I used this restaurant for a reception. There are private rooms where you can relax. The first floor has only a counter, the second floor has a large hall and private rooms (there may be more floors above). The elevator is too narrow, so if you go with a large group, you have to split up to use it (lol). When leaving, I used the emergency stairs. I think the owner of this restaurant is the female owner. She is good at talking and has a good sense of humor. She has traveled to foreign countries frequently and has a wealth of experience. It was fun.

Last night, I had a company dinner where each person was given a budget of 10,000 yen for food. It was the first company gathering in about 3 years due to the pandemic. We went to a creative cuisine restaurant called Chin Chikurin in Kogura Kitaku. We had individual course meals to ensure safety against COVID-19. The restaurant was located on the 3rd floor with a private tatami room for 8 people. Despite being in the lively Kogura city, the restaurant felt like a different world. Each dish was made with care and passion, and to my delight, the pork sukiyaki that was initially planned was upgraded to beef. We enjoyed the delicious food and had lively conversations throughout the meal. It was a delightful dining experience.

I tried fugu sashimi and tetchiri. The fugu was sourced from Oita. It seems that Oita's fugu is popular even in Fukuoka.

Fugu Course ===========

We used the restaurant "Chin Chikurin" for a company party. We chose the duck hot pot all-you-can-drink course (5000 yen), which is one of the more affordable options at this restaurant. We rented out a room on the third floor for the party. Despite it being a last-minute gathering, the organizer was able to make a reservation. Having a private room allowed us to enjoy ourselves without feeling self-conscious. The interior of the restaurant is Japanese-style with sunken kotatsu seating. Other than a view of what looked like a bamboo grove outside the window, there wasn't much of a luxurious atmosphere, but it was calming. The meal included appetizers like mountain vegetables with vinegar miso, sea bream sashimi, and steamed dishes like mini chawanmushi and grilled white fish with miso. The main dish was the duck hot pot, which had a rich broth and a good amount of duck meat. For drinks, they served draft beer in a pitcher and also had shochu and oolong tea available on a side table for self-service. The standout dish was probably the duck hot pot. The service was a bit laid-back, with a lack of the formality of a traditional Japanese restaurant or the liveliness of an izakaya. However, there was a sense of stability and experience from the female owner who seemed to be in charge. Overall, it was a satisfying meal. We didn't know at the time, but the must-try dish at this restaurant is apparently the beef loin steak.

I came back to Kitakyushu after a long time and used it for a mini reunion. We decided to go eat pork shabu-shabu, so we visited this place where the first floor had counter seats with a fish tank on top of it. There was a flyer on the wall saying "Specialty: Mizutaki", so I wasn't sure what kind of restaurant it was - Japanese, traditional, or hot pot place? We only had pork shabu-shabu, so I couldn't tell. We were seated in a private room on the second floor, perfect for private conversations! The photo is halfway through the meal, sorry about that. The atmosphere felt like a traditional Japanese restaurant, but the interior didn't feel too fancy.

After returning from my flight from Birmingham, I was craving something with a beef-like flavor, so I decided to visit this restaurant. I tried the beef sirloin steak. The taste was excellent, with a nice aroma and a dynamic flavor. The primitive sensory taste of the sirloin beef was elevated to the next level through the simple yet deep cooking style of the steak. It was definitely worth more than the price paid.

Excellent, the tiger fish.