ジェームズオオクボ
Unagi Restaurant Edo Naday Amon Nezu Main Store - Located near Nezu Station in Bunkyo Ward. A message has come in from a member about a beautiful owner who graduated from Tsuji Culinary Institute and has opened an unagi restaurant in Nezu, with plans for franchise expansion. It was reported that during lunch hours of just 4 hours, the monthly sales reach 3 million yen with a net profit of 800,000 yen! Interestingly, this month they are set to open in Utazu Town, Kagawa Prefecture. I've checked the provided link and found that a chain called "Unagi no Naruse" has been rapidly expanding lately, suggesting a similar business model. Their menu appears to be more varied than "Unagi no Naruse," and it seems they even offer courses, which might be due to me having become a paid member.
The day after receiving the email, I happen to have a meeting in Kappabashi, so I’ll promptly investigate. The restaurant is just a few minutes from Nezu Station, passing in front of Akafukudo. Since it's raining, there's not much pedestrian traffic. Here’s the place. Let’s go inside.
Upon entering, a friendly male staff member directs me to the counter. It's 11:30 AM, and two customers are already at the back table and the counter. They serve a lunch menu with a limit of 10 items for each dish. Given this rather thin market, such limits might be necessary. First, I'll check the menu. Compared to "Unagi no Naruse," the menu is more extensive.
Today, I've decided to order the deluxe unagi bowl for 1,700 yen (tax included), a serving of uzaku for 600 yen (that’s eel with vinegar), and a half portion of their omelet cooked with eel sauce for 300 yen (tax included).
First, the uzaku arrives for 600 yen. It appears to be freshly prepared, though the skin of the eel isn't as crispy, suggesting they might be preparing it in advance and adding it to orders as they come in. The taste isn't incredible, but it's not bad either. Next, the half omelet comes with grated daikon and soy sauce on the side, plus some broth for dipping, indicating it's pre-prepared. It pairs decently well with the lunch bowl.
Now, the deluxe unagi bowl for 1,700 yen has arrived. I can see a salamander grill across the table, indicating they grill it on-site. This seems to be a major difference from "Unagi no Naruse." The eel isn't fluffy but rather falls apart easily. As it's from China, it doesn't have the aromatic scent found in eel from Osaka's "Uo-I."
The sauce is pleasantly fragrant and sweet. Unlike "Unagi no Naruse," customers don’t pour the sauce themselves, which may make "Unagi no Naruse" more appealing to the general public. The quality is decent enough to enjoy without needing sansho pepper. Though they provide two types of sansho, powdered and fresh ground, the latter's scent can sometimes overshadow that of the eel.
The rice appears to be high-quality Koshihikari from Matsumoto, with firm grains that taste good. Overall, the lunch deluxe unagi bowl priced at 1,800 yen (including tax) seems satisfactory. I believe that unagi restaurants in urban areas might be overpriced for all but a niche clientele, so this business model could work. Unlike chains like "Yoshinoya" and "Matsuya," which simply steam eel, this place likely charges a premium for the grilling process.
Even on a rainy day, it doesn't seem like the business might achieve a net profit of 800,000 yen on just 4 hours of lunch service. They do have nighttime operations. When I review franchises claiming they’re profitable, it feels a bit similar to this situation. Next, I want to study "Unagi no Mitsuru" in Kagoshima. I'd also like to give "Kaidaya" in Kochi another try.
Unagi Restaurant Edo Naday Amon Nezu Main Store
Address: 2-16-8 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0031
Phone: 03-5834-2586