Delicious Japanese rice lunch

  • November 20, 2023
  • 2023年11月21日


Food from land and sea, and new rice. Autumn is the season when you can rediscover the charm of Japanese cuisine. The center of it all is rice. Here are some recommended lunches where the glossy rice complements the dishes.

[Shops introduced in this article]

Onigiri Joshuya

This rice ball shop was founded in 1981 and is attached to a rice shop. The onigiri made with care by the owner, Mitsuko Murosaki, are popular, using carefully selected rice such as Tsuyahime from Yamagata Prefecture and Koshihikari rice from Nagano Prefecture, which is chemical-free.

She uses two large rice cookers to cook the rice and makes over 300 rice balls in a day on a busy day. There are always 20 types available, from classics like salmon and pickled plums to fried chicken and tempura. The secret to its popularity is the deliciousness of its homemade ingredients, such as green onion miso made from fermented miso and fried chicken coated with sweet and spicy sauce. She is particular about the quality of seaweed, salmon, cod roe, etc., and purchase them from reliable suppliers. ``I want you to enjoy the freshly made onigiri as soon as possible,'' so she only makes a few onigiri in advance. When an order is placed, she quickly makes it using a mold. The style, which has remained unchanged for over 40 years, is also appealing, as the onigiri is placed on paper in the Kyogi style and wrapped in Kabuki-patterned wrapping paper.


[Onigiri 100 yen to 170 yen]

(From left) Fried chicken 150 yen, Sujiko 170 yen, Green onion miso 130 yen, Salmon 130 yen, Cod roe 130 yen. Another nice idea is to put the toppings on the head so you can tell at a glance what kind of rice ball it is.

[Grilled rice ball 100 yen, Yukari 130 yen, Tamagoyaki 180 yen, Fried chicken 180 yen, pickles 100 yen]

Grilled rice balls filled with dried bonito and rice balls sprinkled with Yukari are also recommended. The slightly sweet tamagoyaki and fried chicken, which are popular as onigiri ingredients, are also homemade.

Ms. Murosaki, the owner. The surprisingly low price of 130 yen for salmon comes from her philosophy: "I started at 80 yen each, and the price has gone up quite a bit. I want people to feel free to eat my homemade rice balls."



[Exterior / Interior]

  • Homemade rice balls and side dishes are lined up in the shopwindow. Many people stop by in the morning before going to work, and on weekends, some people buy them for picnic lunches or for home use.
  • The shop is an impressive building with folk art-style fittings and a blue tent. Next to the rice ball shop is a rice shop.

【Shop information 】

■Onigiri Joshuya

Tel: 03-3896-3590
Business hours: 6:30-15:00 (Sundays and holidays until 14:00)
Closed: Mondays
Address: 2-31-59 Okino, Adachi-ku
Takeout reservation: Enabled
Barrier-free support: None
Wi-Fi: None
Access: 8-min. walk from Nippori/Toneri Liner Koya Station

Shokuraku sakaba Jibaru

This bar is known for its carefully selected sake and smoked dishes. The owner, Koji Taharabaru, is from Adachi City, and "Jibaru" means "local bar." It opened in 2015 with the hope that local people can enjoy delicious drinks and food. This feeling is carried through even during lunch time.

There are 9 types of lunch set meals, and the rice used is Akita Komachi, which is shipped directly from farmers in Akita Prefecture. "We order our rice twice a month, so you can enjoy the new rice as soon as possible." The carefully prepared dishes, including the fried chicken, go well with the rice, and you can even get second helpings. Lunch drinks are also available for a flat rate of 150 yen, and you can enjoy one of their signature drinks, homemade ginger ale, at a great value. In the evening, in addition to Japanese sake, Ichiro's Malt, an excellent Japanese whiskey, and homemade lemon sour made with lemons from Hiroshima Prefecture are also popular. You can enjoy it with side dishes such as smoked bacon, cheese, and homemade boiled Chinese dumplings.

[Chicken tempura ponzu sauce set meal 830 yen]

Chicken tempura served with refreshing ponzu sauce is the most popular dish as it goes well with rice cooked to just the right firmness. You can get refills of rice and miso soup.


[Fried chicken set meal 770 yen, ginger ale 150 yen]

Deep-fried chicken with a faint aroma of Japanese pepper, the secret ingredient. Homemade dry ginger drinks with the flavor of cloves and cinnamon can also be enjoyed with highballs and beer in the evening.



"I want people to eat freshly cooked rice, so I cook the lunch rice in twice," says the owner, Taharabaru. The delicate touches such as adding fragrant Hiroshima lemon to the fried chicken shine.



[Exterior / Interior]

  • The bar is bright and clean with table seats and a small seating area. There is also a private room for 16 people called "Jibaru no Tonari".
  • It's located in an alley off a street lined with restaurants, and the sign with its cute font catches your eye.



【Shop information】

■Shokuraku sakaba Jibaru
Tel: 03-5856-4900
Business hours: 11:30-14:00 (LO13:30), 17:00-23:00 (LO22:30)
*Lunch time is only available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Regular holidays: Sundays, holidays, irregular holidays
Seats: 50 seats
Address: 6-14-18 Takenotsuka, Adachi-ku
Reservation: Enabled
Takeout reservation: Enabled
Barrier-free support: Not enabled
Wi-Fi: Enabled
Access: 4-min. walk from Tobu Skytree Line Takenotsuka Station East Exit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jibaru.takenotsuka/?hl=ja

Gohan's House (Gohan no Ouchi)

"What makes me the happiest is serving my food and seeing so many smiling faces," says Hatsumi Sonobe, the owner. Since opening in 2015, the restaurant has been well-received for its menu, which is determined by daily purchases, and the deliciousness of the rice, which is polished in-house, and has attracted many people from outside the area.

There are 12 to 15 types of set meals, mainly fish and meat dishes. For the rice, they use Koshihikari rice grown in Chiba Prefecture, and they polish the rice for that day every morning, saying, "The rice also has freshness." Served in the most delicious condition, and free refills! Each dish is prepared with great care, including the fish that she personally visits the Adachi Market to purchase, homemade noodle soup and ponzu sauce, and is accompanied by delicious rice that you can chew on, and the large bowl will be empty in the blink of an eye. At night, you can enjoy alcohol and a la carte dishes, but like lunch, there is also a set menu, which costs a flat rate of 900 yen. Nishiarai's kitchen will warm your mind and body.

[Silver cod Saikyoyaki set meal 900 yen]

The slightly sweet homemade Saikyo miso sauce brings out the flavor of the fish. She buys a whole fish and fillets all but the largest fish by herself. The plump and thick fillet is nice.

[Minced meat cutlet set meal 900 yen]

Minced meat cutlet, one of the most popular meat dishes, is crisp and juicy. The delicious side dishes such as garlic-flavored steamed eggplant with ponzu sauce and homemade nameko are also noteworthy.

　

"I'm cooking delicious food and waiting for you," says the owner, Ms. Sonobe. At night, some people come running in near closing time asking, "Is there still food left?"

[Exterior / Interior]]

  • There's also a homely sign that says, "If I have the ingredients, I can make omelet rice." In addition to table seats, there is also a counter.
  • From Nishiarai Station, walk through Sekibara Shopping Street to the restaurant along Otakebashi Street. The big banner that says "set meal" is the landmark.

【Shop information 】

■Gohan's House
Tel: 03-5888-7572
Business hours: 11:00-14:00, 17:00-24:00
Closed: Mondays, 1st Sunday of the month
Seats: 16 seats
Address: 1F, 1-2-11 Sekibara, Adachi-ku
Reservation: Enabled
Takeout reservation: Enabled
Barrier-free support: Negotiable
Wi-Fi: Enabled
Access: 20-min. walk from Tobu Skytree Line Nishiarai Station
HP: https://gohannnouti.com

(This information is as of November 1, 2023)

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