Great unagi and good service. Reasonably priced

Wonderful taste, good service.

The day before the Saturday Day of the Ox, I felt like eating unagi and tried calling. They happened to have space, so I headed straight over. I seemed to be the last customer of the lunch service, but the staff welcomed me pleasantly. I ordered the extra-premium unaju. The Kanto-style unagi was tender and fluffy, with no unpleasant smell whatsoever. As others have said in their reviews, the sauce wasn't very sweet, but I thought it suited the unagi's fat well. If I had to find anything to mention, I only wished there had been a little more sauce. (The sauce container may simply have been missing from the table.) The food is good and the service is faultless. I've decided for myself that this is the place for unagi in the neighborhood. Next time I'll be aiming for the limited-quantity offering!

Around 11:40 on a weekday, there were no other customers yet. I had the highest-grade unaju made with shinko unagi. “Shinko unagi are young eels that reach shipping size in less than 1 year after farming begins. They are fast-growing individuals that have won the growth competition in the farming pond. Their major characteristics are flesh and skin that are extremely tender compared with adult eels, and small bones that are barely noticeable.” The plump, steamed flesh had a melting texture, with not the slightest trace of small bones. Coated in sweet-savory sauce and grilled until fragrant, the unagi was wonderfully delicious. Waiting for it while enjoying beer and warm sake with edamame and grilled eel liver is a lovely experience too. Last year I queued at Obana for the first time in a while, but perhaps it was oversteamed, because it didn't taste as good as it used to. Personally, I have some questions about the sansho and think it may be a little oversteamed here too, but this is where I'll go for Doyo no Ushi no Hi.

The location is about a 10-minute walk from Tabata Station. A renowned unagi restaurant that has passed down its traditional flavor through four generations, for about 90 years since moving from Shizuoka to Bunkyo. Reservations are essential, and I ordered the “limited unagi” over the phone. （5400円） The unagi that arrived was, of course, already grilled, yet it had a freshness that made it seem almost alive. The fat that had risen to the surface glistened brilliantly. It was so beautiful that I gazed at it for a while before eating—a masterpiece enough to silence even a crying child! Thank you for the meal☆

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