I visited around 13:30 on a weekday, and was able to sit down without waiting. There were more than 10 people in the restaurant, and they started to put away the condiments shortly after, so I just made it in time for entry. The payment system is to pay at the register before ordering. I ordered the Mori Kawase Special Menchi Katsu Set (with negi-toro). As expected from a long-standing establishment like this one, the portions are generous. However, the taste is also delicious, not just about the quantity. The menchi katsu is juicy with meat juices oozing out. I'll have to try something else next time!

It had a calm atmosphere like a local diner rooted in the area. It was a Saturday, but there were many people related to the University of Tokyo. I was unsure what to order at this kind of diner, so I decided to try the recommended deep-fried chicken. The side dishes and miso soup were also very delicious. The staff said, "It's marinated, but if it's bland, you can add salt," and indeed, the chicken itself didn't have much flavor. However, it was tender and tasty. There were many other menu options, so I'd like to try more in the future.

I chose the special menchi katsu set meal for 980 yen. The toppings included rice, menchi katsu, pickles, macaroni salad, simmered dish, and miso soup. The menchi katsu had a juicy meat filling that went well with the rice. The rice portion was generous and student-friendly for those studying at the University of Tokyo.

This is another popular restaurant in Hongo. It's common to see long lines here. Morikawa is known for its generous portions. Even if you order a half portion of rice, it's still a lot of food as shown in the picture. It's popular among students who want to eat until they're full. The best value is the daily special set meal. While there are many fried options, today's special was refreshing with pork shabu-shabu and negitoro.

The other day, it was announced by the National Personnel Authority that there were 2027 successful candidates in the 2023 National Civil Service Exam for general career positions, and among them, 193 were from the University of Tokyo. It was noted that the number of successful candidates from the University of Tokyo has dropped below 200 for the first time, as elite university graduates are increasingly moving away from public service due to demanding work and frequent personnel changes. Despite this, the University of Tokyo still maintains a significant lead over the second-ranked Kyoto University (118 people). Morigawa, a dining establishment that has been supporting future elite bureaucrats in the heart of the government alongside Hishidaya in Komaba, started as a catering service delivering bento boxes to professors in 1901. The current owner, Mrs. Matsukawa, is the fourth-generation owner of the shop. Located a short walk from the Hongo-sanchome Station, just around the corner from the Hongo Post Office, the restaurant operates on a system where customers place their order and pay at the register before taking a seat. I ordered the Menchikatsu set meal with a side dish of green onions and grated yam (+200 yen) from the menu, which includes options like boiled pork cutlet set meal, tonkatsu set meal (choice of loin or fillet), pork ginger set meal, Morigawa special Menchikatsu set meal, chicken wing gyoza set meal, hamburger set meal, braised pork belly and grated yam set meal, duck and tofu in egg hot pot set meal, and grated yam set meal. The extra-large beef Menchikatsu had a crispy coating and oozed with flavorful meat juice when I bit into it, making it a surefire hit. The pricing is on the higher side, but the place was filled with what seemed like college students, who seem to be living the high life these days. It was a delicious meal! ｡⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠｡

I visited the restaurant for lunch on a regular day. It was quite crowded and I had to wait in line for a bit before being seated at the counter. The menu was very attractive and I had a hard time deciding... I ended up choosing the hamburger steak set. I paid in advance and was seated, although it may not always be the case. While waiting for my order, I started to second guess my choice, thinking maybe I should have gone with the pork cutlet or chicken instead (lol). The set came with miso soup, pickles, and side dishes like kinpira gobo and simmered vegetables, which were all delicious. The portion of rice seemed to be quite large, so I quickly changed my order to half a portion. When the food arrived, I was surprised at the amount and even asked if it was really a half portion. The staff confirmed and mentioned that opting for half rice would be 50 yen cheaper. I guess they measure the rice carefully. The side dishes were so tasty that I ended up eating all the rice, despite the large portion. Oh, and the hamburger steak was a simple and homey dish. I think the restaurant is located in an area that used to be called Morikawa-cho in the past. The restaurant's name might have something to do with that.

Freshly made hot menchi-katsu miso soup is also super hot (laughs). Today, I chose negitoro instead of a small side dish. I put the negitoro on top of the rice, make a hole, pour in some green onions, wasabi, and soy sauce, mix it all together, and eat it (laughs). I think I can finish a whole bowl of rice with negitoro! The menchi-katsu is juicy and meaty, freshly fried and piping hot. Be careful not to burn your upper palate when eating in a hurry (laughs). Another satisfying meal at Morikawa Dining.

Daily special set meal - braised pork and cream croquette for 930 yen including tax, but with the support policy in Bunkyo Ward, it was 100 yen off, so it was 830 yen. I was also interested in the grilled eel, but ended up choosing this one. You have to order and pay at the cashier first. I waited in line for about 10 minutes. It's been a while since I had braised pork. The broth was light. The croquette that came with it was small, I thought it was a potato croquette, but it might be squid ball fry. There seem to be many foreign exchange students. The staff's customer service was very pleasant, it was a nice restaurant.

The restaurant was empty after 8:00 p.m. It is unclear when the last order is, but it's advisable to arrive by around 8:20 p.m. They were still welcoming customers even after turning off the lights of the sign outside. The words on the sign, "With Tokyo University students since the Meiji era," somehow resonated with me. Despite having no connection to Tokyo University, haha. The menu consists of set meals and rice bowls, with over 30 options available. The "Minced Cutlet Set Meal" I had this time left a very reasonable impression in terms of volume and quality. The generous minced cutlet with juicy meat, served with a plentiful portion of rice (slightly softer than my preference, with a slightly stronger stickiness) was a delight. The combination of the sweet meat and the medium-thick sauce mixed together creates a flavorful broth that makes consumption quite enjoyable, haha. Additionally, the coarse breading was crispy. Although the meat itself was oily, the breading had good oil drainage. By the way, the side dish included hijiki seaweed and lotus root. If you change this side dish to Negitoro, it will cost an additional 200 yen, making it 1,180 yen. *a) Situation: - Visited on a weekday in May 2023 around 8:10 p.m. - No waiting time - Seated at a window-side table for four b) Service: - Adequate. The older ladies were efficient. c) Order: - Mori River Special Minced Cutlet Set Meal (with side dish) @ 980 yen including tax ex) Photography: - Nikon Z7II × NIKKOR Z 26mm f/2.8 - iPhone 12 mini

After about a year, I revisited Hongo Sanchome (lol)!! I was inspired to visit once due to the activities of the Katsudon Circle on Facebook and the introduction on a certain TV show (lol)!! Looking back, when I visited in August 2020, it seemed like they were on a temporary break or summer vacation? I had to leave reluctantly (cries)!! Today, I finally made my first visit (lol)!! Upon arrival, there was already a line. It makes sense that it's a popular place with the University of Tokyo nearby (lol)!! There was a sign at the entrance saying to order at the register first. It's a pre-payment system (lol)!! Water is self-service. The menu is extensive. On my first visit today, I chose the special Menchi Katsu Negi Toro set (lol)!! After sitting down, it arrived after a while (lol)!! The Menchi Katsu is huge (lol)!! I read in a previous post that it's best to eat the Menchi Katsu without any sauce (lol)!! First, I cut the Menchi Katsu in half. Juices overflowing. I ate it without sauce. It was delicious with the freshly fried and piping hot Menchi Katsu, and the well-seasoned meat juices overflowing in my mouth were irresistibly delicious (lol)!! The Menchi Katsu claiming to be special was delicious even without sauce (lol)!! I enjoyed the Negi Toro and Menchi Katsu, a slightly luxurious set meal until the end (lol)!! I also took a photo of the menu hanging on the wall inside. The pork belly stew and Negi Toro set, as well as the shrimp fry and hamburger set, will definitely be delicious without a doubt (lol)!! So, a repeat visit is already decided (lol)!!

I had some errands in Hongo 3-chome and it was lunchtime, so I decided to look for a restaurant nearby on Tabelog. I found a long-standing diner called "Shokudo Morikawa" which has been in business for 125 years, known for serving meals alongside Tokyo University students since the Meiji era. I arrived at the restaurant at 11:23 and there was no line, so I went inside. The restaurant is on the second floor, so I climbed the stairs and entered. There were other customers already seated but there were empty seats available. Since it's a pre-payment system, I looked at the menu at the register and ordered the "Child Halibut Simmered Set Meal for 1,130 yen." I paid and waited at my table. At 11:31, my Child Halibut Simmered Set Meal arrived. It came with child halibut simmered dish, rice, miso soup, a side dish, and pickles. I dug in right away. The child halibut dish had large eggs and was delicious. The rice was plentiful and tasty. The miso soup was hot and delicious. The side dish was a nice palate cleanser. I love pickled radish, so I was happy to see it included. I finished my meal feeling full and satisfied. Thank you for the meal. As I left, I noticed a line forming on the stairs.

I was able to go to this cafeteria in front of the university before the line formed. I ordered the daily special set meal. The quality was high, and both the fried food and tuna were incredibly delicious. I will definitely continue to come back here in the future!! LOL

I had some extra time, so I decided to visit Hongo Sanchome. I took the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, crossed the intersection, walked towards the Akamon direction, turned left at the Hongo Post Office signal, and found the restaurant on the second floor of a building about 30 meters to the left. I was prepared for a long line since it was featured in a magazine last week, but I was the 7th in line at 12:30, and I entered the restaurant after waiting for about 15 minutes. I quickly ordered the minced cutlet set meal as I had already researched the menu options. When asked about the side dish, I slightly panicked and chose the small side dish option. I sat at the counter seat by the wall and observed smart-looking students, elderly people, and foreigners around me. There might be international students from the University of Tokyo here! After waiting for about 10 minutes, the minced cutlet set meal arrived. A fairly large minced cutlet sat in front of me, accompanied by macaroni salad and vibrant spring cabbage. I first tried the minced cutlet without any sauce. The coarse breadcrumbs were a bit hard, but the oil was well-drained, and it was delicious despite being hot. The soy sauce flavor with a Japanese touch was truly fitting for a set meal place. I felt like I could eat as much rice as they could serve! I also tried it with sauce, but I think it's better to eat this minced cutlet without any additional condiments. The small side dish was a dish of radish and carrot simmered with minced meat, giving off a gentle and comforting vibe. Misosoup at most set meal places or diners tends to be rough, but the miso soup here was refined. The rice was slightly on the softer side, but it was not a problem. The portion of the minced cutlet was satisfying, and it was a fulfilling lunch. I might come back just to eat this minced cutlet again. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

I ordered a daily special set meal with simmered mackerel in miso and minced meat-stuffed fried eggplant. I was satisfied with both the taste and portion. The menu is also extensive, which is nice. However, the sea urchin in my friend's sea urchin and tuna bowl had a slightly strong smell of alum, which was not to my liking.

Today, I went to a restaurant recommended for University of Tokyo students that I learned about on TV. I had the chicken karaage set meal and the minced cutlet set meal. The restaurant has a long history but the interior is clean and bright. You order and pay first before taking a seat. The food was delicious.

I visited the super long-established diner "Shokudo Mori River" which was founded in 1901, located a 7-minute walk from Hongo-Sanchome Station near the main gate of the University of Tokyo. I arrived on a Saturday evening at 5 pm and there was no wait. I was able to enter smoothly. I ordered the shrimp fry and hamburger set meal for 1,300 yen at the counter and paid in advance. A voluminous set meal was served in 7-8 minutes, with a large side dish included. The hamburger was shaped like a rice bag, full of the umami of ground meat, and delicious when combined with the nostalgic taste of demi-glace sauce. The shrimp fry was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, very tasty. I enjoyed it until the end. Considering the portion size, it's cost-effective, but is it a bit pricey for university students? Not sure if it matters to University of Tokyo students?

I visited for lunch and ordered the daily special set meal which included bite-sized tonkatsu and ankake tofu. The tonkatsu was surprisingly large for a bite-sized piece and exceeded my expectations. It was crispy and delicious, and paired perfectly with the rice. After enjoying some miso soup, I moved on to the ankake tofu. The sweet and savory sauce gave it a flavor similar to mapo tofu, but with its own unique deliciousness. Despite ordering a regular portion of rice, I left feeling satisfied and full, thanks to the fulfilling lunch experience in this student-friendly area.

Ordered pork cutlet curry for lunch. As usual, it was packed during lunchtime and had to wait for about 20 minutes. When the food arrived after entering the restaurant, it was a huge portion with plenty of white rice, curry sauce, and pork cutlet. The volume was satisfying and it was delicious. Thank you for the great meal.

In front of the main gate of the University of Tokyo, there is a long-established restaurant offering set meals. Today's specials include a hamburger and fried chicken set meal (with half rice for an additional 50 yen) and a Kinmedai simmered set meal. The Kinmedai simmered dish, cooked in a refreshing style, pairs well with white rice. The hamburger, similar to the famous Menchi Katsu, is made with Wagyu minced meat and is very juicy.

I visited "Morigawa," a traditional Japanese set meal restaurant near the red gate of the University of Tokyo. The place has been around since the Meiji era and was bustling with foreign exchange students. I ordered the highly recommended Wagyu minced cutlet, which is fried after ordering, and when it arrived, it was piping hot! My IQ went up by 10 points! (๑･̑◡･̑๑)