The iron chef who rhythmically cooks local cuisines of the old town Shin Nagata in Kobe

Well, the ever-so-popular Bokkake (stewed beef tendon and devil’s tongue) Yakisoba of Nagata. When I found the best timing to take a short break, I dropped by.

This well-built guy is the same age as me. He is my friend’s friend’s friend (a distant relationship).

He is a man of courage who won the Soba Meshi (noodles and rice) Big Eater Competition, king class.
I always request to show me how he works in the kitchen. First of all, bokkake, then soba noodles, then bara sauce (Kobe’s original sauce used in cuisines such as yakisoba, soba meshi, etc.), then the spatula. His hands are moving so fast that I can’t focus…

Just when I thought he slowed down, he started pressing down the noodles onto the hot steel plate. Literally pressing them down!
It’s sizzling! He asked if I was able to get good shots of him but I couldn’t tell him they were out of focus. (LOL)

And then he throws in the cabbage and does his rhythmical and speedy moves! I just love the sound of the steaming cabbage and the mélange of resonating sounds created by the rhythmical movement of the spatula on the steel plate.

As I kept myself busy listening to the different sounds, before I knew it, bokkake yakisoba was placed on the counter.

The time required for the whole process felt like one and a half minutes.
That was quick!
(Nope, I wasn’t timing that…)

By the way, we have to pay in advance.
That’s the system here.
Okay, how much?

That’s so cheap!
All it costs is one 500 yen coin for this big portion of bokkake!

I need beer too, of course!
Bon appetit!

First, I’ll try some bokkake. Yum!
Crunchy and juicy.
This isn’t my first time, but I’m reminded of how good it tastes.
The cabbage is also crunchy!

Yes, this IS good.
I like the bokkake, but it’s the bara sauce that makes this dish so delicious. It’s lightly seasoned, so you can add more according to your taste. The family run local Bara Shokuhin Foods has been handing down the unique taste.
There is even a myth that their doro sauce (also Kobe’s original thick Worcester sauce) is distributed only to specialty restaurants. You don’t find them on store shelves.

The guy is making something again.
Look at the steam. How hot is it back there…

Over 350°C!
OMG! (…Why you have such an instrument to measure the temperature?)

The real working place for men!
Standing in front of the hot steel plate, this handsome guy rhythmically continues to make music with his spatula.

“We are iron chefs!” He casually makes a handsome remark about his job. (In other words, it’s a kitchen of steel.)
Anyone will be an addict to the yakisoba made by this man, a Nagata local, with his rhythmical moves of the spatula.

Caution! It’s very hot!
Don’t burn yourself!


-----
About　Hiroshi
President of Wise Egg, the operating company of Project DIG. With a feeling of nostalgia, I take my son to places where I have visited during my childhood family trips, and I dig deeper into it. I hope to write articles just as interesting as other “diggers.”