I visited "Master Kitchen" in Lions Plaza Machiya, a yakiniku restaurant located underground, a 5-minute walk from Machiya Station, after 11:00 am on a certain day in February 2022. The cozy restaurant had no other customers at that time. I sat at a table by myself and ordered the "Harami Set Meal" for ¥935 from the lunch menu. It was served after a 7-8 minute wait. The set included harami (skirt steak), cabbage, kimchi, rice, and soup. I grilled the harami on the grill in front of me and enjoyed the yakiniku lunch. The harami was just the right size, with a light yet tender texture. I dipped the harami in the sauce and enjoyed it with the rice. The salad provided was cabbage seasoned with sauce. While it felt a bit simple, the combination of cabbage and yakiniku was not bad. The classic combination of white kimchi, harami, and rice was enjoyable, along with the seaweed and leek soup. The slightly rich soup was to my liking. I had a second serving of soup, as it was free to refill. The initial amount of rice was generous, so I found one bowl to be sufficient considering the balance with the meat. I finished the "Harami Set Meal" at Master Kitchen, which provided a satisfying level of fullness. While it didn't have any standout features, it left me with a decent impression. The restaurant is run by foreign staff, which adds to its uniqueness by offering dishes like curry and halal food.

At "Master Kitchen," a Bangladeshi chef showcases his skills in Lions Plaza Machiya B1F. The dish ordered this time was the "Beef Rezala," a curry made with yogurt and nuts, known as a representative dish from the capital Old Dhaka. The spicy gravy with a strong spice blend complements the gelatinous beef perfectly. Additionally, the weekly special curry set, featuring A5 wagyu beef ribs, yogurt salad, chapati, soup, kimchi, and a mini salad, was enjoyed thoroughly. Thank you for the feast!

The shop is located in the basement of a building in the shopping street that continues from the station. I visited on a Saturday evening with the door open. They have a stove where you can enjoy my favorite smoky flavor. They also offer a large drink (1L), and the meat is reasonably priced and delicious. However, the downside is that it can get crowded and the service may be slow when the shop is full.

■Yakiniku Master Kitchen I had lunch on New Year's Day at Yakiniku Master Kitchen, which opened last year in the basement of Lions Plaza facing Odakebashi Street. I had been curious about it, but this was my first visit. It seems they were open without a break even during the New Year holidays. ■Master Kalbi (480 yen) Since they didn't seem to have a lunch menu, I ordered the Master Kalbi for 480 yen. It's quite cheap. They say all the meat here is hand-cut. It cooks quickly because it's thin. ■Stone-grilled Bibimbap Half (480 yen) I also ordered the half-size stone-grilled Bibimbap. It's nice that you can order a half size. For one person, this size is just right. The rice is nicely crispy. I put the grilled Kalbi on top and made it into a luxurious Kalbi Bibimbap. The staff that day was of Indian descent. The menu had items like Butter Chicken Curry and Halal Chicken for grilling, making it an interesting yakiniku restaurant.

I was drawn in by the cheap yakiniku lunch and decided to visit. I was surprised to see that all the staff were foreigners, not Korean, but Bangladeshi. The yakiniku was decent for the price, but what really surprised me was the chicken curry. It had an authentic taste, spicy and incredibly delicious. And the portion size was amazing. My husband and I were both full after getting seconds of rice. It felt like the curry was making up for the smaller portion size of the yakiniku. There are many curry restaurants in Arakawa Ward, and while I haven't tried them all, this place has my favorite curry. I have to be a bit reserved in my rating since it includes the yakiniku, but if I were just rating the curry, it would be even higher.

Reasonably priced and delicious. The staff are very friendly and their bright attitude makes dining a pleasant experience. I keep craving their spicy curry and yukgaejang noodles.

Shintama Mori is priced at ¥1,800 and is probably the most recommended menu in the restaurant in terms of price. It consists of four different types of skewers: Marukawa, Kamenoko, Shinshin, and Tomosankaku. It is best to eat them in the order they are introduced. Marukawa has shiso leaves sandwiched in between and is seasoned with salt, giving it a fresh and unique flavor. Kamenoko is topped with grated daikon radish and kaiware sprouts, and seasoned with ponzu sauce for a refreshing taste. Shinshin and Tomosankaku are classic and delicious choices, with Tomosankaku being particularly flavorful with its high marbling. Although delicious, the meat in Tomosankaku is marinated, which is a bit disappointing as I prefer it with just salt. Personally, I prefer salt seasoning for yakitori, yakiniku, and tempura. This is just my personal opinion, so it's possible that the marinated meat is preferred by others.

The other day, I went to a yakiniku restaurant called Master Kitchen in Machiya! I was a bit nervous because the owner is from Bangladesh, but the polite service and clean restaurant made me feel at ease to start my meal! They take pride in cutting all the meat in the shop, and the flavorful ox tail soup was amazing! I ordered kalbi, loin, harami, and tongue, and the food was served quickly! The kalbi was thick and juicy, with a rich meaty flavor! And the tongue! I was surprised that such quality was offered at this price! I also ordered liver as an extra, and for only 380 yen, the liver was surprisingly good! Even when lightly cooked, it had a crispy texture and no unpleasant smell! The location may be a bit inconvenient and hard to find, but I highly recommend it! I will definitely go back if I'm in the area again!