YASU.K
Once a month, a colleague and I have been exploring delicious restaurants as part of our B-grade gourmet club. Today, we visited "Tsukasa Akabane Store," the only Tokyo branch of the popular Sendai beef tongue specialty restaurant "Tsukasa." We were able to make a reservation on the same day we thought of it. From the east exit of Akabane Station, we walked through a charming drinking district that spilled onto the passageway, passing by establishments like Marumasu-ya, until we reached the restaurant, which was about a 3-minute walk away. Arriving 10 minutes before our reservation time, we found the counter fully occupied by those who seemed to be enjoying their drinks. They kindly allowed us to wait outside until our reserved time. After a short wait, we were able to enter the crowded and lively restaurant. The first toast was made with draft beer. For starters, we had the famous Sendai delicacy, "Teiban Yamazan Triangular Aburaage." It had a crispy and fragrant outer layer, with a fluffy inside that wasn't too oily. It was quite substantial, almost enough to spoil our appetites for the beef tongue to come. Next, we tried the "Original Tanshinko," which is tenderly boiled and seasoned beef tongue. It seemed to be a popular menu item at the restaurant. Although we ordered it as a beer snack, it looked incredibly delicious when served over rice with a sweet and spicy flavor. Now, for the main course, we had the "Aged Beef Tongue Yaki," where the beef tongue is aged for several days before being grilled. The thick slices were cooked delicately over charcoal, resulting in a fragrant and elastic texture with a rich umami taste. It had a good chewiness and tenderness that is hard to describe but simply delightful. We couldn't resist and ended up ordering an additional portion. We also tried the "Wagyu Tail Yaki," where the Wagyu tail is grilled with garlic. It was succulent and flavorful, a real treat. Another portion was ordered. The boiled tongue was tender and tasty, with a delicious soup that could rival even the best ramen shops. By this point, we were quite satisfied, and my colleague suggested, "Since we've come all the way to Akabane, why don't we look for a delicious ramen shop?" So, we decided to end our beef tongue feast there. The bill came out to almost 5000 yen per person. There were still many tongue dishes we hadn't tried, like the tongue stew and tail soup, so we promised to come back. Although I often see the chain restaurant Rikyu, it was a rare treat to be able to eat at Tsukasa, a popular restaurant from Sendai. I wonder if it will become a chain in the future. The owner or manager even saw us off outside. Thank you for the wonderful meal.