Udon noodle specialty restaurant on an expressway, "Hanamaru Udon" Byobusan rest shop

I drove on the Chuo Expressway for the first time in a long time. At that time, I found the "Hanamaru Udon" at Byobusan rest area, which is one of the popular udon (wheat noodles) chains in Japan. I ate the udon with hot broth and clams because it was a cold day, and I had never tried one before.

I ordered a small one. But there were more clams than I expected for a small one and the soup was very good with rich taste of clams.

I didn't know that this "Hanamaru Udon" has been there for over five years. "Yoshinoya", which was next to the "Hanamaru Udon" is the same group company. Recently, they've been opening up their restaurants on expressways in sets.

I like noodles, but I'm allergic to soba (buckwheat noodles) so I don't usually eat even udon or ramen at any restaurant where all noodles might be cooked in the same pots.
At a restaurant like "Hanamaru Udon" that serves only udon, I can eat without worry.

This was possibly the first time for me to eat udon at a restaurant at rest shops on expressways.
T.S