hongo555
I rode my bicycle around the back alleys of Kanda to Nihonbashi. Even in a city I thought I knew well, entering the alleys reveals a different scenery, with cute shrines, dry goods shops, and izakayas tucked away between office buildings. This time of year, it's lovely to go out to the suburbs on holidays to enjoy the autumn leaves, but exploring the quaint back alleys of the city that you don't usually visit can also be quite enjoyable. It had been over a year since I last had the rib roast cutlet at Maruyama Yoshihei for lunch, and I discovered several izakayas, soba shops, and restaurants that I'd like to visit. It was a very enjoyable bike ride.
On my way back, I stopped by a bike shop in Myojinbashi for adjustments, and they said I needed a cable replacement, which would take some time. So, I visited Kanda Myojin for a prayer. After the visit, as I strolled around the shrine grounds, I saw Akari-chan, the shrine's sacred horse! She is a small and gentle horse, very cute. There was a cultural exchange center called the Bunka Koryuukan open at Kanda Myojin. It had been under construction before, but now it was open. The first floor has a fortune slip distribution area, a cafe, and a souvenir shop. There is a hall upstairs, but it's not clear what it is used for. It's a facility that I'm not sure how it is being utilized, but it might be a nice place to take a break.
After leaving Kanda Myojin and heading towards Akihabara, I found a large white lantern with "Myojinbashi Yakitori Toshi" written on it. They were getting ready to open for the evening. It makes sense since this is the correct Myojinbashi at the end of Onna-zaka. The storefront looks very nice. The name of the shop feels like an old snack bar and doesn't quite seem like a typical yakitori place. It has a sharp and understated look, but the lantern tells you what it is. Intrigued, I definitely want to visit, but I couldn't leave my bike unattended (laughs). So, I went home, called to confirm their opening hours, and then returned. It's convenient to have such places nearby.
Inside the restaurant, there is an L-shaped counter on the right, small tables for two on the left, and one table each for two and four at the back. It's a cozy yakitori place that can't fit 20 people. Yes, it looks good as expected from the outside. I sat at the counter and started with a glass of Ebisu beer. After cycling around the back alleys for about 20 kilometers today and taking a bath, the beer tastes delicious! Fantastic. The appetizer was a salad with thinly shaved smoked chicken breast on top of vegetables. It's healthy. The smoky aroma of the smoked chicken breast and the slowly spreading umami flavor are nice. The yakitori started with a set of five skewers with chicken soup. The first one was chicken liver. It had a slightly unique taste, but the seasoning and cooking were excellent. It was very juicy, and the aroma of charcoal fire whets the appetite. The seasoning has skillfully brought out the umami flavor, so it's not salty at all. This promises good things to come, so I switched to sake and got serious!
There is a refrigerator with quite a variety of sake labels lined up right behind our seats. It seems like the owner is particular about sake as well. There is a separate menu with business cards sized labels of different types of sake - regular, pure rice, ginjo, and daiginjo. Labels like Choshin, Juyondai, Buyu, Etsugaijin, Hakurakusei, etc., are all our favorite sakes, so it's hard to choose. However, they are mainly focusing on chilled sake now, and there are more varieties not listed on the menu. Oh, I see Juyondai Nana Taru Niju Kan on the menu. One cup for 3500 yen. Well, it's undoubtedly a precious sake, so there will be people who want to drink it at this price. Today, they are out of stock, but it seems they can procure it. I occasionally see it being sold for 60,000 yen online (laughs), which is kind of crazy.