On the way from Tokyo to Akita by car, I stopped by the high-speed SA (service area) that somehow came to me, and the trip to find local gourmet was finally back.

Continuing from the outbound route, this inbound route will introduce SA gourmet food on the way to Tokyo through Iwate, Fukushima, and Tochigi.

◆ Maesawa SA (Iwate Prefecture) "Jajamen" "Frank with Maesawa beef"

Speaking of Iwate prefecture, Morioka's cold noodles and wanko soba are famous, but in fact, this "jajamen" (570 yen) is also a local gourmet that represents Morioka. Udon noodles are topped with miso sauce, soboro meat, shredded cucumber, pickled ginger, and green onions. Sprinkle with chili oil and vinegar if you like, and mix from top to bottom.


The noodles are flat and chewy! It's a smooth and throaty udon noodle. There is an exquisite sauce with a sweet and spicy sauce. In addition, red pickled ginger tightens the taste refreshingly. It is also good that chili oil and vinegar poke your throat afterwards.


Another thing, Iwate is Maesawa beef! So, when I tried "Frank with Maesawa beef" (360 yen), this is also excellent! With a solid meat taste, it has easily overturned the conventional concept of Frankfurt.


Crispy and juicy meat wrapped in crispy skin. It has a chewy texture that makes you feel like you're tightly packed, and it's elastic enough to push your teeth back. It's a good idea to have a paper napkin, as the gravy will overflow when you bite it.

◆ Kunimi SA (Fukushima Prefecture) "Beef tongue skewers"

The SA itself is in Fukushima, but here, "Beef tongue grilled with salt" (750 yen) is sold as a snack menu. It's also kind to people like me who inadvertently missed eating beef tongue in Sendai.



Beef tongue served in a pack. Like jerky, the more you chew, the more delicious it spreads in your mouth. It's salty and I want to drink beer, but of course I'm driving. I want at least white rice ...!


◆ Sano SA (Tochigi Prefecture) "Sano Ramen"

Sano SA was the last stop before arriving in Tokyo. Of course, you can eat here at Tochigi's popular gourmet "Sano Ramen".


There are plenty of menus such as curry and rice bowls, but Sano ramen seems to be the most popular. This time, I chose the restaurant's recommended "Sano ramen with boiled egg" (720 yen).

The unique flat noodles are topped with menma, green onions, boiled eggs, char siu, and naruto. The soy sauce-based soup has a dashi-like taste that catches the hearts of Japanese people, and it is so delicious that you can drink it up when you notice it.

The noodles have a smooth texture and a chewy texture. It's good that the thickness is different, which gives a feeling of hand-made. If you entangle the green onions and bring them to your mouth, you will be extremely happy.


In this way, I tasted the ramen of the shime, and the trip to eat around the service area ended with full stomach.

Although I didn't have much time to stay in Akita, I would like to note that the people were warm and the fish (especially the seasonal saury) were really delicious. The local sake was also excellent.

Next time, I took the Shinkansen straight down to Akita and vowed to eat and walk.