After the state of emergency for the novel coronavirus was lifted, I went on a drive for the first time in a while. I decided to visit a restaurant near Lake Hamana that serves eel raised in a unique way - steamed and then grilled, which is uncommon in western Japan. I called ahead to the rest stop "Wamino Sato" in the morning to make a reservation. They only accept reservations, so I informed them that two adults would be coming now and set off on our journey. Eel, it's been a while! As we approached Maizuru, we followed the navigation as directed... but ended up veering off the national highway into the town. The roads were narrow... it seemed like a local shortcut. The navigation point was slightly off, so we had a bit of trouble with U-turns and navigating through the narrow alleys. However, we couldn't miss the restaurant when we passed by, with its clear signage and flags. The parking space in front of the restaurant was short, not even suitable for a compact car. There was a larger parking space at the back of the restaurant, but you couldn't turn around inside, so we had to back in. It was tight... I had to be careful not to hit the restaurant wall with the side mirror. We finally arrived at 12:30, our scheduled time. The restaurant had a counter and two table seats, not very spacious. The table seats in the back were more relaxing. The restroom was also new and clean. The menu offered eel bowls, eel over rice, and hitsumabushi, as well as other items like grilled eel liver, eel bone senbei, cold tofu, and fried chicken. Apparently, they also have a collaboration bowl with beef on weekends. When I visit an eel restaurant, I only eat eel. There seemed to be a variety of sake options that go well with eel, which caught my interest, but since we only came by car, I couldn't drink. What a shame... I ordered the "upper" eel bowl, while my wife ordered the "medium" hitsumabushi. It takes a little time because they steam and then grill the eel. The owner mentioned it would take about 20 minutes. Here it is! The eel bowl. Wait, it's an eel over rice? There was no "upper" option for eel over rice, but oh well. Why did I choose an eel bowl? Well, I like to finish with a bite of the liver and have it with tea-soaked rice, so the bowl is easier to eat. Steamed and grilled eel! First bite. It's tender! The skin is also tender. I expected it to be more flaky and tender, but the texture of the flesh is retained in this tenderness. It truly feels like the flesh is tender. This grilling method is delicious. The rice is also to my liking - "kake" style. Eel is really delicious. I'll make sure to visit again! Thank you for the meal.

The restaurant is located quite deep inside, and it might be easier to find if you enter from the Hello Work intersection on National Route 175. The parking lot is small, with space for only two cars in front of the shop and about four cars in the tunnel passage at the back of the entrance. The parking lot along the road can only accommodate compact cars. Inside the shop, there are a few counter seats and table seats, but it is narrow, so you may be asked to share a table. I was looking for a place that serves delicious eel in the neighborhood, and I came across this restaurant. I visited on the weekend because I saw on their website that they offer a dish called "eel x beef" only on weekends. I ordered the regular size for 3000 yen (tax included). After a 30-minute wait, the dish arrived. When I opened the lid, I saw a slightly thin eel sitting there. It seems like half of an eel for the regular size. Next to it, there was beef steak that looked delicious. When I tried to pick it up with chopsticks, it was soft and easy to pick up. However, upon closer inspection, it seemed to be split down the back. Is it steamed like Kanto-style grilled eel? I tried it, but it didn't have the fluffy texture, and the meat was quite firm. It was difficult to determine. I couldn't really feel the aroma either. The beef steak was a firm texture with lean meat. It also paired well with the onion-based sauce. In conclusion, it cost 3000 yen (tax included). Personally, I didn't feel completely satisfied for the price, but eel is a dish that varies in taste, so this is just my personal impression. The journey to find delicious eel seems to continue.

The day after the Day of the Ox, I felt like eating eel and went to a restaurant. The parking lot only fits 4.5 cars (with a narrow aisle between the house and the store). It was very inconvenient to get in and out. I had the special eel rice bowl for 3700 yen (tax included). The taste was average, but the eel was tender.