01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Arriving at the table with steam rising from the bowl, stone-pot mapo tofu is the natural starting point at Roran, a Chinese restaurant in Itabashi. Served piping hot in the heated vessel itself, it releases the aromas of Sichuan pepper, chili, and fermented broad bean paste that pair naturally with white rice. Ordering it as a set meal adds rice, salad, and soup for a hearty, filling spread.
The à la carte menu also features Sichuan dishes that stay faithful to mainland flavors. Richly spiced, deeply flavored options are well represented, from offal-laden mao xue wang and Sichuan-style simmered honeycomb tripe to Sichuan stir-fried spare ribs. To balance the meal, cool appetisers like mouthwatering chicken, dressed cucumbers, or bang bang chicken work well.
The restaurant is equally convenient for noodles or streamlined meal sets. Beyond noodle choices such as dandan noodles, Sichuan sesame noodles, and cold noodles, there are dedicated solo diner sets combining spicy mala mains with rice. Options like spicy pig liver, spicy pork cartilage, or stir-fries paired with tea allow solo diners to sample varied flavors comfortably.
Roran operates smoothly through the afternoon into the evening, pouring beer alongside all-you-can-drink plans, as well as Chinese soft drinks such as Wanglaoji herbal tea and sour plum drink. It suits everything from a quick solo set meal to a shared spread of small dishes among friends.
