復活KOKOKO
A few years ago, I suddenly remembered a seafood izakaya where a friend and I jumped in and had a drink. It was cheap, had a wide variety of menu items, great service, and you could order any appetizer from lunchtime. I realized I hadn't been eating much seafood lately, so I decided to go to "Sushi Taraku" in Nippori. When I arrived at 11 am, the opening time, the restaurant was not open yet, but there was one person waiting. After a few minutes, a female staff member came out, set up the menu blackboard outside, and opened the restaurant. I sat at a small table near the entrance and looked at the menu full of appetizers covering all kinds of dishes you would find at a seafood izakaya. I ordered the popular 4-item bowl for 810 yen and the simmered silver cod for 710 yen. I decided to wait and see what the 4 items in the popular bowl were without asking. I remembered there used to be a lot more of these types of restaurants, like Sushi Tsune in Ikebukuro and Masukame in Kanda. I recalled the days when I used to drink with my rowdy coworkers at Masukame from noon until late evening. We would leave the restaurant around 8 pm and say, "Next stop, Akasaka!" Those were the bubble days and they were fun. About 6 minutes after ordering, the popular 4-item bowl arrived with miso soup. The 4 items were tuna red meat, negitoro, seared salmon, and seared gizzard shad. The size of the bowl was standard, and the overall volume was decent. The seared gizzard shad was especially delicious, with a crispy sear and great texture. The seared salmon didn't have much fat, but the sear was flavorful. The only downside was that there wasn't enough topping compared to the amount of rice. I ended up with half of the rice left after finishing the toppings. So, I ordered an additional mackerel sashimi for 450 yen. It had a good amount for the price, but I thought it didn't really match well with the bowl. I should have ordered octopus, horse mackerel, or white fish sashimi instead. After about 17 minutes, the simmered silver cod arrived with two slices of cod and daikon. The flesh was tender and fatty, but honestly, I could slightly taste some fishiness. I ordered it because I wanted a simmered dish, but I regretted not ordering two sashimi dishes instead. After finishing the meal and leaving the restaurant around 11:30 am, the place was almost full. It seems to be quite popular, but the narrow spacing between tables made me feel cramped. When I came before, there weren't many customers, so I didn't notice. Now that I've visited during lunchtime, I can plan better and enjoy the experience more. Depending on whether you order a set meal or a rice bowl, the recommended single items to order can vary significantly. But more importantly, it's a place where you can revive the rowdy office worker spirit and drink at odd hours.