Affordable And Delicious Yakisoba From Hita City, Oita

Oita prefecture has the greatest hot spring output in Japan. We’d absolutely love for you to enjoy the hot springs, but if you’re on a trip, how about trying some of the area’s gourmet cuisine too?

We would like to introduce you to a cheap and delicious dish from Hita city in Oita, the Hita yakisoba. This time, we visited a Hita yakisoba restaurant called Sankyu, so we will discuss the appeal of its menu, which, in Oita, is famously delicious!

The Cheerful and Peppy Shopkeeper Comes to Greet You

Before we talk about the Hita yakisoba, we’ll introduce the boss at Sankyū. As you can guess from the picture, this energetic and cheerful man lifts weights as a hobby. He puts the muscles he’s developed from weightlifting to good use in the kitchen, and serves up delicious food every day.

What is Hita Yakisoba?

Hita yakisoba noodles are not stir-fried like regular yakisoba. Instead, they are grilled on an iron plate until some of the noodles turn brown and crispy. Bean sprouts, onions and pork are mixed in with the noodles; while simple, Hita yakisoba also has a depth of flavor. These days, it is primarily becoming popular on the menus of rāmen restaurants in Hita city, and many places offer rāmen and Hita yakisoba as main dishes.

This is How You Make Hita Yakisoba

Next we’ll explain how Hita yakisoba is made. The steps differ from making regular yakisoba, so we think it’s pretty interesting.

First, boil the thick noodles in an iron pot. The point is to give them a quick boil until the noodles rise to the surface.

Once the noodles float up like this, it’s time to move them to the hot plate.

Before the noodles are ready, cook the pork in advance on the hot grill. Top the pork with the noodles, so that the pork is completely covered.

Wait a little while, then spread the noodles out. You can see a little bit of pork peeking out of the center.

After that, leave the noodles alone on the hot grill for a short while. Once the outer edges of the noodles start to curl up, check the bottom to see how far the noodles have cooked through.

Once the noodles have browned, pour sauce on top. As the aroma of the sauce spreads, a burst of steam will rise from the yakisoba and make a wonderfully delicious sound. From here, it’s a rush of activity until completion.

Next, top the yakisoba with plenty of bean sprouts, like this.

Finally, mix the noodles and other ingredients together with several sharp motions. By doing this quickly, the sauce will evenly coat the noodles and other ingredients.

The Hita yakisoba is complete. The Sankyū set comes with soup.

Afterwards, Relax and Fully Enjoy Your Hita Yakisoba

As you can see in the photo, the interior of the restaurant has raised tatami seating as well as counter seats. When stopping by with your family or in a group, the table seats are fine, but if you want to see the cook at work, we recommend sitting at the counter. When you visit Hita, by all means, try Hita’s staple yakisoba for yourself.

Information

Sankyu

Address: Oita Prefecture, Hita City, Kizanmachi 1-1
Hours: 11:00-20:00
Closed: Tuesdays, some irregular holidays
Other Languages: No
Menus in Other Languages: No
Nearest Station: Hita Station, JR Kyūdai Main Line
Access: 10 minute walk from Hita Station
Price range: Up to 999 yen
Phone: 0973-22-2545