Hyperlocal Tokyo

I visited without a reservation on a weekend. There was a reservation from 12:00 pm, and I was able to enter before that time. **What I liked:** * I ordered the tempura set (around ¥1,600), and the freshly fried tempura was served continuously, which was great. My stomach didn't feel heavy either. **What I noticed:** * The restaurant is quite narrow. When I left, there were people waiting, so it was difficult to exit. * The people with the 12:00 pm reservation arrived quite a while before 12:00 pm, but they weren't allowed in. It seems like you need to arrive on time or even a little late. The counter was full as soon as the restaurant opened, and everyone was eating with the understanding that they would be finished by 12:00 pm. If you absolutely want to eat here, I recommend making a reservation and arriving on time, or even a little earlier than the opening time.

## July 31, 2024 **Appetizer: Maguro (Tuna) Sashimi** - ¥880 This was a really high-quality toro (fatty tuna). The gate was standing, and I could feel the freshness. Delicious. **Tempura Set** - ¥3850 * **Head of Kuruma Ebi (Tiger Prawn)** With legs. Crispy and flavorful, with a strong shrimp aroma. Delicious. * **Kuruma Ebi (Tiger Prawn)** Two small, easy-to-eat prawns. * **Young Corn** The sweetness of the corn is incredible. Three times sweeter than regular young corn. * **Broccoli** The ingredients also give a good impression. The stem is delicious. The broth and radish go incredibly well together. * **Kisu (Sandfish)** Crispy, fluffy, and delicious. Even better with wasabi. * **Maitake (Hen of the Woods)** Deep aroma and perfect batter. The best maitake. * **Nasu (Eggplant)** The skin is half-peeled, making it soft and delicious. * **Hotate (Scallop) Isobe-age (Deep-fried with Seaweed)** The seaweed has a deep aroma, which is nice. The scallop is soft and flavorful. * **Satsumaimo (Sweet Potato)** Served without salt. Sweet and fluffy. Maybe a dessert-style dish? It's an interesting way to eat it, but if they're going for sweetness, I think they should add honey or something to make it more distinct. * **Rice, Pickles, Miso Soup** It was great that they asked me if I wanted this midway through the meal. It's really nice that they're willing to change the order of a Japanese course like this. I kind of wish they would have served it from the beginning, though. As a rice lover. The miso soup had seaweed and tofu. It had a mysterious, floral aroma. It was familiar, but I couldn't place it. Personally, I prefer a stronger katsuobushi (bonito flakes) broth. The bettarazuke (pickled vegetables) were delicious. **Kakiage (Tempura Fritter)** - ¥1500 Plump and delicious. Just delicious. The batter has a beautiful form. But it's basically just a shrimp kakiage. It's luxurious and quite something, but I already had tiger prawns at the beginning of the course, so there's no new discovery. I want a more multi-layered flavor with different ingredients. **Myoga (Japanese Ginger)** No strong flavor, soft, and goes well with the crispy, fluffy batter. **Renkon (Lotus Root)** - ¥300 Unbelievably sweet and delicious. You won't regret ordering this. Four times sweeter than regular lotus root. **Uni (Sea Urchin)** Wrapped in seaweed. The warmed uni had an increased sweetness and a unique flavor I've never experienced before. Interesting. **Overall** The crispy, fluffy batter was light and delicious. Most importantly, the ingredients were high quality, and I thoroughly enjoyed the tempura course. The seasonings, mainly salt and umeboshi salt, were also well-chosen. The staff didn't offer the dipping sauce, but it was excellent. It had a strong katsuobushi aroma, and it might be the best part of the meal. It would have been even better with a spicier radish. This tempura course at a popular Ginza restaurant is reasonably priced, which is truly appreciated.

I visited this place for the first time while searching for lunch in Ginza. **Restaurant Atmosphere** My first impression was that it was cramped. They also seat you very close together, so even though there was some space at my table, my arm was touching the person next to me. The cell phone signal (au) didn't reach in the basement. It wasn't a problem for me since I was only there for a short lunch, but there was no wifi. **Tempura Donburi (¥1,650)** The tempura included two thin shrimp, two pieces of eggplant, one baby corn, maitake mushrooms, and two sheets of nori. This is just my personal opinion, but it was too meager and the price was not worth it. **Other** There was a small plate of pickles on the table the whole time, even though I wasn't sure if I would be seated there. I didn't notice until after I started eating, so it was too late, but I wish I hadn't eaten them.

I went for lunch around 1 pm on a weekday. It was fairly crowded, but I was able to get a seat at the counter without waiting. I ordered the "Big Prawn Tempura Donburi" for 1000 yen. The tempura donburi and soup came out. As you can see in the photo, it was a huge portion and I was completely full. Besides the prawns, there were nori, broccoli, and maitake mushrooms. The tempura was crispy and the broccoli and maitake mushrooms were delicious! It's great that they fry it in front of you. The rice was generous, probably around 250g. I was satisfied with the volume for the price. Next time, I want to try the course and have some daytime drinks. Thank you. The restaurant is a bit narrow.

It's near Ginza Station. Reservations are essential as it's a two-part system. Even the most affordable plan offers a decent amount of food. It's impressive to see them prepare the dishes right in front of you, so I highly recommend it. Personally, I enjoyed the uni I ordered as an extra.