タケマシュラン
After conquering the fiercely competitive Kameido area known for its hormone dishes, "Kameido Hormone" rapidly expanded its network throughout Tokyo. This time, I visited their Meguro branch. The Ebisu branch has been selected as one of the top 100 restaurants on Tabelog. While you can usually get a seat without a reservation, it's generally a popular spot, so it's better to make a reservation in advance. The counter seats about 8 people, with a few tables as well. If visiting with a group, aiming for around 4 people is a good idea since there are no large tables. The prices for drinks are reasonable, similar to casual izakayas in the area. The staff are friendly and efficient, and despite being full, I didn't feel like I had to wait at all. They actively change the grill, which is nice. The appetizer is cabbage with salt dressing. I was thinking of ordering the Chōreki salad, but the cabbage was quite generous, so the veggies were more than enough. The Gatsupon vinegar arrives within a minute of ordering, quick as lightning. It has no unpleasant smell and offers a crunchy and chewy texture. The onion slices added generously are a nice touch. The "moyashi" (bean sprouts) is served in a towering pile reminiscent of Jiro-style ramen. Probably seasoned with just sesame oil and salt, it's devilishly delicious. The "nikomi" (simmered dish) also comes out quickly. It includes beef tongue and various offal. There's no unpleasant smell, and it's a dish where you can enjoy the texture and the sweetness of the fat. I felt it was several levels above the simmered dishes at regular izakayas. The beef tongue. The restaurant is known for promoting offal dishes, and the tongue also falls into that category, offering a delightful taste with just the right amount of fat and a good texture. The slightly junky flavor of the salt dressing also pairs well with drinks. Salted hormone and upper mino. Both have a clean taste, and you can feel the elegance of these offal dishes. The size and texture are pleasant, and all the meat at the restaurant is hand-cut on-site. Pork tongue and tsurami. The pork tongue has a different flavor profile from beef, and it's a great value considering you can enjoy it at a third of the price of beef. Tsurami is beef cheek meat, with less fat and a refreshing texture. The "renga" (brick) is a limited quantity thick harami, priced at 1,880 yen for this size, which is quite reasonable. It has a nice charcoal aroma that stimulates the appetite. The "toromino" arrives with miso sauce. I personally preferred the upper mino at the beginning. It's hard to tell if it's the ingredients or the seasoning, but I found the upper mino more to my liking. It's probably best to go with the salt dressing at this restaurant. The cold noodles were not good at all. The soup lacked body, and the noodles tasted like something you'd buy at a supermarket, with a simple seasoning dominated by gochujang (?). Despite the disappointing cold noodles, the grilled dishes before that were fantastic, so it's all good. After eating all of this with another person and enjoying some drinks, the bill came out to around 5-6 thousand yen per person. What a precious cost-effective experience. It's much more enjoyable than going to some strange drinking spot. In Meguro, there are plenty of casual and pleasant yakiniku restaurants like "Hormone Dojo Yamiichi Club" or "Ponga."