Hyperlocal Tokyo

I visited the renowned Imahan Honten in Ningyocho. Upon entering the charming establishment, I was greeted by a waitress. The appetizer consisted of seven dishes: sesame tofu, lotus root cake, namasu (vinegared vegetables), ayu fish with roe, white-simmered persimmon, watercress with dressing, and Hagi-style fish paste. Each dish showcased meticulous preparation, conveying the chef's passion for their craft. While enjoying the appetizers, a soup was served. The waitress explained that the appetizers were mostly cold, so the soup was meant to warm the stomach. Next came the sashimi, featuring four types of fish: tuna, sea urchin, sea bream, and hairtail. The portions were just right. The soup course featured taro root with chrysanthemum-shaped sweet potato paste. The smooth texture of the taro root and the delicate flavor of the silver-colored sweet potato paste were a delightful combination. Then came the highlight: the sukiyaki. It featured Yamagata beef, prepared in the Kanto-style with a flavorful broth. The cooking was impeccable, and the balance of the broth was exquisite. The vegetables were seasonal, and I was surprised to find arugula on the plate. After the meat, a fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth egg rice was served, made with the flavorful sukiyaki broth and a perfectly cooked egg. The rice was a special variety, though I forgot the origin. It was exceptionally delicious. For dessert, I had papaya, which refreshed my palate and cut through the richness of the meat. The service was impeccable, as expected from a renowned establishment. I was thoroughly satisfied with the food and the experience. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

The style here is that the proprietress cooks the sukiyaki for you. She even put on an apron over her white dress. The service and thoughtfulness were truly wonderful, making for a very comfortable experience. They were quick to offer refills on drinks, so I think the proprietress could handle a business dinner. It seems like a good place to use for business. The food was delicious, of course, but I was even more impressed by the proprietress's service. In the restaurant industry, where human interaction is so important, there are a lot of strange places these days, so it was refreshing to experience something so heartwarming. They even saw me off until I turned the corner on my way out, making me feel the true spirit of Japanese hospitality. Thank you for yesterday.

Ninhingcho Imahan Honten @ Ningyocho ~About this restaurant~ ✓ Established in 1895, a long-standing sukiyaki specialty restaurant ✓ In Ningyocho, the 1st floor is Kisen-tei (steak) and the 2nd floor is sukiyaki ✓ Including the main store, there were about 10 stores in Tokyo ✓ Sukiyaki and other dishes are basically prepared for you ~Ordered dishes~ ◇ Course Moon Special (¥14,520/person) ~Review~ ▷ Since the food is prepared for you, you can focus on eating, which is great ▹ Although there are only 3 pieces of meat per person, I, a man, was full ▷ The marbling looks abundant, but it doesn't weigh down your stomach, which is great ▹ The sauce is not too sweet and has a good amount of saltiness ▷ This time, I was able to make a reservation for a private room 1.5 months in advance Thank you for the meal.

The second floor was fully booked, so I was able to reserve a teppanyaki course on the first floor. Instead of sitting in a row facing the teppanyaki grill, we sat opposite each other, which made it a bit difficult to have a conversation due to the distance. Everything we said could be heard by the chef. The food was absolutely delicious, though.

Finally made it to the main branch! I had a reservation for sukiyaki, but it turned out to be teppanyaki instead. 😅 We had a selection of appetizers, a clam soup, salad, steak (filet and lean, two kinds), garlic rice, a bowl of soup, pickles, and dessert (anmitsu). The meat was cooked to perfection and delicious. I really wanted sukiyaki, so I ended up buying a special sukiyaki bento box from the takeout section. It was a bummer that it wasn't sukiyaki this time, but I'll definitely be back to the main branch next time for it!