Unagi and Ikebukuro at Night

Of course I went back to Manmaru. Because when something is good, it's worth enjoying.

And again I asked for their recommendation for sake. This time, I can translate the label.

It's the Unchecked Main Brew Sake from Ichinokura in Miyagi.

Nice and balanced, this dry sake had just the right amount of sweetness. Very refreshing.

While I like to try new foods, I come here for the unagi.

Because it is delicious. And there is something about sansho pepper...the smell is so enticing.

This time I noticed the little eel in the bottom of the dish.

Did I mention it rained most of the time I was in Tokyo in July?

Not heavy rain, just enough to make everything wet, including anyone out in it. Rain so light it blew everywhere.

But it did help with getting decent photos at night. I wish I had taken more. 

It did add to the atmosphere of Ikebukuro's Sunshine Dori area. Yes, it is this busy every night.

Hitsumabushi Bincho

While looking up the name of the unagi (freshwater eel) restaurant that I ate at in the Tobu department store, I came across another place right at Ikebukuro Station. Hitsumabushi Bincho in the PARCO department store. So of course I wanted to try it. With the eel frame window it was obvious I found the right place. It is also known as Hitsumabushi Nagoya Bincho, which I will explain.

Following my visit to Harajuku and Meiji Jingu, I decided unagi would be good to help revive me from all the walking in that hot weather. I was quickly seated and it did not take long for me to order. So I sat and checked out the modernistic decor. I don't know if there is an actual unagi kana font, but I've seen this style in other unagi restaurants. 

A little sake for dinner? It gives a nice feeling to the meal. I think I got the Yamazaru. I remember the taste of flowers.

Sansho anyone?

Dinner is served. The mystery of covered bowls.

Uncovered I find there is miso soup, unagi don, and toppings.

Hitsumabushi Bincho's unagi is served Nagoya style. The unagi is grilled over binchotan (charcoal) with a sauce that is a little sweeter than the usual unagi sauce.

Another really nice miso soup. So fresh!

Now this is where I sometimes feel a little uncomfortable. Because there is a certain expected way to eat this dish that I did not know about. So I had to figure it out, which is always a learning experience since it involved trying to understand a bit of Japanese or watching others.

Besides just eating the unagi with rice, Nagoya style involved different steps. One is to use the toppings of wasabi, green onion and cut nori. You put some rice and eel in a separate bowl with the toppings. Another way is to do this and then add hot green tea, ochazuke style. 

This was an interesting unexpected experience. I am glad I tried it. As for Hitsumabushi Bincho, they do have other menu items including chicken and izakaya style dishes. 

Manmaru Ikebukuro Unagi Deuxième Visit

Just having a little fun with the French there. One of the things I was really looking forward to this trip was returning to Manmaru Ikebukuro Unagi. Which was a perfect way to wrap up my third day in Tokyo. 

Like my first visit there, I asked for whatever sake they recommended. The selected sake was this limited summer slightly effervescent sake. I'm not very good with handwritten stylized kanji, so I don't know the brand.

Cute little colorful yokai on the label. 

I love the part where they pour the sake into the glass and it overflows into the saucer. I really need a cup and saucer set like this. 

This was a great choice for this hot day. 

After sipping on my sake for a little time, my dinner arrived. 

Steaming smoky unagi don with miso soup and tsukemono pickles. One of the challenges in this place is it is a little smoky from the grills in the kitchen. So I still don't have a clear photo of the unagi. Guess I need to go back and try again? 

Something to add a little more to the dish, sansho pepper. 

Yes I did and I don't know if I don't put enough but it really doesn't taste hot to me. It smells good, so I like using it. As for the unagi, it was just as good as the first time I ate it. 

I decided to try something different. Since I wasn't driving and I didn't have far to walk. 

When in Japan...thought I would try a chilled glass of umeshu. 

This glass of sweetness was just right. I don't usually drink like this but I felt a little bit like enjoying my time there. 

Outside on the streets of Ikebukuro the sun was setting. 

I decided to walk a little as the night took over. 

It's always fun to find little spots like this amid the lighted signs and concrete. Maybe a place to check out next time? Ikebukuro does have interesting places to eat at.

Ikebukuruo Unagi Taiyaki and Moi même Moitié

You might wonder what the four things in the title of my post have to do with each other. Well, to start with, my accommodations for this trip were in Ikebukuro. This was my third time in the area and I've grown a little fond of certain aspects of it.

Like finding great places to eat. Such as Manmaru Ikebukuro Unagi. That う looking a little bit like an eel in the sign...

After my expedition to Maronouchi on March 19th, I finally made it back to Ikebukuro. And I had one goal. 

Unagi don at Manmaru. 

What I didn't know is the place loves a certain Western thing. That is, the Beatles. Be prepared if you go here, because that is all they play. Which is fun and makes a person feel welcome. 

What also makes a person feel welcome is sake. I decided to use what I had learned from "Wakako-zake" and I went with what they recommended. By the way, my waitress was wonderful. She spoke some English and also had a hairband for me.

Ah! A real "Wakako-zake" moment! I did a silent "pshuuu" while drinking this lovely sake. It might seem silly to some, but it was fun to watch the sake fill the glass and then the bowl holding the glass. 

You may wonder what this is. Well, it's deep fried eel spines, hone-senbei. Because one of the beauties of Japanese cooking is not to let anything go to waste if possible. And I did eat them. 

I also ordered tsukemono, or Japanese pickles. There was some daikon, cabbage with fresh gari or ginger, and cucumbers. I don't remember what the dark brown pickles were, they may have been narazuke, fermented in sake lees. It was all good. 

And my dinner. Unagi don! And this was the best unagi don I have eaten. They grill it over charcoal and it adds so much umami to the flavor. There was also a nice bowl of miso soup. 

And more kyuri asazuke, but I didn't mind. 

Sorry my photo of my unagi don isn't super clear. It just means I need to go back and get another bowl. I would do it even if the photo was clear because I really enjoyed this meal. Not expensive, near where I was staying and really nice staff. I'm looking forward to dining there again.

 Another fun place in Ikebukuro was a place I stopped at a day or two before this. Naruto Taiyaki Honpo. I was on my way back from a late run to Harajuku and I could not resist how appealing this place looked.

Fresh warm azuki and satsumaimo filled taiyaki. Very nice. 

As for the reason for my late evening trip into Harajuku, was because Closet Child got a few "new" items in. I missed a couple other things I wanted but I was able to get a Moi-même-Moitié Logo Cross. Which I was happy to find.