Located in the middle of Iroha Yokocho, Izakaya Chie is a small izakaya restaurant with fewer than fifteen seats but a lot of warmth. Founded in 2000, it quickly became known for its mabo yakisoba, a Sendai specialty of yakisoba noodles topped with mapo tofu. It also serves handmade dumplings, stewed beef, and rotating daily specials. The elderly owner is easy-going and cheerful. Eika-san, the chef and “mama” from Beijing, stays busy cooking the homestyle Sino-Japanese fare. The go-to basic set includes five small dishes and two drinks for ¥2,000.