ちょっと割高ではあるが、一つひとつ手間の掛けられた肴たち。地酒を伴に、過ごす国分町の夜。 : Ko utarou

[Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture] Monday, July 14, 2014 Izakaya (Japanese-style bar) in the entertainment district of Kokubuncho. The main store is in Izumi Chuo, and this seems to be a branch. Open until midnight. It's located on the west side of Kokubuncho-dori, near where "Ramen Kokugikan" used to be. However, I don't know when the Kokugikan was there, so it doesn't really ring a bell... Like other reviewers, I find the catchphrase "Delicious food available" rather dubious (lol). The restaurant has high ratings, so I thought it couldn't be that bad, so I went in alone. There are eight seats at the counter. There is a private room in the back that is nicely separated, and by combining three rooms, it is possible to hold a banquet for up to 20 people. There were two customers at the counter. There were one or two other groups. Perhaps because it was Monday, the restaurant wasn't very crowded. There were three clean-looking chefs in the kitchen, and two women in the dining area. The restaurant is a friendly, pure Izakaya (Japanese-style bar) type, with no particularly stylish gimmicks or anything like that. On display next to the counter are the signatures of legendary K-1 fighter Andy Fugu and Tsugaru dialect talent Ina Kappei. In addition to having a license to cook fugu, there is also a purchase certificate for "Keiji," a rare type of salmon. I've heard it's a luxury item with a taste similar to fatty tuna, and it's probably only on the menu when it's in stock. The menu is extremely varied. The fun of choosing is the real pleasure of Izakaya (Japanese-style bar).・Salted bonito tataki ・Boiled octopus ・Hoya vinegar ・Sujiko ginjo kasuzuke ・Simmered whelk ・Grilled eggplant in soy sauce ・Thick shiitake mushrooms grilled in soy sauce ・Fried natto wrapped in grated yam ・Dashimaki tamago ・Turnip with crab sauce ・Fried river crab ・Fried dried baby loach ・Boiled sardines with plum ・Gintara-yaki ・Salted and grilled Iwai chicken with yuzu pepper ・Sangen pork with green onion and ponzu sauce ・Sangen pork miso kasuzuke ・Grilled beef thigh with ponzu sauce ・Meat tofu ・Yamaimo okonomiyaki ・Clam soup etc. Our selection of sake is as follows: [Miyagi] Houyou ・Kenkonichi ・Wataya ・Suminoe ・Hidakami ・Atago no Matsu ・Yamawa ・Urakasumi [Tohoku] Juyondai ・Densake ・Hiroki ・Tohokuizumi ・Izumi Judan ・Toyosaka ・Kariho [Other prefectures] Kubota, Kuroryu, Brewer Kuheiji, Tengu Mai, Akitora ------------------------------------------------ ■Draft beer (¥550), appetizer (¥270) Suntory Premium Malt's. The appetizer is boiled okra. The saltiness is just right, and the dashi is well-seasoned, so you can tell from the first dish that this is a restaurant with a lot of talent. ------------------------------------------------ ■Simmered mackerel (¥900) The acidity is very light, and the mild flavor makes the most of the umami of the fat. With just the right amount of saltiness, it goes without saying that you should switch to sake. ------------------------------------------------ ■Izumi Judan Ginjo (Mokkiri ¥760) A special version of Yamagata's famous sake "Dewazakura." The rice is Miyamanishiki, and the sake is dry, brewed with Yamagata yeast. ------------------------------------------------ ■Various asparagus (¥800) "Various" means that it can be served raw, grilled, Tempura, and in many other ways. I ordered Tempura tempura here. The light and crispy texture of the asparagus was fully utilized. ------------------------------------------------ ■Tosa tofu (¥650) I ordered this dish, which I had never heard of, assuming it was probably made with bonito. It was deep-fried tofu, with a very thin batter and completely covered with bonito flakes. It was served piping hot, just after it was made. From inside, the lightly flavored pure white tofu appeared. The crispy exterior and hard texture were the best treats! ------------------------------------------------ ■Hoyo Junmai (¥630) The oldest surviving sake brewery in Miyagi. A well-balanced sake that is neither sweet nor spicy, with just the right amount of flavor. ------------------------------------------------ ■Slowly simmered egg and radish (¥500) I wondered what kind of dish it was, and it was literally "egg and radish". It felt like they had just taken out two items from an oden. The daikon is so juicy that it almost feels a shame to even put your chopsticks in it. The soothing dashi soy sauce flavor is comforting. Contrary to the dark appearance of the soup, it is not overly salty, and the deliciousness of the dashi stock makes it satisfying to eat. However, if you think of it as oden, 500 yen for two dishes is a bit pricey... ------------------------------------------------ The bill was 5,060 yen. Considering the amount of food and drink, I think it is relatively expensive, but the Tempura was well fried and the mellow taste of the marinated mackerel was also satisfying. There were many other interesting menu items. Taking into account the cost performance, it is not a particularly outstanding restaurant, but it is a restaurant that you will not regret going to, and it is a sure thing that you will not regret going to.