Jinan-bo

Tucked down a lane just off the streets of Iidabashi, Jinanbo is a Chinese restaurant with a lively, casual feel and gyoza at the heart of its menu. It is a dependable option for an everyday meal, whether stopping in for lunch or settling in for a casual drink in the evening.

A range of gyoza, with character in the fillings and wrappers

Gyoza come in a range of styles, making them the clear centrepiece of the menu. The original vegetable gyoza are filled with a light mixture centred on vegetables and wrapped in a thicker skin; their gentle flavour makes them easy to keep reaching for. For something heartier, the signature black pork gyoza use minced black pork from Kyushu. Their chewy wrappers hold a juicy, savoury filling. Other options include crisp-seared gyoza in exceptionally thin wrappers, shiso gyoza served with grated daikon and ponzu, and prawn-and-chive gyoza with a pleasantly springy bite. The choices make it easy to follow your mood or preferred texture.

An easygoing meal with noodles or fried rice

Order gyoza on their own with rice, or pair them with noodles or a rice dish as part of a set meal. Sets pair the original vegetable or black pork gyoza with vegetable tanmen, served in a white broth with plenty of vegetables, or crispy fried noodles with a satisfying thickness. Both combinations make for a substantial meal. The familiar town-style Chinese dishes also include gently seasoned fried rice, salt-seasoned chicken soba, and an appetising rice bowl topped with pork and chives—useful choices for a lunch when you want a filling meal.

An evening over small plates and beer

In the evening, Jinanbo also works for a casual drink, with beer or sour cocktails alongside small plates of Chinese food. The small plates range from more robust dishes such as mouthwatering chicken, mapo tofu with Sichuan pepper, and pork and asparagus stir-fried with black pepper to lighter cold dishes. Counter seating makes it easy to drop in for a meal alone, and the restaurant accepts PayPay and Rakuten Pay.