I visited the restaurant around 1:30 pm. It is located on the 2nd floor of Nakano Broadway, with a retro atmosphere reminiscent of the New Shinbashi Building, where specialty stores line up. I was able to enter smoothly as there was not much of a wait. The seating consists of one table and six counter seats, and the space is not very large. The service is not particularly fast, so there may be a wait when it gets crowded. However, the main attraction is the grated yam dish, which I believe I tried for the first time. I ordered the Negitoro and grated yam bowl for around 1300 yen. It was served after about 15 minutes, and the roasted green tea was delicious and suited the slightly cold day and the concept of the restaurant. The clear soup and pickles were served as a set after about 15 minutes. The clear soup was delicious, with a drinkable temperature, the right firmness of ingredients, and just the right amount of saltiness. It might be the best clear soup I've ever had. The pickles were also tasty. The grated yam made from natural yam was different from what I expected, as it was light and fluffy. The flavor that comes later might be different from what is commonly known as nagaimo (long yam). I felt luxurious with the combination of Negitoro and grated yam. The average lunch menu is around 1500 yen, not cheap, but I think it's attractive because you can taste natural yam.

I had natural yam after a long time! It was really delicious♪ Sometimes you need to get your power from things like this, not just workout supplements (lol) The black hanpen also had a nostalgic taste! They recommended eating it while it's warm. The owners are wonderful people, and I could feel their love for cooking, so I could eat it with peace of mind. It's a set meal that I want to eat every day, so it would be appreciated if we could choose the seasoning of the natural yam between normal and light.

The ingredients in the tororo rice were full of flavor, which was nice. Overall, the dish was lightly seasoned and gentle on the stomach, making it perfect for a hangover. I forgot the name, but the gray vegetable tempura-like dish was simple and had a light texture, which was also good.

I casually dropped by a Japanese restaurant and tried a dish made with Shizuoka's specialty, natural yam. It was my first time visiting Nakano Broadway in a while, and I enjoyed the mix of Showa and Reiwa eras. I ordered the Tororo Donburi, which had natural yam, tuna, natto, and seaweed. The combination of the dashi broth and the rich flavor of the natural yam was delicious. Mixing the tuna and natto with barley rice was also very tasty. The Kenchin soup was filled with ingredients like carrots, radish, burdock root, shiitake mushrooms, konnyaku, and chicken. The broth seeped into my body smoothly. The pickled daikon radish at the end was a nostalgic touch. It was so delicious! It was a blissful moment. Thank you! Bowing my head, "Thank you for the meal." Ebisu Shime.

The store opens at 11:30 am. I arrived at 11:20 am on a weekday and was first in line in front of the store, but by the time it opened, there were about 5 groups waiting. I had planned to order the Maruko set meal, but ended up getting the Suruga set meal because I was tempted by the Shizuoka tuna topping. Although there were only two of us, the rice in the o-hitsu (rice container) seemed like it could serve 5 people, which was a bit too much. However, with the delicious tororo (grated yam) on top, we finished it in no time! It was very delicious. The interior of the restaurant mainly consists of a counter and only one table. The owner and the woman working there were very friendly. I will definitely visit again.

As August comes to an end, fatigue recovery meals for summer fatigue are becoming more popular. On a hot Sunday, I chose the restaurant Barley Taro 'Maruko-tei' in Nakano Broadway. The location is a bit obscure, but I found it quickly due to the line forming outside. After waiting for about 30 minutes, I finally entered the restaurant. I ordered the standard 'Maruko' set. Sitting at the quaint counter seats, I enjoyed pouring natural yam tororo over barley rice and savoring it. The combination of the natural yam flavor and the perfect amount of soy sauce was delicious. The kenchin soup, made with chicken and shiitake mushrooms, was also flavorful. Overall, everything I ate at Maruko-tei was incredibly delicious. I usually don't like tororo, but I would definitely want to eat Maruko-tei's tororo soup and kenchin soup again. Thank you for the meal.

- Summary - - Name of the restaurant: Nakano Barley Toroya - Specialty: Tororo (grated yam) with plenty of natural yamaimo (Japanese yam) - Waiting time: 25 minutes (August/Sunday 11:30 am) - Today's menu: - Shimizu: ¥1800 - Set with boiled black hanpen (fish cake) and barley toro rice - Hello and good evening! This is a review from Tabelog with a rating of 3.50 (as of August 2023). It's a restaurant in Nakano specializing in barley tororo with natural yamaimo on the second floor of Nakano Broadway. - Arrival at the restaurant at 11:30 am, there were 7 people waiting outside. Lucky to get a seat. The interior has a retro vibe with 6 counter seats, 2 table seats, and a decorative straw raincoat. - Food served at 11:55 am. Ordered the "Shimizu" which came with plenty of tororo on top of barley rice. The tororo adds a natural flavor that complements the gentle dashi broth. The black hanpen has a unique flavor similar to tsukudani seaweed. - Enjoyed the meal at an affordable price with plenty of natural yamaimo. Thank you for the delicious meal!

I love grated yam on rice. When I was a child, my mouth would itch after eating it, but as I grew up, I became okay with it. I'm not picky about adding egg yolk or not. I enjoy a bowl of rice with tuna, grated yam, mixed natto with egg, and chunky vegetable soup. It feels like eating this once can make you healthy. It's not that convenient, but it feels like my body appreciates it more than eating ramen or greasy food. Sometimes you have to be kind to yourself. When I left the restaurant, there was a long line. Everyone wants to be kind to their body. Mixed grated yam rice bowl: 1550 yen

I arrived at Marikotei, a restaurant I had bookmarked, because there was a line at the entrance. It is known for using yam in their dishes. I ordered the "Suruga" dish which includes marinated tuna. It cost 1,900 yen, which seemed quite expensive for a lunch outside of my usual budget. When the tuna arrived, I felt a bit disappointed as there were only 3 pieces. There was a simpler dish called "Maruko" with a 420 yen price difference. As a penny-pincher, I thought the cost performance was not great. As for the taste, the yam was surprisingly refreshing and easy to eat, despite my preconception of yam being too sticky. It had a delicious natural flavor and a decent portion size. I felt like I could have used a bit more rice though. The pickles were a bit too salty for my taste. The tuna was okay. Personally, I think the "Maruko" dish might be the better choice. Perhaps they could offer a larger rice portion and make it a larger serving, so that you can enjoy the yam more. Overall, it was a decent meal.

Taking it easy, I spent my days visiting various famous restaurants. As my appetite was starting to wane in this season, I decided to visit Maruko-tei to boost my stamina. Located on the 2nd floor of Nakano Broadway, it was my first time visiting. I was initially considering the Maruko set meal, but I was drawn to the Makekoze Don instead. The bowl came with clear soup and pickles. Tuna, natto, and egg - what a delicious combination! And the slimy texture of the yamaimo (Japanese mountain yam) was a perfect match as well!

I was surprised to find this small restaurant with 6 counter seats and 4-person tables on the 2nd floor of Nakano Broadway. I often come here for lunch with my colleagues, and this time I tried the spicy tuna and grated yam bowl with mentaiko. The bowl also came with clear soup and pickles. The mentaiko wasn't too spicy, and it paired well with the grated yam. The grated yam itself had a nice flavor, making the rice go down smoothly. I would like to try the oden next time. I will definitely come back. Thank you for the meal.

A Japanese restaurant located about a 5-minute walk from Nakano Station. When I arrived around 11:45, the place was full with customers finishing up their first round. I got seated about 15 minutes later. I ordered the Suruga lunch set, which came with grated yam, raw tuna, and clear soup. The soup had a gentle flavor without miso. The grated yam had a strong soy sauce seasoning that paired well with the barley rice. I finished three bowls of rice quickly. The raw tuna was delicious, but couldn't beat the grated yam. Next time, I might just go for the grated yam alone.

I always wanted to visit a yam specialty restaurant. The flavor of the 400-year-old tradition from the Maruko Inn along the Tokaido Road, the specialty tea house "Teishiya". You can taste the yam soup made from natural yams in Nakano. It was around 12:30 on a weekday lunchtime, but I was able to enter without waiting in line! Location: About a 6-minute walk from JR Nakano Station, on the 2nd floor of Nakano Broadway, it is a nostalgic subculture space. Interior: The atmosphere is of a Showa era charm. There are 6 counter seats and 4 table seats, mostly counter seats, so it is very small. However, because of this small size, the distance with the staff is close, and it is very exciting to see the cooking process. Order: Maruko barley rice set 1480 yen (yam soup made from natural yams / barley rice in a wooden rice container / simmered hijiki seaweed / clear vegetable soup / pickles / condiments) Impression: Plenty of barley rice in a wooden rice container! It seems like there is enough for more than two people. As written in the store, scoop about 1/3 of the rice into a bowl, pour plenty of yam soup, sprinkle condiments. Lightly dip your mouth into the bowl and enjoy. The yam is very fine and the taste is just right. I was worried if I could finish it, but it was very delicious and easy to eat! The clear vegetable soup is light. The gentle flavor of shiitake mushroom broth is delightful. There are also options like negi-toro yam bowl and maguro (tuna) sashimi bowl, and regular customers seemed to order the bowl dishes. It may be a bit pricey for a daily lunch, but considering it's made from natural yams, it's not that expensive. I was very satisfied with this healthy lunch!

Located on the second floor of Nakano Broadway, this shop specializes in a Shizuoka specialty dish called tororo soup. Many people may be familiar with Hiroshige Utagawa's "The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido," but not as many may know that it refers to the 53 post towns that were established along the Tokaido during the Edo period, spanning from Ibaraki to Mie Prefecture. Mariko, the 20th post town on the Tokaido, was known for its specialty dish, tororo soup. Matsuo Basho even wrote a haiku praising the tororo soup at Mariko. This shop serves tororo soup made from natural yam, accompanied by a set that includes rice in a wooden box, simmered hijiki seaweed, clear soup with vegetables, pickles, and condiments. Location: 5-minute walk from Nakano Station Hours: 11:30-15:30 (Last order at 15:00), open on Sundays Closed on Tuesdays and the 3rd Wednesday of the month Visited during lunchtime on a holiday. Ordered the "Suruga" set for 1900 yen. Nakano Broadway can be reached by walking straight down the Fureai Road from Nakano Station and taking the escalator up to the 3rd floor, not the 2nd floor. Therefore, you need to take the stairs to reach the shop. The popular "Mugi Torogohan set" tends to sell out before the last order at 15:00. The set comes in three variations: "Mariko" with just mugi torogohan, "Suruga" with maguro sashimi from Shimizu Port, and "Shimizu" with Shizuoka's famous black hanpen fish cake. The mugi torogohan was served with plenty of tororo and green onions on top. The mugi rice had a chewy texture on its own, while the tororo was finely grated with a smooth and silky consistency. The soup was clear with chunks of carrot, daikon radish, and taro, along with burdock, konjac, and chicken. It had a rich umami flavor and was healthy and comforting. The maguro sashimi was tender and flavorful, adding to the overall enjoyment of the meal. Eating such nutritious food left a satisfying feeling of well-being.

When I have business at Nakano Sun Plaza, I always stop by this place. Even though I had already decided what to order after a long time coming to the store, I still look at the menu and activate my indecisiveness. I ordered the Suruga, knowing that it would come overflowing on the tray and feeling happy as I ate.

I visited Chujo Broadway after visiting Arai Yakushi with a friend. It was crowded, so we had to wait a bit. The food was delicious, especially the grated yam which had a nice flavor. The kenchin soup was also very tasty. The simmered hijiki was too good to stop eating! I kept asking for refills of tea. I wonder if everyone is okay with just one cup of tea. The delicious grated yam made the rice go down smoothly!

Suruga (Tuna and Barley Rice Set): The barley rice is incredibly delicious with a smooth and creamy texture that makes it easy to eat. I went around 11:40 am on a weekday and was able to get in without waiting. After 12 pm, it started to get crowded, and there were a few people waiting outside the restaurant.

I visited Maruko-tei on the second floor of Nakano Broadway for lunch. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was very calm and nice. I chose the Suruga set, which came with marinated tuna and barley rice. The grated yam was sticky and went perfectly with the barley rice. I also tried eating it with the tuna on top. The clear soup was delicious as well, and I was able to enjoy a lovely and healthy lunch.

It was the kind of place where you think, "I didn't know there was a shop here." The main seating is at the counter, but there are also table seats available! It was a bit small, but the staff were friendly and the food was delicious!! I realized once again how tasty tororo (grated yam) is. The negitoro was also a good match!

I visited around 2:30 pm on a weekday. There were two other customers when I arrived, and shortly after I entered, the curtain was drawn. I ordered the Maruko set, which includes barley rice. It was my first time trying raw yam, and I found it delicious when eaten with the barley rice. However, I couldn't quite distinguish the difference between raw yam and grated yam. The hijiki seaweed and clear soup were also very tasty.