The time I had too much burdock tempura udon (2023.03.05)
My whole family went to visit a town called Bungotakada.
Actually, we had intended to go to a place called Nagasakibana, where the "Museum of Heterogeneous Nature and People" that we visited before is located, and we were supposed to be heading there, but we ended up staying in Bungotakada until evening after stopping there for lunch on the way.
That lunch. We ate at a restaurant called "Haikara-an" located in a shopping street in Bungotakada that retains a strong Showa-era atmosphere. Since the surroundings were filled with a Showa vibe, Haikara-an, with its stylish exterior as the name suggests, looked a bit out of place. I felt somewhat uneasy, but my wife insisted, so I reluctantly followed her.
When we entered the restaurant, the staff were unusually energetic and, how should I put it, had a lot of momentum. In a word, they felt like Orange Range (my wife and I agree on this point). It was the kind of atmosphere where the staff could form a band right there. Or rather, I honestly think they might actually be doing that.
For some reason, I ordered the large serving of burdock tempura udon. I thought it would be just right if I shared it with my children, but after I ordered, the person who seemed to be the manager (probably the lead vocalist/guitarist) said something like, "The udon is seriously huge. But I think you'll be okay," which made me brace myself a little. I thought it would be fine since the manager said so, but it was truly massive. It wasn't just a large serving. I thought they should use a term more appropriate for the reality of the situation. Like 'mega-serving'.
When the massive amount of burdock tempura and udon was brought out, the restaurant buzzed. The manager had a look on his face like he had pulled off a prank. I thought about asking my wife for help, but the "Chicken Nanban set meal" that my wife and eldest son had ordered was also quite a large portion, so I braced myself, realizing I couldn't count on any reinforcements.
I am someone who can eat a fair amount, and I can easily finish a standard serving of Jiro-style ramen. However, this burdock tempura udon was tough. I thought I might not make it. My two-year-old second son helped out by eating some, which was a relief, but without that small reinforcement, it might have been impossible.
But despite that situation, the burdock tempura was delicious. Even though the portion was ridiculous, I never got tired of eating it until the very end. I wanted to drink beer with this as a snack.
I somehow managed to finish it just barely. For the first time in a while, I ate until my stomach felt like it was going to burst. My wife finished her Chicken Nanban set meal, and my eldest son ate about 70% of his. The staff brought a plastic container for the leftovers, and we were able to take them home. The other customers were also taking their leftovers home in containers as a matter of course, so it seemed like that was the norm at this restaurant.
After we ate, my second son, with his natural lack of shyness, actively engaged with the staff and hit it off with them. The restaurant's last order had already passed at that point, and there were no other customers. The staff brought out a two-year-old child (the staff member's own child) from the back. The child and my second son immediately became friends and played as if they had been friends for a long time.
We left the restaurant while regretting that we had to part ways. After that, we walked around the town of Bungotakada before heading home, but my stomach was so full that I didn't even really eat dinner. But on the other hand, I thought it was great value for money, and I decided I wanted to go back to "Haikara-an" where those Orange Range-like staff members are.