Manpuku

After the war a great many people repatriated from Manchuria settled in Fukushima City, and some of them opened shops making the dumplings they had learned there. What emerged is enban gyoza — disc gyoza. Instead of a row on a plate, thirty or so small dumplings are packed in a circle to fill the pan, fried together, and turned out onto the plate in one piece, still in the shape of the pan.

Everything is made by hand, the skins are kneaded rather than bought, and the shop serves no rice and no noodles — dumplings and beer, that is the menu. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, opens at half past four on weekday evenings, and at lunchtime on weekends sells until it runs out.