Hyperlocal Tokyo

I was truly impressed by the attention to detail. The small dishes were all carefully prepared, and the simple dashi soup was so delicious that I wished they offered takeout. The mountain wasabi was excellent, with a refined spiciness and flavor. I wondered if the chef was from Hokkaido, as the seiro (steamed dish) had a distinctly northern taste. The staff, despite their appearance, were quiet and skilled, creating a relaxed atmosphere. The only downside was the chair design, which wasn't ideal for dining. It's understandable since they focus on evening service, but it was a bit uncomfortable to sit in for a long time. (laughs)

The lunch is unpretentious, but the dishes are made with care and are reasonably priced. Delicious.

I ordered the "Black Wagyu Steamed Rice in a Steamer" for 1500 yen. ◆Layout… There is an L-shaped counter with 6 seats as soon as you enter. The kitchen is in front of the counter. ◆Operation… There are 2 men in the kitchen and 1 man serving customers. Jazz piano music was playing softly in the background. ◆Food… The "Kinpira Gobo" (braised burdock root) came out first as a side dish, so I ate that while waiting for the rice to steam. There was no salad-like vegetable, only a small side dish, so it was a bit disappointing for a vegetable lover. The steamed rice had meat neatly laid out on top, and I ate it with mountain wasabi. The meat had a sukiyaki-like flavor, and it was delicious when combined with the fragrant steamed rice. 〈Second Visit〉 I ordered the "Iron Plate Stir-fried Noodles with Squid Guts" for 1200 yen. ◆Location…☆☆☆ 3 minutes walk east from Ningyocho Station. It is located on the first floor of a 5-story residential building? facing a quiet street lined with small shops, two blocks north from the wide Ningyocho Street. ◆Layout & Interior Design…☆☆☆☆ The interior is a bit narrow. There is an 8-seat L-shaped counter as soon as you enter, with the kitchen in front of it. There is a tatami room in the back with one 4-5 person table. The interior has a white ceiling and walls, beige tiled floor, and a chic interior with brown doors, wainscoting, and counter tables. The counter had a nice texture, and the atmosphere was clean and calm, making it a comfortable place to be. The private room in the back, a Japanese-style room, has a sunken kotatsu, so you can eat without putting any strain on your legs. It might be a good place for an evening reception. ◆Operation & Atmosphere…☆☆☆☆ There are 2 men in the kitchen and serving customers. There were many female customers in the restaurant, and it was lively. The background music was quiet and slow jazz piano. ◆Food & Value…☆☆☆☆ I was craving stir-fried noodles that day, so I was looking for a place, but there weren't many that came to mind in the Ningyocho area, so I was wandering around when I saw the sign. It was a restaurant with a French-sounding name, so I wondered what kind of dish they would make using squid guts, and I decided to go in. I had eaten the "Beef Steamed Rice in a Steamer" at this restaurant before, and it was also delicious, so I was excited to see what kind of stir-fried noodles this chef would make. The small side dish was whitebait with grated radish. It was a simple Japanese-style dish, so I felt that the chef had a wide range of culinary skills. The stir-fried noodles had a sweet sauce, the noodles were slightly flat and curled, and they had an interesting chewy texture and elasticity. The ingredients included a small amount of cabbage and a generous amount of beef. As this restaurant specializes in iron plate grilling, they are particular about their meat, and although it was cut into small pieces rather than large pieces, it was delicious. I would have preferred more cabbage as a vegetable lover, but I think this amount is appropriate considering the overall balance. I thought it would be nice if there was a salad to make up for the lack of vegetables, and when I looked at the menu again, there was a salad for 800 yen as a side dish. I might have ordered it if it was around 400 yen, but I hesitated at this price. It depends on the dish, though. There was pickled wasabi as a condiment, and I mixed it in halfway through as a flavor change. The sharp spiciness was softened by the pickling, and it added a flavor change without spoiling the taste of the stir-fried noodles. The soup was slightly cloudy and had no ingredients, but it had a rich beef tendon broth and was a comforting dish with a mellow flavor. The value for money is reasonable. The food is a bit pricey, but the restaurant is comfortable and you can eat in a relaxed atmosphere, so I think it's worth it.

I visited for lunch on Thursday, but it took over an hour for my meal to arrive. With only six seats, the turnover is slow. The beef was cooked to a perfect rare, and the sweet and savory sauce was a great match (it reminded me of sukiyaki). The grated wasabi was a nice accent, and even those who don't like wasabi should definitely try it! Be careful with the pickled cherry tomatoes, as they can be quite strong and might make you choke. Since the surrounding area is a residential neighborhood, it would be helpful if the staff could remind customers in line to be mindful of the noise.

For lunch, I had the Kuroge Wagyu beef tendon curry for ¥1000. I arrived late, and there was only one other customer. It's a small shop with only seven counter seats. The interior is calm and stylish. I was tempted to get the steamed rice, but I didn't have time and opted for the curry. The warm hand towel was a nice touch. The dishes were also stylish, raising my expectations. The curry was served shortly after. It was a good portion size, and came with a small dish of spicy shrimp paste, pickled avocado, and beef tendon soup. It looked great. The curry itself was a bit divisive. In a nutshell, the meat was well-braised and tender, but the curry itself was quite mild, and the richness was a bit overwhelming. That's why they gave you the shrimp paste, I guess. I added it to the curry, but it wasn't that spicy either. It might be a bit underwhelming for those who like spicy food. But if you prefer sweet curries, you'll love it. The avocado was disappointing. I thought it would cut through the richness of the curry, but avocado and vinegar don't seem to go together. The avocado itself was also oily. The soup was perfectly seasoned and delicious. The ratio of curry to rice was also perfect. One other minor disappointment was the lack of paper napkins to wipe your mouth after eating the curry. You had to use the cloth hand towel. Paper napkins are essential for curry, I think. So, my review was a bit critical, but overall, it wasn't bad. I'd definitely like to try the steamed rice next time.