I went to Ayabe for a little playtime. It was my first time visiting, and it felt like a nice little trip from Kyoto. As evening approached, I felt like having a drink before heading back. I found this place on Tabelog, which seemed close to the station. It's a beautiful restaurant. They were offering a drink-all-you-can service for 1000 yen at that time, so we decided to go for it since we are big drinkers. We started with a sashimi platter and yakitori. All the dishes were reasonably priced with good portions, and there were some creatively prepared dishes too, which was nice. The drink-all-you-can menu included interesting options like awamori with milk, and we ended up drinking quite a lot as expected. We had a delicious and fun time getting a little tipsy. I would love to visit this place again if I'm in the area.

Ayabe Station is about a 3-minute walk away, but even on a weekday (Wednesday), the parking lot is full. It seems to be quite popular. The sign at the entrance saying "90-minute all-you-can-drink" caught my attention, so I decided to enter. I promptly ordered the all-you-can-drink option, which can be used by one person, so it seems quite convenient! (Last order is 90 minutes later, so it's really 90 minutes of all-you-can-drink) The izakaya is advertised as having private rooms, and once seated, it is designed in a way that you don't make eye contact with people at other tables. You can hear conversations, but it feels like a private space, which is nice. This time, I ordered the Kyoto-style shimisaba sashimi for 500 yen and the squid in tare sauce for 480 yen. The shimisaba had a light curing, but it lacked a distinct rawness or vinegar taste... Maybe that's the Kyoto style? Personally, I wish it had focused more on one flavor. The squid was... quite ordinary. It was on the smaller side, so it lacked the plumpness of squid. I haven't tried all the menu items, but the food is at the level of a chain izakaya. And during the 90-minute all-you-can-drink, my drink order was forgotten twice... Finally, I ordered the Taiwanese-style stir-fried bean sprouts (extra spicy version). As a fan of extra spicy food, I was very happy and they accommodated my request. The weekday all-you-can-drink option is convenient, and the menu is extensive, making it a user-friendly restaurant. However, if you are particular about food and drinks, it might not be the best choice. It's a fun place to visit with a casual attitude! →→→→→→→→→→→→ I revisited the restaurant. This time, we had the all-you-can-drink option for five people (laughs). We ordered various items, but we also ordered the sashimi platter with 5 types (1550 yen). When I asked how many pieces of each type were on the platter, they said 3 pieces each. (There were 4 of us who could eat, so) I asked if they could make it 4 pieces each, but they said it was impossible... It was a bit disappointing. We ended up ordering 2 plates. It also felt a bit expensive. The platter included salmon, tuna, squid, yellowtail, and sea bass. The tuna had a slightly metallic taste. The salmon was reliable. The squid and sea bass were delicious. The yellowtail was also quite tasty. But overall, the sashimi was just average. There was no mention of "Maizuru" on the recommended menu, so it doesn't seem to be a local specialty. The 90-minute all-you-can-drink option seems to allow for a second order as well. So, it's 2000 yen for 3 hours.

For some reason, I find myself alone in Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture, close to the Japan Sea in Maizuru... As I was driving north on Route 173, the signal on my iPad was weak or maybe I was out of the service area, and it kept saying "Cannot connect to the internet"... Finally, my iPad connected to the internet, so I decided to search for a place to eat. I realized that I am near JR Ayabe Station, but I have no idea about the area or where the restaurants are located... I saw a yakiniku restaurant near the station, but then I spotted a sign that said "Fresh seafood from Wakasa". I parked my car and checked it out, it looked promising. Seafood from the Japan Sea is always delicious! Although I was tempted by the yakiniku, I decided to go for the seafood... The place seemed more like a large party venue with all-you-can-drink options, but they also had private dining rooms for two people. I was seated at a table with a partition, so I couldn't see the large group having a party nearby, which was fine by me. The table was small but cozy, with a private feel. The waitress, a cute and young girl, took my order with a nice smile. She disappeared quickly, and a serious-looking male staff member took over. The menu had a daily recommendation on white paper with various delicious options, along with a colorful printed menu with many dishes priced at 350 yen each. The all-you-can-drink option was 1,000 yen for 90 minutes, and most drinks were also priced at 350 yen. Sake was 350 yen for a glass, 680 yen for two glasses, which made the all-you-can-drink deal seem more attractive. The food and drinks were reasonably priced, and I found the menu to be quite extensive. I started with a steamed chicken appetizer with sesame sauce, broccoli, and thin fried tofu. Then I ordered a sashimi platter with five kinds of fish, including Maizuru yellowtail, Maizuru medai, Maizuru horse mackerel, salmon, and tuna. The sashimi was fresh and delicious, especially the Maizuru horse mackerel. I also tried the dried flying fish, grilled flying fish roe, and grilled squid liver, all of which were tasty. The grilled flying fish roe was flavorful, and the grilled squid liver was juicy and delicious. Overall, I enjoyed the food and the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant.

It was so cold on Monday! I had to go on a business trip to Ayabe and Fukuchiyama on such a day. Stayed at a hotel near Ayabe station and got information from the front desk to come here. There is still snow on the ground outside the shop. The front desk said the food here is cheap and delicious. I had cheese potato fries, spicy chicken hot pot, eggplant with tomato sauce, grilled hokke fish, Utsunomiya dumplings, jumbo chicken fry, and mixed pizza. Ate, drank, and split the bill - it was only 2500 yen per person with change. Thank you for the meal! Address: 8-117 Honmachi, Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture. Phone: 0773-42-3900. Open from 5:00 pm to 1:00 am (2:00 am on weekends), closed on holidays.