This is a restaurant that has opened at the Station Port Tower Building on the north side of JR Kamimidori Station's east exit. It has become modernized with the establishment of the Shain Line.
The exterior design is a dull, inorganic style typical of current tenant buildings. It resembles an inexpensive restaurant rather than a izakaya, which is a pity.
However, the interior of the restaurant features a nostalgic Japanese-style decor from the early Heisei period, creating a charming atmosphere. Despite this, it has a casual and relaxed vibe that clearly doesn’t belong to Nikumaris—a pleasant impression overall.
The layout of the restaurant is as follows: On the left hand side, there is an L-shaped counter with about 12 seats. On the right hand side and in front, there are six small platforms suitable for standing up.
The white-haired chef is pleasant to talk to, but he seems to focus solely on cooking. The service is left to the part-time workers. However, this young man is not very skilled; his level is at least that of a chain restaurant with poor quality. Although there are some well-chosen premium wines available, he doesn’t really understand what customers are ordering. As the chef prepares the food, he gives instructions that don’t make much sense.
I'm happy to see that there are bottle beer options for beer, excluding draft beer. It's a very uncomplicated brand from Japan. I really like it. However, since the prices of local sake are set at the same level as those in the city center, ordering multiple items can lead to higher costs than expected. Be careful when ordering products that might cost over four digits in price.
All the dishes were extremely delicious, from sashimi to fried foods, there was nothing to complain about.
Honestly, this restaurant is among the top-tier in the area of Hotaru. It’s even considered to be exceptionally outstanding.
Whether they handle fish well or not, the three-course sashimi served here is presented in an extremely fresh state as a typical izakaya dish. It’s delightful to see that, typical of the lower-class district, the cuts are thick and there isn’t any cut-off or wastefulness.
Due to its thick cut, the flavor of the fish itself is clearly felt.
The grilled salmon has an incredible layer of fat, which reminds me of my trip to Okinawa's small fishing village, Onahama. The fried anchovies are also delicious; their dry frying technique gives them a distinct taste and texture.
Regarding the food, there are no mistakes.
This day was a weekend Friday. The small seating areas were fully booked, but the counter was completely empty—no customers at all. I wondered why there weren’t more customers. Around 8 p.m., two or three people started coming in. Before I knew it, the place was full again. Hmm… Perhaps it’s because people who come from the city to drink after work, or those who come to drink after working overtime due to the many small businesses here, or maybe because the opening hours are late. Anyway, if you come at an early time, you can enjoy delicious fish and alcohol here. If you’re looking for a place where you can have a good meal with delicious fish in a place like Nemuro, this is definitely a recommended restaurant.
