Tabelog ratingMidoricho Ikoma (緑町 生駒) is a neighborhood Chinese restaurant in Sumida that has earned a serious following for its bold, creative cooking. It stands out from typical Chūka spots with its inventive spice work and a menu built for sharing. The undisputed star is the paikō curry chāhan, a triple-threat of crispy fried pork spare-rib served over a mound of curry-flavored fried rice.
Guests consistently praise this signature dish, along with the enormous 'sara shūmai' (plate-sized shumai dumplings) and other powerfully flavored plates like the mābō curry rice. The nightly blackboard specials, featuring items like soft-shell shrimp in garlic-chili mayonnaise or drunken shrimp, are a major draw, making it an excellent place for an evening of drinking and sharing. Portions are known to be very generous. While overwhelmingly popular, a small minority of reviewers have found some lunch dishes milder than their dinner counterparts or certain items not quite spicy enough for their taste.
Most diners find Midoricho Ikoma to offer excellent value. Lunch is typically ¥1,000–¥1,999, while dinner with drinks often comes to ¥5,000–¥7,000 per person. Reviewers recently paid around ¥1,100–¥1,400 for the paikō curry chāhan and ¥1,450 for the 'sara shūmai'. The soft-shell shrimp with garlic-chili mayo was reported at around ¥1,900–¥2,100.
- Reservations: Dinner is by reservation only and often needs to be booked months in advance via phone; check their Instagram for availability. Lunch is walk-in only, but expect to queue.
- Getting There: The restaurant is a 7-minute walk from Kikukawa Station (Toei Shinjuku Line) or a 13-minute walk from Kinshicho Station (JR Sobu Line).
- Payment: Cash or PayPay (QR code) only. Credit cards and electronic money are not accepted.
- Seating: There are 21 seats at tables. The menu is designed for sharing, so it's best to visit with at least one other person.
- Language: The menu and specials board are primarily in Japanese.
- Age Restriction: The restaurant is intended as a place for adults to enjoy their meals.
- Smoking: The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
- Parking: No parking is available.
