I had always wanted to try the famous Kakuni specialty store "Kuroshiro," but I gave up due to the distance from Takadanobaba Station. Instead, I went to its second branch, Kuroshiro Hananare. Although it's a bit far away, the name comes from using the offcuts of the Kakuni from the main store. The restaurant has a style that looks like it was repurposed from an izakaya, and I wouldn't say it's particularly clean. The taste is said to be the same, and the Kakuni is delicious. The miso soup has a lovely broth and is quite hearty. The boiled eggs and tofu are served cold; the eggs and tofu are tastier at Okamoto's, but the meat in the Kakuni here is better. However, the restaurant lacks a sense of cleanliness. Since I'm not sure if I'll come back, I should have just gone to the main store instead.

I visited the restaurant for the first time, attracted by the noticeable flags and promotional posters that suggested it often has long lines. Upon entering, the atmosphere felt quite chaotic, as if little had changed from its previous use, which made me think, "Hmm, maybe this isn't quite right." I noticed that the water wasn’t served right away, so I wondered if I needed to get it myself. It turned out it was served, but the glass felt like it had just come from the freezer, which was a bit too cold for this season. Soon after, my dish arrived. The main dish, the braised pork, was smaller and had less sheen than I expected from the official photos. The miso soup came in a bowl almost the same size as the rice bowl, but with very few ingredients—was it intended to fill me up with mostly broth? The pork pieces, three small chunks, lacked juiciness and had a chewy texture that I didn't anticipate; I couldn't even break them apart easily with chopsticks. There was a tiny board with the restaurant’s name on my bowl, which I initially thought was food, but it was just a real piece of wood! I believe that rather than such decorations, they should focus on enhancing the quality of their main offering. I found out from other reviews that their second location uses leftover meats from the main store. I think that’s quite important information. Overall, paying 1,100 yen felt rather steep for what I received, and I have no intention of returning.

I've been wanting to go to this pork belly restaurant, and they just opened a second location. It seems to have been featured on TV, but when I went, it was practically empty. The restaurant's website says they accept electronic payments, but in reality, it was cash only. The place was run by just one employee. The pork belly was tender, and the miso soup came in a large bowl, which had a lot of broth but very few ingredients. What bothered me the most was that the staff seemed very gloomy. After assembling my pork belly bowl, the server kept touching the inside of the bowl multiple times, which gave off a lack of cleanliness. I wondered if they were a part-timer. In photos from other customers, the food was served on trays, but here, the bowl and miso soup were placed on a high counter for you to grab yourself. It was affordable, but the staff's gloomy attitude really stood out. To top it off, the receipt showed a pre-tax price of 990 yen and an additional 110 yen for tax, which was odd. There might have been other employees, but the one working that day seemed to be quite off. I left feeling exhausted from the visit!

This is the second branch of a pork belly rice bowl shop, with the main store located in Nakaocho. It's tucked away in a residential area about 3-4 minutes from Toyama Exit, making it a bit hard to stumble upon without aiming for it. Given its location, it was surprisingly quiet on Sunday, with only one group ahead of me at around 12:30 PM. I ordered the pork belly bowl (1,100 yen) with a smaller serving of rice, and I also added a free soft-boiled egg topping (ﾉ^∇^)ﾉ. My order arrived in under five minutes, along with a miso soup that was almost the size of the bowl (though it was a bit bland). The cute little wooden sign displaying the shop's name added a nice touch. The pork belly isn't as impressively large as at the main store, but there's still a generous amount of meat (I mean, who eats it whole anyway? You usually tear it apart, right?). With this location being closer to the station (considering access from Takadanobaba), and the price being much more reasonable, I’d say it’s an easier and more enjoyable option—though it might not look as appealing. Besides, the effort of tearing it apart is eliminated! In addition to the pork belly, the bowl includes tofu, radish, a soft-boiled egg, bok choy, and some shredded red pepper. I’ve only tried the main store’s food once, when they were offering bento boxes at an event, but if I remember correctly, their default item was mashed potatoes instead of tofu. (By the way, you can still add mashed potatoes as a topping here.) I do love mashed potatoes, but I didn't think they'd pair well with rice, so having tofu instead is quite pleasing (not to mention I like tofu too!). The rice was softer than my preference; I would have liked it to be a bit firmer for easier eating. There was mustard available, but I'd personally prefer if they also had shichimi (seven-spice seasoning). I realized it had been a while since I had a proper Japanese meal that wasn't udon or soba—specifically, five months since I last had tonteki in May, which made me chuckle.

Initial Visit: October 2024 (No. 5956) 1. Purpose of Visit: - I visited to explore new culinary options in the Takadanobaba area, selecting a restaurant for lunch. 2. Restaurant Information: - Tabelog Genre: Diner, Rice Bowl, Pork Dishes - Opened on October 1, 2024 - This is the second branch of the popular "Kakuni Donburi Shop Kuroshiro," known for its photogenic kakuni rice bowl that has gone viral. - The first shop operates on a reservation-only basis and offers limited servings. - Tabelog Rating: 3.43 with 85 reviews. - Business Hours: 11:00 AM to 2:15 PM - Closed on Wednesdays - Seating Capacity: 18 seats 3. Crowded Situation & Atmosphere: - I arrived around 11:10 AM on a weekday, and there were no customers ahead or behind me. - The atmosphere resembled a well-used izakaya (Japanese pub). 4. Service: - The service was standard and followed the usual script. 5. Ordered Items: - Kakuni Rice Bowl: 1,100 yen - Increased Meat Volume: 400 yen - The dish arrived about 7-8 minutes after ordering. The kakuni was deliciously tender and infused with flavor, though it was cut smaller than at the first branch and seemed slightly darker in color. Additional Notes from the Restaurant's Instagram: - [Inspected] Gluten-Free Kakuni - Preparation Time: 15 to 18 hours - Kakuni that can be cut with chopsticks vertically - Featured on TV four times - The second branch offers kakuni rice bowls made from leftover cuts from the first shop. - Due to utilizing secondary ingredients, the price is lower than the main shop (1,900 yen), starting from 1,100 yen. Thank you for the meal!

Kuroshiro Hanare, a pork belly rice bowl restaurant, opened on October 1, 2024, located at the back of a brown building called Prince Mansion about a 5-minute walk from Takadanobaba Station towards the Ochiai direction. I visited for the first time on a weekday just after noon. The main branch is near the Kodakibashi intersection, further along Waseda Street, and this outlet was established as its second location. The restaurant uses cut-off pieces from the main branch's pork belly and offers the same delicious pork belly in a more affordable bowl format. The venue was previously an izakaya called Marufu, and you can still see the old sign covered with a notice, with the interior including a counter that looks like it has been reused. The L-shaped counter has 7 seats, and depending on the timing, there might be a slight wait. The menu offers two main choices: Pork Belly Rice Bowl (1,100 yen) and Pork Belly Rice Bowl Set (1,300 yen). You can also pay extra for more meat, larger rice portions, and various toppings like tartar sauce, boiled eggs, and mashed potatoes. When I previously visited the main branch, the pork belly rice bowl came with a variety of toppings and looked delicious, but at 1,700 yen, it was a bit too pricey for a business lunch. I thought a simpler, more economical bowl option would encourage me to come more often, and this place offers exactly that. I decided to go with the Pork Belly Rice Bowl. For 1,100 yen, I received a bowl of pork belly with silken tofu and pickled ginger, along with a bowl of pork miso soup. After a wait of about 5 minutes, my meal arrived. The large bowl contained a generous serving of pork belly, tofu, and bok choy, alongside a sizable bowl of pork miso soup and a separate plate of pickled ginger. Taking my first bite, I noticed the pork belly had a nice weight to it. It didn't melt in my mouth, but it was tender and well-seasoned with soy sauce. The sauce over the rice was on the sweeter side. The miso soup had slightly fewer ingredients than I expected. Overall, the portion size was quite satisfying. I paid in cash, but it seemed that cashless payments were also available. With the main branch being much closer to the station now, it's definitely more accessible, and I plan to visit again soon.

The pork belly topping was incredibly delicious, allowing you to fully enjoy the specialty of the pork belly restaurant. With over 18 different topping options available, this place is highly recommended for anyone looking to indulge in a food frenzy!

I visited the new location of the popular restaurant Kuroshiro! The rich braised pork was delicious! It had a very hidden gem vibe to it! Considering Instagram aesthetics, the presentation was okay. I’m curious to check out the other menu items next time!