モンチッチ
I was taken to a tempura restaurant called "Hatanaka" in Azabu-Juban by a customer. With its combination of Azabu-Juban, tempura, and the exterior, it exudes an indescribable sense of intimidation. It's a place I would never be able to make a reservation at on my own. The restaurant has an L-shaped counter seat. We visited at 6:30 pm and were the first ones there, but soon 90% of the seats were filled. There were only two staff members, the head chef and the hostess. They also have table seats, but they are not currently in use (the hostess mentioned that they stopped using them because the dishes wouldn't rotate). The condiment containers on the table have a very elegant feel to them. Despite the potential to attract foreign customers, there were none present during my visit. The menu offers a choice between two courses, priced at 11,800 yen and 14,040 yen. This time, I was treated to the 14,040 yen "Holly" course. For beer, you can choose from Kirin, Asahi, or Sapporo, and I opted for Sapporo Black Label. The thin glass enhances the sharpness of the beer, making it even more delicious. I only had one beer and then switched to white wine instead of sake, as I felt it paired better with the tempura. The prices seemed quite high at a glance, but the experience was definitely worth it. Now, let me introduce the "Holly" course. The first dish was grilled spear squid with olive oil, and it was incredibly delicious. The squid was tender and flavorful. After finishing the squid, a set of assorted tempura was served. The grated daikon radish is not only added to the tempura dipping sauce but also enjoyed as a side dish. They promptly brought more when we finished it. The daikon radish was quite spicy. The opening dish was shrimp, which was best enjoyed without any seasoning. The second shrimp was sweeter due to stronger cooking. The string beans had a concentrated flavor, while the butterbur sprout was fluffy and fragrant. The thick and tender sand borer was recommended with tempura dipping sauce. The asparagus was tender and had different textures depending on where you bit into it. The sweetfish was very bitter, and its tempura was full of moisture. Another shrimp followed, and after trying eight different tempura dishes, we took a break with clam miso soup. The head chef kept changing the oil repeatedly, which was surprising. The eggplant was the most delicious I've ever had, as if it was prepared in a way other than frying. Soy sauce was poured over the cut side. The edamame was seasoned with salt and had a strong flavor. The megochi was fluffy, and all the tempura had wonderful textures. The koshiabura, a new shoot of a tree, had a balance of bitterness and sweetness. The conger eel was fragrant, rich in fat, and had a earthy aroma. It was thick, chewy, and had a crispy texture. The shiitake mushroom tempura was followed by a tempura bowl, marking the end of the Holly course. It seemed like it cost 25,000 yen per person, but setting aside the 25,000 yen, there was no doubt that it was an amazing tempura experience. I felt like it might still be too early for me to visit on my own, maybe in another 10 years.