ハナコタの父
The bar is somewhat dimly lit, perhaps for energy-saving purposes. There are 8 seats at the counter and 3 to 4 person tables at 3 tables. Despite being a bar, there is no sense of luxury or heaviness, instead it has a casual snack-like atmosphere. There is a man in the small kitchen in front of the counter. It's past 12 pm on a weekday, with 6 customers already seated and 2 more arriving. The clientele is also casual. The lunch menu includes roast beef bowl for 950 yen, beef tendon curry for 850 yen, seared beef sushi for 950 yen, roast beef ramen salad for 950 yen, mapo udon tantanmen for 900 yen, and a "special bowl" with three times the amount of roast beef for 1,500 yen. There are also some intriguing menu items like "mapo udon tantanmen," but I decided to order the basic "roast beef bowl." Rice comes in a large serving for free. The bowl, potato salad, and miso soup are served on a tray and brought around to you, not just over the counter. There are chopsticks and spoons on the table for your convenience. Soy sauce, ponzu, and chili pepper are also provided, with a reminder to use them if the flavor is too light, and there's wasabi too, so be careful. The service is polite and attentive. The bowl is not very deep. It has rice topped with a soft-boiled egg, roast beef, purple onions, and scallions, with lettuce on the side, all covered with grated yam. The roast beef is thinly sliced and has a reddish color resembling tuna, lacking any noticeable signs of roasting, and is soft but lacks chewiness and flavor. This was my first time trying roast beef, and while the portion was generous, I personally would prefer a slightly better quality. The gel-like sauce on top is full of artificial flavoring. The onions lack crunch. The grated yam is runny and adds just a hint of flavor. The rice is hard and cold. The sushi rice is similar to this. The potato salad is topped with a light mayo or sesame dressing. The miso soup is rich in dashi, with a slightly grainy texture towards the end. The soft-boiled egg is the most ordinary and tastiest part. I eat it without much enjoyment, feeling obligated not to leave anything behind. Most of the dishes seem to be made from pre-made ingredients. It seems like other menu items could also be made without any homemade effort. There is a 100 yen drink bar for coffee, tea, juice, etc. They gave me a business card on my way out, mentioning a 100 yen discount on my next visit. The restaurant allows smoking, so it can be smoky.