Daily special (free large rice portion, small side dish, miso soup, simmered vegetables) 1000円. A restaurant on Kichijoji Joshidai Street, a little way north of Nishi-Ogikubo Station. Perhaps the lady runs it alone; it feels reassuring, like coming home to your parents' house. The daily set meal here is good value, and this time I chose the buri zuke-don. Marinated yellowtail lined up over plenty of rice, with an egg yolk in the middle. Coated in a soy-sauce-based sauce, it was delicious. The side dishes were a fried chicken drumette and pumpkin tempura, and something like nikujaga, mostly potatoes. It's nice being able to eat a variety of things.

+3

A community-focused place for local people. Even though it's in a residential area far from the station, it still has a fair number of customers after 13時 at lunchtime. Almost all locals. There were older women dining alone too, giving it an approachable atmosphere. Lunch options are the daily special, rice bowls, and set meals. Sashimi isn't always available. I chose the salmon set. There's furikake on the tables. The salad wasn't the usual standard kind—does it change seasonally? That day it was bitter melon. Oden and kimchi came with it too, making the rice go down easily. The salmon was nicely thick and well grilled. Delicious. Rather than somewhere to make a special trip from far away, it really felt like a place where locals eat at their own pace.

+1

Drinking alone; the seafood was inexpensive and delicious Inside there are 5-6 counter seats and 2 tables seating 4 each (I caught a glimpse—maybe there's a tatami seating area too?) Next time I'd like to try a set meal at lunchtime

+3

A set-meal restaurant offering very reasonably priced lunches centered on fish. A few women were dining there too. The aji rice bowl was delicious.

『大和田』 was fully booked, so I came here, somewhere I'd been curious about for a while. My first impression on entering was a stale smell, unusual for a restaurant and hardly appetizing. The owner didn't notice me either, but finally greeted me as I was about to leave, so I stayed. Tendon and aji-don, each with a small side dish, were 880円 apiece. The aji was so-so; the limp tempura was disappointing. The shijimi clam miso soup was lukewarm too. The parliamentary broadcast on the television made the atmosphere even gloomier.