Kamogawa, Chiba, Japan｜だるまや

I stumbled into this Izakaya for dinner. For those Americans out there, Think of an Izakaya as a hole in the wall dive bar that serves food. They have their local regulars that come in after work for a drink and maybe some food. This Izakaya was in a tiny space filled with knick knacks and manga. The menu was all handwritten and tapped to the wall. If you don't read Japanese, you will need to use a translation app. After ordering I could see the owner in the back making the food. Empty bottles had been repurposed for different condiments and I'm pretty sure the water I was poured was poured out of a repurposed cooking oil bottle. Some regulars did come in later and one couple stayed to talk with me. There was a lot of Google translate going on but it was a fun experience. Amazing atmosphere with a very unique experience.

Speaking of Katsuura Tantanmen, the one that is bright red with chili oil and chili pepper is popular, but Darumaya's Tantanmen is full of vegetables and is not spicy by default. This type uses homemade shichimi chili pepper (this one is delicious) and green onion miso to adjust the spiciness. It's run by a friendly old couple, and it has the feel of a local diner, with set meals on the menu and manga brought in by regulars. It seems that there are many celebrities and people who come from far away, so it may be a hidden gem.

My mother, who is friendly and talkative, runs the business by herself. I feel safe, like I've come back to my grandma's house. I received the recommended fried horse mackerel. Fluffy and crispy. We are particular about using only local ingredients. The tandan noodles and gyoza are also delicious. You can adjust the spiciness of the tandan noodles to your preference using coarsely ground chili peppers homemade by my mother.