I have relied on this place for late-night drinks and meals many times. The recommended dishes are always the first to order! The classic menu item is definitely hot pot during this season. Almost every table has a hot pot on it on some days. The yakitori is also delicious and makes for a great snack, and the yakitori rice bowl is a satisfying option as well. I only have this photo this time, sorry about that. I devoured the yakitori and tried the zosui for the first time, and it was amazing as a finishing touch. The variety of rice dishes available is also a nice point to note. #Higashiyokocho #Izakaya #Fish dishes #Japanese cuisine #Washoku #Monzen-Nakacho #Kiba #Hot pot #Minamisuna

Visited the izakaya around 7:30 PM on Monday, October 31, 2022. It had been over 10 years since I last visited this place, where my friends and I used to frequent during the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake. This izakaya is also the family business of the professional fighter and member of the House of Councillors, Genki Sudo, and it was where the PV for his performance unit WORLD ORDER was filmed. Started with a draft beer (¥600) and some pickled shallots as a complimentary appetizer. The service was slow, with only one person in the kitchen and one person serving over 10 tables of customers. The sashimi of flounder (¥500) and fresh squid (¥600) that arrived after about 30 minutes were delicious, with fresh and high-quality ingredients. The complimentary grilled salmon belly (¥380) was fatty but a bit too salty. After waiting for about an hour from ordering, the stir-fried pork belly and bean sprouts (¥500) had an overwhelming amount of bean sprouts, with more than a bag's worth. The pork belly was mixed in between the excessive bean sprouts. In the meantime, I also had a matcha highball (¥450). Overall, the service was extremely slow and the cost performance was not great.

East Yohcho to Kiba Stroll Song Part 36 A long-established bar in East Yohcho with over 40 years of history. I have visited the nearby branch several times recently, but this was my first time visiting the main store. The main store is located a few minutes' walk from East Yohcho Station, on the second floor of a mixed-use building. Unlike the spacious branch, the main store has a slightly smaller seating area, but there are also counter seats available, so solo diners like me can feel at ease. The menu composition is almost the same as the branch. At first, I mistakenly thought that there was a significant price increase overall, but upon closer inspection, it was just a change to tax-inclusive pricing. There were a few items that had a slight price increase to adjust for this, but there were also items that remained the same price as before, so it all evens out. The recommended dishes are seafood and chicken dishes, but honestly, I found the chicken dishes at the branch not that great. Therefore, it's probably best to choose from the daily recommended seafood menu. Especially make use of the service dishes offered at a special price. The total for my order was 2680 yen, which I paid using PayPay. The price for the appetizer is estimated from the total bill. It's not cheap, but the simple appetizer of pickled vegetables was a nice touch. Both draft and bottled beer were Asahi Super Dry. Well, Asahi suits these old-fashioned local shops, so it can't be helped. It's a bit more expensive than the 1ml = 1 yen ratio. The flounder sashimi was aged slightly and had a good umami flavor. The fried baby horse mackerel had a thin coating that allowed you to enjoy the crispy texture of the fish itself. The squid butter dish had excellent squid quality and a nice balance of sweetness from the onions. Overall, the seafood dishes from the blackboard menu are a safe choice, and I recommend avoiding the chicken dishes. The waiting time was a bit long despite not being too crowded, perhaps due to having only one person in the kitchen and one in the hall. I didn't see the owner (formerly a professional fighter and now a member of the House of Councillors, Genki Sudo's father) during my visit. I later found out from Genki Sudo's Twitter that he had retired a few years ago. It's amazing how you can find out anything with a simple search nowadays. Hats off to the owner for his long service! (I have never actually met the owner.)

After the state of emergency was lifted, I visited for the first time in a while. The customers were a group of older men who came to watch baseball. Later, two groups of 2 or 3 people arrived, and the spacious restaurant allowed for a relaxed atmosphere, making it easy to not worry about infection. I ordered the recommended extra dry sake for summer, which paired well with the food, so I ended up ordering a total of 3 servings. I was grateful that they added a little extra when I asked for a refill, as they always do. I ordered the recommended bonito and horse mackerel sashimi, and surprisingly the bonito, which was in the 300 yen range, had a larger portion. I couldn't help but wonder if this was tough on the restaurant, even though it made the customers happy. I also ordered grilled green onions, pickled water eggplant, okra, and grilled chicken thigh, which were dishes I had tried before. I had injured my foot and found it difficult to climb the stairs. Although I could have used the elevator from the back entrance if I had mentioned it, I felt embarrassed and chose to tough it out and climb the stairs. Restaurants on the 2nd floor or higher often have good deals, but this can be a drawback. Remember, taking care of your legs and back is important.

Recently, I recommend going to a shop on Saturdays. It is best to choose from the recommendations of the day and order. On this day, the first bonito, butterbur sprout tempura, and seasonal appetizers were good. I chose Kanbei from Mie Prefecture for the sake. It cost 10,000 yen for three people.

I had the impression that it was a sushi restaurant, but when I went there, it was more like an izakaya. It was a day off, so there were only us and another couple as customers. We started with beer and some edamame-flavored fried chicken. The size of the chicken was perfect to eat it all, bones and all. Then we had a platter of yakitori and enjoyed it with some sake. The sake, called Kanbei, is from a sake brewery called Miyazaki Honten in Mie Prefecture. The yakitori was delicious and had a nice grilled flavor. Salt is the best seasoning, right? It really brings out the "grilled" taste.

There is a restaurant located on the second floor of a building a little way in from the first intersection to the left when heading towards Nishikasai from Higashi-Yangacho Station. The restaurant is run by the family of former MMA fighter Genki Sudo, but there are no posters or anything special, just a normal izakaya with a counter seating for 6-7 people and around 5 table seats. I thought seafood dishes would be the main focus based on the name, so I ordered recommended dishes like deep-fried small horse mackerel and pickled mackerel. The small horse mackerel was crispy and delicious, and you can eat it whole from head to tail. The pickled mackerel, deep-fried river shrimp, deep-fried tofu, and ginkgo nuts were all average. The kimchi omelette with kimchi was an interesting idea, but the taste was just okay. They also had whale dishes, and I tried the whale steak this time. It was similar to ginger pork and quite tasty. Lastly, the "bakudan" I ordered was a mix of tuna, squid, raw egg, and natto wrapped in seaweed. It's a common dish, but is it a general dish? The most delicious dish was the grilled chicken, especially the tsukune with small pieces of cartilage for a good texture.

I love tsukune, especially the chewy type with cartilage in it. It pairs perfectly with alcohol! I couldn't resist ordering whale bacon since I love whale meat. White fish bones and all, I'm a serious drinker! I had a great time drinking with my friends and eating plenty of food for only 3000 yen per person. Eating seafood always makes me feel refreshed the next morning, am I the only one? It was a satisfying experience with the long-awaited taste and atmosphere. Sudo Genki-kun is also doing well. Cheers to good times!

After leaving Higashi-Yonchō Station and walking south towards Minamisuna and Kasai for 1-2 minutes, you will see a FamilyMart on your left. Turn left at that corner and it will be the 3rd or 4th building on your left, a red brick-colored apartment on the 2nd floor. On that day, I had been drinking with my colleague in Higashi-Yonchō, but we got into a little argument, so I decided to walk around the area by myself. When I saw the sign, I felt like going in. As soon as you enter, there is a table with a reserved sign on your right. In front of you, there are long tables that can seat about 10 people in 3 rows. There is also a counter that can seat about 6 people, and I chose to sit at the counter alone. I ordered a beer, and the chef brought it to me right away, which made me happy. I also ordered a sashimi platter with 3 types of fish and a yakitori platter with 5 skewers. They were all delicious and helped heal my troubled heart. I ended up staying until closing time and took a taxi home.