Hyperlocal Tokyo

Located about a 7-minute walk from Shibuya Station, this stylish charcoal-grilled restaurant is marked by a bus stop near the top of the hill towards Mark City. I went there on a Sunday at 5 pm, and it was already quite full, and soon became almost completely booked. It's incredibly popular! There are counter seats and table seats, and from the counter seats, you can watch the fish being grilled over charcoal right in front of you. It's amazing how there's no smoke at all, making it a comfortable place to spend time. • Premium All-You-Can-Drink Course - ¥2,750 • Appetizer (Inca no Mezame Potato Chips) - ¥400 • Whole Grilled Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper) - ¥4,390 • Wagyu Yukke (Raw Beef) - ¥1,530 • Fish Roe Jewel Roll - ¥980 • Fresh Mushroom Salad - ¥980 • Eel Cream Cheese Spring Roll - ¥540 • Fruit, Prosciutto, and Cheese - ¥870 • Saba (Mackerel) Barrel Sushi - ¥430 The menu is so stylish! The appetizer features Shine Muscat grapes wrapped in prosciutto and cheese, and there's a limited-edition Saba barrel sushi. The mushroom salad is simple but delicious, with smoked cheese and olive oil, perfect for pairing with wine. The Wagyu Yukke is also incredibly delicious, with a rich egg sauce. And the eel and cheese spring roll... I've never seen such a luxurious spring roll before. The salty cheese and sweet eel are an irresistible combination! For the popular primitive-style grilling, I chose the Kinmedai. The flesh is fluffy, with a perfect amount of salt on the outside, making it a perfect accompaniment to sake. The Jewel Roll, with uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe), tuna, and salmon, truly lives up to its name, sparkling beautifully. It's so luxurious to have such generous portions of each ingredient. And even though it's a primitive-style grilling restaurant, the sashimi is incredibly delicious! The all-you-can-drink course includes a good selection of beers, lemon sours, and shochu, but there's also a wide variety of craft beers and sake, so it's worth ordering a la carte as well. It has a casual vibe, but it's also stylish and sophisticated, making it perfect for a date. If someone took you here, you'd definitely think they have great taste. The staff was also very friendly, and I had a delicious and enjoyable evening!

## A Culinary Journey of Primitive Grilling: A Review of "Genshi-yaki" in Shibuya This "Genshi-yaki" restaurant is located just a minute's walk from Shibuya Station on the Inokashira Line, nestled between Wave Street and Shibuya Chuo Street. It's right in front of the "Lily" bus stop for the Toei Bus bound for Nanatsumoriyama. "Genshi-yaki" is a traditional Japanese cooking method that involves slowly grilling fresh seafood and vegetables over an open hearth. The fish is skewered and grilled with its mouth facing down, allowing excess moisture to evaporate and concentrate the fish's natural flavors. 🤩 From a seat at the end of the counter, you can witness this "Genshi-yaki" process firsthand. Watching the fish and meat being carefully grilled right before your eyes, while enjoying a delicious sake, is a truly captivating experience. The sight alone is enough to make you want to drink! 🍶 And then, the beautifully grilled fish arrives, making you sigh in delight. 😍 Here's what I enjoyed on my visit: ◇ **Mushroom Salad:** The mushrooms had a wonderful texture, and while they were lightly seasoned, the miso-marinated cheese sprinkled on top was a perfect complement. The black pepper and sesame seeds added a delightful touch. 😋 ◇ **Shine Muscat with Prosciutto and Cheese:** The refreshing sweetness of the Shine Muscat grapes was perfectly balanced by the creamy mascarpone cheese and salty prosciutto. This dish was a perfect pairing for wine, offering a refreshing yet rich flavor. 🤩 ◇ **Saba (Mackerel) Boiled Rice:** The mackerel was incredibly thick and perfectly grilled. The fat was rich and flavorful, and the pickled ginger in the rice provided a nice counterpoint. This dish was incredibly satisfying and filling. 🍣 ◇ **Charcoal-Grilled Wagyu Yukke:** The yukke was lightly seared, creating a delightful contrast in texture between the seared and raw portions. The sweet sauce, the smoky aroma, and the incredible texture made this dish truly exceptional. ◇ **Eel and Camembert Spring Roll:** At first glance, it looked like a regular spring roll. But inside, there was eel and camembert! A luxurious spring roll indeed. The balance of flavors was incredible, and it was truly a spring roll, not just a dish of eel. 😲 ◇ **Genshi-yaki Extra Large Shrimp:** Perfectly grilled, with an incredible aroma! The shrimp was plump and juicy, and the smoky flavor was irresistible. This dish was simply delicious and a must-try. 🦐 ◇ **Genshi-yaki Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper):** This was a truly impressive dish! The fish was grilled right in front of me, seasoned with salt, and cooked to perfection. The visual presentation was stunning. The skin was crispy, the flesh was flaky, and the flavor was incredibly rich. The grated daikon radish, made with a special grater, added a wonderful texture. This was a truly exceptional kinmedai, a must-try for any seafood lover. ◇ **Hand-Rolled Sushi with Fish Roe Jewel Roll:** This luxurious hand-rolled sushi was topped with uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe), and various other fish. It was truly a treasure chest of the sea. 💎 A truly blissful hand-rolled sushi experience. ◇ **Drinks:** * Premium Malt * Banshu Ikken, Sanyohai Sake Brewery, Hyogo * Hiryu, Shinzawa Brewery, Miyagi * Takechiyo, Takachiyo Sake Brewery, Niigata * Takayuki, Otani Sake Brewery, Tottori There were 20 different types of sake available on the day I visited, and they were all delicious! Sake is definitely the perfect pairing for "Genshi-yaki"! The restaurant itself is very stylish, with a great atmosphere that is both relaxing and sophisticated. It's perfect for a date, a night out for delicious grilled fish, or simply when you're in the mood for sake. However, it's always packed, even on weekdays, so reservations are highly recommended.

Dining at Sumibiyaki Lily was a delightful experience for both the eyes and the palate. The potato salad was a masterpiece of smooth textures and delicate flavors. The creamy sauce, topped with a soft-boiled egg, melted in the mouth, while the subtle black pepper added a touch of complexity. The presentation was simple yet elegant. The seafood nigiri sushi was a harmonious blend of the fragrant seaweed and the freshness of the seafood. The creamy uni (sea urchin) was particularly memorable. The grilled hokke (Atka mackerel) was perfectly cooked, with a crispy exterior and juicy, tender flesh. The accompanying grated daikon radish provided a refreshing finish. Finally, the charcoal-grilled shrimp, served in the shell, was infused with the smoky aroma of the charcoal. The lemon and mayonnaise were the perfect complement to the shrimp's sweetness. Overall, the dishes at Sumibiyaki Lily showcased the quality of the ingredients and offered a refined yet simple dining experience that left me thoroughly satisfied.

【Items Ordered】 Premium All-You-Can-Drink Course ¥2,750 Appetizer ¥400 Grilled Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper) ¥4,390 Raw Mushroom Salad ¥980 Sweet Shrimp and Sake-Marinated Cod Roe ¥650 Limited 6 Portions!! Fruit, Prosciutto, and Cheese ¥870 Wagyu Yukke (Raw Beef) ¥1,530 Eel Cream Cheese Spring Roll ¥540/piece Limited 15 Portions!! Saba (Mackerel) Barrel Sushi ¥430/piece Hand-Rolled Fish Roe Jewel Roll ¥980 Black Bean Mascarpone ¥650 Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea) Pudding ¥540 【Gourmet Record】 I discovered a stylish izakaya (Japanese pub) with a very cute bus stop as a landmark on Dogenzaka! Even though it just opened in December 2023, it's incredibly popular, with full reservations even on weeknights. ◎ Interior The interior is bright and lively. There are counter seats and table seats. At the counter, you can watch the primitive grilling while you eat! It's an atmosphere that's suitable for a wide range of occasions, including dates, girls' nights out, and solo drinking. ◎ Food & Drinks The drinks include a premium all-you-can-drink course with 20 types of sake, including Toyo-Bijin. The sake is categorized into four quadrants based on flavor type, with "fragrance" (floral or mellow) on the vertical axis and "taste" (rich or crisp) on the horizontal axis, making it easy for even sake beginners to find their favorite. The food is truly all amazing! I chose the kinmedai for the signature primitive grilling. The skin was crispy, the flesh was plump, and the salt seasoning was perfectly balanced ✨ Sushi is also a specialty, so I ordered the saba barrel sushi and the hand-rolled fish roe jewel roll. The saba barrel sushi featured thick, tightly packed, marinated saba that was grilled over the charcoal from the primitive grill! It had a slightly smoky aroma and was absolutely wonderful. The hand-rolled fish roe jewel roll was topped with uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe), and other seafood, truly a jewel-like sushi roll as its name suggests. Taking a big bite and eating it all at once filled me with a sense of happiness. Everything else I ordered was also incredibly delicious! This is the perfect place to drink in Shibuya. It's a truly wonderful establishment 💖

A restaurant in Shibuya where you can enjoy "Genshi-yaki" (primitive grilling). This was my first time trying "Genshi-yaki"! I sat at the counter, so I could enjoy my meal while watching the "Genshi-yaki" being prepared right in front of me. Here's what I ordered: * Extra Large Shrimp (1 piece) - ¥870 * Silver Cod with Saikyo Miso Marinade - ¥1,420 * Atka Mackerel (half) - ¥1,310 * Mackerel Sushi Roll - ¥430 * Sweet Shrimp with Sake Kasu (fermented rice bran) - ¥650 * Seasonal Fruit with Prosciutto and Cheese - ¥870 * Smoked Oyster in Oil - ¥870 * White Liver Sashimi with Green Onion and Sesame Oil - ¥870 * Straw-Grilled Bonito Sashimi - ¥870 * Eel and Camembert Spring Roll (1 piece) - ¥540 Personally, I thought the Silver Cod with Saikyo Miso Marinade was the best! I definitely want to go back again.