yumic
I had some business in Hamamatsucho. I usually head towards Onarimon when I come to this area, but this time I had to go towards Takeshiba. As I was trying to figure out where to go after returning to the smoking area near the station, I stumbled upon this restaurant. Usually, lunch places offer completely different dishes from their dinner menu, so I was hesitant. However, I noticed that they serve grilled clams as a standalone dish during lunch as well. That caught my interest! Hamamatsucho... it's a business district, right? Quite different from the impression I get in Shinbashi, which is just one stop away. It was around noon, and I saw quite a few people lining up at various places. I remember when I used to work anywhere, I was always the youngest and wanted to gain respect quickly and not be underestimated. But now, without realizing it, I find myself in line for lunch with mostly younger men and women. It's only natural. The restaurant is located in the basement of a building. The ground floor seemed to be some Italian restaurant with women waiting, but I ignored that and went down the stairs. The interior was dark with a black theme, giving off a cozy yet typical izakaya vibe. It wasn't too crowded, so I sat at the counter. Oh! The grilled clams were not an optional add-on; they actually come with the lunch set. Yay! I was happy. I debated between the silver cod with Saikyo miso and the simmered blackthroat seaperch and ended up ordering the former. It cost 1400 yen. There were small side dishes lined up. The miso soup had seaweed in it. The finely chopped ingredients in the simmered daikon radish were cooked very well and delicious. The small side dishes included rolled omelette, chicken nuggets, pounded horse mackerel or tuna, and salad. Oh, where are the clams? I asked, and they said they were currently grilling them. Sorry for the rush. The silver cod with Saikyo miso smelled great, but it seemed a bit overcooked. Well, there were chicken nuggets as well, so I wasn't too worried about the side dishes. Finally, the clams arrived. They were piping hot and making a sizzling sound. I drizzled a bit of soy sauce and took a bite while it was still hot. It didn't add much to the meal, but it made me happy to eat something I like. The overall price seemed a bit high, but it's understandable in this area. Thank you for the meal.