A Japanese restaurant that opened in January in Iikura, Sawara-ku. I had seen it on gourmet information on social media before, but I hadn't been able to visit due to the location. One day, while searching through the reservation system on Tabelog, I found out that they were open for lunch, so I decided to visit. I made a reservation through Tabelog. The restaurant is located in a quiet residential area in a single house, which adds to its charm. The owner was previously the head chef at "Nakajimacho Club" in Nakajima-cho, which is related to the current "Torida" restaurant. Nakajimacho Club was a restaurant that opened after the closure of the regrettable "Teshima-tei" restaurant, so if he comes from there, it's definitely a good sign. He also honed his skills for about 9 years at "Tankuma" in Kyoto before that, so I was looking forward to visiting. The approach to the entrance is also lovely. I requested a counter seat when making the reservation, and there are 8 seats, so you can enjoy the live atmosphere with the owner up close. I ordered a non-alcoholic beer (660 yen) and sake by the glass. It's nice that regardless of the brand, the glass is priced at 660 yen. I mentioned that I like daiginjo sake, and they recommended "Nito," which was light and easy to drink. I had the 11,000 yen lunch course (tax included), which is different from the regular course priced at 16,500 yen (tax included) in terms of the number of dishes and ingredients. The meal started with asparagus, clams... a spring-like dish to start with, and the dishes were also beautiful. Below, there's "grated asparagus," with "large clams" on top and "sliced asparagus" on top. The clams have a savory taste, and the flavors of the two types of asparagus are also good. The sea bream, lotus root, plum meat, and onions are combined with sauce. The sea bream is well-aged and has a savory taste when chewed. The plum sauce goes well not only with conger eel but also with sea bream. The sea bream is finished with a performance of searing the skin with "charcoal," which is also enjoyable. The sea bream, new onions, salt made by boiling once, and some vegetables (I couldn't catch the explanation) The sea bream is cut thick, so you can taste the umami. By searing the skin with charcoal at the end, it adds a fragrant taste and becomes more delicious. A bowl of young bamboo shoots... with young seaweed from Sanriku and bamboo shoots. The carefully prepared dashi broth also has a good taste. The wakame is soft and abundant. The bamboo shoots are also delicious without any bitterness. Red sea bream, sea urchin (from Noko Island), steamed sushi. The red sea bream is steamed and has a savory taste. I happened to have sea urchin from Noko Island at another restaurant a week before I visited here, and it tastes similar to red sea urchin. The vinegar rice is mixed with "warabi" and others, and when eaten together, the flavors of the red sea bream and sea urchin overlap and taste delicious. Prawns, fish, shiitake mushrooms, sauce made from prawn heads, etc. The prawns themselves have a good taste, but the sauce is excellent. My husband even said, "This is delicious." Tempura of young ayu and firefly squid, koshiabura, fava beans, cucumber with Tosazu sauce. I was surprised and happy that you could have young ayu at this price. The tempura batter is thin and crispy, and all of them are delicious. I like both young ayu and firefly squid. Miyazaki black wagyu beef shoulder loin, celery, grated yam sauce. The meat is tender, and it tastes delicious when eaten with grated yam. Saga's "Hinohikari" rice is shiny. I had "niebana" rice at the beginning, and I could taste the sweetness of the rice. Delicious rice makes you feel happy. You can have seconds, so my husband had three servings. Miso soup with seaweed is also delicious. Rice accompaniments... mentaiko, shirimen, udo kinpira, simmered gohei mochi, and more. It's luxurious to enjoy these with delicious rice. Yame tea "Gyokuro"... it might be better if it's a bit stronger. For dessert, I was served freshly made warabi mochi in front of me... it was fun. Strawberry and sweet bean paste sandwiched between ice cream in a rice cake, warabi mochi. The warabi mochi is soft and the popular "Angel's Warabi Mochi" type. The rice cake has various flavors layered together, making it delicious. Each dish is exciting and carefully crafted.

Since opening in January, the staff at the restaurant seemed to have a good sense of ease after 5 months. The teamwork, led by the head chef, was spot on, and the atmosphere of the restaurant was as comfortable as ever. Initially, I thought the location was a bit far, but I got used to it and found it relatively close as the Nanakuma Line was extended to Hakata. I got off at Nogae Station and walked straight down Sawara Street, and before I knew it, I was there. The dishes included yam noodles, sea urchin from Koroshima, aori squid, sweetfish with fish sauce, kabosu citrus, sea bream from Genkai, pounded okra, hagatsuo with plum, conger eel from Nakatsu, wood ear mushrooms, and seaweed soup with eggplant from Kamo, horse mackerel, mountain wasabi, and vinegared rice. There was also fried ayu fish from Miyazaki with cucumber vinegar, shinjo with shrimp and seafood, new onions, and a sauce made with shrimp. There was also hairy crab with winter melon, young corn, Nakamura beef shoulder loin with Yagenji chili pepper, and Kujo green onions. The meal was accompanied by Saga's Hino Hikari rice and miso soup. For dessert, there was monaka ice cream, figs, and matcha kuzukiri. It was a full-on summer feast with each dish showcasing the creativity of Chef Noppon. As a fan of Nakashimacho Club, I felt a sense of nostalgia while also making new discoveries. It was a satisfying day once again.

It is very, very difficult to understand. But Google-sensei accurately taught me. First, more Pinot Noir champagne. My husband prefers beer. For the appetizer, there was grated yam noodles, purple sea urchin from Itoshima, and dashi broth. Oh, this was amazing. The yam was really shredded like noodles. The sea urchin was very fresh and hard to come by. White fish, Girella punctata? Marinated in plum soy sauce. Topped with yellow chives. Whale ridges. The soup had conger eel and wood ear mushrooms. Elegant broth. Conger eel sushi wrapped in seaweed. Red snapper scales fried until crispy with a refreshing cucumber sauce. Daikon radish cooked in broth with shrimp and yamaimo. The sauce also had shrimp. The wine was from Alsace, Riesling. Fragrance of peaches and flowers. Mixed with raw eggplant. Burgundy white wine. Spring roll with firefly squid. Surprising combination. Burgundy Pinot wine. The finale was meat. Was it sukiyaki? The rice was also deliciously crunchy. The accompaniments were tasty as well. It takes 20 minutes from Tenjin to the subway station Nogaku. From there, it's a 20-minute walk. Quite remote. But delicious cuisine. Every dish was carefully prepared. I enjoyed the flavors. They also have a selection of delicious wines. I will definitely visit again. Thank you for the meal.

I always refer to the reviews of reviewers and decided to visit this restaurant for the first time after reading their review. I successfully persuaded my partner to have lunch at "Vermont Curry Udon Chino-ya Style" by melting the curry from the previous day into dashi, and we drove to Fukuoka. My hay fever, which was severe in February and March, seems to be improving, so I was able to enjoy a drive in the open air. However, my partner started to feel a bit stuffy in the nose. Nevertheless, I felt happy and cherished the moment with my partner. Today, Japan is peaceful as always. Through the beloved Tabelog, I made a reservation for the lunch omakase course of 9 dishes for 16,500 yen. I wish there were more restaurants listed on Tabelog because it is convenient. I have high expectations for this visit as I have fond memories of drinking heavily at the former Nakajima-cho Club. However, I am currently on a no-alcohol diet, so today's lunch will be non-alcoholic. The dishes included clams, asparagus, stone bream, saury, young garlic, mackerel, bamboo shoots, wakame, abalone, mountain vegetable steamed sushi, throat fish, sea urchin, mountain wasabi, carabinero shrimp, Toyama white shrimp, raw shiitake mushrooms, young sweetfish, firefly squid, fava beans, and rapeseed oil, crab, round eggplant sherbet, Karatsu Nakamura beef shoulder loin, Yamato potato, seri, rice, warabi mochi, monaka ice cream, and amaou strawberry. The bamboo shoots and mountain vegetables were said to be freshly picked by the chef's father in the morning. The meal was delicious even without alcohol. I hope to lose weight before my next visit, so I can enjoy sake. I will definitely come back. The staff were all kind and we were able to relax and enjoy our meal. I am very satisfied. Thank you for the meal. *There are apparently two parking spaces above the Karaki Children's Park.

It's all thanks to my connection with "Nakajima-cho Club" that the various dishes prepared by Chef Noppon have become ingrained in my palate. Sitting at the counter, I gaze absentmindedly at Chef Noppon's hands as he prepares the dishes, sipping on sake while eagerly awaiting the dishes like a dog waiting for its owner. It's a blissful time and place for me. The dishes made with Saga's ingredients such as Saga clams, white asparagus, and green asparagus are delightful. The white asparagus is enjoyed raw for its texture, while the green asparagus is pureed. The sweet and firm texture of the shrimp is truly exceptional. The hirasuzuki fish, spiced daikon radish, and ponzu sauce are delicious, and the seared Japanese mackerel with nori soy sauce and wasabi is perfect for pairing with sake. The spring-themed dishes like white fish, udo, bamboo shoots, warabi, fuki, edamame, and egg over rice are delightful. The rich fatty flavor of the blackthroat seaperch in steamed sushi rice is mouthwatering. The dish of firefly squid, fuki buds, yuba rolls, and sea urchin is a favorite of Chef Noppon's and is absolutely delicious. The steamed abalone with bamboo shoots and nam pla sauce is a standout dish, and the Miyazaki beef shoulder loin with oboro kombu and yamasho wasabi is a treat. The meal is rounded off with rice, warabi mochi, strawberries, and ice cream monaka, with cherry blossom petals and leaves in the warabi mochi, making for a truly spring-like lineup. It was a delightful and abundant spring feast.

Today, once again suffering from hay fever. My nose is stuffed up due to hay fever, and when I tried to go back to sleep, I couldn't stop sneezing. Oh well, I guess I'll update my food log that's been piling up. Let's see~ This is an area in Iigura, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka, which I would never usually visit. It feels like I'm in a neighboring city even though I'm in Fukuoka City for some reason. It stands in the middle of a residential area, like a single-family home style. It seems to have been a former living room, now turned into a counter where you can enjoy a course meal. If you think about it being a former house, it's quite a splendid mansion. I asked, and it turns out it was a wealthy family's former home. They serve creative Japanese cuisine in a relaxed manner, delivering delicious dishes at a good pace. I'm quite impatient, so I'm happy about this. After a long time, I was very satisfied with the Japanese cuisine. I'll skip the details of the dishes and just comment on the photos. There were various thoughts, but overall, I look forward to coming back in the future. Thank you for the meal! Well, hay fever is tough, so now that I've written this, I'll get up and start working!

This is a casual restaurant where you can enjoy creative Japanese cuisine using seasonal ingredients from Fukuoka and neighboring prefectures in Kyushu. The renovated house gives off a cozy and hidden vibe. Watching the chef cook in front of you is exciting. The chef kindly shared information about the ingredients, cooking methods, and delicious ways to enjoy the food. They have a selection of sake from all over Japan that pairs well with the dishes, and they were able to prepare one based on my preferences. I overheard a conversation between other customers mentioning that the head chef used to work at the famous Kyoto ryotei Honke Tan Kumamoto and later as the head chef at Nakashima-cho Club in Nakasu Nakashima-cho. Each dish was delicately prepared with meticulous attention to detail, and the flavors of the vegetables, jellies, and sauces accompanying the main ingredients were fresh and surprising. I was truly satisfied and impressed. The thoughtful service from the chef and other staff members was also great. This is definitely a wonderful restaurant that I will visit again.

I heard that they started lunch service, so I thought about visiting for lunch, but I can totally imagine myself drinking too much, falling asleep in the tatami room, and waking up to start the evening session all over again, so it's dangerous, dangerous! Shrimp, flatfish, kumquat, yamaudo, edamame, broccoli, bonito dashi jelly - all beautifully presented, making me feel the spring vibes. I ended up drinking three glasses as recommended to pair with champagne. The Saga oysters with new onions sauce were cooked slowly at 70 degrees to condense the umami flavor. The white-fleshed premium fish, takabe, with plum sauce and soba sprouts, was rich in fat. Squid, red sea urchin in Nara, saltwater, salt - served in a lovely blue dish that evokes the sea. 12-kilo yokowa with perilla leaves and yolk vinegar, clams with Kumamoto bamboo shoots, new wakame, and steamed in a pot, fried crab potato with fuki buds, crab miso and carrot sauce, with the bitterness of fuki buds as an accent. Karasumi, kombu mochi, Ariake seaweed, steamed abalone with turnips, rape blossoms, mountain wasabi, liver dashi, Miyazaki zabuton with seri, Karatsu natural yam, Saga rice katsuona, jaco, mentaiko, bettara-zuke, boiled kogori miso soup, and rice were so delicious that I rarely had seconds. Of course, I had seconds of sake as well. Strawberry ice cream, monaka, and warabi mochi served in unique dishes that make alcohol go down smoothly. I drank too much, from champagne to sake, and even wine.

Former head chef from Nakashima-cho Club, who was in charge for 38 years, opened a hidden gem Japanese restaurant in Fukuoka's Iikura in January 2023. The cozy atmosphere is filled with a special hideaway feel. The dishes have a pleasant and unique taste. The restaurant has a counter with 8 seats arranged in a U-shape, allowing guests to enjoy a fun meal while chatting with the chef. Highly recommended for those in Sawara-ku! ☺️

Kyoto Tan Kuma, Nakashima-cho Club head chef, former head chef of a certain hotel, Chef Noppon, opened a shop on January 5, 2023, that I loved so much for its cozy atmosphere, Nakashima-cho Club. I waited so long since the closure, about 4 years, and finally, it opened. Initially, they were considering a more convenient location in the city, but they fell in love with this property and decided to open here. It is a house located in a residential area, about a 15-minute walk from Nogoe Station on the subway and a 3-minute walk from the Karaki bus stop. The cozy interior features a counter for 8 people, a private counter for 4 people, and a spacious sunken hearth-style tatami room. There are also tables on the second floor with a steep thatched roof. When they told me in advance, "There's a place to sleep even if you get drunk," I was like, huh? But when I saw it, I understood. Next time, I'll bring a sleeping set. The biggest charm is the spacious garden, which is beautifully lit up at sunset. I took a lot of photos, but I'm not very good, so I don't know how well it will come across. Currently, only the counter is in use, but they plan to use all the rooms in the future. They are also considering lunch service and an à la carte menu for after-dinner. The opening hours are from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm. It's not all at once, so you can make a reservation at your preferred time, which is convenient. Chef Noppon is supported by two male staff members who are easy to talk to. The course on this day was 16,500 yen (tax included) and included various dishes such as dashi made from pesticide-free vegetables, homemade karasumi and scallop, grilled fugu, and more. Noppon, who enjoys drinking, offers a variety of dishes that make you want to drink. If you are a fan of Noppon's cooking or a fan of Nakashima-cho Club, or if you want to enjoy a meal in a healing space, please come and visit. The nostalgia adds extra points.