In the gyoza shop located in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Goro takes us on another delicious adventure. Recently, a friend expressed surprise that Goro decided to venture all the way to the remote region of Shimane. In reality, he had paid tribute to the late author Jiro Taniguchi by visiting Tottori back in 2018 for a feature. He had sampled five restaurants in total—three in Izumo and two in Tottori—if you plan to visit the San'in region, make sure to check out all five!

When people think of Izumo, they often first think of the famous three types of soba or matcha, but Izumo is also known for its gyoza, especially the shiso-flavored variety. Let’s join Goro and special guest Aimi Higa to explore the local specialty, gyoza.

This gyoza shop is conveniently located right across from the Ichibata Electric Railway Izumo City Station, making it quite accessible compared to many other places Goro has visited in the past. Just a heads-up, getting to Izumo Taisha Shrine requires a little travel, since you need to catch the Ichibata electric train from the station, even though they are connected.

Interestingly, the new season of “The Solitary Gourmet” will debut in 2024. While it maintains the essence of Goro enjoying various foods, it will now feature guest artists who will play the role of the craftsman, providing an opportunity to create culinary sparks through chance encounters. The special guest in this episode is Aimi Higa and the highlight is undoubtedly their visit to the gyoza shop.

The gyoza shop operates from 5 p.m. to midnight, catering to the post-work crowd and is strategically located near the station for easy access. The ambiance is simple yet clean, and the restaurant sees a decent turnover of customers during the evening.

At this gyoza restaurant, you can indulge not only in the delicious shiso gyoza but also in fresh boiled gyoza and fried rice noodles. Personally, every time I place an order, I look for Goro's signature to ensure that I'm in the right place, and I’m pleased to find the signature of this episode's other star, Aimi Higa, as well.

Moreover, the menu offers a variety of dishes besides gyoza, including stir-fries and congee, but I personally only recommend the gyoza from this restaurant. Although the atmosphere feels contemporary, it still retains the charm of a traditional Japanese diner.

Ultimately, Goro's dining experience was enjoyable, and I felt a bit proud to have eaten more than Goro!