Tendon @ Tsukiji Sashiten, Toranomon, Tokyo

 

Sometimes with a bit of gusto and exploration skills, you may end up with a hidden gem along the way. And my previous work trip to Tokyo brought me to one such gem. Tucked in the center of the corporate side of the city, surrounded by office complexes, lies Tsukiji Sashiten (築地刺天). 

Oh what do we have here? 

Just in case you might be confused, this establishment is not located in Tsukiji. However, it is common for seafood restaurants to make reference to the old famous fish market, as a tribute. "Sashiten" well, is a combination of the first part of the words "sashimi" and "tempura". So it is sort of obvious the main selling point would be their seafood. 

Glorious

As it is their lunch rush when I went there, there are 3 main dishes set out on their lunch menu. Namely, their kaisendon, deep-fried mackerel, and the one I ordered, a tendon. The bowl of deep-fried goodies seems to be the one most people order so I think I would be in safe hands. Standing at 950 yen, it was relatively modest for Tokyo prices. I can dare say it is even cheaper than some places in Fukuoka. 

Another angle

And what a bowl it was. The bowl was just brimming with golden brown delights. There were 3 shrimp fritters standing out, along with fried fish, a piece of toriten chicken, and 4 different vegetable fritters. They were a sliced pumpkin, eggplant, and 2 types of mushrooms. This was a bountiful bowl indeed. Being the most striking, I had the shrimp first. 

Crunch time!

It was incredibly fresh. With that classic tinge of sweetness and a succulent bite, this was just great from start to finish.  As tempura is relatively simple in terms of flavour, the batter never interfered with the profile of the ingredients that it protects. Also, for something that was soaked in oil before hand, it was not very oily. It felt really clean and everything went down relatively quick. 

Punchy

The same can be said for everything else. The chicken was juicy and tender while the fried fish was crunchy and delicate to the touch. A sleeper hit was the fresh shiitake mushroom. It had a very strong and punchy flavour and tasted more like meat. It was incredibly juicy as well. This caught me by surprise and added another dimension to the overall meal. 

One stock to rule them all

If there is extra rice at the bottom, this place has got you covered. A pot of stock is waiting for you which you can add to your bowl. And with a bit of wasabi and parsley to make some sort of makeshift congee. Which turned out to be pretty good. The warm soup helped wash down the greasy meal that I took down seconds prior. And when it was all said and done, I left a satisfied customer. 

Front of the house. 

Due to the location and also the price of the food here, this place is particularly popular amongst the office working populace. As such, get ready to come here a little earlier so you can find a seat. In any event, this is a true hidden gem and I would not be surprised if I have a revisit relatively soon whenever I am in this side of the city. If you would like to try what I had, or if you wish to sample the other stuff they have in store, then the address is as follows:

1 Chome-11-5 Toranomon, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0001