It had been a while since I last visited Santoh-san and the place was packed with customers (as expected on a Friday). They don't have a wide variety of non-alcoholic soft drinks, so it's more catered towards those who drink! We ordered: Edamame (400 yen), French fries (500 yen), Shrimp chili (900 yen), Shrimp mayo (900 yen), Cheese and fish cake skewers (450 yen), Daikon radish salad (700 yen), Napolitan pasta (800 yen), Grilled hokke fish (1000 yen), Dried squid (750 yen), and Pan-fried dumplings (680 yen). We ate while chatting and the dishes kept coming one after another (lol). You can add mayonnaise and ketchup to the French fries as you like, which is great! The fries are tasty enough on their own with just salt. I personally preferred the shrimp mayo over the shrimp chili, as the mayo coated the shrimp nicely. The grilled dumplings were filled with plenty of leeks and ginger, and were juicy and delicious. The edamame could have used a bit more salt. The cheese and fish cake skewers were bite-sized and easy to eat (although I wished there was more). The Napolitan pasta had a good amount of spice, with the classic ingredients of sausages and green peppers. I would have preferred thicker noodles. The dried squid was different from what I had imagined, with small pieces of squid. The grilled hokke fish was cooked perfectly on the grill, with a fluffy texture. This is the best dish at an izakaya! The way the staff served the food was a bit forceful, but the taste was good. Thank you for the meal!

This is my third time, but it's already become my favorite izakaya. The calm mama's cooking skills are subtly high, and everything served is delicious. The woman who brings the dishes is friendly and cheerful, creating a very comfortable atmosphere. In addition to the regular menu, there is also a daily special magnet board, which is great because there are many options. Since the shrimp fried rice was so delicious last time, today I'm going to try the Napolitan. I saw sashimi on the magnet board and immediately ordered tuna and horse mackerel. When I was about to choose the green onion salted tomato, I was told, "We also have tomato mozzarella!" and I said, "Then that!" I also found my companion's favorite sesame chicken and that was the end of our order. First, I will have the vinegared mozuku as an appetizer. Even though I didn't order alcohol, they still brought me an appetizer, which makes me happy. The pre-meal vinegared mozuku, how delightful! It's refreshing, helps reduce fat absorption, and is fantastic. The crispy cheese was also offered, saying "Here, have this too!" It's a snack where cheese is wrapped in a gyoza skin and fried. What, two appetizers!? Is it okay, I wonder? But I'm happy. I'm going to enjoy myself today (laughs) - Non-alcoholic, a delicious vinegar pineapple soda. The freshness of the sashimi was amazing. I was surprised by the width and thickness of the horse mackerel's flesh! I've never had such a splendid horse mackerel before. It has a rich umami taste and is very delicious. The tuna was colorful, firm, and delicious bluefin tuna. There was no metallic smell or dripping from thawing, just a clean taste. I'm impressed and very satisfied with the quality that you wouldn't expect from a small town izakaya. It makes me so happy. I ordered without looking at the price, so the volume of the tomato mozzarella was amazing. It was 900 yen, so it's a portion that can be shared by about four people. With juicy tomatoes for replenishment and high-quality mozzarella cheese for protein, I'm satisfied and getting full little by little (laughs). But I'm going to eat the Napolitan! "The Napolitan here is incredibly delicious!" With the staff's words, my expectations are high as it arrives. It has a nostalgic visual with wieners, onions, and green peppers, and I like that it's not covered in ketchup. Napolitan may seem like a simple dish, but I still can't make it taste the way I want. According to Mr. Yoshiharu Doi's book, if you don't put ketchup in haphazardly and instead measure it properly and cook it down, the excess acidity will dissipate. Indeed, if you put too much ketchup, the seasoning can become too sweet and sticky. It seems that our restaurant adds the right amount of ketchup, then cooks it to evaporate the excess acidity and moisture. The Napolitan made by a skilled person is delicious! The noodles are not too slippery or too firm, which is just right. Napolitan made with freshly boiled noodles is delicious, but it feels closer to a tomato sauce pasta. I want the surface of the noodles in Napolitan to be slightly matte. I want them to be within the range of not being too soft from being boiled too long! - This Napolitan supervisor is too picky! It's too much to handle (laughs). The Napolitan at our restaurant is just ideal. The ketchup is baked into a matte surface, blending nicely and creating a good balance. I can even taste the umami. And with a touch of pepper as an accent, it's quite spicy. This can also be a great accompaniment to alcohol. The ideal Napolitan, I've found it! On a tired day, I want to eat edamame, sashimi, and Napolitan at this restaurant, then go home and go straight to bed without doing anything (laughs). Finally, the carefully fried oil-drenched chicken arrived. It's a pretty big piece. The skin is crispy, the meat is moist, and the batter is crispy, oh this is delicious! I always thought oil-drenched chicken was a sweet and sour sauce, but maybe this restaurant uses a salt-based sauce. It has a gentle and elegant acidity. The aroma of sesame oil is strong, it's light yet has depth, and the seasoning is indescribable. I can't analyze the taste. What to do...

I visited a restaurant that was recommended by a friend a while back and had a great experience. The atmosphere was welcoming and perfect for a casual meal after work. Here are some of the dishes we tried: - Korean fruit vinegar mixed with peach flavor in iced tea: Around 400 yen. It was a refreshing non-alcoholic drink. - Fried tofu as a complimentary appetizer: The tofu was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served with a delicious dipping sauce. - Chilled tomatoes with green onion and salt dressing: Around 300 yen. The dressing complemented the tomatoes perfectly. - Edamame: Around 300 yen. A classic dish for an izakaya. - Eggplant simmered in ginger broth: Around 400 yen. The eggplant was cooked to perfection and the flavors were well-balanced. - Garlic butter shrimp: Around 800 yen. The shrimp was large and juicy, cooked just right with a tasty butter sauce. - Shrimp and egg fried rice: 750 yen. The dish was flavorful with plenty of eggs and small shrimp. Overall, the food was delicious and the service was excellent. The staff were friendly and accommodating, and the restaurant had a cozy atmosphere. I would definitely recommend trying out different dishes from their menu in the future.

I went to Izakaya Santou for the first time! It's a newly opened izakaya, I think in August this year? It used to be Heno Heno Moheji before. Today is a year-end party for ◯◯ Association, a reunion after a long time with 7 people. We used the party course with food and all-you-can-drink for 4,000 yen per person including tax. I'm not sure how many dishes there are. We arrived 30 minutes earlier than the start time, so four of us ordered a single beer before the all-you-can-drink. Today, there are year-end parties everywhere. Of course, Santou is also fully booked! Well then, now that most of the members have gathered, let's start! The beer server is set up at the end, it's a self-service which is nice, but it's not very cold. The owner should pay attention to this... The main dish is a delicious hot pot. There are many dishes with a good variety. Oh, the finale is cold soba noodles! It's a refreshing end. The 120 minutes went by quickly and it's over. Izakaya Santou's party course was good. Thank you for the meal!