In the area around Shimotakaido Station, where the atmosphere of the Showa era still lingers, there are many good but understated shops. While wandering the streets during lunchtime, I stumbled upon a unique and delicious restaurant and decided to step inside. To the left of the entrance were table seats, a counter seat in the middle, and a face-to-face kitchen on the right. The counter seats were adorned with a peculiar object made of driftwood, creating a mysterious space. The restaurant was categorized as "international cuisine" on Tabelog. Indeed, the menu offered a variety of dishes, including Italian pasta, pizza, and risotto, Thai dishes like Tom Yum Kung and green curry, Western dishes such as steak and gratin, as well as spare ribs, curry, and Greek specialty Moussaka. Today was particularly cold, with a forecast of snow tomorrow. To warm up my chilled body, I decided to take a break from spicy dishes and try the winter limited edition "Oyster Gratin." The Oyster Gratin set (1,000 yen) included gratin with a rich white sauce, onions, macaroni, cheese, and three oysters from Hiroshima prefecture. The flavor of the oysters blended perfectly with the sauce, creating a blissful taste. To prevent the rich flavor from becoming overwhelming, the ginger-flavored consomme with egg was also a masterpiece. The set also came with soup, salad, three slices of baguette, and a choice of iced coffee or plum kelp tea. The price of 1,000 yen was reasonable for the quality of the meal. Outside the entrance, there was a sign celebrating the restaurant's 25th anniversary, indicating that it had been loved by locals and students for a quarter of a century. The only confusion was the price discrepancy for the Oyster Gratin, with 960 yen listed on the menu outside, 950 yen on the lunch menu, and 1,000 yen at the time of payment including consumption tax. Overall, it was a fascinating and lovely restaurant. Thank you for the meal.

This time it's another review from Neko Okusan! (Gentoku hasn't been out for drinks since 2008... haha) I made plans to meet up with friends for lunch in Shimotakaido. We had trouble deciding on a restaurant, but somehow stumbled upon this place. It seemed a bit suspicious with its "non-national cuisine" concept, but the food looked delicious. Gentoku had previously mentioned that the "Oyster Gratin" here was delicious. And luckily, it was included in the lunch menu. We arrived just before noon and were seated at a table for four, even though there were only two of us. We both decided on the Oyster Gratin for lunch. For drinks after the meal, we chose plum kelp tea since it was cold outside. First came the soup and salad. The soup was like a consomme with egg, and the salad had a bit more daikon radish than usual. Then, the main dish arrived. It looked so delicious! I tried it right away. It was a bit salty, but dipping the baguette in it made it really tasty. The oysters were plump and juicy, which was surprising. Many other customers who came later also ordered the Oyster Gratin lunch. I think this was the best oyster dish I've ever had. It was truly amazing. My friend and I promised to come back again. Although I want to try other dishes, I have a feeling I'll be coming back for this gratin. The restaurant is run by a couple, and the service was friendly and made for a very satisfying lunch. Thank you for the meal!!!

In the town of Shimo-Kitazawa, where the unopened railroad crossing of the Keio Line remains, the residents are familiar with this divided scene. It would be nice if they could spend their waiting time without feeling irritated. Located a little ways into the shopping street on the north side of the crossing is "Ikazuchi." They offer a unique lineup of dishes such as tuna, curry, and pasta. This time, I tried the "Garlic Tomato Pasta (850 yen)" from the "Lunch Service of the Month" menu, which comes with salad, soup, and a drink. The pasta has a lot of tomato sauce, but it is delicious with a strong garlic flavor. However, I must say that 850 yen is a bit expensive. Next time, I will try the tuna dishes such as tail steak or cheek meat bowl. I plan to visit again.

I dropped by for lunch on a whim! It seems to be a shop run by a couple for many years. The menu is extensive, and although the spaghetti at such shops is tempting, I decided to try the beef cheek steak bowl that caught my eye. The beef cheek, cooked with a rich sauce and butter, was very tender and went well with the rice. The topping of mitsuba, yuzu, and plenty of nori was excellent. A complimentary iced coffee is included with the lunch, so you can relax even after eating. Thank you for the meal!

Tea soba salad, steak salad, edamame, xiaolongbao, camembert cheese fry, chorizo, escargot, meat jjigae, gratin, chimaki, green curry, pasta, pilaf, and more. A wonderful restaurant in Shimo-Takaido that has been around for 12 years, serving delicious dishes from various cuisines that can be enjoyed by people with different tastes. I used to keep this place a secret because I was afraid it would get too crowded, but this year it's always empty whenever I go, so I decided to share it.

Otsu regularly goes to Ikka in Shimotakaido for lunch. They always order the Meat Stew for 950 yen, which they find to be the most delicious option. On their most recent visit, they decided to try the Steak instead, opting for the 200g option. While they found the Steak to be decently tasty, it did not leave a lasting impression like the Meat Stew did. Overall, they recommend trying the Tuna Hoho Steak Bowl during the hot season at Ikka.

I met up with my work colleagues from Shimo-Ido at the station for a lunch meeting. We planned to go to a cafe we had in mind, but it was closed until 12:00, so we decided to walk around and explore. We tried to find an Italian restaurant, but it was also closed. Finally, we stumbled upon this place. It seemed like they only serve a special weekend lunch menu. The menu had a variety of options, including pasta and curry, but I ended up choosing the cold shabu-shabu set, with ponzu and sesame sauce. It was packed with vegetables and rice, and I was satisfied with the meal.

This is a shop located in a back alley off the shopping street of Shimokitazawa. They offer a variety of international dishes, such as Greek moussaka and seared tuna cheek meat. It is primarily a place to drink alcohol, with a Western-style bar atmosphere. The appetizer consisted of fried sticks of burdock and yam, which is not commonly seen in other shops. The shrimp avocado salad was substantial and had a good hint of caviar. The oysters were served in a gratin dish with a generous portion. Despite offering Western-style snacks, there was no wine listed on the drink menu. There were a few bottles of wine on a shelf, but the selection was very limited. It was a bit strange to have dishes like moussaka without wine. It was an intriguing bar with an unusual business model.

A shop located a 2-minute walk from Shimokitazawa Station. It's not facing the shopping street so it might be a bit hard to notice. Inside the shop, there is a large table in the center serving as a counter. There are also 3 or 4 table seats. The seating is spacious and you can relax in this shop. They offer a wide variety of dishes, from appetizers to main courses. I recommend ordering a few items that catch your eye. The portion size is generous, so it's best to go with a group of 4 if you want to try different dishes. The wine selection is good value for money, so consider getting a bottle. It's a casual and cozy place to visit.

Located on the north side of the Keio Line's Koshien Station, next to Il Tondo, is a restaurant serving international cuisine. I arrived around 7:20 PM on a Saturday. Inside, there was a large table for seven people, a table for four, and three tables for two. There was one other customer already there. Although I didn't plan on drinking, I couldn't resist the temptation of plum wine, so I ordered a set of three plum wines to taste (black vinegar plum wine, ice-aged plum wine, and Japanese sake plum wine for 880 yen). I also ordered the baked curry (980 yen) which arrived in about 5 minutes. It was like a curry-flavored gratin. The plum wine arrived quickly, along with a duck salad as an appetizer (300 yen). Payment was cash only. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal. I revisited on a holiday night and ordered the sea urchin and scallop pasta (1280 yen), which was filled with lots of mushrooms.

There was a menu placed in front of the store, and I wasn't sure what kind of shop it was, but I was intrigued by the lineup. Since I like Thai food, I was drawn to Tom Yum Goong and Green Curry. The shop had more of a café-like atmosphere than an izakaya, but the food was truly international. The Tom Yum Goong was generous in portion and I loved the flavor. The Green Curry was also great. There were other menu items that caught my eye, so I would like to visit this place again.