A buffet restaurant in a residential area of Kyodo serving Japanese and Guinea cuisine. It has been featured in the media and is quite famous. The restaurant is located in a house, with warm service and homemade dishes. The cozy atmosphere makes you feel like you've been there before even if it's your first time. The menu includes a wide range of dishes from tofu and side dishes to gratin and cold noodles. It is recommended for health-conscious people with dishes made from whole grain rice and fresh vegetables. The buffet price is 1,500 yen, and you can also order coffee for an additional charge. It is ideal to take a little bit of each dish on your plate and enjoy everything. Be careful not to overeat just because the food is delicious.

I watched "The Lonely Gourmet" and thought I'd like to visit someday, so I called in the morning on the day of my visit and easily made a reservation for the earliest time slot at 11 am. The restaurant was located in a residential area, and after a bit of a mix-up with the train routes, I finally arrived. The restaurant was like visiting a friend's house, with a cozy atmosphere and a large table where I could enjoy a buffet-style meal. The homemade Japanese dishes were delicious, and I particularly enjoyed the Mafer, a slightly sweet and spicy African stew. The hospitality of the Guinean owner and his wife made me feel right at home. I am grateful for their warm welcome and delicious food.

Masina Messina (1-9-5 Miyasaka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo) is the 80th restaurant visited in the series "The Solitary Gourmet." This restaurant was featured in Season 7, Episode 2, where Inogashira Goro visited for a solo buffet experience. The restaurant is located in a residential area, and the only landmark nearby is the signboard on the house's exterior that reads "macina Masuda." Upon arrival, guests are greeted by a waiting area outside, and the buffet costs 1,500 yen for a 90-minute dining experience. The interior features a living room with table seating and tatami seating on the right. The buffet is the only menu option available, making it easy for diners to choose what to eat.

The simple buffet dishes are all delicious and I always end up eating too much. Especially the miso soup, African sauce over rice, simmered eggplant, pickled vegetables, and sweet omelette are all delicious.

The miso soup is delicious from the start. It has plenty of dried bonito flakes inside, yet it has a refined and intense umami flavor. The miso soup alone is worth experiencing. Oh, the weekend and holiday buffet is great. It makes you want to go back for more. It's a bit pricey, but the taste is worth it. The only downside is the cost, but in terms of cost performance, there are no surprises. The taste was surprising. I have been there many times, and it is a wonderful restaurant that is friendly and welcoming to families with children.

The restaurant was very cozy with a nice atmosphere. The buffet-style food was delicious and served with care. I would like to visit again and definitely want to try it with some drinks! The only downside is that the location is quite hard to find.

I was very satisfied with the delicious meal I had in a calm restaurant setting.

Today, I made a reservation and had lunch at "Massina Messina". The appearance of the restaurant is like a regular house in a residential area. Without a sign, you wouldn't know it was there. They have 4 seating times a day with a capacity of 14 people per seating. This time, there were 12 people as 2 were absent. When the time came, the owner opened the door for us. It costs 1,500 yen (tax included) for a 90-minute dining experience. However, I was surprised to find out that the dishes were not all ready at the start. In this restaurant, it's not like a typical buffet where you can go back for more. Instead, you need to share the dishes with everyone at your table. It requires some cooperation among diners. I made the mistake of taking too much of the "Seaweed Taramosalata" and missed out on the "Gratin". The dishes were a bit on the salty side, but overall, they were tasty and well thought out. Just be careful not to overeat in the beginning, as you might not have room for the later dishes.

In the season of fresh greenery, how are you all doing? Currently, "The Lonely Gourmet" Season 7 has aired up to episode 7. This time, the destination is from episode 2. From Shinjuku, take the Odakyu Line Express for 11 minutes to Kyodo in Setagaya Ward. It's an 8-minute walk from the south exit of Kyodo Station. The restaurant is in a residential area, so it's easy to overlook. Nearby, there is a slope where Matsushige Yutaka's hungry scene was filmed (personally named "Hungry Slope"). The restaurant, Massina Massina, is like a house and operates in a buffet style. I made a reservation by phone two weeks in advance to avoid crowds. There are a total of 19 dishes. The restaurant is run by an African male staff member and a Japanese female staff member. Children's dragonfly paintings are displayed in the refrigerator. The paintings were full of points to make fun of (adults might want to tease the artist). The dishes I ate from the buffet were: Mixed grain rice, Mafe (African stew), Cucumber with salt koji, Miso stir-fried eggplant, Rolled omelet, Broccoli salad, Taramo salad, Mock crab croquette, Curry Doria, Gratin, Cold Chinese noodles, Pork shabu-shabu, Grilled mackerel with salt, Okra with sesame dressing, Pickled Chinese cabbage, Miso soup, Edamame, Tofu, Asparagus, Curry-flavored kinpira burdock. Among them, my top 5 favorites were: 1. Mafe & mixed grain rice - Mafe, an African stew, with a tomato flavor that spreads well. It went perfectly with the mixed grain rice. 2. Rolled omelet - Looks like French toast, soft and very sweet. 3. Taramo salad - Addictive when eaten. The seaweed adds a nice touch. Good in both color and taste. 4. Okra and myoga with sesame dressing - A dish where the slimy texture of okra and the flavor of sesame mix in your mouth. Goes well with mixed grain rice. 5. Curry-flavored kinpira burdock - I eat burdock often, but the curry flavoring was novel. I conquered all 19 dishes. They were all delicious. I enjoyed the buffet in a homely atmosphere and was very satisfied.

Season 7 of "The Solitary Gourmet" has started. I missed the first episode as I was chasing after Sakura instead of Goro-san. I called around 10 a.m. the next day after watching the preview for episode 2, but couldn't get through. Finally, I was able to make a reservation after the restaurant opened. The restaurant is located near Kyodo Station. You walk straight on Nodo-dori from the south exit of Kyodo Station, cross the signal at the entrance of Kyodo Station, and turn left. You will soon find it on the 7th street on the right, with a green awning that says "Petit" on the corner. You take off your shoes at the entrance, put on slippers, and proceed to the dining area. The dining area has a large table for 8 people, and a sunken kotatsu-style table for 6 people in the Japanese-style room, giving a cozy atmosphere like visiting a regular home for a meal. I had the following items: - Buffet for 1500 yen It runs from 11:00 to 12:30, with 4 rotations. I tried all 18 dishes, including pork shabu with okra and myoga sesame dressing, miso-fried eggplant, imitation crab salad, broccoli and crab stick salad, nori and cod roe salad, cucumber and paprika marinated dish, curry-flavored kinpira burdock, pickled Chinese cabbage, asparagus, salt-grilled mackerel, salad, cold Chinese noodles, grain rice doria, pasta gratin, sweet omelette, edamame, tofu, chicken spicy tomato stew with grain rice, and miso soup with fried tofu and tofu. Everything was delicious, and the cucumber was surprisingly tasty. The radiant smile of the wife seemed to be the secret ingredient that made the dishes so enjoyable. The wife even answered the phone for reservations while I was dining, showing a calm and welcoming attitude despite the recent broadcast. Reservations are recommended, but the restaurant is very easy to visit. The next episode will feature Salsita in Hiroo, so I will visit after the broadcast.

Sometimes I hear about old folk house restaurants or hidden restaurants, but this one is just a regular house. Well, I think it's a house from the late Showa era, so maybe that's why it's called a Showa-era folk house restaurant. It's located in a residential alley far from the bustling downtown area, a street I've never walked on in the nearly 60 years I've lived in this town. There's only an easel-shaped sign at the entrance of a normal house. When I opened the door like visiting a long-lost relative's house, there were plenty of slippers lined up. When I called out, an old lady came out from the back. I was led into a large "restaurant" that was completely empty. It was already past 12:30, but there was no lunch buffet as advertised. The old lady said, "We start cooking when customers arrive." And since we had arrived, she started cooking in the kitchen. She was alone, so it was a slow process. The dishes gradually appeared, and unable to wait, we started helping ourselves from what was ready. There were about 15 dishes in total. Among them, the Guinea-style curry stood out with its unique spices that I had never tasted before. Perhaps because her husband is from Guinea. However, her husband was not at the restaurant. We savored the delicious asparagus and miso-stewed eggplant multiple times, but it was quite a challenge for two people to eat from a buffet. I wondered if it was okay to leave so much uneaten. It felt like being told by a relative, "Eat as much as you like," but wouldn't it be better to order individual dishes? I couldn't help but worry. The number of customers may vary from day to day, but we had the place to ourselves until the end. Nevertheless, the food was delicious, so I understand why people would come despite the distance and inconvenience. I'll drop by occasionally to see how it is.

The Ma-shina Me-shina is a beloved restaurant in Kyodo, loved by both locals and visitors. I have been there many times and this time, I enjoyed their Asian buffet after a long time. Their daily lunch specials are always delicious, and I particularly love their fish dishes. They offer a buffet style from 11:30 to 14:00 and their regular menu from 14:00 to 18:00. The African cuisine they serve is also a nice touch. Today, I left the restaurant feeling full and satisfied. Thank you!

The nearest station is Miyanozaka Station on the Setagaya Line. It's a bit hard to find. It's located in a residential area, and it looks just like any other house, so until the sign is placed outside the gate at the opening time of 11:30, it's hard to tell where it is. I found this restaurant on Tabelog and I've always wanted to go. I thought the buffet was only available on weekends and holidays, but it turns out they also have it on weekdays. I was really looking forward to the daily lunch set. The buffet had a lot of variety and they kept bringing out freshly made dishes while saying "It's ready!". Everything was delicious, but I'm not a fan of the style where everyone gathers around with their plates every time they say "It's ready!". I wasn't sure how long it would continue. They didn't have any alcohol on the menu either. When I decided to end it at a random point, they kindly asked, "We still have more coming out. Are you full yet?" It was delicious.

I visited Masina Messina for the first time. The exterior looked like a house, with an open entrance that made me unsure if I should go in. Upon entering, there was a Japanese-style room with a sunken kotatsu table and a Western-style room with an 8-seater dining table. The husband, who appeared to be African, welcomed me and explained the restaurant's system. The menu included dishes like tamagoyaki, asparagus, edamame tofu with wasabi salt, brown rice, bamboo shoot rice, gratin, a dish similar to shepherd's pie, two types of African curry, grilled tuna collar, and burdock. Drinks were all-you-can-drink. The atmosphere felt like being at home. Personally, I prefer set meals over all-you-can-eat options because I can't eat a lot. There were regular customers enjoying wine alone, taking their time. I look forward to returning to try other menu items.

In mid-January, I decided to visit the university alone and went to "Massina Messina", a place I had been curious about for a while, for lunch. As other reviewers have mentioned, it was a bit difficult to find at first. The exterior gives off a vibe of a café run by someone in the countryside. It took a bit of courage to enter. Inside, I was surprised to see a black staff member in a Japanese-style house. The interior felt like an old Japanese home, giving me a sense of nostalgia. I ordered the Keema Curry (with free large size, 800 yen), which had plenty of minced meat with raisins as an accent, served with lots of lettuce and multigrain rice. It had a cafe-like feel to it. I was intrigued by the 1000 yen daily special set meal (like a bento) that other customers were ordering, so I plan to revisit soon.

[2011/12] "Second home" lol. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, they have a buffet style. All you can eat for 2000 yen. For children, it's 1000 yen. No more waiting lines, it's really nice now. [2011/9] Visited alone after a long time. Spent about 5 hours relaxing on a holiday afternoon. If you want to enjoy leisurely, I recommend visiting around 2 or 3 pm. [2011/3] Japan's best hidden gem restaurant! Worried about the impact after being featured on TV, but the food was as great as always. Had the keema curry. [2010/9] Lunch meeting at Masimeshi. Had an interesting group of friends visiting today! Our friend, Wandasun, an Ethiopian. Masimeshi used to have a shop in Akasaka, and that's how Wandasun and Masimeshi are acquainted. African dishes kept coming out. Wandasun, a very Japanese-like Ethiopian, insisted on "rice and eggs for breakfast!" Then, Jonas, another handsome Ethiopian who works at a safari, joined us. Three African friends relaxing in a Japanese-style room was quite amusing! Wandasun's usual rapid-fire talk was in full swing! They also shared various unique customs of African tribes (too amazing to write about!). We drank wine from a bottle and had a lively time from noon. The restaurant kept serving a huge amount of food like salads, chilled Chinese noodles, keema curry sandwiches, which didn't feel like a lunch. Also had Masimeshi's special dessert, which was delicious! Had a fun lunch for about 3 hours until a little after 5 pm. Once again, I was healed. [2010/07] Had the daily special set for the first time today! So many dishes and a well-balanced nutritious meal. It was amazing. [2010-01] Had lunch in Kyodo yesterday. Went with some blogger friends. The restaurant is Masimeshi in Kyodo. Located in a quiet residential area about 10 minutes walk from Kyodo station. Ordered the African sauce set. The side dishes were served in beautiful dishes in small portions. The gentle flavors were soothing. And the African sauce, a dish from Guinea, Masimeshi's hometown. Delicious! The sauce had a spicy kick. Plenty of vegetables and rice, so I ate a lot. Also tried the sticky beef bowl. Spent about 3 hours in the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant, forgetting the passage of time. Had a memorable moment. Thank you, everyone!

In a residential area in Setagaya, there is a rather mysterious restaurant. The restaurant is almost like a home, both in its structure and its diverse range of cuisine, or lack of particular focus. After reading reviews from others, I was intrigued by the African sauce and Keema curry, so I decided to visit. The location is around Kyodo? Miyasaka? It's located in a residential area off the street connecting Chitose-Funabashi Station to Miyasaka Station, near Seagull Academy Girls' High School. As I wandered around thinking, "Is there a restaurant here?" a sign suddenly appeared on the roadside, indicating that this was the place. You take off your shoes at the entrance of a regular house, change into slippers, and open the dining room door, where you first meet Mr. Massina. Since there is no guidance up to this point, it can be a bit unsettling. However, once you meet Mr. Massina, he warmly guides you to your seat with a friendly smile. The interior of the restaurant is just like a typical living, dining, and kitchen area in an ordinary household, with a tatami room and a dining room connected. The tatami room has a sunken kotatsu table, and the dining room has a 6-person dining table and a 2-person table. The interior is lined with antique-style Japanese elements, creating a calm atmosphere. The kitchen is about the same size as a regular household, so perhaps due to the inability to handle large groups at once, it takes a little time for the food to be served after ordering. African sauce set: The ingredients are chicken and eggplant. They are simmered until tender and seasoned with chili sauce. It is simple, but the taste of the ingredients comes through well, and the balance of spiciness with the chili sauce is just right. I quite like the flavor, but I wish there was a bit more sauce as I prefer to thoroughly mix the rice and sauce. On the left half of the plate is a salad with mayonnaise dressing, which is a nice balance of rice and vegetables. Keema curry: It is well stewed, bringing out the flavors of the meat and vegetables. The spices used here are mild in spiciness, with a strong impression of richness and saltiness. The raisins, which can be divisive, are a yes for me. They add a touch of sweetness that slightly mellows the saltiness, creating a different flavor profile. There is an ample amount of roux. This set also comes with miso soup, dessert (ice cream), and tea for 800 yen, which I think is quite a good deal. The daily lunch set, consisting of one rice, one soup, and eleven side dishes, is also a generous portion for 1000 yen. The casual and homely customer service makes it very comfortable to be there. I feel like I could end up staying longer than planned. I would like to come back again to relax.