又 三 郎
After enjoying some unexpected sweets at Minamoto Kitchoan in Ueno, we went for lunch at Ten-san, located near Inaricho Station on the subway, down a street just off Asakusa Street. Ten-san is a long-established tempura and eel restaurant founded in 1952. My friend had requested a tempura bowl, but I also love the tempura bowls at Ten-san, so I was really looking forward to it. The restaurant opens at 11:30, and we arrived almost right at opening time, only to find that there were already customers inside. We didn't mind and quickly took our seats at the counter to place our orders. I ordered a Sapporo Lager (Red Star) medium bottle for 650 yen and the Seasonal Tempura Bowl for 1500 yen. My friend, who loves tempura, ordered the basic Tempura Bowl with kakiage for 1300 yen. I was expecting prices to have gone up due to rising fuel and cooking oil costs, but compared to three years ago, the Seasonal Tempura Bowl had only increased by 180 yen, while the Tempura Bowl remained the same price. It was a relief, but also a bit worrying. Soon, our beers arrived, and they were perfect after the sweets we had just eaten. Nothing beats a midday beer to lift the holiday spirits. Our tempura bowls were served shortly after. I usually go for the Seasonal Tempura Bowl at Ten-san, as they fry up seasonal vegetables and seafood, making it a delightful surprise every time. This time, the Seasonal Tempura Bowl included shrimp (2 pieces), squid, white fish, bamboo shoots, eggplant, and bell pepper. Bamboo shoots and white fish are in season right now. White fish, in particular, is a rare treat. The tempura looked slightly different from before, with a lighter-colored sauce that matched the tempura's color. The tempura was piping hot, and the sauce was a bit lighter, allowing the flavors of the tempura to shine through. The bamboo shoots, white fish, and squid were especially delicious. The bamboo shoots were large and tender, with a great crunch. The white fish was fried in a kakiage style, but the pieces were big enough to still taste the white fish distinctly. My friend also enjoyed the kakiage in their Tempura Bowl, so I was relieved as I had recommended the restaurant. While Tokyo has many famous tempura restaurants, they often come with long lines. As we didn't have time to wait in line, we opted for Ten-san, a hidden gem where we could enjoy delicious tempura at a reasonable price. After filling up on sweets, beer, and tempura, we headed off to the Tora-san tour in Shibamata, looking forward to burning off those calories with a lot of walking. It was a delightful meal at Ten-san, and we will definitely be back. Thank you for the delicious food!