On this day, my wife and I suddenly had the opportunity to go to dinner, so I checked the bookmarked restaurant on Tabelog. I found a highly rated restaurant where Mairebi-san had visited multiple times, and I felt a strong urge to go. I was a bit anxious about whether they might be closed or too busy during the Golden Week holiday, but I decided to call ahead to make a reservation. Luckily, I was able to secure a reservation and we visited the restaurant for the first time. When we arrived at 6:50 pm, there was one regular customer at the counter and one regular customer at a table. The two things that immediately lifted my spirits upon entering the restaurant were: 1) Posters and autographed boards showing the love for the Tigers, and a Tigers keychain given to me by the master later on, and 2) The background music playing Southern All Stars songs, which I love due to the influence of someone dear to me who has passed away. The fact that the table of two foreigners were enjoying an eel set meal even at night was also impressive. We ordered drinks and sake to start off. For drinks, I had orange juice and my wife had Kido cold sake, which she had praised before. Then, we enjoyed a variety of dishes including steamed shiitake mushrooms, blowfish sashimi, tuna sashimi, Toyama white shrimp tempura, grilled golden cutlassfish, grilled eel, eel liver skewers, mini eel rice bowls, and eel liver sashimi. Everything was delicious and we were warmly welcomed by the master, mama-san, and regular customers, making our dining experience enjoyable. We plan to make a reservation for our next visit with our family. Thank you, master, mama-san, and regular customers. Itadakimasu!

With a wild appearance, the cool and friendly master and the beautiful, considerate and skilled at cooking wife run this charming restaurant. I was taken here by a person I met at a bar, and I have been coming back regularly ever since. Even though it's only my fourth visit, I had a great time drinking and enjoying delicious food on this day. The dishes I had were: - Young Bamboo Shoots - White Sesame Pickled Vegetables - Celery Pickles - Sautéed Bacon - Natural Hiramasa (fish) - Okinawa Sea Grapes Everything was delicious, but the Sautéed Bacon was surprisingly perfect with alcohol. I love whale meat, and this dish had no gamey taste, with a rich flavor and a smooth texture that was absolutely delicious. I would love to have it again next time! I highly recommend it to both whale meat lovers and those who are not. It was really tasty! I had a great time chatting with the regular customers on this day. The atmosphere created by the master, his wife, and the regulars was so pleasant that I ended up staying longer and drinking too much. I have to go back again soon! Thank you for the wonderful meal.

This is a shop run by a master who looks wild but is very kind and friendly, and a beautiful and talkative mama. The atmosphere was so comfortable that I went there again! The regular customers welcomed me and we had a great time chatting and laughing while drinking. It was a place where I felt like going back again. It's important that the food and drinks are delicious, but it's also crucial that the atmosphere created by the people at the shop and the regular customers suits you. On this day, I ordered the tiger puffer sashimi for 1000 yen, umaki for 900 yen, Toba red sea cucumber for 600 yen, noresore for 600 yen, and a draft beer for 500 yen. I also tried the eel, so I ordered umaki, and the fluffy egg was really delicious! The lineup of seafood dishes like sashimi, red sea cucumber, and noresore was a delight for seafood lovers. I'm happy to have found a place that I want to visit frequently. Thank you for the meal.

I discovered this restaurant when I was taken there by a person I hit it off with at a bar. It is an eel restaurant located near Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station. Although it is known for its eel dishes, it also serves a variety of izakaya-style dishes at night. The atmosphere of the restaurant is great, with a cool and charismatic master and a charming and soothing female owner. On my second visit, I went alone and was a bit nervous. However, the master greeted me warmly, saying "Thanks for coming again!" which made me very happy. This time, the female owner was not there, but a classy waitress was in charge. After enjoying a refreshing draft beer for 500 yen, I ordered some dishes. I had Toba red sea cucumber for 600 yen, Marunasu Tadaku (grilled eggplant) for 800 yen, and Taiko (red snapper roe) whose price I don't remember. The sea cucumber was delicious, and the grilled eggplant was surprisingly stylish and tasty. The regular customers seemed to be mostly locals, and when they found out I had taken the train to get there, they were surprised. But it's definitely worth the trip! The owner has a typical Osaka vibe, and chatting with him and the regulars was a lot of fun. I look forward to visiting this place regularly in the future. I'm grateful to have found such a great restaurant. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Just outside the Number 4 exit of the Subway Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station, a short walk south, not far from Tennoji Station along the Tanimachi Street in the northern direction for less than 10 minutes. Located between the approach to Shitennoji Temple and Tanimachi Street, this eel restaurant is where my wife and I visited for lunch. The Japanese-style interior has an L-shaped counter with 8 seats, 2 tables, and a raised area with over 20 seats at the back. Various posters of the Hanshin Tigers are displayed throughout, indicating that the owner is a Tigers fan. The eel menu includes "Eel Set Meal" (1,350 yen, special 2,750 yen, premium 4,400 yen), "Eel Bowl" (1,100 yen, special 2,000 yen, premium 2,200 yen), and "Eel Rice Bowl" (3,850 yen, special 5,500 yen). Additionally, there are affordable set meals like "Fish Set Meal" and "Dashimaki Set Meal" (each 800 yen), and "Grilled Eel Roll Set Meal" (1,000 yen), suitable for everyday dining. The "Fish Set Meal" seems to be popular among the local regulars. This time, for a change, we decided to splurge a bit and ordered the "Eel Rice Bowl." The premium version is equivalent to 1.5 eels, but we opted for the regular "Meidai Eel Rice Bowl" equivalent to 1 eel. After a 10-minute wait, the eel rice bowl arrived. It came with a tray of the rice bowl, liver sauce, and pickles. There were four colorful pickles, reminiscent of the famous "Shitennoji Nishimura" pickles nearby. Opening the lid with anticipation, the delightful aroma and glossy grilled eel spread out before us. This is irresistible. Moreover, this is grilled locally, which I prefer over the broiled style. The eel, grilled without steaming, exudes a rich smoky flavor from its own fat, becoming beautifully crispy on the outside while remaining tender inside. It truly reflects the robustness of the local grilling method. The sauce is rich and slightly sweet. Even the rice alone is flavorful and rich. Although additional sauce was provided, it was unnecessary. The liver sauce was mild yet packed with umami. The liver itself had a firm yet delicate texture. There were two types of sansho pepper, powdered and whole. The powdered one had a strong aroma, while the whole one added depth to the flavor. Although we had the eel this time, I am curious about the "Fish Set Meal" that the regulars were ordering. I would love to try it soon.

"Kawano" is an eel specialty store that has been in the Shitennoji shopping street for a long time. Today, the older sister was busy cooking and serving alone, so it was very hectic. The dashimaki set meal costs 770 yen including tax. People from Tokyo seem to not understand why Osaka people like dashimaki set meals, maybe because they are sweeter over there. The dashimaki is big and has a strong dashi flavor, it's delicious when eaten with grated daikon. The fried eggplant was also tasty. The set meal includes miso soup with tofu and fried tofu, rice, and two types of pickles. I felt a sense of history in the subtle details.

On December 7th, I rode my bicycle to Shitennoji Yuhigaoka. I visited Kawatono Yone, a restaurant I saw the other day. It is located on Omotesando. The exterior has a quaint atmosphere, while the interior has a retro izakaya style. Since it was well past lunchtime, there were no other customers. The owner welcomed me and I sat at the counter. There is an L-shaped counter and a few tables. As for the menu, during lunchtime they offer three options: premium eel bowl, regular eel bowl, and eel set meal. Since I prefer set meals, I chose the eel set meal. After a short wait, my set arrived. It included two pieces of eel, which felt a bit lacking. There were two small side dishes, pickles, rice, and miso soup. I started with the eel. It was firm and grilled, without steaming, typical of Kansai-style eel. The sauce was rich and thick, with a slightly strong sweetness. The side dishes stole the show. Firstly, a spaghetti salad that surprisingly enhanced the flavor of the rice. It had plenty of eggs, which was nice. Then, a simmered turnip dish with green onions, adding a nice touch. Turnips have a refreshing and gentle taste that I love. The rice was fluffy, and the miso soup with enoki mushrooms was quite satisfying. It turned out to be a leisurely lunch. I hope this restaurant continues to thrive. Thank you for the meal.

During the Osaka Seven Lucky Gods pilgrimage, we stumbled upon this restaurant and decided to give it a try. We were surprised by the affordability of the eel bowl at 1000 yen, and found it to be quite delicious. The cost performance was excellent. Although we would have preferred the sauce to be a bit sweeter, it was still very tasty.

Lunch of the day! Visited around 2:20 pm and ordered a shochu highball and a special eel set meal. While drinking the shochu highball, I asked until what time they were open, and was told "Until 2 pm!" What!? The business hours are already over!? I felt apologetic as I ate and drank, so naturally the taste also felt... off. Words can make a big difference - saying "Thank you, usually you're open until 2 pm, so I appreciate it!" instead of "I'm sorry, I see that lunch hours are over. What time do you open in the evening?" can change the impression a lot, right!? When drinking alcohol at night, words can make an even bigger difference, so I'll refrain from it. Eel and shochu highball came to a total of 3020 yen including tax. #Shitennoji #eel #shochu #Kawaya

There were various things happening... It seems like I will be relying on this area quite a bit in the next four years. After all, I will have meetings around here many times. And after the meetings, everyone will probably come flowing into this area together. On this day as well, we came after the meeting. About 10 people gathered, including those who joined later. The night is filled with locals, with middle-aged men making noise while watching a baseball game. The draft beer is served in a unique metal mug, and it stays ice-cold until the end, which is delicious. Just that alone is the best. Besides that, there were firefly squid and some tempura... I drank a lot of alcohol, so my memory is a bit fuzzy, but I remember that the food was delicious. Oh, the potato salad was also good. The dishes vary depending on the day, making it an enjoyable restaurant. At one point, I asked my senior, "Is this a restaurant specializing in eel?" but my seniors said they have never eaten eel here. Someday, I want to try eel. The selection of Japanese sake was also abundant, which was great.

It's great that they offer set meals that you can order even at night.

Located about a minute south of the 4th exit of Shitennoji Yuhigaoka Station, there is an eel restaurant along the approach. The restaurant has about 20 seats, including counter, table, and sunken kotatsu seating. On the counter, there is a wide selection of shochu and sake lined up. In the evening, the atmosphere is more like an izakaya. During lunchtime, they offer set meals and bowls ranging from 700 to 3500 yen, but there are no eel dishes priced under 1000 yen. However, there is an eel bowl available for 1000 yen, which gives a sense of affordability. On this particular day, I ordered the special eel bowl for 2000 yen (excluding tax), which came with liver and pickles. The quality of the eel seemed good, with a slightly crispy texture rather than a soft one. The sauce was not too sweet or too spicy, giving a refreshing taste. They provide whole grains of sansho pepper instead of powder, giving a strong spicy kick. The liver was a bit salty and assertive, but I was disappointed by its small size. Overall, the restaurant seems to have a long history and offers relatively affordable prices. However, I felt that they were not fully showcasing the eel itself.

I went to the restaurant Kawano, located in front of the Yūhigaoka Station near Shitennoji the other day for lunch. I used to frequent the father's restaurant of the current owner, who used to have a shop in Tennoji when I worked there. It has been about 20 years since the second son, who is now the owner, opened this restaurant. I decided to order the eel rice bowl for 3,500 yen plus tax without hesitation. In the past, I used to order the premium eel bowl. It's interesting how things have changed. According to the owner's wife, not many people order the eel rice bowl for lunch due to the high price of eel. But I think the eel rice bowl is more cost-effective than the eel bowl. When the eel rice bowl arrived, it was a familiar sight. However, when I opened the lid, I saw the slightly darker eel of the local grilled eel. The rice had a generous amount of sauce, which is a characteristic of local grilled eel. Is this the specific taste of this restaurant or a characteristic of local grilled eel? It was delicious nonetheless. I generally prefer Edo-style grilled eel, but this restaurant's sauce tasted familiar as it was the same as the father's restaurant I used to visit. The eel was firm without the fluffy texture of other grilled eel types. As usual, I ate half as is and sprinkled Sansho pepper on the other half. It's rare to see whole Sansho pepper provided. I remembered a conversation I had with the owner's father in the past about whether it was a good idea to pass on the eel restaurant to his children, considering the decreasing eel resources. Despite that, the fact that the second son has been running the eel restaurant for 20 years is impressive. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Near Shitennō-ji Temple, when I entered the shop, a cheerful lady guided me to my seat. The counter had 8 seats in an L shape, and there was another lady working behind the counter preparing lunch sets. While the main dish is eel, they also offer various fish set meals, eel bowls, and premium eel sets. I ordered the eel rice bowl. It arrived quickly, but the texture was not to my liking, lacking a crispy texture. There was a large amount of sansho pepper on top of the eel, which I usually don't prefer, but it was necessary for this dish. The liver was rich in flavor, but I wish they would put more effort into the eel itself. The side vegetable dish was delicious. With better eel quality control, the overall quality could be improved. I hope they work hard to make the expensive eel taste even better.

On the day of the midsummer day of the ox, since not everyone at work could gather, we had a lunch meeting while enjoying eel today. We were planning to go to Funaya for eel like last year, but they were closed, so we found Kawane instead and decided to try their eel. We got it for takeout. The eel from Kagoshima, grilled in Kagoshima, was 1000 yen, while the premium eel from Tokushima, grilled at the restaurant, was 2000 yen. I didn't ask for details, but the eel for 3500 yen seemed to be from somewhere else. When I asked if the 2000 yen eel was softer than the 1000 yen one, the answer was "it depends on personal preference." So, I chose the 2000 yen one in the middle. I also ordered umaki, hoping that my female colleagues at work would try it too. The hot umaki had a strong flavor in the eggs and was delicious. I could feel the presence of the eel a little bit (laughs). The eel was coated with a light, not sweet sauce instead of the thick sweet sauce. I prefer the sweet one. The pickles served as a side dish had a hint of sansho pepper flavor and were very tasty. While waiting for the grilling, I sat at the counter and they served me cold tea. They even offered me a refill (laughs). The lunch set seemed reasonable and good (*'-'*) Thank you for the meal.

On hot and exhausting days, let's boost our energy with eel. As the Day of the Ox is approaching, I had the special eel bowl and eel roll set meal. Inside the restaurant, the waitress was busy and customers kept coming in one after another. The eel bowl came with real Japanese pepper and plenty of sauce. It also included eel liver for ¥2000. The flavor is quite strong, good for replenishing salt after sweating. The eel roll was fluffy and filling, but the taste was also strong, with small eel inside. The side of pickled ginger was a touch of Osaka style.