On October 8, the much-talked-about Grand Food Hall opened “GRAND FOOD HALL MINI” at the Hanshin Department Store Umeda Main Store. This time, the Ashitsu team went shopping at its flagship store in Ashiya!
The Ashiya flagship store opened in December 2014.
GRAND FOOD HALL isn’t a supermarket—it’s a “food hall.” Think of it as a cozy, old-fashioned shopping street with fishmongers, butchers, and other specialty shops.
The store has a 1950s theme, inspired by an era before food additives.
The interior decorations have been intentionally distressed to create a vintage look.
Screenshot from the official GRAND FOOD HALL website
Five buyers travel all over Japan to seek out safe and delicious foods.
As a rule, the store carries only one item in each product category—the very best of the best.
Here’s the location on the map ↓
The address is 6-6 Higashiyama-cho, Ashiya, Hyogo.
Time to Shop!
The first thing that catches your eye is the prepared-food section ♡
Niko is holding “Grilled Dried Sardines.”
You’ll also find the hugely popular “Tomato no Naka no Tomato” (“Tomato Inside a Tomato”).
They sell bagels and bread, too.
Dessert is a must, of course.
There’s also a great selection of salads and other vegetables.
The freezer section is lined with all sorts of products we’d never seen before.
They also carry everyday essentials such as eggs and natto.
GRAND FOOD HALL is famous for its deli ♡ You won’t want to miss this section either.
Watch this video to learn about GRAND FOOD HALL’s unique services ↓
What the Ashitsu Team Bought
Narazaki Mentaiko with Green Chili Peppers (Cut Pieces) — 1,296 yen (tax included)
Mentaiko marinated with fresh green chili peppers. Green chili mentaiko is so unusual that I just had to try it!
It comes frozen, so you can thaw a little at a time and eat only as much as you want.
It’s already cut into pieces, making it super easy to eat.
Mentaiko × white rice = infinite ∞ deliciousness!
The sharp kick of the green chili peppers could get seriously addictive.
The writers almost ended up fighting over it!
This is something I’d definitely love to give to anyone I know who likes mentaiko.
Personally, I’d love to buy it again, too.
Samgyetang (Half Chicken) — 1,728 yen (tax included)
I simply love samgyetang, so I decided to give this one a try.
I wanted the full experience, so I served it in a Korean earthenware pot called a ttukbaegi.
The chicken was so big that it overflowed from the size 3 (14 cm) pot.
The chicken was tender, the bones slipped right out, and above all, the soup was absolutely irresistible (^_^)
It had a mild yet rich flavor that warmed me from the inside out.
It would be great not only as an everyday meal, but also when you have a cold or need a little energy boost.
I drank almost every last drop of the soup.
Everyone’s Favorite Khao Man Gai — 648 yen (tax included)
It comes with boiled chicken, chicken rice, sauce, and instructions explaining how to enjoy the khao man gai.
The fact that chicken rice is included is fantastic (^_^)
Simply microwave the chicken rice and boiled chicken, and your khao man gai is ready.
It even comes with sauce, and within minutes this impressive meal makes you feel as if you’re at a street stall in Thailand.
Personally, I absolutely loved the chicken rice—and I was thrilled that it was made with jasmine rice.
The savory chicken flavor and subtle hints of ginger and garlic really whet your appetite.
Yuzu Kararin — 810 yen (tax included)
I tried it on pork shabu-shabu and oyakodon (^_^)/
The yuzu flavor is incredible—it’s almost like eating the dish while biting into a freshly cut yuzu!
The yuzu hits you before the heat does! I think it would go well with all kinds of dishes.
I’m already a regular user!(^^)!
Egg Sandwich with Truffle Butter Aroma — 950 yen (tax included)
The egg is so thick, you’ll wonder how they even cooked it!
Because you can buy it freshly made, you can fully enjoy its truffle aroma.
Almond Butter — 150 g / 702 yen (tax included)
The freshly ground almond butter had a subtle sweetness, while the small pieces left in it brought out the almonds’ flavor and aroma.
I tried making energy balls by mixing it with dates and oatmeal, and the almond flavor came through beautifully (^_^)/
Hermes Additive-Free Tonkatsu Sauce — 907 yen (tax included)
If you’re used to additives, you might not appreciate it the first time, but it felt like I finally discovered what real sauce is supposed to taste like.
From the left: Yoru no Rum Raisin — 1,404 yen (tax included), GUFO Bottled Ice Cream, Milk — 
