Unagi
Freshwater eel is a delicacy and Obana is one of the best places to try it. Get there early. They sell out. Nodaiwa Azabu Iikura Honten is another worth visiting. It's historic and has a Michelin star.
Unagi Obana
Obana is the Asakusa unagi institution, grilling eel since 1914 with the patience that defines the old-Tokyo format. The room is calm. The wait is real. The unaju arrives in the lacquered box with the very specific texture that comes from decades of practice. Reservations recommended. Lunch is the friendlier price.
Must order: The unaju (unagi over rice) set, The kabayaki a la carte, The clear soup that comes with the meal
Nodaiwa Azabu Iikura Honten
Nodaiwa is the Roppongi unagi institution, a one-Michelin-star shop that has been grilling wild eel in the Edo tradition since 1830. The room is restrained. The pacing is deliberate. The unagi has the very specific texture that says someone really knew what they were doing. Reservations recommended. Lunch is the friendlier price point.
Must order: The unaju (unagi over rice) set, The kabayaki preparation a la carte, The clear soup that comes with the set
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