じゅりぽん
We decided to check out a teppanyaki and okonomiyaki restaurant that recently opened near the Karasumori Shrine in Shinbashi. Despite not having lunch service, the place looked lively. It was a holiday evening, and although we were part of the team working on our day off, we made a reservation for an early dinner without any prior booking. The sign out front announced, "We’ve started serving monjayaki!" which really excited everyone.
Inside, there’s a large U-shaped teppan in the center, surrounded by counter seating, while most other seats are four-person booths, and there’s a large table at the back for bigger groups. First, we ordered drinks. The staff recommended ordering 'mega' sizes for both alcoholic and soft drinks, saying it was a better deal if you were going to have two drinks. One of our group opted for a mega oolong tea while the rest stuck to the regular sizes. I appreciated the thoughtful service, especially since everyone but me was a nondrinker; the staff even asked if we wanted to order the oshoumono (side dish), rather than just bringing it without asking. The oshoumono was a charred potato salad for 330 yen, and we ended up sharing it since it looked so appealing, and it was delicious!
We started ordering various dishes since none of the single items had a huge portion size, which allowed us to try a bit of everything. Right at the entrance, they asked a couple if they wanted to have monjayaki. However, only those seated at table seating can cook it, as there are small, portable iron plates placed on gas stoves instead of the built-in teppan at the counter. We were seated at a regular table since there were four of us.
Here’s what we ordered:
- Monjayaki (Spicy cod roe, mochi, and cheese) 1518 yen
- Mixed monjayaki 1408 yen
- Snack monjayaki 968 yen
- Tonpeiyaki 605 yen
- Garlic shrimp 858 yen
- Thick salt-yaki soba 1265 yen
- Fresh chorizo 748 yen
The monjayaki didn't have a huge portion considering the price, but it really captured the feeling of what we wanted. You cook it yourself, and it was tasty! However, the portable gas stove made it tricky to chop up the cabbage properly since the spatula was small, which made it a bit frustrating.
For the other grilled dishes, the staff prepared them on the large central grill and served them once they were cooked. Each dish turned out to be surprisingly good, even better than what you might find at most izakayas, probably due to that fresh grill finish.
The staff were friendly and provided good service. Although it’s categorized as an izakaya, it definitely felt different. It started quiet but grew busier as the evening went on, and I noticed quite a few foreign customers there, which was interesting.
Given its proximity to the station and the ability to enjoy monjayaki and teppanyaki without having to go all the way to Tsukishima, I think this spot is definitely a great option! Thank you for the meal!