Gardens Food Court’s Kurotoya Has New Menu Items?! We Tried Three of Them [Nishitsu Gourmet]

“Jinenjo Tororo Don Specialty Shop Kurotoya” won a Gold Award at this year’s 14th Karaage Grand Prix® by the Japan Karaage Association.

We heard their menu had been completely refreshed from May 16, so we went to check it out and see what had changed.

Kurotoya is located in the food court on the 1st floor of Gardens.

What We Tried from Kurotoya’s New Menu

This time, we had these three dishes!!

Okra Jinenjo Tororo Don Set Meal 1,050 yen (tax included)
Isn’t this topping almost too good to be fair?

First off, the sticky-smooth okra and the spicy kick of mentaiko are perfect together! Then the soft-boiled egg blends right in.
The jinenjo tororo is so silky that your spoon just won’t stop.

The simmered topping has a subtle sesame oil aroma, and the lotus root has a nice crunch.
When the weather gets hot and you want something light and refreshing, but still satisfying, this is the one to get.

Raw Shirasu and Sticky-Smooth Jinenjo Tororo Don Set Meal 1,300 yen (tax included)
What are we supposed to do with this glossy raw shirasu?

So silky. So slippery. Fresh raw shirasu! And the tororo mellows out the sticky-smooth okra so nicely.
The sharpness of the grated daikon and the aroma of shiso are just fantastic. This is dangerous.

Go ahead, dig in!
With the hot season coming up, this is something you can easily eat even when you’re feeling worn out.

Signature! Umami Karaage Jinenjo Tororo Don Set Meal (Regular) 1,000 yen (tax included)
※Small 880 yen, Large 1,210 yen

We covered this last time, but there’s one thing that’s different. Did you notice it?

Before the renewal↓

Did you catch it?

That’s right.

The tororo now comes on the side!

Since the tororo isn’t poured over the rice from the start, you can eat the rice while it’s still warm.

But being able to pour on as much as you like, whenever you like, is actually really fun. As a menu renewal that lets you change up the flavor, this feels spot on.

For the karaage itself, check out our previous article. It’s a sure thing. I’m craving it again while writing this.

Tried Gardens’ “Kurotoya” Winner of Karaage Grand Prix Gold Two Years in a Row and Totally Got the Hype

2023年4月27日

Kurotoya’s Menu

The nice thing about this menu renewal is that it works for all kinds of situations: people who want a classic meal, students who want something hearty, women who want something lighter, and more.

Kurotoya

Here’s the map for Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens↓

The address is 7-30 Hagoromocho, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.

The food court is here↓

Inside the food court, it’s here↓

If you want something light in the food court, Kurotoya is the best choice. If you’re wondering, “What’s tororo really like?” this is exactly the place to try it. That was me too. Now I’m a fan.