呑助
Just a stone's throw from Kanda Station North Exit, this place has always been known for its fresh seafood - Hamazai, with a dignified atmosphere. The entrance is narrow, with a counter on the right that seats about 10 people, two tables on the left, and a small tatami room in the back with about 10 seats. The handwritten menu is a bit hard to decipher these days (laughs), but it might be good to look at the fish swimming in the tank next to the entrance before ordering. The old man scoops them up with a net, and they are mostly served as sashimi - his skillful and hearty style is impressive. The best seat is right in front of the old man. For example, the thread-sail filefish is served with its liver removed, but even after plating, it continues to twitch, which would surprise foreigners. Normally, the skin is peeled off, then filleted into three pieces, but the old man cuts the skin-on fish into three pieces from the flesh side, or peels off the skin and then cuts it. Rather than "pulling," it's more like "cutting," with a quickness that feels like having a fisherman fillet it on a boat. And because there's some blood flowing (from the fish), the plate is served with the old man's fingerprints on it (laughs). The ark shell is also pierced on the butt with a hammer, and the shell is pried open with a shell opener (since a lot of blood comes out from the ark shell), so the cutting board is a mix of crushed shells and bright red ark shell meat, a real mess (laughs). Of course, they rinse it with water before serving, but even the soy sauce dish is partly stained red. The young couple next to us seemed to have changed their order after watching this scene (laughs). The old man, who handles order after order, has fingers that are practically bent to match the knife, showing signs of aging. The frying of oysters and horse mackerel, coated in flour and then swiftly thrown into the fryer, is a sight to behold, reminiscent of a hammer throw by Murakoshi, but it's a routine skill. And yet, the oil doesn't spill, so it's truly impressive. The snow crab (around 1700 yen) is meticulously prepared by the assistant (apprentice), who pushes out the meat with a pestle and beautifully arranges it in the shell. Preferences may vary depending on the organization of the kitchen, but the freshness and quality are more than enough for a casual pub.