
The steam obscured his vision, and every time he scalded himself draining the water, he’d yell, “Hot!”
Each time, Matsuzaki’s cold stare pierced him.
For Iberico Yun, every day felt like a grueling trial.

Even so, the three worked tirelessly every day.
They tasted the soup repeatedly, checking the saltiness and the balance of the broth.
The kitchen, filled with sweat and laughter, was always buzzing with energy.

Flour-covered hard work—making udon is tough!

Making udon noodles proved far more complex than I imagined, demanding both time and patience.
① Knead carefully selected domestic wheat flour, salt, and water.
② Knead until the dough forms lumps.
③ Leave to ferment overnight; the lumps disappear.
④ Press the fermented dough.
⑤ Rest again overnight.
⑥ After about two days of preparation, it’s finally rolled out and cut.
Boiled in a large pot of water for over 10 minutes, it’s finally complete.
The time and passion poured into a single serving of udon truly embodied the world of the artisan.

But reality was harsh.
No matter how hard I tried, most people still preferred the udon from chain restaurants.
One day, when I felt like giving up, a masked man appeared in my empty shop.
His single comment after eating that bowl—it completely severed the last thread holding my heart together.

The udon shop I started on a whim was converted into a yakiniku restaurant in just six months.
“We’re yakiniku fools after all. Only yakiniku matters!”
When the gleaming roasters were delivered to the shop,
a strangely refreshing smile returned to everyone’s faces.
And so, the challenge of “Niku Udon Kuro 5” came to an end,
and the new story of Yakiniku Kuro 5 begins here once more.
Continue reading Kuro5 Birth Story: Episode 13

Wagyu Yakiniku Kuro5
IKEBUKURO Main Restrant
1F Shima 100 building ,2-46-3, Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku , Tokyo 171-0014
https://en.kuro5.net/restaurant/honten
Wagyu Yakiniku Kuro5
IKEBUKURO East Exit Restrant
2F Need Building, 1-42-16 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013
https://en.kuro5.net/restaurant/higashiguchi
Wagyu Yakiniku KURO5
Kabukicho
1F Sankei Building, 2-21-4 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
https://en.kuro5.net/restaurant/kabukicho
Official Instagram: @kuro5yakiniku


