タケマシュラン
I felt like eating meat and invited a woman who loves yakiniku to lunch at Toraji. It's conveniently located near Azabu-Juban Station, with a large seating capacity of 62 and open year-round with late-night hours. We were able to use a private room since it was not crowded. The atmosphere was top-notch, especially in the Azabu area. The staff were foreigners, so there were some communication issues, but it added to the charm. They were singing while working, so it seems like a lovely workplace. I ordered the 1,500 yen "Salad & Yakiniku Lunch." It was a low-carb set without rice, but the portion was generous and worth the price. The salad was quite tasty and had a good amount. The vegetable chips added a nice touch of color. The soup was decent, nothing special. I had the "Lean Meat" and "Harami" for my meat. The lean meat was a bit tough and lacked juiciness, not very delicious. The harami was thick-cut and decent. The kimchi and namul were good, especially the squid kimchi on the left. However, my set didn't come with white rice, so my companion kindly shared some with me. She ordered the classic "Yakiniku Set" for 1,700 yen. You can add 300 yen for extra meat. The meat was also not impressive, and we both weren't too satisfied. The rice was delicious, with each grain having a presence. A yakiniku restaurant with tasty white rice will thrive. A smoothie was also included for some reason. It was a strong green smoothie that might divide opinions. We hypothesized that the side dishes might be better than the meat, so we added the "Yakiniku Bibimbap" for 1,300 yen. It had a lot of ingredients compared to the rice, and it looked delicious. It was heavily seasoned, which made us a bit hesitant, but that's how bibimbap is. We mixed it well, creating a crispy rice crust on the stone pot, and it was quite delicious. Yakiniku bibimbap tends to taste similar at different restaurants, but this one stood out with its generous ingredients and satisfying taste. Although a yakiniku restaurant with mediocre meat is like landing a plane at an airport without radar, considering other side dishes and cost-effectiveness, it was a decent lunch. It's spacious and has private rooms, making it ideal for lunch with friends or family.