Japanese-Chinese restaurants are really good.
I decided to try out Sai Sai Rai (再々来).
Inside this snug, downtown Hiroshima Chinese restaurant, there is room for five at the counter to the right, and a further three tables to the left. With its all-red facade, this tiny restaurant looks very instagrammable. It almost feels like being in Taiwan. What’s more, the little restaurant gives off this ‘urban Chinese’ vibe — you can just feel that in here, the hearts and hunger of many Chinese natives have been satisfied.
So, what shall we have?
Traditional, private-run ‘urban’ Chinese restaurants in Japan tend to be Japanised, despite their name. It’s not quite like authentic Chinese cuisine. With that in mind, let’s move on to the deep-fried chicken (karaage) I felt like ordering that day (or every day, in fact). My compagnons ordered a soy-sauce (shōyu) ramen and a grilled meat (yakiniku) ramen.
Ah… such a comforting taste. Calling it absurdly savoury would not be the most appropriate description… Rather, it’s the kind of taste where one would say, “Yes, this… this is it!” Or as Kodoku no Gourmet’s Gorō-san would say: “Ha, this is good. I’m fine with this kind of thing.”
My thoughts exactly.
I’d really like you, our international visitors, to try out this food too. If only for the fact that it really tastes like where it originates from. It might be a 
long stretch but, I’d almost call it part of Japan’s culinary heritage. Original Japanese food is also good, of course. Sushi and tempura are also great. And I would also recommend you to try out each region’s unique okonomiyaki. You’ll be going “oh, but this also tastes good!”。
Anyway, if I would try to summarise my impressions of Sai Sai Rai, I would describe it as a Japanised tiny local Chinese restaurant. Or something like that.
If you’re looking for something similar close to the hostel, how about the Hōrai Chinese Restaurant? There is a superfluous menu, and appealing pictures of some of their offerings are stuck on the walls, so finding your pick among the vast choice won’t be too easy. I want to try so many things!
That concludes my recommendation of ‘urban Chinese’ food. Let’s not worry about calories today
