If you've always wanted to try Japanese food like your grandma used to make, but don't have a Japanese grandma, this is your chance..
Japan is home to a ton of amazing restaurants, but many people say their favorite version of a particular dish is their grandmother's family recipe.The simple, homemade taste is something special that satisfies both your taste buds and your heart.
Of course, if you don't have a Japanese grandma, this is a problem… unless you go to this special restaurant in Tokyo..
Located in Nishiogu Nearby Arakawa Ward, TokyoThe name of the restaurant is Machinaka RestaurantMachinaka Shokudo roughly translates to “neighborhood diner.” It might sound like a pretty mundane name, and that's exactly what it is – the aim of the restaurant is to provide diners with the hearty nostalgia of old-fashioned home cooking, and how they achieve this is set out in their job advertisement, which specifically states that they are looking for a part-time cook “aged 60 or over.”
The restaurant is a flexible employer: Granny cooks can work one day a week and are allowed to take that day off if they're sick or simply have other commitments. They won't be asked to make any dishes they aren't confident in; in fact, Machinaka Shokudo is happiest when customers use the unique recipes that grandmothers have been making for years for their families and friends..
Therefore, the menu at Machinaka Shokudo varies slightly depending on who is cooking. The day's dishes are displayed on handwritten slips of paper taped to the wall, many of which include the name of who prepared the dish..
On the day we visited, the a la carte options included:
● Grandma Keiko's Chicken with chili sauce and a salad of radish, onion and marinated ham
● Granny Mariko's Anchovy Olive Garlic Potato
● Grandma Mitsue's Chicken in plum sauce and konjac noodles with spicy cod roe
● Granny Chiliz's Simmered black cod
I arrived at lunchtime on a weekday, so I could choose a set meal. Choose one of six main dishes, and two side dishes, miso soup, pickles, and rice are included for 1,000 yen. (US$6.50).
I was attracted to the grilled mackerel and chicken thigh curry, but in the end Plum sauce chickenAs mentioned above, Grandma Mitsue.
As it's starting to get hot and humid in Tokyo, this was a perfect choice – the chicken was tender and tasty and the sweet and sour flavour of the plum sauce was refreshing and invigorating. I knew that these were dishes that you would normally only get to taste if you knew Grandma Mitsue personally, so everything felt very special and was absolutely delicious..
The side was not defeated either.Grandma Mariko's anchovy olive garlic potatoes and Grandma Keiko's daikon, onion and marinated ham salad were both perfect side dishes to go with the lunch sets, and since Machinaka Shokudo is open until 10pm, I thought they would also make great snacks to have with a beer or sake at the end of the day.
Machinaka Shokudo is a little far from the center of Tokyo, Within 1 minute walk from Odai Station on the Toden Arakawa Line and Tokyo Sakura Tram And the beautiful roses that are in bloom right now. Next time I'm in the area, I'll definitely go back and eat there again, and keep an eye out to see if Grandma Mitsue, Grandma Mariko, or Grandma Keiko's names are on the menu that day, because now I know they are all amazing cooks.
Restaurant Information
Street Cafeteria
Address: 3-20-4 Nishiokuri, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: 11:00am – 10:00pm (weekdays), 5:00pm – 10:00pm (Saturdays)
Closed on Sundays and public holidays
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