Infiniti
Near the main gate, around 1 pm. Like the gourmet loner Inokashira-san, wandering through the alleys relying on his sense of smell... haha This tonkatsu restaurant looks nice... but wait, the sign of the store two doors down catches my eye. "One soup, three side dishes... handmade rice..." It's intriguing. I push open the rattling sliding door and enter. The interior is cozy, with small tables and chairs. Surprisingly, 90% of the customers are women. Feels like I'm out of place haha. "Here you go," the owner guides me to a table diagonally across from another customer. "There's only one menu," the owner says. Of course, I'll have that one. The previous customer finishes their meal, returns their plate to the counter, and assists the owner in serving lunch alone. A nice relationship between the store and the customers. Looking around, I see a refrigerated case with bottles of sake and wine. So, they must be open at night too, right? After a while, the food is served. Looks delicious. And healthy, too. This seems like something women would like. Even a middle-aged guy like me should eat this kind of food instead of just ramen. A vegetable-centric, homemade meal. Simple, delicious flavors that bring comfort. The crunchy texture of cabbage, the comforting taste of carrots and potatoes, the aroma of burdock, warming the stomach with cabbage soup, and feeling happy with white rice. This meal reminds me that everyday meals should be like this, comforting and delicious. I pay at the counter, return the dishes, and it's time to leave. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.