I ordered premium sukiyaki bento premium loin katsu tsukune skewer menchi katsu korokke kushikatsu. Apparently the menchi katsu is incredibly popular, but it was what you’d call an ordinary menchi katsu. It is reasonably priced, though. What really blew me away was the wagyu korokke. It melts apart so smoothly it’s almost like a drink, and it’s delicious. I don’t like fluffy, starchy or dry korokke, so this was exactly my thing. The kushikatsu, too—I thought the thin meat might be tough, but it was delicious. Tender, with more flavor coming out the more you chew. But I personally prefer something fattier. I guess I’m a loin person… Everyone orders the tsukune skewer, so I bought one with high hopes, but this might just be a regular meaty shiso tsukune skewer. I prefer the meltingly soft tsukune skewers you get at izakayas, so this wasn’t my thing. The meat in the sukiyaki bento is incredibly delicious. So good I wondered whether this was even possible for 1330円!? It felt more like an 1800円 bento. Loin katsu‼︎ This! Is my number 1! Recommendation!!! Especially! The fat!!!!!! It’s incredibly delicious. So the fat in expensive meat doesn’t even feel fatty…! It’s clear! I was thinking the meat was more tender than ordinary meat but still had a firm texture, with savory flavor building every time I chewed—and then, the fat! It’s moving. I want to drink it. I’ll buy it again. I plan to eat plenty while I can still handle fatty foods.

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Today I wanted “something delicious at home without the effort,” so I went to 牛蔵 at 18:50, just before closing. As you’d expect from such a popular place, there wasn’t much left! I usually get the demi-glace hamburg steak, but for the first time I got the white hamburg steak (honey mustard). This was delicious too…! Seriously, you can’t go wrong with anything here! I also bought kinpira gobo and menchi katsu, which made for the best drinks at home🍺

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This is a directly operated deli on the １st floor of the famous yakiniku restaurant 「牛蔵」, a 1-minute walk from the north exit of Fujimidai Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line. They sell kimchi, namul, fried foods, hamburg steaks, stewed beef tendon, and bento, but the korokke and menchi are delicious. They’re fried in lard, giving them a fragrant, sweet fatty aroma, and they’re packed with filling. Each one is big, so 2 are enough as a side dish for dinner. Because it’s delicious, there are queues at certain times. Line up along the shop’s display case and order, then pay at the register and collect your items. If you like the famous menchi in Kichijoji, I think you’ll like the menchi here too. Personally, I prefer 牛蔵’s.

My recommendation is the menchi. It tastes just as good as the famous menchi in Kichijoji or Akasaka, at a fraction of the price. Everything else is simply delicious and cheap too. You can’t go wrong. The listed hours run until 20:00, but many items sell out by late afternoon and you may not be able to buy them, so keep that in mind. There are some harsh comments, but as a local, I think it’s perfectly fine as it is. People unfamiliar with how to buy things here (especially first-timers) may find it confusing. But they’re doing all they can to keep the queue in this narrow shopping street from inconveniencing others, and you can feel their efforts to resolve problems and challenges one by one and make improvements to satisfy customers. I’ve watched them, along with the yakiniku restaurant, since they first opened, and I have a very favorable impression. There are queues on weekdays too, but the weekend queues (closed Sundays) are incredible.

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A prepared-food shop this delicious and cheap, I wish one would open next door to my house! The stewed beef tendon is tender and fall-apart soft, with sweet seasoning and a perfect balance of konnyaku and ginger! The menchi katsu! It was so good I wondered, can you really eat something this delicious for 130円 these days? I ate 2 before taking a photo...

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