ラーメンあきおくん
I visited "Yaki-Dokoro Shin," located close to Ayase Station. Guided by an outdoor sign that advertised Happy Hour from 5 PM to 7 PM, with draft beer, highballs, and sours for just 199 yen, I entered the restaurant. Being there just after 5 PM, I was the first customer, but soon after, many others arrived, making the place lively. It seems like a relatively new restaurant, but it has already become quite popular. The recommended course, originally 5000 yen, was on a limited-time offer for 3980 yen. Since I have no dislikes when it comes to grilled meat, I decided to go with the course without hesitation. By the way, the all-you-can-drink option was available for 2000 yen, but it was also on a limited-time offer for 1500 yen.
I started with a toast over a Harlan Beer. I love Harlan Beer for its rich hop aroma and smooth drinking experience, free from any harshness. It was served perfectly chilled and tasted great! On the table, there were bottles of lemon juice, sweet sauce, spicy sauce, and miso sauce lined up. The course included the following:
- **Three Types of Kimchi Platter** (Napa cabbage, radish, cucumber): Spicy yet refreshing and very tasty.
- **Choregi Salad**: A sizable salad (sized for 2-3 people) that featured cucumber, lettuce, and seaweed dressed in an original dressing, providing a delightful crunch. It was great to have such a generous portion of veggies.
- **Two Types of Hon-Maguro Platter** (Chutoro and Negitoro): I never expected to enjoy this level of Hon-Maguro at a BBQ restaurant. The chutoro sashimi was almost like otoro, and the generous serving of negitoro was rich in fatty fish flavor, unlike the typical mixed vegetable oil negitoro found elsewhere. Just this dish alone would usually cost around 1500 yen at normal restaurants. As a maguro lover, I wished they had rice (preferably sushi rice) to go along with it. Up to this point was the appetizer, and I reminded myself to wait for the main meat course to avoid indulging in too much rice.
The grilling plate used was made of Fuji volcanic rock, which allows excess fat to drip away, resulting in tender and perfectly cooked meat without burning.
- **Meat Platter in Three Tiers** (one serving includes three tiers):
1. **Beef Tongue & Negi**: Four slices of thick-cut tongue paired with generous chopped green onions. The combo was a blissful experience!
2. **Kalbi, Harami, and Roast**: The beautifully marbled meat was tender, and the kalbi was particularly exceptional.
3. **Liver, Upper Mino, Small Intestines, Large Intestines**: Fresh organ meats that were plump and juicy with a subtle sweetness, not overly rich.
- **Rice Options**: You could choose from rice (served with Korean seaweed), egg soup, or vegetable soup—I opted for the vegetable soup. Usually, course meals come with a mini-sized rice, but this was a generously sized bowl, larger than a typical rice bowl. The aroma of sesame oil was lovely, and I could taste the richness of the broth, which had a meaty essence. Honestly, it was so delicious that it could be worth coming here just for the soup!
At this point, I was already very satisfied, but there was a sign saying, "First come, first serve: Fresh liver available for 1210 yen, stock unpredictable, please ask a nearby staff member!" As a liver lover, I asked the staff and found out they could prepare it. In the past, I used to enjoy eating liver sashimi, but now it's illegal. The fresh-looking liver made me long for sashimi-style preparation. The beautifully red liver was fresh and rich in flavor. It's incredible that they can provide such quality at this price.
- **Dessert**: You could choose between vanilla or seasonal ice cream (strawberry milk). I chose the seasonal ice cream. The frozen strawberries were delightful with added condensed milk, making for a refreshing finish.
I enjoyed plenty of drinks, including draft beer, Chinese highball, unsweetened lemon sour, tomato sour, and ponkan highball. The ponkan highball was rare and had chunks of fruit in it, providing a refreshing and delicious flavor.
The camaraderie among the owner and staff was evident; they were friendly and the service was very smooth. This kind of atmosphere, while it seems common, is actually quite unique. It reminded me how important good customer service really is. The course and all-you-can-drink offer are expected to be available until the end of August. Although even the regular prices are a good value, I might become a regular here if I can enjoy the limited-time offerings. It has the vibrant energy unique to downtown areas while still providing a relaxed dining atmosphere. I look forward to visiting again!