This time we'll be introducing everyone's top 5 favorite fried rice dishes.

We will introduce five restaurants: Manraiyuan, Din Tai Fung, Issuntei, Chinese Restaurant Chotoku, and Chinese Cuisine Restaurant Goku.

Fried rice comes in a variety of toppings, including shrimp and crab, and some dishes are topped with thick stir-fried vegetables, but I personally prefer to eat it simply as a rice dish. I'm not talking about high-end restaurants. If you include those, the top of the list would undoubtedly be the fried rice made with the utmost skill, such as "KOBAYASHI" or "Izen Shichifuku."

The subject of this article is a different type of fried rice, that of a local Chinese restaurant, which has developed as a uniquely Japanese style of Chinese cuisine (there is also one restaurant that does not fall into this category). Fried rice can be broadly divided into "light" and "moist" types. For the former, the wok is shaken vigorously, and the rice is held over a pillar of fire, causing it to fly through the air and evaporate excess oil. For the latter, the rice is stirred so that it only flies through the air a little. A moderate amount of oil remains, resulting in a moist rice.

Before moving on to the main story, I would like to make a few points.

Take, for example, a certain restaurant that is always named in Tokyo's best fried rice rankings. The restaurant is constantly full to capacity, and everyone orders fried rice, but it comes out in just 30 seconds. This fried rice, which judges praise highly, is made in large quantities in advance and kept warm in a jar. The oiliness has evaporated, and it has become almost like cooked rice. It is not "crispy" but "dry."

This isn't fried rice. I'd like to say that fried rice is the kind that lets you feel the heat of freshly cooked oil.

In addition to this restaurant, there was another place where I had a great dinner, but for lunch, when orders are hectic, they still used "pre-made + jarred" food. Pre-made food tastes bad! No matter how busy they are, I wish they would stir the pot each time. I think that's the key to deliciousness.

This might be the best in Tokyo
Chinese Restaurant Banraien

This time too, I ate at a lot of different places, but in the end I came to the conclusion that this was the place to be.

It may look like a local Chinese restaurant with only a counter, but it's actually no mean feat. The owner is so skilled that he once appeared on Fuji TV's "Iron Chef" and challenged Chef Suga Yosuke of "Joel Robuchon." Lunchtime dishes like shrimp fried rice, mixed fried rice, mixed soba noodles, and mixed yakisoba noodles are available for around 1000 yen, but in the evening, the restaurant changes completely and becomes a private venue for groups of four or more, with a budget of around 1 yen per person. So, while it may actually be an authentic Chinese restaurant, the lunch menu is exactly what you'd expect from a local Chinese restaurant.

Now, what's a bit troublesome about this store is that it often closes unexpectedly and its opening times are slightly different. So even after you've decided to go, you have to call just to be sure. Then you're told, "We're closed today" or "We open from 12:40 today."

There are 10 seats, and everyone has access to the kitchen, but if you arrive on the first round, everyone will order shrimp fried rice. Because of this pressure to conform, it can be difficult to ask for other dishes. If you want to try something else, it's best to wait until the second or third round.

I had shrimp fried rice on my first visit, but I still wanted to eat, so I went outside to kill time for about 30 minutes before returning and having gomoku yakisoba (lol). What an idiot.

The restaurant is run by an elderly couple and their son, and it's the son who actually stirs the pot. The process involves first frying the egg fried rice a little, then dividing it into individual portions and frying it thoroughly again, seasoning it, and then adding four shrimp to complete the dish. The only seasonings are salt, white pepper, and chemical seasonings. The rice is fried until it's quite flaky, and a little hot water is added halfway through to replenish the moisture. The way the oil soaks into each grain of rice, the way it's browned, and the balance of flavors are superb. The finished dish is not like that of a high-end restaurant, but rather a local Chinese style.

I'm impressed that this might be the best in Tokyo.

The four shrimps are carefully fried, with the back vein removed, so there's not the slightest hint of shrimpy smell. Instead, they're plump and sweet, like tempura, and delicious. What's amazing is how they don't cut corners, preparing each individual serving right in front of you. They're probably convinced that individual portions are the best way to make the dish. As they fry the first 10 servings one after the other, they're dripping with sweat, and I'm worried they might become dehydrated.

At one point, the son complains about his parents' skill, creating a slightly chilly atmosphere, but since we're in a rush, we quickly move on to the next scene. The point is, even if it's a bit of a hurdle, it's the fried rice that you should get to. A regular customer who is used to it ordered the shrimp fried rice after the gomoku soba, which is the ideal order (lol).

By the way, the gomoku yakisoba was the best I've ever had in my life. Seriously.

Don't just eat Xiaolongbao, try the egg fried rice too
Din Tai Fung Ikebukuro East Exit Branch

It might be a bit unfair to put this place second. In Japan, it's considered a somewhat high-end restaurant, not on the same level as a local Chinese restaurant. In Taiwan, it's just a little above a popular restaurant. If you just look at the fried rice, the price isn't that high, so it's fine.

There are over 30 Din Tai Fung restaurants in Japan, but this one is the first to open on a street level in Japan, at the east exit of Ikebukuro in May 2025. Naturally, there are long lines, but when I arrived five minutes before the last order (20:55pm), I was able to get in right away.

In fact, I just visited the Taipei branch this past June. I've always thought that the taste of the Tokyo branch is definitely inferior to that of the Taipei branch. This is only natural when you've expanded the number of branches. Also, while the Taipei branch of Din Tai Fung is known for its surprisingly friendly staff, the Ikebukuro East Exit branch also seemed quite friendly. That's a good thing.

As I wrote in the dim sum article, I have a soft spot for steamed dumplings and shumai, but I'm not particularly interested in xiaolongbao. I've tried a variety at the Taipei branch a few times, and while they were tasty, they weren't particularly appealing. The only thing that made me groan in surprise was the pricey truffle-filled xiaolongbao (about 500 yen each).

Well, I think that what you should eat at Din Tai Fung is, although the dim sum is good, the egg fried rice or fried rice with sesame seeds is the best. As for the egg fried rice, I have always thought "This is delicious" ever since it first opened in Shinjuku Takashimaya (this restaurant was the best in Japan at the time). That impression has not changed even now.

Since I was alone this time, I couldn't order too many dishes. The first thing that arrived was the appetizer "braised eggplant in soy sauce" (this dish often sells out in Taipei). Compared to Taipei, the presentation was much messier. The meat and miso on top of the eggplant gives it a Taiwanese feel. As it was close to closing time, the eggplant was too saturated with the sauce. The appetizer "steamed chicken with green onion sauce" was delicious. The chicken was super tender, and the green onions and ginger were a nice touch.

Now, the main dish, egg fried rice.
The ingredients are just egg and spring onion, seasoned only with salt and special seasonings. It's somewhere between light and fluffy, and I like it this way. When watching the chef's steps on YouTube, the rice doesn't fly around much. The egg remains quite large. This is probably because the rice is added too late. I think it tastes better if the egg is mixed with the rice while it's still raw.

However, as fried rice, it surpasses many local Chinese restaurants. The taste is very refined, with only a subtle hint of salt and seasoning. Taiwanese cuisine is generally strong-flavored, but this gentle touch is excellent. It's a fine rice dish, allowing the flavor of the rice grains to really come through. You'll want to keep munching away at it. I usually add vinegar to change the flavor halfway through, and the black vinegar on the table at this restaurant was mellow and very good.

In Taipei, I had the "paiku fried rice," which is this egg fried rice topped with marinated pork spare ribs (paiku, or "extra ribs"), and the fried paiku was incredibly tender and delicious. Incidentally, I tried it at the Ikebukuro East Exit branch on another day. It had less meat than the Taipei branch, and was a little tougher and more curvy. However, if you didn't know the level of perfection in Taipei, this would still be delicious.

By the way, the last dish we had was the "Mulberry Black Pork Xiaolongbao with Truffles." I was so impressed with it in Taipei, but this one wasn't as good. The knots where the skin was twisted were hard, the pork was of a different quality, and the truffle flavor was too strong. In Taipei, the truffles were kneaded into the meat, but in Tokyo, they were just thinly sliced ​​truffles thrown in. I was shocked at how different the flavors were, even though they were the same dish at the same restaurant in the same chain. What a shame.

The shredded char siu, green onions, and finely chopped naruto add a nice flavor.
Issun-tei

It's a few minutes' walk from Sendagi Station on the Chiyoda Line, right in the heart of Yanaka Ginza. Walking under the scorching heat of 36 degrees, I arrived at 13:15pm, which was a bit of a stretch. There was a line, two people inside the store and five people in the blazing sun, and I was eighth in line. I was sweating profusely.

One of the customers peeking inside exclaimed, "What's going on? There are two groups having a party at a table in the middle of the day. They've monopolized it and won't move." I wish they'd do something like that at another big restaurant (tears).

The owner of this restaurant used to make dozens of different items, but now, due to his age, he only serves three items: fried rice, soba noodles with bean sprouts, and pan-fried dumplings. Despite this, there are lines even when there are no banquet guests. I saw it on YouTube, but even though it has been 50 years since the restaurant opened, the kitchen is spotless and the food is prepared with great care.

When my turn came and I sat at the counter, the guy next to me was slurping down his bean sprout soba noodles with thickened sauce, even though it was so damn hot. After a while, fried dumplings and fried rice were brought out. Amazing. I would have liked to have the same, but thinking about my health, I decided to just have fried rice and fried dumplings (lol). Almost all the other customers ordered fried rice.

The husband was frantically stirring the wok, and the fried rice arrived first. The amount of finely chopped naruto was irresistible. The other toppings were simple, with just finely chopped char siu and green onions. Yes, that was fine.

The rice is nicely browned and evenly coated in oil. It's somewhere between light and moist. With one bite, the taste of the char siu hits you first, followed by the umami of the rice and the naruto. The salt and umami seasonings are used sparingly. No soy sauce is used. It's not sticky at all, and is rather crisp. Yes, it's egg and salt fried rice, and it's delicious.

The pan-fried dumplings that came out at the same time also had a strong homemade feel to them, with the bottoms deep-fried and crispy, but the skin on top was soft. They were stuffed with chives, cabbage, garlic, and minced meat, and were very tasty. The fried rice and pan-fried dumplings were a perfect pairing. The bean sprout soba with a thick sauce looked delicious, but it's definitely not a summer food. I'd like to try it someday.

We lined up for the famous golden fried rice
Chinese Restaurant Chotoku

This local Chinese restaurant in Komagome is known to all fried rice lovers. It is famous for its "Golden Fried Rice."

Therefore, the queue before lunchtime is incredibly long. Even if you arrive at opening time of 11:30, it will already be too late. So, if you want to eat without waiting, I recommend that you prepare yourself and go early.

In particular, most customers order the "egg fried rice" (aka golden fried rice). So, as I watched, a beefy guy was making egg fried rice, heaping it all up in a large wok. Because it's heavy, it's difficult to shake the wok too much. The end result is inevitably moist.

The ingredients are simple, consisting only of eggs and green onions. The only seasonings are salt and chemical seasonings, so the flavors of the eggs and green onions blend well with the rice. It's a proper rice dish, and quite delicious. It's also fun to add some homemade chili oil from the table to change the flavor, as the chili oil goes really well with the eggs.

I guess when there are few orders, they shake the pot vigorously to make it light and fluffy. I think this egg fried rice is better when it's light and fluffy rather than moist, and I surmise that it would also taste better.

Other specialties at this restaurant include deep-fried gyoza (dumplings) with a sweet and sour sauce and stir-fried gizzards with black pepper. Since I was dining alone, I ordered the latter and pan-fried gyoza. The gizzards were crunchy and contained bell peppers and onions, and were covered in a clear sauce with a strong peppery flavor. The flavor was quite addictive, and the perfect snack to go with beer.

The portions at this restaurant are quite generous, so after eating three dishes I was at my limit.

Reservations are accepted at night, so it's best to go with a few people. There is an extremely large menu, so it's best to order a variety of dishes and finish off with egg fried rice, soy sauce fried rice, or noodles.

Great taste and volume
Chinese Cuisine Goku

I went there during lunchtime. Lunch starts at 11:11, but I arrived at the restaurant at 40:XNUMX and it was the last seating available. Customers kept coming in. Although it's on the outskirts of Ginza, the prices are reasonable and the portions are generous. As such, it was full of office workers from the neighborhood who seemed to be eating a lot.

There was also an old man working at a construction site. A plump salaryman was munching on a carbohydrate mix of fried noodles and white rice with gusto. He said, "He's just like an Osakan" (laughs). The fried noodles were a deep brown color and looked really delicious.

The writer ordered the "mixed fried rice" and "lightly stir-fried mixed vegetables" as individual dishes.

The first dish to arrive was stir-fried vegetables. Cabbage, bean sprouts, chives, wood ear mushrooms, carrots, and green onions were stir-fried with salt until crisp and thickened with potato starch. It was quite delicious. Next came mixed fried rice.

As it is a mixed dish, the toppings are egg, char siu, green onion, green peas, and two shrimp. It has a moist, light soy sauce flavor. It is a typical fried rice from a local Chinese restaurant in Japan. The flavor is neither too strong nor too weak, maintaining a neutral balance. Therefore, it is also suitable for eating with other side dishes. Although it is supposed to be a regular portion, as I continued to eat, I realized that the char siu, egg, and green peas were quite filling, so after eating even half of it, I felt quite heavy.

That's when I realized how generous the portion was! It was just the right amount for two people to share. So generous.

In the end, the portion was so big that I ended up leaving a quarter of it. This is the first time I've ever done that.

By the way, the people next to me and in front of me were also eating the shrimp fried rice set. This fried rice was made with only egg, green onion, and salt, and looked delicious as a white fried rice. I thought this would be a good place to come in the evening with about four people and order a variety of individual dishes.

Author profile

Bassey is a foodie who has been eating around for over 40 years. In addition to Japan, he regularly goes to Hong Kong to eat Chinese food at his own expense, and also travels to Taiwan, Singapore, Bangkok, and Seoul for delicious food. During his time as the editor-in-chief of a travel magazine, he visited many Michelin-rated restaurants around the world, especially in Europe, and later on in the World's Best 50 restaurants. We want everyone who loves food to try ``Crab Miso Bean Paste Noodles'' from ``Tenkorou'' (Hong Kong). Actually, I like the Chinese food at this restaurant the best in the world. Another example of the best Western food is "El Seger de Can Roca" from Girona, Spain, which was ranked number one on the World's Best 50 list. Ah, I want to go there again.