finishing touch that gives the whole thing just the right balance of flavors.' ▼ Takashi Harada's 'Orthodox Chawanmushi and Sushi' set (995 yen) ● Chawanmushi savory egg custard (230 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Matured marinated tuna (115 yen) ● Salmon (115 yen) ● Shrimp (115 yen) ● Large-serving scallop sushi (115 yen) ● Aji (horse mackerel) (190 yen) 'Obviously I wanted to focus on sushi, but the chawanmushi looked to good not to order. Even with that, I still had a little extra room left over in the budget, so I splurged on a plate of aji.' ▼ Mr. Sato's 'Weekdays-only Set Meal' (980 yen) ● Kaisen mixed seafood bowl (600 yen) ● Miso soup (150 yen yen) ● Chawanmushi savory egg custard (230 yen) 'On weekdays only, until 5 p.m. Kura Sushi has a special lunch kaisen bowl, so I used that as the foundation to build my meal on. It's tasty, filling, and more convenient than having to order a bunch of different things.' ▼ Mariko Ohanabatake's 'Entertaining Heresy' set (990 yen) ● Sukiyaki-style gunkan (115 yen) ● Squid with okura gunkan (115 yen) ● Salted tuna (115 yen) ● Pangasius with lime salt (115 yen) ● Natural dashi udon noodles (230 yen) ● Corn fritters (170 yen) ● Warabi mochi (130 yen) 'Kaiten sushi is supposed to be fun. They've got all sorts of things on the menu thatd be considered heresy at more traditional sushi restaurants, things like 'sukiyaki sushi' and sushi seasoned with lime salt. So I got creative, and also treated myself to some jiggly warabi mochi for dessert.' ▼ Seiji Nakazawa's 'Actually Kura Sushi has Crazy Good Dandan Noodles' set (910 yen) ● Dandan noodles (490 yen) ● Two orders of beef kalbi short rib (230 yen each) ● Chashu pork croquette (190 yen) 'I see a lot of other people choosing udon to be part of their meal, and yeah, Kura Sushi does a great job with it. But I'd pass on the udon and get their tantanmen/dandan noodles instead. Kura Sushi makes their own broth for this in-house too, and it's nt just spicy, but nice and rich too, and I powered it up to the limit by adding extra beef and pork to my bowl.' And with that, the Japan Super Budget Dining panel is off to bask in their food comas. We'll see you all again next time, and in the meantime, if you're craving Kura Sushi but have a little more money to spend, the chain now has a high-end sister restaurant open in Tokyo too. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
What's the best way to spend 1,000 yen at Japan's Mos Burger?【Japan Super Budget Dining】
Japan's favorite domestic hamburger chain is known for higher quality than other fast food burger joints, but higher prices too, so our team searches for the optimum 1,000-yen Mos Burger meal. Welcome back to another episode of Japan Super Budget Dining, where each of our reporters has 1,000 yen (US$6.90) and a dream, a dream of a delicious meal they can put together at one of Japan's favorite restaurant chains within that budget. When last we saw them, our team had just finished up their visit to Matsuya, one of Japan's big-three gyudon/beef bowl chains. Beef is back on the menu today, as they get set to hit up Mos Burger, Japan's favorite domestic hamburger chain, but as we'll see, Mos has plenty of other great meaty meals and sweet treats to tempt us with. ▼ Masanuki Sunakoma's Luxurious Morning Set (980 yen) ● Morning Vegetable Cheeseburger (drink combo) (580 yen) ● Onion rings and French fries (330 yen) ● Barbecue sauce (40 yen) ● Mustard sauce (40 yen) 1,000 yen is a surprisingly tough budget for Mos Burger, but I could still put together a satisfying meal by utilizing their morning menu. Just like the name says, the Morning Vegetable Cheeseburger is stuffed with vegetables, and it's really filling too. Since I still had some extra room in the budget I added two different kinds of dipping sauce, to help draw out the maximum potential of the fries and onion rings. ▼ Yuichiro Wasai's Trio of Talent (990 yen) ● Chicken Burger (390 yen) ● Cheeseburger (280 yen) ● Mos Chicken fried chicken (320 yen) Some of Mos Burger's deluxe sandwiches cost close to 1,000 yen these days, but I don't think they really have the impact of a genuine gourmet burger. But on the other hand, the quality you get for the cost of their less expensive burgers is really outstanding. I still catch myself thinking 'Whoa, they're this good, even at those prices?' So if you ask me, the best way to use 1,000 yen is to load up on tasty lower-priced items like these. ▼ Takashi Harada's Fully Charged with Deliciousness from First Thing in the Morning Set (1,000 yen) ● Morning Vegetable Burger (drink combo) (540 yen) ● Teriyaki Burger (460 yen) If you're looking to get the biggest return on investment at Mos, you've gotta go for the morning sets. The Teriyaki Burger is a great choice at any hour of the day, though, so I can't leave that out either. Putting my two choices together works out to exactly 1,000 yen, and gets you the full charge of refreshing veggies and rich teriyaki first thing in the morning! ▼ Seiji Nakazawa's Macho Tower Burger Set (980 yen) ● 2 Double Cheeseburgers (880 yen) ● Jalapeno cup side order (100 yen) Right now Mos Burger has a special dinnertime-only hamburger with three patties, but I've created something beyond even that. Dock one double cheeseburger inside another, and you've got four layers of beef! Stuff in the jalapenos, then bite into a meaty mouthful with a spicy kick. With Mos using a milder cheese than other burger chains do, the heat of the jalapenos really comes through. ▼ Takamichi Furusawa's Family Set (990 yen) ● Mos Burger (470 yen) ● Mos Chicken (320 yen) ● Pepsi (small size) (200 yen) When I was growing up, my family would often swing by the Mos drive-through on the way home from a day out, and this is the meal I've been eating ever since I was a kid. My parents, my sister, and I would order this almost every time, and I've got a lot of happy memories of giving into temptation and chowing down right there in the car instead of waiting until we got home. There's just something special about the standard Mos Burger and Mos Chicken, so even now, this is my go-to order, and it always makes me remember those family moments. ▼ Mr. Sato's All You Need is Chicken and a Shake Set (1,000 yen) ● 2 pieces of Mos Chicken (640 yen) ● Vanilla Mos Shake (medium size) (360 yen) The place might be called 'Mos Burger,' but make no mistake, it's a legitimate chicken chain too. And when it comes to choosing a drink, the best choice is a shake. The idea of ordering anything else instead is, frankly, ludicrous. Chicken and a shake are all you need…Okay, actually I would like a burger too, but that's not in the budget. ▼ Mariko Ohanabatake's Mos Burger's Shakes and Onion Rings are Unbeatable Set (980 yen) ● Chicken Burger (390 yen) ● Onion Ring and French Fry Drink Set with Amaou strawberry shake upgrade (540 yen) Out of all the hamburger chains, Mos has the best shakes. Drawing from my fierce desire not just to eat a burger, onion rings, and French fries, but to drink a shake too, I assembled this set. Aside from their standard flavors, Mos has special seasonal shakes, with a vanilla base that has a touch of iciness to it and a generous amount of fruit sauce on top that you stir as you drink. I recommend only giving the Amaou strawberry one a quick stir or two, so that you get surprising tart bursts from the sauce and strawberry bits. And even if the chicken burger is the cheapest burger on the Mos menu, the breading is crisp, the shredded cabbage sweetly fresh, and the tartar sauce just about perfect. The onion rings and fries are delicious too, but you could already guess that, right? ▼ Yoshio's Addiction Set (1,000 yen) ● Waiwai Mos Cheeseburger Set (with toy) (590 yen) ● Mos Natsumi Chicken (410 yen) The Waiwai Set is aimed at kids, but adults can order it too. You get to choose from a selection of toys they have at the register, and this time I chose a pen. I also added a Mos Natsumi Chicken, which is like a chicken cutlet burger, but with a lettuce wrap instead of a bun, and stuffed it in between the buns of the cheeseburger that comes with the Waiwai Set! This gives you a giant burger with both beef and chicken inside! It's so meaty, and all the lettuce means you get a great crunch too. It's the absolute best, and even if some people might not think it's an elegant, mature choice, I'm addicted to it. ▼ Ahiruneko's Thank You, P.K. Sanjun Set (960 yen) ● Three pieces of Mos Chicken (960 yen) I never knew Mos Chicken was so good until a few years ago when my coworker P.K. was working on an article about it and he handed me a piece, saying 'Dude, it's good so just try it.' When I bit into that crispiness, it was like my eyes had been opened. Since then, I buy it all the time, and my daughter loves it too. So thank you, P.K., for being a fatherly guiding figure to me on the Mos Chicken path. ▼ Go Hatori's Mos Beginner Set (960 yen) ● Mos Cheeseburger Set (960 yen) Actually, I've only been to Mos Burger like two times in my entire life, and those were both so long ago that I can't remember anything about them. So I really don't know what to order, but since I love cheeseburgers, I went with the Mos Cheeseburger Set, which comes with a medium order of fries and a medium soft drink. Biting into the burger with no prior notion of how it was going to taste, I was really happy with the flavor! Ah, so this is what Mos Burger is like! The thick tomato slice and meat sauce combine for a really interesting tomato-y effect. ▼ P.K. Sanjun's Can't Help It, It's Just so Good Set (830 yen) ● Mos Cheeseburger (510 yen) ● Mos Chicken (320 yen) Some people say that Mos Burger's chicken is even better than their burgers, but I think they could call the place 'Mos Cheeseburger.' That's how good their cheeseburgers are, so obviously I was gonna start my meal with a cheeseburger and a piece of Mos Chicken, and then…ah, wait, that's pretty much used up my budget. Maybe I could have added an extra 40-yen order of dipping sauce, but I'm pretty much tapped out for actual food items. I suppose I could have carved out a little extra space and gotten a third item by going with a less expensive sandwich like a teriyaki chicken burger, but you know what? I just can't say no to Mos' cheeseburger or Mos Chicken, and while I feel a little frustrated at leaving 170 yen of my budget unused, I've got no regrets about how my choices taste. That wraps up our recommendation for this time, but it's only a matter of time until our panel gets hungry and embarks on its next 1,000-yen-or-less culinary quest, unless they make another Daiso detour first. Photos © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Japan Super Budget Dining – What's the best way to spend 1,000 yen at beef bowl chain Matsuya?
Eleven local recommendations for eating on the cheap at this famous restaurant chain. Welcome to Episode 25 of Japan Super Budget Dining, our in-depth series where we explore what 1,000 yen (US$7.02) can get you at some of the country's best-known chains. This time, we're off to Matsuya, one of Japan's leading beef bowl chains, where our Japanese-language reporters are using their local expertise to share with us their top recommendations. The only rule is that none of the meal ideas exceeds the 1,000-yen limit, a requirement that's becoming increasingly difficult with rising costs, so let's get to it and see what they recommend below! ▼ Masaunki Sunakoma's 'Beyond 1,000-yen Set' Set Meal of Hamburg Steak in Brown Sauce Topped with Cheese (1,030 yen → 960 yen with app coupon) Free large rice upgrade Total: 960 yen ▼ 'I cheated death with a coupon! The melty cheese and savoury sauce makes this wild combo worth the gamble.' ▼ Go Hatori's 'Meat Mountain Mega-Serving' Beef Bowl with Large Serving Simmered Beef ＆ Onion on Regular Serving Rice (580 yen) Beef Plate Side Dish (370 yen) Total: 950 yen ▼ 'I kept piling on meat until my bowl looked like a beef volcano. Pure happiness!' ▼ Takashi Harada's 'Secret Lunch Set That Takes the Classic Breakfast to the Next Level' Sausage & Egg Breakfast Set (490 yen) Large Beef Plate Side Dish (480 yen) Total: 970 yen ▼ 'I turned breakfast into lunch by adding a mountain of beef. Pro tip: Eat it at 11 a.m. for maximum brunch-style satisfaction!' ▼ Yuuichiro Wasai's 'Ultimate Takeout Drinking Combo' Stewed Chicken Curry and Rice Single Item (660 yen) Mini Beef Plate (200 yen) Cold Tofu (100 yen) Total: 960 yen ▼ 'This isn't just food, it's beer's best friend. Takeout lets me savour Matsuya like it's a drinking snack!' ▼ Seiji Nakazawa's 'All-You-Can-Eat Rice, Hamburg and Tonjiru Set' Set Meal of Hamburg Steak in Brown Sauce with Tonjiru pork miso soup (1,000 yen) Free extra rice (select locations) Total: 1,000 yen ▼ 'I exploited a location-specific promo for unlimited rice. Two bowls in, I was in carb heaven!' ▼ P.K. Sanjun's 'Beef Mountain Bibimbap Bowl Set' Beef Bibimbap Bowl (630 yen) Beef Plate Side Dish (370 yen) Total: 1,000 yen ▼ 'Matsuya's bibimbap is criminally underrated. Adding beef? Now it's a feast!' ▼ Furusawa Takamichi's 'Classic Beef Bowl Set' Large Beef Bowl (630 yen) Raw Egg (90 yen) Potato Salad (240 yen) Total: 960 yen ▼ 'Simple, timeless, and perfect. Adding the potato salad was a stroke of genius.' ▼ Yoshio Ueda's 'Food Coma Set' Set Meal of Hamburg Steak in Brown Sauce with Tonjiru pork miso soup (1,000 yen) Free extra-large rice Total: 1,000 yen ▼ 'I ate so much I couldn't move for three hours. Worth it.' ▼ Ahiruneko's 'All Hail the Chicken King' Stewed Chicken Curry and Rice (780 yen) Side Salad (150 yen) Total: 930 yen ▼ 'The chicken curry is a god-tier dish. Adding salad could be viewed as heresy but I did it anyway.' ▼ Mr Sato's 'The Rebel's 500-Yen Lunch' Small Beef Bowl Set (500 yen) Total: 500 yen ▼ 'Why waste 1,000 yen? Spend half, then buy Starbucks with the rest. Freedom!' ▼Mariko Ohanabatake's 'Early Bird Breakfast Hack' Cheese Omelette Over Rice & Pork Soup Set (550 yen) Extra Grated Yam (120 yen) Mini Beef Plate (150 yen) Side Salad (100 yen) Total: 920 yen ▼ 'This feels like a hotel buffet, and the omelette bowl with cheese and black pepper is absolutely divine.' So there you have it — 11 meal ideas for Matsuya that won't break the bank at 1,000 yen or less. While there were some clear overlaps, particularly in the way of hamburg steak sets, this just proves how popular these dishes are with locals. So next time you want to eat like a local, at breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, pull up a stool at Matsuya and order yourself a meal to remember. And if you're looking for more cheap meal recommendations, head on over here to find out what 1,000 yen will get you at the Lawson convenience store chain! Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
