It's been a long time since I last visited Tsubaki-san... I feel like I usually go when there's an event in Nishi-Ogikubo. Conversely, because there are no events due to the pandemic, I haven't been going to Nishi-Ogikubo either. It's a place where music industry people gather and have fun with delicious small dishes. This time, my favorite tomato curry was sold out, which was disappointing. Thank you for the meal.

We gathered at Tsubaki for a drinking party with friends, including murasann who came back home. It was great to see Tsubaki again after a long time, and the food and drinks were delicious! And the best part is that it was very reasonably priced! Thank you for the meal!

The restaurant has a glass exterior and sometimes leaves the windows wide open, creating a sense of openness. Despite the name "Tsubaki" suggesting a different type of place, it is actually run by a young woman with blonde hair speaking Kansai dialect. The menu offers a selection of carefully curated local sake, ranging from popular to rare varieties. The dishes are also well thought out, with tasty items like egg pickles. The interior is decorated with posters of The Timers and plays records from that era, creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Overall, as a fan of warm sake, I was very impressed. Another reason to visit Nishi-Ogikubo has been found.

Nishi-Ogikubo Station South Exit, along the road known as "Nishi-Ogikubo Ginza", a little further east from there, you will find a place called "Sake and Otsumami Tsubaki". This place is very Nishi-Ogikubo-like. It's hard to explain what Nishi-Ogikubo-like means, but many of the individual shops in Nishi-Ogikubo have a unique commonality that sets them apart from Koenji and Asagaya. The exterior of this shop looks like a ramen shop, with a young lady with short blonde hair and a hat managing the counter with 6 seats and 2 small tables. Inside, 60s rock music plays casually in the background. Occasionally, the young lady flips over an LP or takes out something new from the shelf to play, moving in rhythm to the beat. If you look closely, you can see album covers of alternative rock, Yuzo Kayama, and RC Succession on the shelves. Despite her young age, she has good taste in music. What's surprising is the selection of sake. While not extensive, they offer a variety of sake from Kansai region such as Tamagawa, Kazeno Mori, Amanosake, and Shinomine, with the specs and BY written on the menu. They even offer hot sake. The selection is very unique and appealing to those in the know. They also have shochu, plum wine, and even Hoppy. The food is described as "small dishes izakaya", with dishes that pair well with alcohol. On this day, we had a spring roll salad and potato salad as appetizers, along with other dishes like minced raw fish, small fried sardines, grilled Manju pepper, pickled vegetables, cucumber and fish cake, sauce yakisoba, and even Nara pickles. The dishes perfectly complement the drinks. This time, I wasn't in the mood to eat much, so I ordered two drinks and the potato salad. The potato salad was delicious, with plenty of creamy potatoes. You can quietly sip your drink or join in the conversation with regular customers, making for an interesting experience. The friendly atmosphere and the involvement of the staff in conversations make it very Nishi-Ogikubo-like. They are welcoming to outsiders as well. The bill was very reasonable, with my total coming to 1,600 yen. When the weather cools down, stop by to enjoy some warm sake while listening to alternative rock. It's a great place to visit. Thank you for the meal. (Personally, I would rate this place 4 stars plus, but due to adult circumstances, I'll give it a restrained 3.5)