花も団子も
The atmosphere seemed promising, so I decided to give it a try. I had the place all to myself, which was nice. Apparently, they only offer lunch courses during these times due to the current situation. The restaurant is located inside a building in Ginza, and upon closer inspection, you can see that it has some age to it.
They served various vinegar dishes including vinegared mozuku seaweed, tororo (grated yam), and jun-sai (water shield) vinegared dishes. The light vinegar taste made them easy to eat, with a refreshing texture. The mozuku seaweed had a good crunch, and the balance of ginger added a familiar flavor.
The sashimi consisted of octopus, white shrimp, sea bream, and tuna. The octopus surprisingly had a good flavor but was a bit tough. The white shrimp was sweet, and the sea bream was decent, but the tuna was somewhat ordinary in taste and aroma. The presentation and the fact that a spoon was forgotten for the chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) were a bit disappointing.
The chawanmushi was elaborate, with salmon roe, sea urchin, mushrooms with a hint of charcoal flavor, and perhaps scallops. It would have been better if the flavors were a bit stronger.
The set meal was quite generous, with grilled saury being a standout item. The bitterness of the saury was enjoyable, and it had a good amount of fat. The gingko nuts were tender, and the simmered sea bream head with daikon radish had absorbed the broth nicely. The eye area was wonderfully gooey. The addition of sansho pepper sprouts and white scallions added depth to the dish. The moon-viewing tuna, hijiki seaweed, and pickles were decent but nothing extraordinary. The pickles seemed store-bought, and the dried young sardines had a bit of bitterness. Surprisingly, the miso soup with shijimi clams didn't have any fishy smell.
The rice was warm but slightly on the softer side with a mild flavor. Dessert comprised of water yokan (sweet bean jelly) with rice puffs and a slice of pear. The yokan had a good melt-in-your-mouth texture, but it was overly sweet, overpowering the pear's natural sweetness.
Tea was served towards the end of the meal, providing a relaxing finish. It's worth noting that beverages are not included with the meal, and a 400 yen charge for a glass of mineral water seemed a bit steep. Overall, while the food was reasonably priced and had decent flavors, there were some aspects that fell short, leaving a slightly unsatisfactory feeling. The comparison between this price range and more expensive courses may be unfair, but it's hard not to notice areas for improvement. Perhaps younger chefs handle these nuances better. The head chef seemed preoccupied with evening preparations and instructing the apprentices, which is understandable but also made the service feel somewhat lacking. While I don't enjoy overly attentive service, feeling a bit neglected isn't ideal either. Nevertheless, when approached, the staff responded politely. With one glass of water bringing the total to 4200 yen, it's interesting to consider other dining options in the same price range.