Goshiki Honten

Goshiki Honten in central Matsuyama serves two of Ehime's most distinctive regional dishes. The tai-meshi here is the Matsuyama style: fresh sea bream cooked directly into the rice with dashi broth, each grain absorbing the bream's delicate flavor. The five-colored somen, thin wheat noodles dyed in five natural colors, fan out on the plate like a painter's palette. Set meals let you sample both alongside small local side dishes. The two-style tai-meshi rivalry in Ehime, Matsuyama's cooked version versus the raw bream over rice with egg sauce served in southern Uwajima, is a good conversation to have with the staff over lunch.