【構えは居酒屋、味は小料理屋】 : Itamaebaru Raibu Fisshu Maketto

An acquaintance called me and I went to a restaurant in the area between Shinjuku and Okubo for the first time in a while. The store's appearance is that of Izakaya (Japanese-style bar) that is easy for young people to enter. Reading the reviews, it seems that the grilled fish set meal for lunch is popular. It seems that Saikyoyaki is their favorite. It seems that they don't do this anymore, but it used to be that they used to kill and dispose of the fish swimming in the tank. I want you to do that again. A restaurant that specializes in fish. I decided to leave the ordering to my acquaintance, who is a regular, and concentrate on eating his recommendations. Toast with the ``Bubbly Lemon Sour'', a slightly luxurious drink made with frozen lemon and sparkling wine. Instead of adding ice, they use frozen lemon to keep the flavor from becoming diluted. That's pretty good. ``Nerimono and taro'' came out on the appetizer. Well, this is a normal plate, neither more nor less than an appetizer. Next up is the restaurant's signature ``assorted sashimi''...the sashimi platter is made with smoke from turban shells, or should I say dry ice. That may catch your eye, but both the flounder and tuna are fresh and delicious. There are 3 types of seasonings available. Three types: squid liver soy sauce, red wine soy sauce, olive oil, and salted seaweed. Basically, you can use these according to your preference, but the staff explained that red wine soy sauce goes well with red meat such as tuna, and olive oil and seaweed go well with white fish. I see, that's how I feel when I eat it. The namero and scallops are fresh and at the level of a high-end restaurant. Next up is the store's best seller, ``Bagna Cauda''...The sauce is made with onions from Awaji Island and Shuto, and has a sour and rich flavor. When you eat it with red bell peppers, paprika, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, lettuce, purple cabbage, etc., the vegetables have a nice crunchy texture and you can feel the freshness, which makes your chopsticks go well. Next up is the limited quantity menu, ``Melty Crab Cream Croquette ~Lots of Tartar Sauce~''...crab cream Croquette with tartar sauce sprinkled on top. Thick and creamy. I would like a little more crab meat and crab flavor, but at 330 yen including tax per piece, I guess this request is selfish. I would like it for 550 yen each. Changed the alcohol to "Sake Lemon Sour (715 yen including tax)". Next came the ``Meat Platter/Saikyo Miso Marinated Grill''...three types of Awao chicken, lamb loin, and mochi pork marinated in Saikyo miso, a recently popular fermented dish, and grilled. It has an elegant sweetness and is delicious, but I think it would be better suited for lunch rather than as an accompaniment to alcohol. The lamb might have been the most delicious. Looks good for the body. The finishing touch is the unique "Flat-Onigiri ball topped with whitebait (979 yen including tax)"...Oh, even though it's a grilled Onigiri, it's not shaped like a triangle, but a disc. I wonder if the soy sauce they use is sea urchin soy sauce?Wrap it in seaweed yourself and eat it. It's full of flavor and delicious. If I had one request, I would like to add some crispy seaweed and roll it myself. Made with a slightly thicker high-quality seaweed. It's still delicious as is, though. I feel like I can expect more taste from this restaurant... The final dessert was “Catalana”…oh. It's a relatively authentic and stylish dessert. I wonder if girls will like it too. It goes without saying that Sweets that has been passed down from ancient times in the Catalonia region of Spain. It has a rich custard flavor, but it's cold so it's refreshing. At the end, I really wanted coffee, but I ended it with tea. I was given a sushi Sushi as a souvenir, which also comes in two types: ``with white fish and shrimp'' and ``with tuna.'' I had it when I got home and was feeling a little hungry. Both are delicious and perfect for a late night snack. I'm probably not the type of person who would normally be drawn in by the entrance of this restaurant, but the taste is decent, so it's good enough for when you're bringing young children or going out to eat with friends. It has the quality of taste of a small restaurant, so I think it's worth it if you can find an opportunity to use it.