After eating ramen, I took a walk in an area that I don't usually explore. When I reached Shin-Meguro Street, I saw a yellow sign at the end of a dark alley. "Hmm, looks like a restaurant," I thought as I approached the storefront. There was a white restaurant with a white exterior and door, giving off an atmosphere that didn't seem like a typical izakaya. There were signs posted that seemed to promote the restaurant, saying "This is a restaurant run by a couple from Nagano and Okinawa," "People meet for a reason. It's fate. Why not come in once?" and "We have karaoke." Some drink menu items were listed, but it wasn't clear what kind of food they served. I decided to open the door and enter. The narrow interior extended back, with a counter seating for 7 and a table for 6-8 people. It seemed like they only offered an omakase (chef's choice) menu, which included grilled dishes, simmered dishes, traditional Japanese dishes, pickles, and appetizers for 2,200 yen. The drink menu included sake, highball, hoppy, fresh lemon sour for 550 yen, and beer for 700 yen. They also had awamori available for bottle purchase. The omakase meal consisted of about 7 dishes served at a comfortable pace. The chef suggested skipping the grilled fish after eating ramen, and I agreed. The meal was adjusted based on whether you were still hungry or full. I was served sake in a morning opening tokkuri and ochoko, but it turned out to be Kikumasamune (laughs). I was also served a homemade onion tea cocktail made from onion peels, which contain a flavor component called quercetin. The chef, originally from Nagano, seemed to enjoy drinking and was already in a good mood from his glass of sake. The hostess, from Okinawa, couldn't drink alcohol and was in a carefree mood. Initially, I was the only customer, but just as I was about to leave, a regular customer arrived, and the atmosphere changed completely. Karaoke started, and I found myself getting involved. It was a world where I couldn't leave. It seems like this unique atmosphere is the true nature of this restaurant. There are so many different types of restaurants out there.

This shop, quietly nestled in a residential street, caught my attention as I passed by. The handwritten poster that read "A shop run by an uncle and aunt from Nagano and Okinawa" intrigued me, so I mustered up the courage to pay a visit. Just as the poster suggested, I was warmly welcomed even though it was my first time there. The interior was small with a counter and one table, and the shop was run by the chef husband and his lovely wife. The appetizers were a mix of potato salad, simmered dishes, and fish - just like home-cooked meals. Regular customers also dropped by during my visit, showing that the shop is well-loved. They even have karaoke, so we all had a great time singing along with the other customers.

I had been curious after seeing reviews from other people. When I entered around 9 pm, there was no one else in the restaurant. I was the only customer until I left. It seems that it gets crowded on busy days. The dishes here are chef's choice. It includes simmered dishes, salad, fried food, grilled dishes, and pickles for about 1800 yen in total. It's quite a generous amount and fills you up. The simmered dish and salad come out quickly. Today's fried food was fried sardines. The grilled dish was dumplings. It has a homely taste that you can enjoy without worry. The husband and wife owners are very friendly and welcomed me warmly even though it was my first time. The charm of this restaurant is being able to enjoy conversations with the owners. I would like to visit this restaurant regularly. Next time, I want to try karaoke for an additional 200 yen. The appearance of the restaurant may be intimidating for the general public, but if you muster up the courage to walk through the door, a healing world awaits you.

[2019.11 Update] Tak-chan was still lively! [2013.6 Update] Finally, a second review has been posted. Congratulations! Thank you, Troy no Mokugyo-san. Please take care of Tak-chan. This place has a great atmosphere and comes highly recommended. "Don" is a name that will immediately ring a bell for those who know me. Until the day we meet at the shop, please take care of Tak and support their efforts in selling deli items at the storefront. [2011.2 Revisit] Due to the economic downturn, they have stopped selling bottles and now offer 5-gō bottles instead of 1-shō bottles. It would be good to inquire about this change. Some may have mixed opinions, but despite its intimidating appearance from the outside, once you step inside, it's an oasis - that's Tak. There are many young female regular customers. It's primarily a Japanese-style pub with mostly counter seating. They offer a variety of alcoholic beverages, but their specialty is Okinawan shochu awamori. The staff and customers get along well and often sing karaoke together.

It's a great restaurant, so I hope everyone comes and supports it.