Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan｜Korian

A visit to Kotanian, a long-established udon restaurant located in Mizushima, Kurashiki City, known only to those in the know. This store had been featured closely by YouTubers before, and I was excited by its charm, so I decided to go there as I had some business to do in the Okayama area. The exterior of the store gives you a sense of the history of a long-established store, and it has the overwhelming atmosphere of a udon restaurant itself. I thought it was a sliding door, but unexpectedly the automatic door opened, and from that moment on, my anticipation grew. When you look at the menu, you'll see a long list of recommended menu items that are typical of a long-established restaurant, rather than the confusing menu that you often see at franchise restaurants. Looking around the store, it seemed that many customers were ordering kakiage udon. So, I also ordered some fried udon noodles, as well as rice balls and inari sushi as side dishes. After only 3 minutes of waiting, the aroma that wafts from the food is not Kansai-style, but Kanto-style kobashi. When I took a bite, the surprisingly creamy broth and thick, finely textured handmade udon noodles spread in my mouth. I was speechless at the high quality. Furthermore, when I took a bite of the kakiage, it had a chewy texture, as if it had been made by a grandmother in the countryside, and I was surprised at the size of the shrimp tempura. These shrimp are so fresh that they are incomparably thicker than regular shrimp. The owner's dedication to every dish was palpable, and the rice balls were a perfect combination of fluffy plums and bonito, and the Inari rice balls had just the right amount of seasoning. Every time I put it in my mouth, I felt a sense of satisfaction. Visiting Kotanian is truly an amazing experience, and I highly recommend everyone to give it a try. Recommended dishes are shrimp tempura and kakiage. Finally, as a side note, the owner of this shop has a hobby of stained glass and has been making it for 40 years. I left the store feeling a sense of familiarity. Kotanan was a wonderful restaurant filled with many charms, not only the food, but also the atmosphere and the owner's hobbies.

I love the cold bukkake here! The noodles here are commonplace, but the noodles here are soft and have just the right amount of chewiness (slippery) that you won't be able to get enough of ♡ Also, you can see the owner behind the counter making the noodles, which makes the noodles even more delicious. The rice balls are made on the spot after you order, so they are delicious because they are not made in advance like other udon restaurants.

Hand-cut noodles with high water content❗ For the past 40 years, I have enjoyed this heavenly monkey every time, regardless of the season🎵 You don't need different kinds of tempura❗ Shrimp tempura match❗😁 This dipping sauce is the best for this noodle🤗 The shrimp tempura looked a little more elegant😙