01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
When what you want from a neighborhood Chinese spot is bold seasoning that demands extra bowls of white rice, Manki in Itabashi's Nakamuracho neighborhood fits the bill. The dining room has an easygoing, everyday atmosphere, offering an extensive selection of set meals and à la carte dishes at accessible prices.
The kitchen works through a wide range of meat and vegetable stir-fries seasoned with a confident hand. The minced pork stir-fried with pickled mustard greens and edamame (roumo gaocai maodou) combines the tang of preserved greens with the gentle bite of soybeans in a generous, rice-friendly portion. Familiar favorites are well represented too, including classic pepper steak (chinjaorosu), crispy deep-fried chicken with scallion sauce (yurinchi), and sweet-and-sour pork with a crunchy crust. Alongside these standard crowd-pleasers are Jiangxi-inspired specialties like Nanchang fried rice noodles and regional stir-fries loaded with pickled chili peppers, giving diners a choice between comforting home-style flavors and sharp, tingling heat.
Beyond weekday lunch sets, the evening menu easily accommodates casual drinking over small plates and dim sum paired with draft beer or Shaoxing wine. Guests can graze on pan-fried gyoza and xiao long bao before rounding off the table with noodles or a robust stir-fry. Whether stopping by alone for a straightforward midday meal or settling in with friends for relaxed evening drinks, Manki delivers hearty, unpretentious Chinese cooking.
