Hyperlocal Tokyo

A weekday dinner at a restaurant I was taken to by a business associate. I couldn't take pictures, but the private room had a beautiful Kabuki kumadori (makeup) decoration, creating a wonderful atmosphere. I heard that if you don't have a reservation, you might have to wait in line just to get in. The food was ordered as a course. The appetizer was a delicate bowl of thin noodles, a truly elegant touch. They disappeared in a flash. The colorful basket of appetizers, sashimi, and grilled dishes followed, creating a kaiseki-style presentation. As the course progressed, we were able to choose our favorite udon from their renowned menu. The portions could be adjusted in half-bowl increments. With a large group, choosing from the menu becomes an entertaining experience.

We made a reservation for the set course and arrived before our reservation time. We were allowed to enter the restaurant. We were seated at a booth by the window, which offered a nice view and allowed us to enjoy our meal in a relaxed atmosphere. The potato salad in the appetizer was sour. When we inquired, we were told that vinegar was used, but it was so sour that we thought it might be spoiled and left it uneaten. The thick udon noodles served at the beginning were delicious. Before the food was served, we were asked about any food allergies or dislikes. We informed them about our allergy, but the allergenic ingredient was still served. It was served visibly, so we didn't eat it, but if it had been served unseen, it could have caused anaphylaxis. The staff needs to be educated about the dangers of allergies, as this could have been a serious situation. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to others.

While shopping in Ginza, I was craving udon that day and decided to try this restaurant, which I had never been to before. I arrived around 2 pm on a Sunday and used the electronic waiting system, where there were over 60 groups ahead of me. I thought it would be a long wait, but the restaurant was quite spacious and I figured there would be some people who would leave before being seated. I decided to wait anyway. Even so, it still took over 40 minutes to be seated. While waiting, I looked at the menu and thought about ordering cold udon since it was a hot and humid day. However... The seat I was assigned was terrible. The air conditioning was so strong that I was freezing cold. I ordered using the modern electronic menu, which had a good selection of seasonal, refreshing dishes. But I couldn't even consider ordering anything cold. I just wanted to warm up my chilled body. I ordered a warm spicy cod roe udon, a corn tempura, roasted duck with salt, and sake to warm myself up. The restaurant was very spacious and I was surprised by its depth when I entered. It was stylish and trendy, which explained why there were so many young people. The udon had a good chewiness and was springy, and the creamy spicy cod roe had a rich and delicious flavor that was better than I expected! It was also impressive that it was served in a large bowl. However, the bill that was presented after the food arrived listed the corn tempura, but it didn't come out for a while. I asked about it, and it turned out they had forgotten to serve it. I was planning to have it as a snack with my sake, but it was a bit too late. The most disappointing thing was the air conditioning. I wondered how many people would want to order cold dishes or drinks like shaved ice in a place that was so cold. I understand that people have different sensitivities to temperature, so it might be difficult for the restaurant to manage, but maybe they could try setting the temperature around 27-26 degrees Celsius.

I visited this place after about a year. I got a ticket around 9 PM on the last day of a three-day weekend, and I was number 59 in line… There were many foreigners. I was surprised to be called when I was around number 43! Maybe they called me because I said I was okay with any seat, whether it was at the counter or a table? It's a mystery. If I had been further away, I probably wouldn't have made it in time… In the end, I waited a little over 30 minutes in total. I ordered the same thing as last time, the motsu nikomi udon (tripe stew udon). When I saw it, I thought, 'Where's the motsu?' The quality and quantity of the motsu were quite disappointing! Last time, there was a lot of plump, tender motsu, and I was satisfied. This time, there was just a pitiful amount of thin, chopped motsu… It was almost embarrassing. Next time, I think I'll try an udon with something like tarako (salted cod roe) that won't affect the ingredients. The udon is free up to three servings, so I'm still looking forward to that.

While on the move, I craved udon noodles and decided to visit Tsurutontan. (*^∇^*) The place is usually packed with foreigners during lunchtime, but around 2 pm, there were still a few seats available. I ordered the katsu curry udon, while my companion went for the mentaiko cream udon. As always, the bowls were huge, but the portions were just right, so we polished them off in no time. ヽ(´▽｀)/ This was my first time sitting by the window, and the view was amazing! My companion was thrilled. (*´ー｀*) I, on the other hand, am afraid of heights, but I couldn't show my weakness, so I just smiled. (笑) The window seats would be perfect for a date at night! (//∇//) Thank you for the delicious meal!