はらまるこ
It's hard to believe that my daughter has already turned 100 days old and it's time for her celebration of first solid food. Since my childhood, we have always celebrated special occasions at Kisoji, and knowing that there is one nearby, we decided to have our celebration here. When I called to make a reservation a month ago, I was told that the private rooms were only available from 11:00 or 13:00, with a 2-hour time limit. As expected, they have a stable and established position. We reserved a room for 11:00 and the day finally arrived. The private room was spacious. Due to the current situation, they set up the room with ample space between tables to ensure social distancing. The room fee is 10% of the adult course price. Among the various courses available, we chose the shabu-shabu course, which is a signature dish at Kisoji. We pre-ordered the following course: - Hino (Asunaro) Domestic Beef Loin @6,380 - Appetizer - Sashimi (3 varieties) - Tempura of cherry shrimp and mountain vegetables - Shabu-shabu (meat and vegetable assortment) - Kishimen noodles, Mochi rice, pickles - Dessert For the children, we ordered the "Bonbori" kids set for 1,100 yen, which included Temari sushi, hamburger, fried shrimp, and more, a very fulfilling set. The celebration meal was 2,750 yen, which included a celebratory grilled sea bream, quite luxurious. It was served in a black dish for the baby girl. The staff explained the contents of the celebration meal and the order in which to eat (mimicking) in a well-paced manner. And at the end of the ritual, they said, "Say cheese." They also offered to take a photo which we received at the end. After completing the ritual, the adult meal began. Since we were a bit pressed for time from the start, the dishes were served promptly. They subtly hinted that there was another reservation after ours, but they made sure we didn't go over time. The appetizer was sesame tofu, a refreshing start. The sashimi platter included yellowtail, tuna, and red snapper, all with a decent thickness and sweetness. However, the marinated red snapper included in the celebration meal had a more intense umami flavor and a silky texture. The tempura was crispy, although not piping hot. It had a slightly disappointing oiliness. The main course of beef and vegetables was satisfying, with generous portions of lean meat. It was mainly lean meat, so it was light. Even when dipped generously in the rich sesame sauce, it didn't become overwhelming. If we had more time, we would have liked to add a few slices of marbled meat. There were four condiments: scallions, leeks, garlic, and grated daikon. Scallions and garlic were added to the sesame sauce, while leeks and grated daikon went into the ponzu sauce. The vegetable assortment included seasonal rape blossoms, providing a colorful presentation. Also, the classic kuzukiri noodles were included, which I personally enjoy. Just before eating, dip them quickly in the sesame sauce, and savor the elasticity and the richness of the sauce. The ultimate combination. For the finale, we had rice, pickles, kishimen noodles, mochi, and a carb overload. The mochi-like texture of the thick kishimen noodles was irresistible. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and enjoy the nutritious soup. The dessert offered a choice between warabi mochi and ice cream. We all opted for the "Amaou" strawberry ice cream. It was quite milky, so a bit more fruitiness and sweetness from the strawberries would have been nice. Despite being quite full at this point, the refreshing ice cream was a must. Time flew by, and before we knew it, 2 hours had passed. The dessert was served 15 minutes before the time limit, a close call. Although we didn't have much time to relax, we appreciated the stability and reliability of Kisoji for special occasions. Despite the rush, we were able to buy our favorite Kisoji sesame sauce on the way out, which made us very happy. (They only sell 20 packs online, so buying in-store is the best option)