食の宝庫
I learned about this restaurant from a booklet introducing the neighborhood. Last week, I told my gourmet colleagues at work, and one of them went on a "reconnaissance" mission right away. Their feedback on the large shrimp tempura rice bowl (priced at 1,680 yen including tax) was "I was the only customer. But it's tastier than Tsuna****." Intrigued, I decided to try it out myself on the last working day before summer vacation, heading there around 11:45 am. I have been working in this area for about 20 years, excluding a brief departure in Heisei 5, so I consider myself quite familiar with the place. However, upon arriving in front of the hotel where this restaurant is located, I found myself struggling to recall what used to be there. Across the street is the "Tokyo Business Hotel," where I used to frequent the lunch buffet for a while because it was affordable and satisfying. But I had completely forgotten about this place. The hotel entrance exudes a calm and pleasant atmosphere. Upon entering, the restaurant "Kakatoujou" is located on the left. I decided on the "Tempura and Rice Bowl Set" (priced at 1,500 yen) as I love tempura. As soon as I entered, a female staff member asked, "Are you the one with a reservation?" taking me by surprise. I replied, "No, do I need a reservation for lunch?" and was guided to a seat at the back. The interior of the restaurant, with its high ceiling and well-spaced tables, including a counter, provides a sense of openness. There were only two other groups of customers at the time. There was nothing on the table, giving off a too-clean impression. Another very friendly staff member took my order. A cold tomato salad was promptly served, which was refreshing and delicious, especially on a hot day. After about 7-8 minutes, the Tempura and Rice Bowl Set arrived. The tempura was incredibly large. There was a detailed explanation provided - half should be eaten with salted dipping sauce, and the other half in a hittsumabushi style. Cutting the large tempura in half with chopsticks was quite a challenge, risking the coating falling apart. It may not be suitable for a first date. However, it is worth ordering as the tempura was crispy. The amount of clam was a bit lacking. The red miso soup had a decent flavor, and the side dish was tasty. Opting for the hittsumabushi style left me feeling that the rice portion was not sufficient. When settling the bill, I asked a man who seemed to be the chief, "What used to be here before?" to which he replied, "This place opened in May, so I'm not sure." Overall, I was satisfied with the atmosphere and the meal for a Saturday lunch.

