Located in a quiet corner of Tsuruko City, Yamagata Prefecture, lies “Togashi Katsuya, Tsuruko Branch”.
This is a renowned barbecue restaurant managed by the traditional meat wholesaler "Toshika Meat Shop". It offers domestic beef, pork, chicken, and organ meat at affordable prices, making it a popular place in the local community.
A local chain of barbecue restaurants that leverages its expertise in meat handling to offer domestic beef, including Yamagata beef, as well as pork, chicken, and organ meats at affordable prices.
Founded in 1963, during the Showa era.
During the period of high growth, the first owner, Akira Tomikawa, started his business by developing it from a livestock merchant and pig farming business. Eventually, he expanded it to include processing and sales of pork products, establishing "Tomikawa Pork Shop."
Subsequently, in the 1970s, the restaurant expanded to Tsuruko City, Yamagata Prefecture. In the year 1985, they opened a branch called Tsuruko Ginza. Since then, they have continued to relocate and expand their stores.
Currently, "Togashi Yakiniku" has expanded beyond its Tsurukawa branch to become a chain of barbecue restaurants, with branches in Sakuya, and also in Miyagi and Ishikiba.
It is precisely because this restaurant specializes in grilled meat that they offer fresh meat that is carefully prepared inside the store, at a reasonable price.
Its capabilities are such that it was even selected as one of the “30 Recommended Restaurants for Tourists by Tsuruko Citizens” (January 2025).
Next to this restaurant, there’s also a bentō shop called “Honka Kama-do-ya”. This shop also operates as a business that leverages its meat supply.
When doing meat sorting, it's inevitable that some scraps or leftovers will be produced. Therefore, it's better to arrange them horizontally in this way, so that there are no leftover scraps.
There's even a thing called 'Yamagata Beef Association'.
In Tokyo, there’s also a delicious barbecue restaurant called "Hodori" that serves Yamamoto beef. But this place is different.
The restaurant has a total of 64 seats. There are also semi-private rooms and tatami-style seating areas, making it suitable for families, friends, and groups of any size.
The entire venue is smoke-free, offering a clean and calm atmosphere.
The ordering process is smooth using a touch-screen interface.
Surprisingly, there are only a few types of beef available at this restaurant. The main options include karubi, roshi, and misaji. It seems like the restaurant mainly serves beef from different parts of the body.
If it's a grocery store, I would prefer to see more varieties of beef.
・チョレギサラダ 698円
This cherry salad brings a crisp texture and a fragrant sesame oil, enhancing the appetite. It is perfect as a appetizer.
・牛タンすじ塩 798円
“え、メニューにタン筋があるの？”と思って、テンションが上がりながら注文した。
The cuts are quite uneven, aren't they?
In a restaurant review, it is emphasized that "the muscles" are crucial.
There are also cuts that don’t make much sense.
I really want to enjoy the rich flavor of the tuna muscle, but with this level of preparation, it's just plain and basic tuna...
・ロース 999円
The cuts are still quite scattered. It seems like this is just how such a restaurant operates.
The meat itself has a delicious taste of red meat, and it's really tasty.
・バラカルビ 999円
The fat isn’t overly persistent; it has a moderate umami taste.
・ハラミ
The Sake Rock is a restaurant with excellent service.
The staff's service is excellent. It seems that proper training has been provided to them.
I thought it would be nice to have a few more meat-related cuts available at this restaurant. Things like lamb, hind legs, or even rare cuts would definitely add more excitement to the dining experience for visitors.
“カルビ”という言葉だけを使うのはちょっと不適切かもしれませんね。まるで昭和時代の店のままの感じです。
The cut was done a little more carefully. Well, even if it's just a simple barbecue restaurant in the countryside, that's what they said. But... thank you for the meal.
※このブログでは、他にも多くの店舗を紹介しています。ぜひ遊びに来てください♬
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