01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
A bowl of dandan noodles with medium-thick noodles folded into sesame paste (zhima jiang) and chili oil broth is the primary draw for many visitors to Wado in Naka-Itabashi. The smooth, rich sesame foundation pairs with a sharp prickle of spice, yielding a comforting yet substantial flavor profile.
The comprehensive set-meal arrangements are another reason the restaurant stays in high demand through lunch and dinner. Noodle and gyoza sets are accompanied by half portions of fried rice, pickles, and almond jelly dessert, while sets like the crab fried rice come with a side dish of genuinely spicy mapo tofu. Getting both the main course and generous side components on a single tray makes it easy to sample multiple Chinese classics in one sitting.
Beyond the sets, the à la carte menu covers broad ground, spanning stir-fries and meat dishes such as black vinegar sweet-and-sour pork, twice-cooked pork (huiguo rou), and fried chicken finished with a spiced aromatics sauce. Small plates like century egg tofu, bang bang chicken, and dressed zha cai pickles are readily available to accompany a mug of Sapporo draft beer, a sour, or a highball.
Whether stopping in for a hearty midday meal or sharing multiple dishes around the table in the evening, Wado remains an accessible, reliable neighborhood Chinese dining choice.
