Hambagu @ Oufuutei, Tojinmachi, Fukuoka

 

There is something quite homely about the hambagu, or hamburg steak for other places. The first impression seems to be that of a giant meatball. But throughout my stay in Japan I have encountered many places that execute this with great skill. And this time, I found this amazing spot that puts it into another level. 

Main entrance of the shotengai

Tojinmachi is the more suburban area of the prefecture. It does have modern attractions like the MarkIs Mall, the Fukuoka PayPay Dome, and Fukuoka Tower all in walking distance. But besides that, it is a quiet neighbourhood, where the majority of the activities happen during commuting hours. There is one exception, which is the Tojinmachi shopping street. The traditional shopping streets, shotengai in Japanese (商店街) are usual community nodes in more suburban communities. Tojinmachi is one of them. Being a Sunday, most of the main shops like grocers and retailers are closed. So it was a bit void of activity. 

Lunch has been decided!

However, most of their eateries and restaurants were open and packed. And after some exploring, I ended up in Oufuutei. Being their lunch period, the lunch menu was up and in full force. Seeing that almost every patron got the hambagu, I ordered that as well. Standing at a mere 900 yen, it was such a steal. However, I did not know how much of a steal it was until I started my chow down. The plate that came before me looked like it popped out from a fancy french culinary spot. A giant plate with a carefully placed patty and a colourful salad accompany the entire meal. A bowl of rice and miso soup came soon after, whereby free refills are available.

Glorious!

  Long story short, this was an amazing meal. The meaty chunks of the patty were holding on together like a pliable plaster. But when it hits my mouth, it just crumbles and was such an incredible texture. It reminds me of an old British pub sausage. Not the ones that you get from a cheap fry-up, but rather the ones where the chef take effort in grinding the meat and seasoning it well. This was how it feels like. the mince was so flavourful, and the texture was meaty yet crumbly at the same time. 

Well deserved close up

The sauce that came with it was also great. A creamy mushroom base, it gave the patty an extra dimension. The contrast in liquids also gave an extra texture component that I appreciate. Combining it with rice made this such a pleasant meal. The salad was actually pretty tasty and was not just a random side of veggies that is meant to balance the meal. It was well seasoned, with the dressing probably made out of a mustard base emulsion. It also gave the overall dish some brightness and colour. Nothing wrong with using aesthetics in making your food look better. 

Some of the unique decorations in the premises. 

This was such a tasty meal, that I cleared it down relatively quickly! To the point, my waiting time was actually longer than my eating time. I cannot remember how long I waited, but I felt time passed pretty slowly as the environment of the place felt like I was on a very retro side of town. the backdrop was also filled with classic Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra tunes as well. Probably something my father would really enjoy. 

I was given a piece of candy on my way out. Talk about service!

It should be noted that this establishment is a proper steakhouse. And the menu looks pretty interesting. So, do take note that a return visit during dinner time is likely. But in the meantime, if Oufuutei has caught your attention, then the address is as follows:

1 Chome-3-14 Tojinmachi, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0063

Another angle of the front. Definitely deserves a revisit.