The last two days of the company's Bon vacation are also spent in Tokyo. So, I only had one day of rest at home before coming to Tokyo. I had already completed my father's memorial service in my hometown in Saitama, where I live, so I was dressed appropriately in a white shirt and dark pants. I decided to visit Tokyo in formal attire and thought of going to a high-end restaurant for dinner. I initially considered a certain restaurant in Akasaka, but something felt different. Then, I remembered about Rengatei. It's funny that I couldn't recall it earlier, as when it comes to Western food in Tokyo, Rengatei is the first place that comes to mind. I know it's been 14 years since I last visited! I remember there was a long line when I tried to go in the spring, so I gave up and went back. It was just a few days after I had a second meeting at Rengatei with Prime Minister Kishida and President Yoon of South Korea in March. When I arrived in Ginza, I saw a few businessmen here and there. The economy of the city was already bustling on a weekday, with only about six people waiting in line at the restaurant. The staff asked if I preferred a table seat, and I was surprised to learn that there were tatami rooms as well. I didn't know that. I knew there were customer seats up to the third floor, but I didn't know about the tatami rooms. The menu had options like hamburger steak, steak, omelet rice, and fried oysters, which are only available in winter. I was torn between them, but eventually decided on omelet rice and hamburger steak. The omelet rice I chose was the Meiji Birth Omelet Rice, which had rice and eggs mixed together and cooked. It had a soy sauce color with plenty of mushrooms and meat wrapped inside. It was a delight to have seasonal corn on the side. There was also a small portion of Neapolitan pasta, which had a rich thick noodle that complemented the other dishes well. The hamburger steak was made with just the meat, without any unnecessary seasoning. It was very tender, and the thick half-cooked egg on top with a runny yolk flowed into the meat when I cut it with a knife. The chef, who has been working for a long time despite the serious shortage of staff, was meticulous in cooking and serving each dish, which was evident in the taste. Despite being in formal attire, it was okay to wear casual clothes at the restaurant. The place holds a special significance for me as it was frequented by the author Ikuo Tsunematsu. Although the prices are quite high, the atmosphere is a perfect balance between luxury and casual, making it easy for even us ordinary company employees to feel relaxed without any tension. The fact that it has been in business for 125 years is truly remarkable.

Brick-tei in Ginza. There were seats available. It's a high-class restaurant. - Original Pork Cutlet (2,800 yen) Ready in 23 minutes. Crispy and delicious! - Original Hayashi Rice (3,200 yen) The demiglace sauce with a hint of bitterness gives it an adult taste.

I finally had the chance to visit the rumored birthplace of Western-style cuisine in Japan, Renga-tei. The building still retains the atmosphere of the early Showa period. I was seated by the window on the second floor and chose three dishes: the classic pork cutlet, omelette rice, and hashed beef rice. The pork cutlet with a light sauce was delicious. The omelette rice was fluffy with a rich flavor, truly exquisite. The hashed beef rice had a rich sauce without any acidity. I also wanted to try the curry rice to see what it tasted like. The waitress in her pink dress added to the retro ambiance, making it a nice experience.

Lunch. I arrived at the restaurant as soon as it opened at 11:15 am. There were about 10 people in line, but I was able to enter smoothly. I ordered the original pork cutlet with rice. The food was served in about 9 minutes. They use clean oil with a nice aroma. The cutlets were thick, tender, and juicy in many parts. I enjoyed it. The service was also pleasant. Thank you for the meal. I will come again!

Headed to "Renga-tei"! Around 19:30 on a weekday, with 4 colleagues. Couldn't meet inside the restaurant, so we all entered together. We were seated on the second floor. The trendy space had orange lighting, but there was a 6-person table with white fluorescent lights, and we were seated there. The menu had a lot of options, but I ended up choosing the pork cutlet. With rice, it cost around 3,200 yen (I think). It arrived in about 10 minutes! It was tender and delicious! The thick meat had a crispy coating. The Worcestershire sauce and mustard were a great combination. The cost performance wasn't great, but I think it was worth going to this restaurant. A new staff member was getting scolded the whole time, which felt a bit pitiful, haha.

I had never heard of this restaurant before, but it is known as the originator of omurice and pork cutlet, so I visited for the first time!! There were 4 of us, and the person who suggested this place seemed surprised when looking at the menu, probably because they didn't realize the prices. Also, since we didn't make a reservation, we were seated in an area where the staff took breaks, and the air conditioning wasn't very effective, so the 4 of us, all women, ended up sweating while eating (lol). Three of us ordered pork cutlet with rice and one person ordered hashed beef rice. I ordered the pork cutlet, which was thin and tender in a good way, and it was delicious even without any sauce or mustard. However, even though this is a long-established restaurant in Ginza, the prices seemed too high... The service from the staff was not great, they were not friendly, and it bothered me that they were drinking beer while there were still customers around. If this were a more reasonably priced restaurant or a casual izakaya, I wouldn't mind, but considering the prices here, it made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

I visited on a regular night. I arrived early, but it was already full so I had to wait outside. Luckily, I was able to get in after about 15 minutes. I ordered a small salad and the original omurice. I also couldn't resist getting a cutlet for takeout. The small salad had both dressing and mayonnaise, which was rich and tasty. The original omurice had plenty of minced meat mixed in with the rice. It had a soy sauce flavor, but the strong taste of ketchup overpowered it. The cutlet for takeout was a bit thinner compared to tonkatsu, but it was juicy and delicious. There are probably many other delicious restaurants out there, but this one still holds a special place as a symbol of aspiration. Thank you for the meal.

Omelette rice: At first glance, it may seem simple, but it has a good amount of chicken and other ingredients inside, and the seasoning is excellent. The egg is also perfectly melted, making it the best omelette rice. Hayashi rice: The flavor is rich. It may be a hit or miss for some people, but personally, I find the taste addictive. The meat inside is also delicious.

In March of this year, the queue at a restaurant where the Japanese and South Korean leaders were reported to have been used for their second meeting was founded in 1895, making it a very long-standing establishment. On a Tuesday afternoon, the sign outside said the restaurant opens at 11:15 am. We arrived around 11:05 am and about 10 people who were waiting in line before us were let in at 11:15 am. (It seemed like there were quite a few people in line, so we were lucky to have been let in a bit earlier.) After about 5 minutes, we were seated. We were taken to the second floor, where there were about 6 people. I also remember seeing a few people seated on the first floor, which had only about 2 tables. After us, more customers were seated on the second and third floors in quick succession. The first dishes we ordered were the "Meiji Birth Omelette Rice for 2,700 yen" and the "Curry Rice for 2,800 yen". The omelette rice had a nostalgic feel to it, very classic and simple with ketchup. It's a favorite of mine that I occasionally crave. It was delicious. The menu described the curry as pork curry, with several large pieces of pork on top. It had a nice spicy kick, but it wasn't overly hot. It had a traditional and rich flavor, a really tasty curry. The second floor had tables for 7 people, 4 people, 3 people, and 2 people. The food was nostalgic, delicious, and the atmosphere was great, I thought.

I visited the restaurant at 5:25 pm during the Obon holiday. There were 4 people waiting in front of the store before the opening at 5:30 pm. By the time the store opened, there were about 5 people lined up behind me. At exactly 5:30 pm, the store opened and we were all led to the second floor at once. After much deliberation, I ordered the original pork cutlet, rice, small corn potage, and small draft beer for 4,900 yen. Following the beer, the corn potage was promptly brought to the table. The corn potage was quite watery, with not much depth of flavor, but it had a light miso soup-like taste that didn't interfere with the meal. The pork cutlet arrived in about 10 minutes. It was thick and quite large. It was served with simple cabbage and parsley. There were mustard and Worcestershire sauce on the table for the cutlet. The rice portion was elegant. When I cut into the cutlet, the juices overflowed and it cut smoothly without much effort. Despite its thickness, it was tender and juicy. In short, the pork cutlet was delicious. Looking around, there were a lot of people ordering omurice. It might be unconventional, but I wish they offered toppings like fried shrimp on the omurice. It seems they don't accept smaller sizes. This is a longstanding establishment. It's fun to follow the rules of the region. By the way, it seems they don't accept electronic money. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I visited at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. I had to wait for about 15 minutes in the hot weather. I ordered an omelette rice for 2,700 yen, which was expensive. The omelette rice had a traditional look and taste, simple and refined. However, I felt that 2,700 yen was too high a price. The beef stew for 3,200 yen was also delicious, but too expensive. Personally, I think the cost performance is quite bad, so I will not visit again.

The prices seem high considering there are only squat toilets. I ordered the Ebi Fry (3500 yen, no rice) and Hayashi Rice (3200 yen). The shrimp was large and the tartar sauce was refreshing. As for the Hayashi Rice, it tasted like typical Hayashi Rice. Hmm, I wasn't particularly surprised by the flavors. The Ebi Fry tasted like it was worth 1750 yen, and the Hayashi Rice tasted like it was worth 1650 yen.

I had the Meiji Birth Omu-rice. When it comes to the original omurice, this is the classic look, right? I usually prefer demi-glace sauce, but today I went with ketchup. Despite appearances, the egg was slightly thicker and runny, which was a pleasant surprise. The corn potage cup soup was light and very delicious.

This is a long-established restaurant in Ginza. I ordered the omurice, which has been unchanged since the Meiji era. The taste was excellent. However, the price was extremely high! There was no lunch set, just the omurice on its own at this price... I didn't feel like coming back again. Nevertheless, it is a very famous restaurant, so if you love the Ginza area, I recommend visiting at least once.

I arrived in the early afternoon. I lined up, but the turnover was quick so I didn't have to wait long. There were many foreign tourists, probably because it's in the guidebook. I had the tonkatsu, but I think tonkatsu from a specialized restaurant might be tastier. Next time, I want to try the omurice!

When I happened to pass by the Brick Pavilion and saw that there was no usual line, I decided to pop into the shop. I was guided to the second floor where it was almost full. I ordered the hamburger steak with rice. Most of the customers seemed to be ordering omurice. After about 10 minutes, the hamburger steak and rice were brought to me. It was a hamburger topped with a rich demi-glace sauce and a sunny-side-up egg, served with corn and Napolitan spaghetti. The hamburger was so tender that it easily cut with a knife. The rich and sweet demi-glace sauce paired perfectly with the juicy hamburger. When I broke the egg, the yolk was runny, adding richness to the dish. It was a very delicious hamburger. The slightly firm rice, corn, and Napolitan also went well with the demi-glace sauce of the hamburger. While omurice is the signature dish at the Brick Pavilion, the hamburger was also very tasty. As I left after paying, I saw a line forming outside the shop. I would like to try other Western dishes next time.

A Western-style restaurant in Ginza. I often go to Ginza for work, but this was my first time visiting this restaurant. When I entered the restaurant, it had a nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of a Showa-era Western-style eatery. The prices were typical of Ginza, but the taste was excellent. There were many inbound customers, and the place was bustling throughout.

This is a famous Western-style restaurant in Ginza. I was curious to visit because they featured ham rice in a manga. It used to be less crowded in the past, but recently it tends to be quite busy. There can be a line during lunchtime. When I visited at night, the restaurant was crowded. Overall, the menu has become more expensive. The "secret menu" item, katsu curry, which used to be 2700 yen five years ago, is now 5000 yen. I ordered the ham rice for 2500 yen. It consists of a large ham on top of butter pilaf. The butter pilaf is fragrant with butter from the moment it is served. The pilaf contains ham, onions, green peas, canned mushrooms, and others. The seasoning of the pilaf is light, and the saltiness of the ham on top creates the flavor of the butter ham pilaf. I think the taste is delicious, but the price of 2500 yen is a bit tough to swallow.

The small potage restaurant has the same taste as a family restaurant. The omurice looked firm, but inside it was creamy and delicious. It's a taste that seems hard to replicate at home. Everyone would probably like it. I want to eat it again. The cream soda with a cherry on top was just a normal cream soda. A normal omurice and a normal cream soda. It's satisfying and filling. If I'm alone, I can't eat two dishes. If I happen to be nearby, I might go in again. But I do want to try dishes like hashed beef rice in the future.

I visited the renowned Western-style restaurant "Renga-tei", which was ranked 3.50 on Tabelog in 2022 and listed as one of the top 100 Western-style restaurants in 2020. Located in Ginza, the restaurant has a brick exterior and a cozy interior spread across three floors. Established in 1895, it is a longstanding establishment with a history dating back to the Meiji era. I had their delicious Hamburger Steak and Ham Rice, both of which were flavorful and satisfying. The dishes may not be flashy like Hayashi Rice or Omelette, but the simple yet delicious flavors are truly outstanding. It's a great restaurant to visit in Ginza.

I have been going to this restaurant for 30 years, but I visited after a year. Since President Yoon of South Korea visited recently, the restaurant has been even more crowded, with a huge line of about 50 people before opening. I always order the large pork cutlet set meal. It's now 4,800 yen with rice, double the price from before. But the crispy breading and tender pork balance is irresistible. It is said that the author Shota Ikebata could finish three of these, and it's no wonder. The cabbage served with the tonkatsu is also a specialty of Rengaitei, with a focus on several specific regions and using the best shredded cabbage of the season. Thank you for the delicious meal.