A friend chose this restaurant for me, and I had been curious about it for a while since you can't see inside from outside. I was excited for my first visit. The restaurant is a standalone building with the kitchen and counter on the first floor and tatami seating on the second floor. We were seated on the second floor, which you reach by climbing steep stairs. The cuisine is mainly creative Japanese dishes, all of which were delicious and enjoyable with drinks. One notable thing is that the chef manages the restaurant alone. He handles cooking, taking orders, and serving all by himself, which I personally think would be impossible! On the day we visited, it seemed like the waiter was off, or maybe the chef always runs the restaurant alone. Of course, being alone means it takes some time for the dishes to be served, but it didn't bother us much as we were there to chat with friends. Due to certain circumstances, I am currently unable to dine out, so I'll be gradually posting about the restaurants I had drafted but hadn't been able to share.

It was delicious.

It was just a delicious izakaya.

The fish was very delicious!

Takatsuki City, Mikura! Theme: Drinking Log This time, it's been about a year and a half since I met my drinking senpai at Nikka Shot Bar. We met up for a catch-up session. Luckily, I get to decide the drinking spot most of the time (laughs). So, it's the perfect opportunity to discover a new place! This time, we visited "Mikura" as recommended by my former boss. Although I've visited many restaurants in Takatsuki, I've never been here before! It's located near "Bar Maru" and "Kouzou Jr," where I recently visited. The storefront is small, but inside is clean and there's even a second floor. Starting off with a beer! The appetizer was boiled shirasu in hot water, which was already delicious and set the tone for a great meal (laughs). The fact that they have daily specials is also promising. First up, sashimi of bonito and firefly squid! The bonito was surprisingly light and tasty! The firefly squid was large and the triangular fin was firm, indicating its freshness. When I asked the owner for other dishes that go well with beer, he recommended their specialty, beef tongue. I chose the miso flavor, and it was delicious! It had a nice chewiness that paired well with beer. Next, I ordered the "Kyushu's Three Famous Brand Meats Platter." It included horse meat from Kumamoto, pork from Kagoshima, and chicken from Miyazaki. The sashimi and tataki were incredibly flavorful. Truly a meat paradise from Kyushu (laughs). I also had some sake at this point, but I forgot to take a picture. It was called "Dewazakura Sakura Hana," and it was very easy to drink. I'll definitely buy it if I see it at a liquor store. Lastly, I ordered a slightly elaborate dish. It was deep-fried shrimp wrapped in rapeseed blossoms. It was crispy, fluffy, and truly a masterpiece that captured the essence of spring. The owner's experience working at various restaurants, including a traditional Japanese restaurant, was evident in the quality of the ingredients from Sendai and Kyushu. Mikura is a great restaurant that strikes a balance between an izakaya and a traditional Japanese restaurant. Thank you for the delicious meal!

The theme this time is all about cherry blossoms♪, very spring-like, isn't it♪♪【Mikura】is a restaurant where the menu announcements are neatly done, with cards placed on the table displaying the menu for the month that you can freely take. Instead of the usual "¥5,000 Course", the specific dish names and prices are written, which piques your interest to visit. The menu is also regularly updated on their website, great job☆ I found "Sakura Sea Bream and Sakura Shrimp" written on the card. It is included in the ¥5,500 course (there are also ¥3,500 and ¥4,500 courses available). By adding the Sakura Meat that I had previously, it completes the cherry blossom experience♪ Yes, this is my third visit. The first and second visits were to enjoy the "Conger Eel Tofu Shabu-Shabu Course ¥5,500" in the summer. I love conger eel~ The conger eel tofu broth was delicious♪♪ During that time, on the first visit, we also had Sendai Beef Thickly Sliced Beef Tongue Miso Grilled/Salted and Lotus Root Manju, and on the second visit, we added Kumamoto Natural Marbled Horse Meat and Kagoshima Black Pork and Yagorou Pork Sashimi. Among them, the horse sashimi was very delicious, so let's repeat♪♪ When trying to enter at 8 o'clock, there was a "Reserved" sign on the door... Oh? When I opened it, the 7-seat counter on the first floor was fully booked, very popular. The tables on the second floor, out of the 5 tables, 4 were already occupied. The remaining one was the table for the "Gourmet Club"... I'm glad I made a reservation~☆ It's a lucky seat, placed next to the fake garden, in a secluded area. The "Gourmet Club" member accompanying me today is a 22-year-old who does it as a hobby. The other tables were filled with groups of 4 to 6 people, lively. Even though we are a pseudo-couple, having a slightly calmer table is appreciated. The tables are separated by curtains, and the seating is in a sunken kotatsu style. It's a relaxing atmosphere... The member is sitting cross-legged and already in relaxation mode♪ The first dish was Shirasu grated with Ebisu's draft beer, which arrived in no time☆ The Shirasu was slightly larger, light and refreshing, and disappeared in no time. The second dish was a sashimi assortment of sea bream, tuna, yellowtail, saury, and scallops☆ The saury was shining silver and fresh, delicious♪♪ Since there was "Firefly Squid Sashimi" on the menu, I ordered it, but it was sold out. I should have ordered it when making the reservation... Unfortunately↓↓ The member is also looking at the menu. Do you want to order something? When asked, "I can't read what's written." Even though he came with me for the conger eel the first time, after arriving, he said, "I don't like conger eel." I clearly mentioned "conger eel" in the invitation email, didn't I? I asked, and he said, "I couldn't read it." After that, he seemed to have some thoughts of his own and started studying kanji on his Nintendo DS. He even got bold enough to quiz the club president on kanji... Wait, you don't know hiragana characters?... The limit of the DS, I guess~★ The third dish was Sakura Shrimp Chawanmushi. Wait, the menu said Sakura Shrimp and Small Potato Manju, right? Is it for some reason? I was looking forward to comparing it with the lotus root manju... Unfortunately↓↓ Well, this is something new to try, so it's okay. The Sakura shrimp is red and small... Dried shrimp? The bowl is like a firm chawanmushi. It is topped with a slightly sweet and gentle Japanese-style sauce. I eat it with the spoon along with the sauce. It warms your body♪♪ The member, who is sensitive to hot food, is blowing on it while eating. The fourth dish was a three kinds of horse sashimi assortment (additional order ¥1,280 x 2) - lean meat, marbled meat, and tongue, each with three slices. Each slice is bite-sized, so one plate is enough for one person. Served with shiso leaves, wasabi, ginger, and garlic. The tongue is in a sorbet-like state, and the lean meat and marbled meat are tender. When we had it with the conger eel for the second time, we also ordered it with three other club members who came along. They all loved it...

The sushi here is easy to understand and delicious. The young master, who seems to have trained at a proper Japanese restaurant, serves high-quality Japanese cuisine. The prices may be slightly higher compared to chain izakayas, but for the quality of the food, it is actually very cheap. I highly recommend trying both the sashimi and cooked dishes. It's a hidden gem in the Takatsuki area!

The first time I visited this restaurant was for a company drinking party, and I was quite impressed with the quality of the sashimi and other dishes we ordered. We didn't order any fried food, but we did try a small amount of basashi, one of the three famous meats in Kyushu, and it was delicious. We started with beer, then moved on to three bottles of shochu, including warm sake as a chaser, which led to oversleeping this morning. It was a fun and satisfying night of eating and drinking. The portions are on the smaller side, so I recommend ordering a variety of dishes if you have a large group. The goya and black pork tempura, as well as the goya chips, are must-try dishes for goya lovers. Highly recommended restaurant!