I stopped by to have a drink. I ordered grilled stingray fin and tripe stew as snacks. The chicken karaage came in 4 pieces and each was big and filling. The restaurant has a calm atmosphere and it seems they also have private rooms. It can be used for parties, and you can also enjoy drinking alone at the counter. There are still many menu items I haven't tried, so I plan to try them next time!

We used the outdoor terrace. We sat at a Snow Peak table. It was a cool night, so we enjoyed it despite the noisy road next to us with cars and people passing by. We had sashimi, chicken tempura, dried squid, grilled firefly squid, myoga rice, Tochio fried chicken, and potato salad. The myoga rice was delicious, not too salty. The Tochio fried chicken was large, so it might be better to order it first to avoid leftovers. The total cost for 2.5 people was a little over 9000 yen.

We made a reservation for 5 people for the 5,500 yen soba course (private room canceled) and were seated at a counter in a U-shape. We ordered drinks through our smartphones, and although it took a bit of time, each drink was carefully made and very delicious. Personally, I was a bit disappointed that there was only one type of sake available, and that the whiskey was on the rocks and the ginger ale was dry. The food was all delicious and satisfying, with generous portions that even the men in our group were happy with. The communal chopsticks provided with the large dishes added a sense of security. The only downside was that the final meat dish was too salty for my taste, so I couldn't finish it. We were able to chat comfortably during our 2 and a half hour stay, with a last order time of 2 hours. The location, away from the bustling streets of Kagurazaka, was calm and peaceful, making me want to come back again.

Mysterious Gourmet Exploration Team in Iidabashi. Tonight, we visited a restaurant called "Bettei Musubi" where you can enjoy Niigata's local cuisine and sake. It is located in a quiet area a little distance away from Iidabashi station. The drinker in our group chose the "Unlimited Niigata Sake Tasting of 50 Varieties" course, which costs 3,600 yen including tax. Food can be ordered a la carte. We started with a toast of draft beer, as they also serve beer and shochu in addition to sake. The food ordering system was through a QR code on the table, a common trend these days. We tried dishes like grilled salmon belly (980 yen), brand pork simmered in soy sauce (1,480 yen), assorted sashimi, pickled wild vegetables (680 yen), and tofu pouch from Tochio (1,280 yen). All the dishes were delicious! Among them, the marinated salmon roe (980 yen) was particularly good as a sake accompaniment. One serving can easily be paired with three cups of sake (laughs). The sake can be self-poured from the showcase, with options like Matsunoi in different types such as Junmai, Junmai Daiginjo, as well as Shibata-Zuru and Kage-Tora. Members who are not fans of sake switched to Niigata's local beer. Although the menu advertised "50 types of sake," there were not that many varieties in the showcase, but it was still sufficient for a good tasting experience. Depending on the brand, the prices ranged from 1,500 to 2,500 yen for a 1.5 cup, so if you plan to drink a lot at this restaurant, it might be better to go for the all-you-can-drink option. We drank until we couldn't anymore, and ended the night with their famous soba noodles (1,700 yen for two servings). Naturally, the bill was higher compared to chain izakayas, but after drinking for over four hours, it was still cheaper than going to a second location for drinks. The food may take some time to be served as there seems to be only one chef, but overall, it's a great place to enjoy delicious Niigata sake and cuisine. Thank you for a wonderful meal.

I visited for lunch on Friday. I went alone and was guided to a beautiful private room, where I enjoyed a leisurely lunch. I saw the sign outside and decided to go in, and I found out that on weekdays, you can have all-you-can-eat side dishes, miso soup, and rice for 1,000 yen. Considering that the usual lunch prices in Kagurazaka are around 1,200 to 2,000 yen, this is quite cheap. I'm a very impatient person, so I quickly served myself some miso soup and tempura. It was nice to be able to start eating before the main dish arrived. The self-service aspect allowed me to serve myself the amount I wanted, which was great! On Fridays, you can have all-you-can-eat vegetable tempura, so I chose green peppers, okra, enoki mushrooms, eggplant, and pumpkin. The thin tempura batter was crispy! The tempura dipping sauce here had a unique and delicious flavor. I tend to overeat when it's all-you-can-eat, so I went for a second round of tempura! I poured the tempura sauce over the rice bowl and enjoyed it. I thought I wouldn't be able to finish, but the rice was delicious as expected! The soba noodles were chewy and had a strong texture. They weren't part of the all-you-can-eat menu, but I was already full and happy. It was a great value for money, and I will definitely come back!

I visited this restaurant for drinks during the daytime on the weekend, it was my second stop. I had been here a few times in the past, so this was a revisit. The atmosphere around this place is nice, with a vibe similar to Kagurazaka. We sat outside during the daytime and I ordered a cup of sake (750 yen) where you can choose from the fridge. I also had the recommended sake from this place, Matsunoi, which was served cold. It had a refreshing and fruity taste with a slightly dry flavor and a low sake meter value. The appetizers (otsumami) were served with 3 dishes per person, all of which were delicious. The grilled mackerel was a decent size and tasted great with a good amount of fat. I chose the beef shigureni over motsu-ni, and it had a rich sweet flavor that went well with the sake. The atmosphere of the restaurant was also nice, and the staff were friendly. I ended up staying longer than planned, drinking too much sake. The all-you-can-drink option might have been a better deal. Overall, it's a great restaurant in Kagurazaka where you can casually enjoy a meal. Thank you for the meal.

This restaurant seems to specialize in Niigata ingredients. It is located in Honda Yokocho, just past Koshizaka. On this day, I had zaru soba with all-you-can-eat vegetable tempura, rice, miso soup, and small side dishes. The soba was delicious, made from my favorite funori soba. It did not come with wasabi. There were several types of tempura to choose from, all crispy and tasty. It would have been nice to have grated daikon. The rice was delicious, made from Niigata rice. It was a protein-free lunch.

Tabelog 3.22 is an izakaya in Tokyo where you can enjoy the flavors of Niigata along with sake. Originally a renovated traditional Japanese restaurant, the spacious and inviting atmosphere of the place caught my attention when I visited on a Saturday afternoon. For lunch, they offer a variety of set meals. I was torn between wanting to try the hegi soba and the koshihikari rice, but the staff kindly accommodated my request by serving me a delicious salted rice ball. The onigiri was generously seasoned with salt and had a hint of seaweed flavor that tickled my taste buds. The hegi soba was neatly arranged with the distinctive feature of seaweed as a binder. A serving of hegi soba costs 850 yen, while the salted rice ball costs 300 yen, totaling 1,150 yen. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.

I visited this restaurant for lunch by myself. It's a place I discovered this year and this was my third visit. I placed my order as soon as I entered and paid in advance using PayPay. I sat at the counter at the back, which had four seats with acrylic panels. Wednesdays are curry days. I had the Pork Belly Curry for 1000 yen including tax, which came with Uonuma Koshihikari rice, low-salt miso soup, and all-you-can-eat daily side dishes. The curry was medium spicy with a nice blend of spices. The assorted fried vegetables added a nice touch to the dish. I enjoyed ending the meal with hot tea and some pickles from the side dishes. The only downside was that the restaurant was a bit cold inside. I look forward to trying their soba on Friday, which features Tokamachi Nori Soba. It comes with all-you-can-eat seasonal vegetable tempura and side dishes, and it seems like there's also the fun of making your own original tempura bowl after enjoying the soba.

"Betetsu Musubi" is a Japanese izakaya that serves Niigata's local cuisine. Niigata is famous for its rice, but it also has a variety of local dishes and specialty products. Of course, the Niigata sake made with rice is also exceptionally delicious. The Tokyo Note editorial team often visits "Betetsu Musubi" to enjoy these offerings. The restaurant is located on a side street called "Hondoyokocho," just off the main street of Kagurazaka. It has a warm atmosphere with a large lantern outside. Inside, you can enjoy Niigata's local dishes at reasonable prices, making it a recommended spot for not only Niigata natives but also those who want to enjoy a cozy and gentle taste. When I visited before, I tried the following menu items (some of them): --------------------------------------------------------- - Mother's three homemade side dishes platter Niigata has many local side dishes, and I ordered a platter with three varieties. It included burdock kinpira, pumpkin salad, and simmered hijiki, each with a nostalgic and delicious taste. - Sashimi: The yellowtail sashimi was fatty and sweet, with a firm and chewy texture that was delightful. It paired perfectly with Niigata's sake. - Tochio fried tofu with kanzuri and green onion miso A specialty delicacy from Niigata, the large fried tofu from Tochio topped with green onion miso mixed with kanzuri (fermented chili paste) was exquisite and could even be a main dish. --------------------------------------------------------- In addition to the above, the restaurant also offers enticing dishes such as "hegisoba" and grilled rice balls with Koshihikari rice. With sunken kotatsu seating available, you can experience a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of returning home. It's a recommended spot for those who want to spend a leisurely time. You can also check out a firsthand dining report in this article, so if you're curious, give it a read.【Tokyo Note Kagurazaka】Betetsu Musubi Dining Report.

A izakaya located behind Kumagai-gumi in Iidabashi. It seems to be a restaurant that serves Niigata cuisine. I dropped by on a weekday. The appetizer was boiled komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach). There didn't seem to be many dishes that were specifically from Niigata, but the feature was the Tsumari Pork. I ordered the thick-cut grilled Tsumari Pork bacon. It was delicious in a normal way, but quite a conventional bacon. The sausage was also quite tasty. The most delicious dish was the toriten (deep-fried chicken). This was also conventional but surprisingly tender and juicy. For the finale, I had hegisoba (buckwheat noodles). I'm not a big fan of soba, so I didn't eat it even when I went to Niigata, but the soba here had a good firmness.

In Tsukudo-cho, a little way up from Kagurazaka and to the right at a four-way intersection after walking up Koshizaka from Iidabashi Station, there is a nice quiet atmosphere. I visited on a weekday night. Inside the restaurant, there are two table seats and several small tatami rooms towards the back. It is a quiet and calming atmosphere. I started with a beer, followed by dishes like oden, tofu with meat, and grilled pork belly. I switched to Niigata sake and finished with soba noodles and matsutake mushroom tempura. It's a great place to relax and enjoy a leisurely drink.

I got hooked on Niigata's local cuisine at Fuji Rock, and I've become interested in it. Every dish has a comforting deliciousness, and the atmosphere is calm, making it a definite repeat for me! The Togo oil tofu, cut vegetables, Tsumari pork, and hegi soba were all excellent! The hegi soba was even better than what I had in Niigata!

I had pork ginger stir-fry, salted fish guts, and hegisoba for dinner. Hegi in hegisoba refers to the container. It is a local dish from Niigata.

Before the pandemic, I used to dine in here many times, and I have been relying on takeout for the past two years. I visited again after a long time, but ordering through the QR code was the worst. There were no pictures and the information was too limited. In the end, I had to borrow the old menu to place my order. The female staff is not very knowledgeable about Niigata sake, I hope they study more. However, the taste remains consistently good.

I had been curious every time I passed by this restaurant, so I decided to go for lunch. Since it was midday, there were no other customers, so I could relax! I ordered Hiyashi Soba with a vegetable tempura platter and a large shrimp tempura. The soba was delicious! It had a strong soba flavor, but it wasn't too firm, making it easy to eat. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the Myoga tempura was. Myoga is delicious! The tempura platter had a generous portion, and I ended up being too full! The staff were polite, and I would like to go again!

Comparing and tasting all 50 types of sake at the restaurant for 3000 yen per person, excluding tax! Sake lovers, be sure to check it out!

Lunch. The Yuriichi set meal with fried chicken topped with sauce. The meat is tender, and it comes with fresh vegetables and macaroni salad, which is satisfying. The option of unsweetened or slightly sweet iced coffee after the meal is also appreciated!

I was surprised by how different the ginger pork tasted at Tsuma Aru Buta. The rice was a blend of Koshihikari rice from Uonuma (apparently 100% at night), and I was very satisfied with the lunch.

A restaurant affiliated with Rerot facing Kagurazaka. This time, the space is large so it seems versatile for various purposes.