八戸産焼鯖定食1200円 : Meshi Sakai

I quickly parked my car as the parking lot was relatively empty and entered the restaurant.

I was shown to a six-person table at the back. Shortly after, one other person joined me. The customer flow was busy; even if a seat opened up, the next customer would arrive immediately, keeping the place constantly full.

Today, I ordered the grilled mackerel from Hachinohe. Recently, mackerel has been scarce, so I hadn't had delicious mackerel in a while.

After about 10 minutes, my meal arrived: mackerel, grated daikon, a small side dish, pickles, rice, and miso soup.

First, I sipped the miso soup, which was still as delicious as ever, packed with umami flavor. Next, I dove straight into the mackerel. The fat content was perfect and, with plenty of grated daikon, every bite was pure bliss.

The quality rice had been expertly cooked, making it outstanding as well. Oddly enough, even without the main dish of mackerel, I would still find it delicious.

This is a reliably tasty seafood set meal.

Located near the big Asama Golf Course along the Asama Sunline, this set meal restaurant seems to be quite popular. Despite it being a weekday lunch, the parking lot was almost full. Fortunately, a table opened up just as I arrived, allowing me to get a seat. Even with constant turnover, the restaurant remained busy.

Since it’s run by an older gentleman, be prepared to wait during peak hours. On this visit, I waited about 15 minutes after being seated.

I ordered the Grilled Silver Salmon Set Meal for JPY 1000. I debated between mackerel and salmon, but ultimately went with salmon.

I sat at a table for two by the window, which offered a view of the Yatsugatake mountains—though there was a bit of haze on this day.

The set meal arrived on a tray, featuring the silver salmon, small side dishes, grated daikon, pickles, rice, and miso soup. It seemed that both rice and miso soup could be refilled as desired.

I started by adding soy sauce to the grated daikon and pickles, then squeezed lemon over the salmon. The generous amount of grated daikon was a pleasant surprise.

Taking a sip of the miso soup revealed a flavorful broth with tofu and leafy greens. As I took a piece of salmon with my chopsticks, the vivid red flesh looked incredibly appetizing. I enjoyed it with a bit of the crispy skin and the grated daikon on top.

First and foremost, the quality of the salmon itself was outstanding. I wondered where they sourced such delicious salmon. Moreover, the seasoning was perfectly balanced.

The homemade pickles were also excellent. Due to the altitude of 1000 meters, the rice had a slightly dry texture, which is understandable (lower boiling point), but the quality of the rice was still very good.

At JPY 1000, this is an incredible value, and it's easy to see why this place is so popular.