りょんこ
The lobby activity for a year has started to pay off as the COVID-19 situation calms down a bit, and the senior colleagues at the Osaka office have started taking us to various places. This is one of those places. First time in Tsuruhashi! I followed the senior colleagues to avoid getting lost. ① Exterior, atmosphere, interior: About a 15-minute walk from Tsuruhashi Station, passing through a slightly shady area, which might be a bit intimidating for first-time female visitors. As you walk, you'll see a yellow sign standing alone in a residential area. There is a dark blue noren curtain with the shop name hanging in front of the store, giving it a cool appearance. Inside the store, there are tatami mats (Japanese straw mats) where you sit on cushions. There are low tables with shichirin (charcoal grills) placed on them. The tables are surprisingly low to match the height of the shichirin. The windows are all closed for the sake of the neighbors, and the smoke fills the store. It's so smoky that you might need goggles...and there were actually goggles provided! ② Food: We left it to the senior colleagues, of course. "Salted tongue" was a thick cut with a good bounce and texture. It's juicy, and when you chew, the meat juice oozes out. The saltiness is a bit strong, so it goes well with beer. "Harami" had a generous amount of marinade spread throughout, with a strong presence of the sauce rather than the meat itself. The balance of sweetness from fruits like apples, spiciness from powdered red pepper, and fragrance of sesame oil is good. The harami is tender with no toughness. "Sirloin" has a moderate amount of marbling, allowing you to fully taste the richness of the fat. The fibers are strong, making it a bit difficult to chew, but as expected of sirloin, the more you chew, the more delicious it gets. "Kalbi" was too fatty for me...it would have been better with white rice. "Kimchi" and "Cabbage" were each 300 yen. The kimchi was served as a small side dish with a slightly sweet seasoning. The cabbage was about five leaves, simply cut, but it's a good palate cleanser between bites of meat. "Soup (Egg and Wakame)" tasted as expected, with a slightly salty flavor and a noticeable smell of wakame. All the meats were generous in portion and satisfying to eat. However, the grill replacement is charged from the second time, and the egg and wakame soup being 400 yen felt a bit expensive. It seems that enjoying harami and tongue, among other hormone dishes, is the best way to go here. ③ Staff service: The hall was managed by three veteran female staff members. They handled greetings, guiding to seats, and drink service efficiently. Honestly, their friendliness was not the best, but it was acceptable. There were no particular issues that stood out. ④ Cost performance: Honestly, the meat quality matches the price. However, the generous portion makes it attractive for those with a big appetite. The unique atmosphere of this restaurant is interesting, and it's worth experiencing. In terms of cost performance, it's average. ⑤ Other observations: Alcoholic beverages like beer and makgeolli are also reasonably priced.