chicoma
For dinner in Shibuya on this day, I chose shabu-shabu. The restaurant is located inside Tokyu PLAZA, which is about a 5-minute walk from the nearest station, making it easily accessible. There are counter seats facing the window and table seats. This time, I chose the counter seat with a view of Shibuya's night view. I could see the Tower Records area perfectly. Perhaps due to its location, there were many foreign customers, and I could hear English and other languages being spoken. This restaurant offers set courses, so make sure to decide on which course to choose and make a reservation in advance. They also have a rare vegan kaiseki course. The restaurant plays traditional Japanese music on the koto, creating a fitting atmosphere. The restaurant caters more towards adults, so the atmosphere inside is calm and relaxing. I decided to start with a highball, and when I asked, they mentioned they have "Riku," "Aoi," and "Chita," so I chose "Aoi." Highballs are easy to drink and go well with any dish, so I couldn't resist ordering one. The first dish was sesame tofu as an appetizer. The flavorful sesame tofu in the dashi broth with a hint of wasabi was a refreshing dish. The sashimi included tuna, conger eel, plum jelly, hanaho, and wasabi. The tuna sashimi was delicious with a hint of sweetness. The conger eel paired well with the sweet and sour plum jelly, creating a refreshing taste. Conger eel is in season now, so it was particularly tasty. The seared mackerel sushi was brought to the table and seared in front of us with a burner to give the skin a crispy texture. The searing process made the skin crispy and fragrant, enhancing the already seasoned sushi. Next, I had sake. I chose the "Aotake Sake" from the various options, specifically "Sawayamatsunoto no Morohari." They explained that the only difference was the blue bamboo sake cup, which seemed to be popular among foreign customers. The sake was served in a chilled blue bamboo sake cup, perfect for a hot day like this. The main dish was a shabu-shabu featuring Omi beef loin and San'emon pork, along with a variety of vegetables. The vegetable assortment included enoki mushrooms, Kujo green onions, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, lotus root, red konjac from Omi, and Kyoto's plain and yomogi (mugwort) fu. The staff added the vegetables to the broth in a pot. The meat was self-shabu-shabu style. The dipping sauce included dashi, ponzu, green onions, momiji oroshi, and yuzu pepper for extra flavor. The fresh vegetables remained crisp even after being cooked, making them delicious. The red color of the red konjac is due to its iron content. The plain fu was chewy and tasty. Moving on to the main meat dishes, I started with the San'emon pork. Despite its fatty appearance, when shabu-shabu'ed and wrapped with plenty of green onions in the broth, it was delicious and healthy. The tangy ponzu dipping sauce provided a refreshing taste. The Omi beef loin was also delicious whether wrapped with green onions in the broth or dipped in ponzu with grated momiji oroshi. It was a treat to compare the pork and beef. The high-quality meat was best enjoyed with a light shabu-shabu to savor the natural flavors. The meal ended with fresh soba noodles made from Fukushima's Nihachi soba. The soba was cooked in the same pot and served with plenty of green onions in a broth, making it a delicious way to end the meal. This meal was satisfying, and the soba was a nice touch after all the savory dishes.