Gyoza @ Gyoza Super Sakaba, Nakasu, Fukuoka.

Being the nightlife hub of Fukuoka city, Nakasu is loaded a place with endless eating options. But if you are in the mood for dumplings, there can be only one option: Gyoza Super Sakaba (餃子スーパー酒場). 

Not your local supermarket.

A parody of the popular supermarket Gyomu Super, this place pulls off this humorous tribute to a tee. The colour scheme, the look, and even the menu is similar to the source material. If you take a visit to a local Gyomu, you may even think that the menu is a pamphlet for the fresh food aisle. It was that spot on. But of course, a spot on parody is not what a good eatery is made off. So how about the food? Well, pretty good actually. 

The classic

Being a gyoza place, this establishment is loaded with various options. With a total of 7 options, not including other side dishes and stir-fries, there is literally something for everyone. But being the first time, the classic pan-fried gyoza was the first to take centerstage. And slowly more versions of the original beast came forth. The garlic, scallions, and cheese came after. Standing at 329 yen per plate of 6 pieces, this was literally a steal. The classic gyoza was absolutely incredible. The charred bits were crunchy and the soft parts of the skin were delicate and soft to the touch. The meat filling packed a punch too. It was slightly salty with alot of aroma and porky goodness. The mince was not too granular, so you can still feel the meaty texture of the delicious core. 

Smoky!

But of course, some people would like more personality with their dumplings. For that, I personally recommend the garlic and the leek versions. The garlic gyoza has a smokier and more pungent aroma, due to the garlic. Additionally, they are topped with fried garlic bits, adding more texture, flavour and intensity to the overall dish. 

If you look real close, you can see the green bits. 

The scallion version on the other hand was a bit sweeter. With green bits scattered inside, it gives a more interesting appearance. This one comes with a sauce made of minced dried chillies. So if you are into your spicy food, this would be the option for you. The cheese unfortunately was a bit underwhelming. It was good, but it cannot rival the other dumplings that came before. 

Decadence!

Speaking of heat, a plate of chilli shrimp came soon after. This was extremely flavourful and was a joy to chow down. The sauce was sweet, spicy and savoury. A classic item in most Chinese eateries in Japan, it works well with a good beer or soda. I would like it to be a bit spicier, but it was already pretty tasty as it is. This was a bit pricier, standing at 639 yen. 

Another classic. 

But if you are into more crunchy stuff, the fried chicken is actually worth ordering. It is simple Japanese style karaage. Despite that, it was still pretty satisfying. The crunch was really spot on, the batter was very tasty, and the chicken itself was marinated to perfection. Hints of ginger and soy is present inside the chicken meat, while the batter was surprisingly clean tasting. A bit ironic when it comes to fried foods, but it was that good. A serving stood for a modest 418 yen. 

Tastier than it sounds, trust me. 

To round out the meal, we had another Fukuoka specialty, which was stir-fried motsu. Loaded with scallions, beansprouts and a whole lot of offals, this was actually pretty incredible. Some people may not like organ meat, but this is worth a try. Everything was cooked to perfection and there was a smoky hint to the overall dish. You know that this was cooked using an intense flame. And of course being a bar, a glass of lemon sour helped wash everything down. One glass stood at an affordable 329 yen also. Talk about a humungous bargain!

Bottoms up!

Overall, this is a place that I can recommend without hesitation. They really put the Super in Gyoza Super. Prices are really good, and the food is amazing too. A great atmosphere in one of the most electric places in the city, it is a place I can see myself visiting time and time again. If you fancy some dumplings, or just need a place that serves good food until late (it closes at 4 am), then the address is as follows:

〒810-0801 Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Nakasu, 5 Chome−1−7 スプーンビル 2F

Front of the house. I repeat, not a supermarket!