When the temperature rises, we are drawn to eel, right? On this day, I had the Mabushi set meal as the main dish, with boiled gelatin and pickles as appetizers. The Mabushi set meal allows you to pour your preferred broth over it, similar to Hitsumabushi. So, you can start by eating it like an eel bowl, and then pour the broth over it. The set meal also includes plenty of condiments and palate cleansers, so there are endless ways to enjoy it. It had everything I look for in eel, and enjoying it at Noda Iwa gave me a sense of security like no other. The chilled sake I had on a hot day was also delicious. Eel with sake, it's truly the world of rakugo (as Gorou-san used to say).

It's a great restaurant. I love their set courses and hitsumabushi. Today, I noticed they had natural eel, so like many other customers of a slightly older age group, I indulged in the luxury of natural eel. The texture and sauce were refreshing and light. However, I felt a similar issue to whether one can discern tuna. Can you taste the blood-like flavor of bluefin tuna, or are you not appreciating the fat of farmed toro because you're used to it, or can you tell the difference in deliciousness depending on the port where it was caught? There seems to be a heavy burden in writing food reviews for casual gourmets like me. My companion firmly stated that they couldn't tell the difference in natural eel. After criticizing my indulgence and dining etiquette during the post-meal debrief, they claimed that their order of white grilled eel had a slight hint of fishiness compared to farmed eel. Really? Although it's all about individual perceptions, is there a right answer to natural eel, and is it appropriate for someone to loudly discuss comparisons with the main store inside the restaurant? This raised some issues and we greatly enjoyed the meal. Thank you, I must visit again.

When I said, "I'm going to eat eel," I was asked, "Noda Iwa?" and was surprised to learn that it's such a famous place. I didn't know much about it as I don't live there, but I was able to make a reservation and we were seated on the second floor. We enjoyed eel with beer and wine. We had some appetizers and drinks, so for the main dish, I chose the Aoba (eel bowl)! It was really delicious!!

I visited the restaurant almost right after it opened for lunch. From the outside, you couldn't tell, but inside the restaurant was almost full, with families and couples dining. It seemed like many people had made reservations, especially because it was a Sunday. After about 20 minutes, the eel rice bowl I ordered arrived. It seemed like many other customers had also ordered eel dishes. The miso soup and grated radish served as palate cleansers were delicious. The eel itself was incredibly tender and easy to cut with chopsticks. Rather than a strong sauce, you could taste the flavor of the eel directly. It was very delicious. If you plan to go on a holiday, it might be a good idea to make a reservation. I would love to go back again. Thank you for the delicious meal!

I reserved a course at this atmospheric restaurant and visited for the first time. I enjoyed Hitsumabushi, Unaju, and two types of eel. The eel in the Unaju was particularly fluffy and the sauce had a rich flavor that paired perfectly with the rice. I couldn't stop eating! I forgot to take a photo of the sake, but eel goes well with Japanese sake. The Unatama (eel and egg on rice) is not included in the course, but I highly recommend it!

The eel rice dish is a specialty and the quality is high, even for a food stall! The Shimokitazawa shop has many adult customers, and some young people may feel that the prices are high and choose not to visit. But if you try it, you'll see that it's worth it. Today, I am happy to enjoy such a delicious lunch!

The assorted eel platter at this restaurant is exquisite. Not only the eel, but also the side dishes are very well-prepared and thoughtful. The eel has a perfect balance of sauce, not too strong, and is grilled to perfection. After finishing the meal, you will feel happy and satisfied.

It's been a while since I visited Nodaiwa. Although they have branches in various locations, the company seems to be the same as the Azabu-Ikkan main store based on their website, with branches in Ginza, Nihonbashi, Shimokitazawa, and Paris. I have visited the main store, Ginza, and Nihonbashi, but Shimokitazawa has always been on my list. The location is right in front of Shimokitazawa Station, a traditional sign in a youthful area. The restaurant is small, with the first floor being the kitchen and the second floor having tightly packed tables. It feels a bit cramped. The service is extensive like the main store, but the service from the staff may not necessarily match up to it. The service charge is probably due to it being a long-established restaurant. The menu may vary depending on the availability of natural eel, but today there was none. It is recommended to contact them in advance if you want to eat it. I personally don't have a problem with non-natural eel. I ordered the Shira-don, which is white-grilled eel cooked in soy sauce. It was recommended by eel lovers, so I was curious. The size is between Aoba and Ume, and it is quite expensive compared to eel rice bowls. The menu is similar to the other branches, but they also had a Shimokitazawa lunch limited Una-tama-don. Today's eel was from Shizuoka prefecture, and it was grilled over charcoal. The order was: - Shira-don 3900 yen - Pickles, liver sashimi, chopstick rest A separate service charge of 5% is added. It arrived in about 25 minutes. It was almost full as it opened at 12:00, and everyone ordered at the same time. Other people's white-grilled eels were served quickly, so it seems like they had already finished steaming them. I heard that Nodaiwa steams for an hour, so it would be impossible to steam each time. The Shira-don comes in a quite large bowl. But inside, the eel is placed elegantly. It's a cute size of about 6 pieces. I later found out that there was another piece inside the rice. So, in total, it's like one eel. Nodaiwa's strong steaming technique makes the eel soft and tender. The grilling is also well done, not burnt but carefully grilled. It doesn't fall apart much, showing their skill. When I tried it, it was delicious. It has been a while since I last ate at Nodaiwa, but I still love it. I love the rich taste of the grilled eel. Even though it's the opposite of my preference, it's always delicious. It's steamed strongly, making the eel soft and tender. The grilling is also well done, and the crispy surface was good. The sticky texture, the umami spreading in the mouth, and the aroma of the eel were all present. The eel's aroma was also noticeable. It wasn't dry, and the balance between steaming and grilling was well done. The crispy feeling on the surface was also good. The eel in the rice was even more tender and fluffy, probably because it was steamed inside. The skin was grilled firmly, and it had a strong aroma compared to the head part. It had a refreshing taste that complemented the tender eel. I think I might like this better than their kabayaki. The rice was hot, fluffy, and well-grained. It was indeed delicious. The eel and rice matched perfectly. There was quite a lot of rice, but the soy sauce seasoning made it easy to eat. The hot rice and the tender eel went well together. The soy sauce seasoning made the rice go down smoothly, and I could eat a lot.

In the past, my mother used to say that this place is delicious because it's natural! Now, the same still holds true. The eel bowl had both grilled and steamed eel, and it was very delicious. The restaurant has an old traditional Japanese house style, and the seating is on the second floor. But it was still delicious.

Eel Sanraku Course (6900 yen) including appetizer (simmered gelatin), shirayaki, eel rice bowl (with liver dipping sauce, pickles, palate cleanser), in addition to ordering smoked eel with sea urchin and eel liver sauce. For drinks, started with a slightly sparkling white wine, then shared a Sichuan pepper ale from Iwate Kura Brewery while using a white wine glass for shirayaki and a red wine glass for the eel rice bowl. The restaurant had a cute eel-shaped chopstick rest, and the retro-modern interior gave a time-travel feeling that was unexpected for Shimokitazawa. The age group was also surprisingly diverse, making it feel like a sudden trip to Asakusa. The fact that there is a long-established eel restaurant in Shimokitazawa was already surprising, and that's what caught my attention to Noda Iwa. I had been looking for a place where I could enjoy eel and wine pairings. I made a reservation in advance because I felt like it might not be easy to just walk in. The menu structure of the Shimokitazawa branch was unknown, so I thought about asking the staff, but since I didn't know much about eel, I decided to go with the middle course without dessert. However, on the day of the visit, they informed me that they could accommodate the course as well. The wine lineup was limited to one type of white and one type of red glass, and there were no specific wine pairings for the eel. This was a bit disappointing as I had come expecting a place where I could enjoy eel and wine pairings. However, if I changed my perception to thinking that it's nice to have wine at an eel restaurant, it would be fine. The restaurant was quite crowded, with limited space on both the first and second floors. The recommended dishes were limited to about five, so I ordered the two mentioned earlier along with the simmered gelatin appetizer. The eel rice bowl was the main dish ordered by most customers, while some were enjoying their drinks. There were a few customers already there by 5:30 pm, so it seems that many people come in right after they open at 5 pm. The smoked eel with sea urchin and eel liver sauce was okay, but it seemed more suitable for sake rather than white wine. It was just a light snack, so it was quickly finished, but both dishes were chewy and enjoyable. The shirayaki and eel rice bowl were both kept warm in a machine, maintaining their tenderness and warmth. The shirayaki had a mild and delicate flavor, which would go well with natural wines. The eel rice bowl had a beautifully shiny sauce and a gentle aroma, but the taste was a bit too light for my liking. It might be a matter of preference, as I prefer a richer and stronger flavor.

I had previously enjoyed the luxurious Unaju course at the main store for ¥11,500, so this time I decided to try the most affordable Sairi course at the Shimokitazawa branch for ¥4,800. I wasn't expecting too much since it was less than half the price, but I could still feel the essence of Noda Iwa. The course included eel jelly with shimeji mushrooms and boiled spinach as the first dish, which were both excellent. The second dish was an eel roll (1 piece for ¥570) which was perfectly fluffy with egg and eel. The third dish was a bite-sized grilled eel, which was served with real wasabi and salt, refreshing and delicious. The fourth dish was an eel bowl, which was a bit lacking in eel and rice balance due to the affordable price. The fifth dish was a dessert of kudzu jelly and compote of pineapple and kiwi, a satisfying ending. The main store is spacious with private rooms, while the Shimokitazawa branch has a cozy atmosphere and a limited menu, but it's nice to enjoy the taste of a long-established restaurant nearby. The only disappointment was not being able to try the grilled eel, which was not guaranteed at the time of reservation.

Noda Iwa, a long-established eel restaurant in Shimokitazawa. Despite the redevelopment progress in Shimokitazawa, the area around the station looks completely different when you visit after a long time. The main street filled with young people remains the same, with many new shops coming and going, but also many unchanged ones. Noda Iwa is located down a side street in Shimokitazawa, with a calm atmosphere that doesn't quite fit the typical vibe of the area. You can feel the traditional charm of this longstanding restaurant as soon as you step inside. The kitchen is visible from the entrance, and the dining area is on the second floor up a staircase. I started with a beer, choosing between Kirin and Sapporo. Today, I decided to indulge in eel with grilled, steamed, and eel rice bowl dishes. The eel slices were available in individual pieces, and I opted for freshly rolled ones this time. The grilled, steamed, and eel rice bowl dishes all seemed to have been steamed quite thoroughly, resulting in a rather light and less fatty taste. The grilling of the eel can be a matter of personal preference. The service was surprisingly fast for all dishes. I heard that from April to December, they serve wild eel, so I look forward to visiting again during that season.

I made a reservation and visited the restaurant. It is just a 1-2 minute walk from either exit of the Odakyu Line in Shimokitazawa. The restaurant is smaller than I expected. The first floor is the kitchen and the seating is on the second floor. The age group of customers seemed to be on the older side. The interior is designed in a traditional Japanese style, which creates a calm atmosphere. They have days when they serve natural eel, and the price varies depending on the origin. It's best to come early if you prefer natural eel. There is only one person taking orders, so it can take some time (about 10 minutes in my case). I ordered the eel rice bowl with pickled plum for 3500 yen. The dish was served in a reasonable amount of time. The eel was thinly sliced but steamed to perfection, soft and delicious. The sauce was not too sweet, with a strong soy sauce flavor. My husband, who doesn't like sweet dishes, enjoyed it. Even the pickles were tasty. They also offer courses, which I am curious about.

The staff was very friendly and I was very satisfied with the delicious natural eel (photo is of farm-raised eel). The farm-raised eel was also delicious. It was steamed rather than grilled over charcoal, making it tender and elegant. Personally, I prefer a slightly sweeter sauce, but I enjoyed the taste of the eel itself. And the eel liver was very delicious!

This is Noda Iwashita Kitakita store. Even if it is selected as one of the top 100 restaurants, you can visit on the same day without any issues (I made a reservation just in case as it's Sunday, but it should be fine without one (after all, they are closed on the Day of the Ox!)). The eel here is not too fatty, which can be a good or bad thing, but it reminds you that eel is a river fish. The set menu includes appetizers, a bite-sized broiled eel, eel rice bowl, eel liver, pickles, and dessert for 4860 yen. I also added simmered eel liver and Umaki, and enjoyed it. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

I lined up shortly before the store opened and just missed the first round of seating. Despite the scorching summer heat, I waited for about 50 minutes to get inside. That day, they had natural eel available, so I ordered that. I had heard that there would be a bit of a wait after ordering, but it didn't bother me too much. When the natural eel arrived, it was delicious. The grilling was just right, not too tough, which might be a matter of personal preference. The natural eel had a soft, natural taste that blended well with the palate. I was very satisfied. I wanted to try the set with "shirayaki" as well, but I heard that it was farmed eel, so I'll have to find another opportunity to try it in the future.

It was a restaurant with a great atmosphere and incredibly delicious food!!! The staff must have thought we were hungry because they gave us extra large portions of rice!! So kind!! For broke students, this high-end restaurant is truly appreciated!

The chopstick sleeve states that they serve natural eel from April to December. It has been about 25 years since my last visit. Back then, I could easily finish the most expensive eel dish, but now I don't crave the eel's fat or the amount of rice as much. Just a little bit of delicious eel satisfies me. However, I do want a beer before the meal. I ordered a medium-sized bottle of beer and a small portion of eel rice. As I enjoy the beer, the eel rice arrives in about 20 minutes. Even though I ordered a small portion of rice, it seems like a lot to me. The grated radish and pickles are a nice break for my chopsticks. The saltiness of the liver dish is also perfect. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal!

This restaurant is a branch of the famous Nodaiwa in Akabanebashi. They don't open for lunch because the chefs work at the main restaurant in Akabanebashi during the day. This makes me expect that the quality of eel here is the same as in Akabanebashi. I visited with my family with high hopes. It was Wednesday night and there were very few customers. This made me a bit worried, but the eel dish I ordered was almost identical to the one in Akabanebashi. In fact, I couldn't tell the difference. Overall, I was quite satisfied. I ordered the second-to-bottom priced eel dish which cost 3,500 yen. The value for money may not be the best. However, this restaurant has a wide selection of sake dating back to the 20th century. In today's market where there are so many delicious sakes available, it's a shame that not only this restaurant but many other traditional restaurants still only offer a limited selection of sake.

On the day of Sunday, I called and was told that the available time was 6:00 pm, so I made a reservation. This was our second visit as a couple. The restaurant is small, so table seating is limited. This time we were seated in a small corner table, but there were also groups of four seated at two-person tables. If the timing is right, two people can also have a spacious dining experience. We ordered a half bottle of Chardonnay (2000 yen), simmered duck (650 yen), eel rolls x2 (1080 yen), steamed egg custard with shark fin (1340 yen), and eel rice bowls x2 (8400 yen). The eel had a golden color and was fluffy. Personally, I found the grilling a bit lacking in crispiness compared to a previous experience at a restaurant in Nagoya, but it was still delicious. The rice under the eel was packed tightly and had a firm texture, which paired well with the fluffy eel. Overall, it was enjoyable, but I might prefer the eel bowl from a restaurant in Chofu.

Whenever I feel like eating eel, I always visit Mr. Noda Iwa in Shimokitazawa. You need to write your name in the reservation book placed in front of the store before it opens, and then line up in front of the store again, so if you come from a distance, you need to come early. As for the eel, I always order the combo of grilled eel and white eel. The eel is fluffy and fragrant, and it goes well with beer even during the day. I also enjoy the eel liver as a snack. And let's not forget the eel omelet. It takes a little time, but this omelet with generous eel inside is a must-have when visiting Mr. Noda Iwa. The restaurant was very busy this day, but the staff provided excellent service and gave us the best hospitality. Thank you for the wonderful meal.