I went to Mambo for lunch right after it opened. I was looking forward to the cheap 500 yen lunch, but to my surprise, the ticket machine was gone. The prices had doubled since my last visit, with the cheapest menu item now costing 1,000 yen. The sudden and drastic depreciation of the yen has already had a big impact on my eating habits. The seafood bowl I ordered had a lot of defrosted tuna and questionable namero. The wasabi came in a plastic case. The self-service rice, miso soup, and raw egg that used to be available for refills were now order-only. I may have to give up dining out in the near future.

I was lured in by a sign advertising a 500 yen lunch, and decided to give it a try. Even though it had been nearly 10 years since I last visited this place during my student days, it seemed like my visits had become less frequent over time. There was a slightly more luxurious set meal for around 1,200 yen, but I quickly decided on the 500 yen bonito sashimi set meal and purchased it from the ticket machine before handing it to the friendly staff. The restaurant was not very lively, but it was clean and had a decent atmosphere compared to other places I knew. I only had to wait about 5 minutes. I was a bit worried about what the cheap black bonito would look like, but it turned out to be quite normal-looking, which put my mind at ease. As usual, you could have unlimited refills of rice, miso soup, raw egg, pickles, etc., but I couldn't find the individually wrapped seasoned seaweed, so maybe they have stopped offering it as a service. It wasn't anything amazing in terms of taste, but for just 500 yen including tax, it was definitely impressive and a great deal. I also took a look at the evening menu, and the grilled dried squid with seaweed salt ramen caught my eye, so I plan to come back and try it before I forget.

Lunch A (a combination of tuna and salmon sashimi). There were only 5 pieces, but both were delicious. The tuna was slightly fatty and delicious. The miso soup, or rather fish broth, was also tasty, I had three bowls of it. I got extra rice and the tamago kake gohan with two raw eggs was also good. All this for 500 yen is a great deal. I'm interested in trying other lunch menu items as well.

For the past month or so, I have been going to a personal training gym on Mondays to do strength training. However, despite working out once a week for an hour, the stubborn fat clinging to my 34-year-old body is not easily shed, and there has been no change in weight. I am aware that I have gained some muscle, but... What should I do? The answer is clear: I need to restrict the excess energy I am consuming. In other words, I need to limit my food intake. But even though I know this, I can't seem to stop, and as a result, the fat around my stomach is becoming more noticeable, with my weight and the number of food reviews I post increasing daily. I never used to eat much in the morning, and I often go out for drinks in the evening. I have no choice but to cut back on lunch. But maybe that's okay. When I was in sales, I used to go out to eat at various places while on the road, but now that I hardly go out anymore, my lunchtime has become mundane, with no excitement. As long as I eat breakfast properly, I might not even need to eat lunch. And so, I decided to have lunch at Sakurazushi, which is the epitome of "lack of excitement." The A set meal consists of maguro (tuna) chunks for 500 yen. Rice, miso soup, and raw egg are all-you-can-eat. But isn't this a good balance of nutrients if you have a little rice (refrain from seconds), watch the salt content in the miso soup (refrain from seconds), and have fish with eggs? Is it bluefin tuna? The fatty red meat is quite good. If you mix the egg and put it on the rice, you have a delicious iron-cooked egg bowl. That's enough. I won't have seconds!! Oh, I remember I was invited for fried chicken tonight. I'll start my diet tomorrow.

I visited this chain known for its cost performance for lunch and a casual drink. It stands out from the trendy seafood chains, offering a moderate seafood experience. It's great to have a place like this in Harajuku. The building also houses Sei-ke, a little further inside. It's sad that Charhan has closed, but the fish sausage is only 50 yen. The sushi is also cheap. I'll definitely come back for lunch next time.

After about 10 years, I revisited Sakurazushi! The salted mackerel lunch set for 500 yen and natto for 60 yen were delicious. After a meeting in Harajuku, I was surprised to find a restaurant in front of JR Harajuku Station where you can have miso soup, eggs, and unlimited refills for around 700 yen. The sashimi set for the same price was also great and came with a side dish. Thank you for the delicious meal!

The day ended in disappointment as the hamburger shop in Aoyama had a long line, and the Thai restaurant also had a long line, so I gave up on entering. I thought about having a drink somewhere, and remembered a grilled pork restaurant near Harajuku Station that is open from early afternoon. I went there and found it bustling with a company party. I ordered a Hoppy with some side dishes using a karaoke remote control-like device and made a toast. I had a few refills of Hoppy and then noticed they had small Kinmiya bottles, which I quickly ordered, making the Hoppy stronger. I got drunk quickly.

There is nothing to complain about if the set meal (grilled Okhotsk atka mackerel) costs 500 yen.

Today's special was cream croquette. I had two helpings of rice and miso soup, and finished off with the classic tamagokake gohan. My stomach was completely full.

I have become a body that only drinks shikuwasa sour.

Sakura Suisan is everywhere (≧▽≦)

Drinking sake in a robotic manner.

The place next door looks like a wedding reception after-party.

The waiter never comes no matter how many times you call.

I can feel the growth of the staff's Japanese language skills.

I talked with the staff.