BEPPU MENKAN G/F, 3 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay (other locations include Queen's Road, Central, Hennessy Road, Wan Chai and Chatham Road South, TST) Tel: 2881 0831 Open: 11.30am-11.30pm We have eaten at several branches of this popular chain, and they are almost McDonald's-like in their consistency - we mean this as a compliment, although it might not sound like one.
They have trained their chefs well - almost, it seems, down to the number of shreds of seaweed to garnish each dish.
The shops are all recognisable by the sign outside of a colourful cartoon of a devilish looking man, holding a steaming bowl of noodles.
The interiors are colourful, with tiled walls showing the locations of Beppu Menkans throughout Hong Kong and Tokyo. Diners sit at rows of small wooden tables on tiny but surprisingly comfortable padded chairs. Japanese pop music plays over the speakers.
The servers are friendly and attentive - as soon as you sit down they give you a refreshing glass of cold water, flavoured with apples, and they refill your glass regularly.
They have recently expanded the menu, and now have several rice dishes. But it is hard for us to pass up the spicy noodles. You can order the broths in varying degrees of spiciness. We find the two chilli version spicy but tolerable - any more chillies leaves us gulping down water. The noodles come topped with seafood, kimchee, sliced pork, or our favourite - chunks of deep fried chicken.
