Local Eats Japan

One of the best, most reasonable lunches I have had in Tokyo, and that is saying a lot. 

I found this place when I was attending a language school and it was right next door, but because their lunch time hours ran right through when I was in class, I never had a chance to go. 

I think I actually had to skip my class to go here now that I think of it…and this probably isn’t something I should be posting on the internet where my parents can read, but I think it helps in getting across the stakes in which I took to get here, and it was more than worth it in the end. 

Everyday their lunch menu changes and what it includes will be written on a chalk board outside of the restaurant, but it is in handprinted Japanese which not even google-translate will pick up so if you like surprises then head on in. 

The best thing about this however, is the fact that you don’t have to order anything! Unless you wanted to order something extra or a drink). 

What they are serving that day you will get, and so will everyone around you. 

In my case, I had tuna sashimi, menchi katsu (deep fried meat cutlet),salt grilled Japanese rockfish salt, tofu, miso soup (with red sapper) and rice, but I think it can be safe to assume that the varying lunches will be some sort of rendition of similar foods with maybe a difference in fish. 

All the fish was extremely high quality and you can tell that they get new cuts of it every morning, as the chef prepares it in front of you only after you have been guided to your seat. 

The menchi katsu is a must try, and is actually something quite commonly found as a street food in areas like Asakusa. It is lightly breaded and actually really soft to bite into – not like any of the grease infested fried food that’s so readily available in the West. 

The tofu acts as a bit of a palette cleanser, but is also great for you, which is a big theme in this meal. 

They were generous with the fish in the miso soup, and this was actually the first time I had had it. It was a huge umami boost and made the soup almost a little creamy – definitely something I wish I could have everyday. 

The rice of course ties the dish together, and the great thing is that every food on this plate pairs well with it. You could really sense the care they took towards deciding the menu. 

The best thing of all though? Well there are actually 2, but the first is the price. 990 yen. This is utterly ridiculous, and 5 pieces of high quality tuna sashimi alone I would be satisfied with for this price, but I almost felt guilty at this price. 

The second would be that the miso soup and rice have free refills, as many times as you want. I felt bad going more than twice but the staff were nice enough to plead with me to get more so I think I refilled both of them 4 times? 

I definitely recommend this place, especially if you are taking the skyliner from Narita to Nippori station. A true hidden gem.

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More about me

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