せんたん
Lunchtime in Ginza. Looking for a quick and affordable meal, I stumbled upon "Yushoku Butsai Ichiniisan Ginza Store" (*´▽`*) Hmm... I can sense the atmosphere, but I wonder how it's pronounced... But it looks delicious, right? (laughs) Located in the basement of Ginza INZ, "Ichiniisan" is right there as soon as you descend. There's a reception machine at the entrance, so there's currently no waiting, but let's get a number just in case. I received a receipt with a number, and upon entering the restaurant, an older gentleman exuding a strong sense of authority guides you with an accent that sounds like a foreign language. It's not a calm "welcome," but rather a lively, almost festival-like energy that gets you excited. I decided to order the "Black Pork Negishabu Set." It comes with steamed egg rice. A nice set for egg lovers, right? (´∀`*) Anyway, some soba tea or something similar is served along with meat miso. I tried a bit, and it's quite sweet, so maybe it's better with rice? The place is quite busy, so I thought the wait might be long, but before I knew it, the food was served with lightning speed! This is great for a busy lunchtime, isn't it? A large bowl filled with broth, topped with plenty of green onions, and the meat and green onions are already in the broth when served. I noticed there were also meatballs in it! There's even more green onions in a separate dish (laughs). I added the yuzu pepper that was provided, and then dug in! The meat looked tender, and with a generous amount of green onions, I took a bite! Oh, so delicious! The broth is not too salty or too sweet, just the right balance of flavors, full of umami. And most importantly, the meat is so tender and flavorful, perfectly complemented by the crunchy green onions. This is so delicious! (´▽`*) The menu mentioned eating it with soba broth, but this broth is just right, not too salty or sweet, and packed with flavor. Even when you don't have much of an appetite in the summer, this dish provides enough energy to keep you going. The meatballs, which I thought would have more texture, turned out to be soft and crumbly, incredibly tender and delicious. It's more like a side dish for rice, so it's perfect to enjoy it in a different way than with rice. This serving method makes perfect sense, I thought (´・ω・`). Once you've had a good amount, it's time to move on to the rice. There's a bottle of dashi soy sauce on the tray, so I poured a bit over the rice, and with a spoon, the semi-cooked part flowed out, mixing well with the soy sauce, resembling a sunny-side-up egg on rice. So delicious! (´▽`*) I didn't really touch the meat miso, as it was a bit too sweet for my taste. I noticed a menu on the table, and they had a smaller version of "Shirokuma" called "Koguma"! I love shaved ice, so I had to try that too! A small shaved ice dish with a light serving of ice, milk syrup, and fruits on top. Watermelon, pineapple, grapes, raisins, black beans, and red bean paste. It's quite different from modern shaved ice, but this simplicity is so delicious! (´▽`*) Just the right amount, very satisfying! Next time, I'd like to visit when I have more time and try the regular shabu-shabu. I love pork shabu-shabu (*´▽`*) Thank you for the meal!