Taste of Japan: Great meal under 1,000 yen at Nangokutei near Yokosuka NB

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)

If you’re on a budget and looking for a delicious meal that is both filling and won’t break the bank, Nangokutei, a chain restaurant with a location near Yokosuka Naval Base, is a great place to go.

Inside the cozy, dimly-lit dining hall, you can choose from over 100 dishes. My favorites, however, are chahan, fried rice, for 540 yen and gyoza dumplings for 270 yen.

Chahan is one of my favorite Chinese dishes, as it is hearty and a good dish to have after a couple alcoholic beverages. This typical dish is rice fried with vegetables, eggs, meat and plenty of seasonings, including soy sauce and sesame oil. If you’ve ever been to a Chinese restaurant, you’ve probably tried a variation on this standard dish, and Nangokutei’s is not one you’ll want to miss.

The chefs behind the counter cook up the chahan fresh and quickly. I enjoyed my meal with a complimentary side of egg soup included.

Nangokutei’s chahan is not too seasoned like others, but it has a decent, sophisticated soy sauce-based flavor with a nice crispy aroma of fried onion and sesame oil. The soft, springy texture of rice, beaten egg and roast pork kept me eating until the last bite. The gyoza were the perfect mix of crisp on the outside but juicy on the inside and went perfectly with my chahan.

Try it yourself and you will see what I mean.

Nangokutei’s vast, budget-friendly menu has many great options like fried chicken, sautéed pork and vegetables, and stir-fried egg and vegetables. The restaurant also offers “all-you-can-eat” courses starting from 1,999 yen.

The restaurant is a five-minute walk from Yokosuka NB, but you’ll find other branches around Japan.