nagaiharu
(Prologue... Third time's the charm) On a weekend in February, I tried to enter the restaurant with that heavy-drinking colleague, but it was full and we couldn't get in. Then, I planned a farewell party for a subordinate who was leaving to return to Kanazawa on March 11, but it was canceled due to the earthquake. When I called to cancel, the phone response was so touching, saying "Thank you for calling to cancel. Thank you very much. Please take care on your way home." I vowed to definitely use this restaurant in the future. And so, on April 1st, I decided to hold a welcome party for a subordinate who had transferred to our department at this restaurant.
(Regarding the restaurant's name) It is written as "魚海" and read as "Tokai." I had always misunderstood it as "ギョカイセンダン." The owner of this restaurant is said to be from Kagoshima, so it seems that Kyushu cuisine is a specialty here.
I entered the restaurant around 6 pm on a weekday. I started with a beer (Premium Malt) and ordered classic dishes like edamame, tamagoyaki, pork kimchi, and a mixed yakitori platter. The food was brought out in a few minutes and satisfied the hungry dads' stomachs. I switched from beer to sake. On this day, I had "Kikuhime" from Ishikawa Prefecture. I really wanted to drink with M, who had retired. I heard he is now doing his best as a full-time house husband.
(Unbelievable prosperity...) As I was drinking Kikuhime, dads kept coming in one after another. The restaurant was now filled with dads from the Kanda area. It was unbelievably prosperous. It's not particularly close to Kanda Station, maybe about a 6-minute walk. Impressive for this location. The staff's movements were quick and the service was polite. The owner's education is well done. There were various types of sake available. I shifted from Kikuhime to Karatanba. Looking at the seat next to me, S, who retired a few years ago, was drinking. It was a long-awaited reunion. We hugged and continued drinking. The next day, I had a hangover.
(Conclusion... Amazing value. Reservations are a must) After drinking a lot, we paid the bill. It was 19,800 yen for 5 people. A reasonable price for the value. I think it's a restaurant where reservations are necessary. With about 150 seats, it seems easy for groups to come in. The popularity must be due to the low prices and wide variety of alcohol. Of course, the brisk response from the staff is also a secret to their popularity. Also, you can drink alcohol from 1 pm, so it seems that alumni reunions for retired company employees are also held. Day drinking sounds nice...