01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Steps from the north exit of Numabukuro Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line, Bandai is a neighborhood Chinese diner where noodles and reasonably priced small dishes can be enjoyed without ceremony. Whether you need a quick bowl of ramen to fuel up or want to settle in with drinks and a few savoury plates, it offers an easy, welcoming counter-and-table setting.
Among the noodle options, the Taiwan ramen stands out with its robust dashi-rich base married with tender vegetables and a pleasant, tingling kick of spice. The shoyu ramen delivers a lighter yet deeply savory broth with your choice of thick or thin noodles, pairing naturally with fragrant half-size fried rice or a plate of gyoza.
A real convenience for solo diners and anyone looking to sample widely is that stir-fries such as black vinegar sweet-and-sour pork, liver and garlic chives, and mapo tofu are offered in half portions. You can easily start with a beer or chuhai sour alongside cold century egg or a three-item platter of chashu and seasoned bamboo shoots before moving on to noodles.
Open for midday lunch and operating straight through the night until 0:30, Bandai is a dependable fixture for late dinners and end-of-evening nightcaps alike. With PayPay accepted alongside cash, it makes for a comfortable, reliable everyday dining stop right by the station.
