In a residential street, there is a luxurious courtyard with greenery and glass walls where you can relax. I visited around 3:00 PM, so I could truly enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. The rice was freshly cooked and delicious. I think I had about three cups of it. Lastly, I had ochazuke with dashi. There were various side dishes to enjoy as well. This kind of dining experience would make any woman happy.

I visited for lunch. I made a reservation in advance. I had the Hakata mentaiko set meal. It seems that if you make a reservation, they will cook the rice according to that reservation. Without a reservation, it takes about 20 minutes. It was almost full on a weekday lunch. It seems better to make a reservation. I enjoyed a variety of side dishes, freshly cooked rice, and mentaiko. Finally, I poured dashi over it for a tea-steeped rice dish. I was able to enjoy a leisurely meal while looking at the greenery in the courtyard.

Yamaya's mentaiko is incredibly delicious, with a unique production method and carefully selected ingredients that will captivate you with just one bite. It has a mild spiciness, melts in your mouth, and has a rich umami flavor that spreads. The thick and chewy texture of the mentaiko is completely different from any you've had before. The unique smell is also somewhat subdued, making it easy to eat while still maintaining an authentic taste. Additionally, this restaurant offers three different ways to enjoy it, and the combination with egg and dashi soy sauce is exquisite.

I arrived a little earlier than my reservation time and started by taking photos of the building, which was very stylish both inside and out. The architecture was interesting, with a square exterior and a circular interior. The dishes, like ochazuke, were all delicious. Reservations are recommended as there are specific time slots, such as 12:00 and 14:00. The service was very polite and the atmosphere was comfortable!

I used it as a cafe during lunchtime on a regular day. I was able to have a luxurious time while being healed by the scenery and talking slowly. The lemon squash was delicious. The slices of lemon were big! The color of the peel was close to orange? I felt their commitment to the lemon. I would like to try having a meal next time. Thank you for the meal.

I visited a stylish building in Shirokan and was intrigued. I ordered the popular mentaiko lunch set for 3000 yen. You order through a QR code on the table. The weather was nice, and it was pleasant to sit at the counter overlooking the beautiful garden. The food took about 10 minutes to arrive. The lunch set was colorful and visually appealing, with various dishes. The freshly cooked rice and mentaiko were delicious, with a rich dashi flavor. The rice was fragrant and soft. My favorite way to eat it was with the half-cooked egg, creating a creamy and flavorful combination with the mentaiko. The other dishes in the set, using fruits tomatoes and local fish from Kyushu, were also delicious. It's a bit pricey, but great for a leisurely and stylish lunch. I'd like to try their pancakes next time. Thank you for the meal. Enjoying a leisurely mentaiko lunch while admiring the garden at Yamaya Sohonten Shirokan Koji.

On March 27th, "Yamaya Sohonten," famous for its mentaiko (spicy cod roe), opened in Shirogane, Fukuoka City. Even before its opening, it was a hot topic. The stylish exterior with a prominent black fence catches the eye. There are two shops - "Shirogane Koji" where you can have lunch and "Zeni," which requires a complete reservation for dinner. "Zeni" offers dishes supervised by Mr. Zaiyu Hasegawa from the two-star Michelin restaurant "Den" in Tokyo. "Shirogane Koji" offers lunch without the need for a reservation. Upon entering the store, the first thing that catches the eye is the "inner garden," which is lovely. On the left side, they also sell mentaiko and other items. On the right, there are counter seats and table seats with a view of the inner garden, and when I arrived around 12:30, about 70% of the seats were already taken. I was guided to a counter seat where I could see the inner garden. This atmosphere is nice. They served roasted green tea and kept refilling it. Except for sweets, there are two types of meals available - "Hakata Mentaiori ~ Gohzen ~ (3,000 yen including tax)" and "Hakata Mentaiori ~ Seafood Bowl ~ (2,000 yen including tax)." I wanted to have the Gohzen, but they explained that it would take 20-30 minutes for the rice to be ready, so I chose the "Seafood Bowl." I ordered using a QR code on my phone. The "Hakata Mentaiori ~ Seafood Bowl ~ (2,000 yen including tax)" was served in about 6-7 minutes. When I opened the lid, it was beautiful. In the center, there was a large "kuruma prawn," fresh mentaiko, sea bream from Genkainada, "Mahachi," and homemade soy sauce-marinated salmon roe. It looked like a jewelry box. The prawns were sweet. It was delicious to enjoy the fresh mentaiko with shiny white rice. There was also a side dish of "pickled white onions," which was delicious. The miso soup had grated daikon in a "mizore" style and tasted good. The coffee (usually 770 yen, but discounted to 440 yen as a set) was made using Japan's first hot air roasting machine. It was a mild and delicious coffee, perfect for after the meal. The lovely atmosphere made it taste even better. Next time, I would like to try the "Gohzen" with more time and I am curious about the evening dishes as well.

When it comes to Fukuoka Prefecture, which ranks high in the "ranking of prefectures you want to visit for tourism," it is natural that there will be an increase in restaurants offering dishes that appeal to tourists. I recently visited a hidden gem of a restaurant called "Shirogane Kojiro," run by the makers of mentaiko (spicy cod roe) known as "Yamaya." The restaurant, with its black exterior and small white sign, offers a reservation-only dining experience featuring seasonal Kyushu cuisine at "ZEN" and a casual lunch option at "Shirogane Kojiro." Upon arrival at 11:45, I found the 30-seat dining area with a circular courtyard that could be viewed from any seat, filled with sophisticated ladies who seemed to be residents of the surrounding apartment buildings. After a brief 25-minute wait, I was seated and presented with two dishes: "Hakata Mentai Oroshi (grated spicy cod roe) - Gozen" and "Hakata Mentai Oroshi - Kaisen Don (seafood bowl)," along with two types of Shirogane Castella for dessert or a cafe time treat. I was drawn to the prawn atop the seafood bowl, which exuded elegance. While the presentation was not extravagant, the diced sea bream and amberjack, along with the mentaiko, were a testament to the freshness of the long-established maker. The boiled prawn was sweet, and the sashimi had a delightful firm texture. The dish could be enjoyed as is, but the addition of tea broth for ochazuke enhanced the umami and aroma of the fish bones and kombu, while the wasabi added a kick. The pickled leeks served on the side were not only unique but also provided a sweet, tangy, and crispy palate cleanser.

Today, I had plans to attend a shareholder meeting of a certain company, so I decided to check the location about 2 hours in advance. (Am I too cautious? Can't help it, it's just my personality.) After confirming the location, I felt relieved and decided to take a coffee break at a cafe nearby. As I was wandering around, I stumbled upon a certain establishment - a large wooden building in a residential area with 5-6 people lining up outside. At first, I couldn't tell what kind of building it was, but when I saw small letters (not really a sign) that read "Yamaya Headquarters," I thought it might be the company's main office. I passed by initially, but then became curious and did some research on Tabelog. Turns out it's a restaurant. (It was just about to open) It opens at 11:00, a bit early for lunch, but why not? I decided to join the line. About 5 minutes before opening, the door was opened, and I entered the building. Inside, there was a garden right at the entrance (with dining booths, souvenir corner, cashier, and another restaurant surrounding the garden). The garden is designed to have flowers blooming all year round, with different flowers blooming according to the season. Lovely! The staff guided each person in line to their seats. The lunch menu consisted of 2 main dishes, 2 desserts, and some drinks available as a set for 440 yen. I chose the "Hakata Mentaiko Rice Bowl" for 3,000 yen and a coffee for 440 yen (it's a special coffee roasted with a hot air roaster... a bit exaggerated but it's usually 770 yen, so it's a good deal). I ordered by scanning a QR code with my smartphone, a modern way of ordering. While waiting, I enjoyed the garden view. It would have been perfect if there were birds around, but today there were none. In summer, butterflies might come here. I hope no bees show up. The "Onion Soup" arrived, served in a cup without a spoon, so I had to drink it directly from the cup. It was a thick and delicious soup. Then, the main course arrived - a total of 12 dishes including freshly made mentaiko, onsen tamago, and sauces. Finally, a freshly cooked rice pot was served. The rice was from Fukuoka, very shiny and slightly sweet, perfect on its own. Each dish was delightful and visually appealing. Surprisingly, the tofu was really tasty. The sashimi with different sauces was delicious too. It was a luxurious experience to enjoy various ingredients in small portions. Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy the ochazuke as I ran out of rice. I tried to drink the soup separately, and it was tasty. I asked if I could have more rice, but it wasn't possible. I wish they had offered more rice considering the amount of food. I was interested in the dessert menu, so I definitely want to come back soon. The place was quite busy as it had just opened and it was lunchtime, but it seemed to calm down around 1:00 pm. It may vary depending on the day...

This is 'Shirokane Shoten' in Shirokane, Chuo-ku. Congratulations on the opening of the Yamaya main store in March. On this day, I ate ⚫︎ Hakata mentaiko weave set meal for 3000 yen ⚫︎ Hakata mentaiko weave seafood bowl for 2000 yen The rice in the set meal was freshly cooked and piping hot! There were many side dishes to choose from, so it was fun to decide what to eat first. I started by eating the piping hot mentaiko with rice - delicious! Then I had egg over rice, and since there was also sashimi, I finished with a seafood bowl. It had a savory broth, making it perfect for making ochazuke. I was very full after eating three bowls of rice, so I couldn't try the castella I wanted. It will have to wait until next time. Thank you for the delicious meal!

The seafood and desserts were incredibly delicious and visually appealing. The atmosphere of dining while overlooking the courtyard was so good that I wish I could give a higher rating. However, the menu is limited, so I wish there were more options to choose from.

This place, which opened in 2023, offers the famous mentaiko from "Yamaya." It has a lovely atmosphere with a central courtyard. Orders are placed by scanning a QR code and entering the information yourself. It feels more like having breakfast than lunch here. Enjoy freshly cooked rice topped with mentaiko, it feels like a morning meal. You can also make ochazuke with dashi. It's a shame there is no parking, but I recommend it for lunch gatherings with mom friends.