Hyperlocal Tokyo

Is this the right place to use as a "second line" to "Uchiyama"? I visited for lunch, which starts at 12:00 pm. There are two courses, priced at ¥6,600 and ¥9,900 (both with 8 dishes), both including tax. I made a reservation for the ¥9,900 course a few days in advance and visited. I arrived at 11:45 am, but was told to wait a little longer, so I wandered around outside. I observed the long lines at the popular pizza restaurant "Vomer" and the recently opened "Zairai Shokudo" (a buffet-style restaurant). I've been to Vomer before, but both restaurants looked so lively that I felt like visiting them soon. It was almost 12:05 pm, so I opened the door to "Toku Uchiyama." We, two people, were guided to the counter seats. Looking at the setting, it seemed like there were only 7 customers for lunch today. Tea was served first. I decided to stick with tea this time because I was driving. The "Saki-zuke" (appetizer) started with "Scallop, Octopus, Winter Melon, and Okra." ... It was topped with paprika puree and a ponzu jelly. Both the scallop and octopus were fresh and delicious, but the paprika puree was too strong and felt a bit wasteful. It might be better to keep it simple and highlight the ingredients. Next came the "Grilled Sesame Tofu." ... This is a specialty of "Uchiyama," from which this restaurant was spun off, and it was served here as well. ... It was piping hot and definitely delicious, but it felt slightly different. "Shrimp Dumpling, Tomato, and Water Shield in a Warm Soup." ... The basic dashi (broth) of Japanese cuisine was delicious, and the saltiness of the dumpling was an accent. The water shield was refreshing, and the acidity of the tomato was refreshing, but I felt that the tomato's different flavor slightly canceled out the umami of the dashi. The goldfish bowl was cute. The "Sashimi" was "Returning Bonito." ... It was served with a ponzu sauce and wasabi to taste. It was topped with Japanese spinach, and its crunchy and slimy texture served as a palate cleanser while eating the bonito. The bonito's skin was fragrant and delicious. However, I felt that the ponzu was a bit too strong and slightly masked the flavor of the bonito itself. "Hassun" (Eight-Course Appetizer) ... Inside the glass container were "Figs," "Mozuku Vinegar," "Rolled Omelet," "Red Konjac," "Fried Baby Corn," and "Grilled Spanish Mackerel with Fresh Sea Urchin." ... The fried baby corn was delicious. The combination of Spanish mackerel and sea urchin didn't multiply, but rather added to each other. The red konjac was used for color. "Takiawase" (Steamed Dish) ... There was deep-fried tofu and eggplant at the bottom, and Yamagata beef sirloin on top. The meat itself was delicious, and the dashi used was also delicious. The owner of the restaurant is from Yamagata, which is why they use Yamagata beef. Incidentally, the chef of this restaurant is from Fukuoka. For the finale, "Tai Chazuke" (Sea Bream Tea Rice) was served, which is a part of the legacy of the now-defunct "Kyo-mi." First, I enjoyed the cut sea bream with sesame sauce and a little wasabi, one-bouncing it onto the warm white rice from the earthenware pot. It was definitely delicious. Both the sea bream and rice were refillable, so I asked for two more slices of sea bream and poured the dashi tea over the rice and sea bream to make dashi tea rice. Of course, it was delicious. The dessert was "Brown Sugar Pudding" and "Mango and Rum Jelly." ... It was surprisingly Western-style, not Japanese, for the finale. But it was definitely delicious. The sesame tofu and tai chazuke were both delicious. If these dishes are okay with a ¥10,000 bill, then it's a good option for light entertainment or a casual lunch. I can't use "Uchiyama" often, but this place is a good second-line option. The owner is still young, so he seems to be growing with experience. At present, he seems to be faithfully carrying out the dishes he inherited from the head chef. I'm looking forward to seeing how much originality and creativity he can bring to his own performance in the future.

I recently had lunch here again! The dishes were delicious, featuring seasonal ingredients. The menu included firefly squid and scallops, grilled sesame tofu, a soup with spring onions and shrimp dumplings, trout sashimi, a selection of eight small dishes, simmered vegetables, and a final course of sea bream tea rice. The grilled sesame tofu and sea bream tea rice, which are specialties of this restaurant, are always delicious! I enjoyed half of the sea bream tea rice with sesame sauce and rice, and then had the rest as a tea rice with a second serving of rice. They use Tsuyahime rice from Yamagata Prefecture. The dessert was black sugar pudding and strawberries. The 6,600 yen lunch course was excellent value for money and I was very satisfied.

I visited this place four years ago. The exterior seemed quite upscale, but when I went inside, the proprietress was so kind and the chef was so easygoing. All the food was delicious and it's a memory I still cherish. I recommended it to a friend, and they went recently and were very happy. The chef even saw us out, and there's a funny photo of him, but I'll keep it under wraps for now, haha.

A simple restaurant where you can enjoy Japanese cuisine. The lunch set offers the best value for money. I was looking for a sushi restaurant and was recommended this place. It's more of a Japanese restaurant than a sushi restaurant, and I was able to enjoy dishes other than sushi. It had a very simple feel. However, while everything was good on average, it lacked a certain something. I felt that if they had a signature dish, something they were really proud of, it would be even better. The course includes a dish with meat topped with caviar and cheese, but I thought it could be seasoned a bit more elegantly. The sushi was average. The location is good, so I'm looking forward to trying it again next time.

I was craving delicious food and decided to visit for lunch by myself. I ordered the ¥6,600 course and added a maitake mushroom roll. The meal included five dishes, seven pieces of sushi plus a toro-taku donburi (tuna and cucumber bowl), soup, and dessert. For ¥6,600 including tax and service charge, I felt it was good value for money. The maitake mushroom roll, which was stir-fried with soy sauce and sugar, was an unexpected combination but very tasty. The sushi rice was perfectly seasoned and melted in my mouth. I particularly enjoyed the toro nigiri (fatty tuna sushi), toro-taku donburi, and the shrimp paste soup. The service was excellent and the overall atmosphere was calm and relaxing. I enjoyed a delicious meal and was very satisfied. I will definitely come back with friends next time.