On the Day of the Ox during the summer, the restaurant " is located along the Yuto Kaido road in Irino-cho, Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu City, and has been in business for 68 years.Kanerin Eel Restaurant"fart!
Eating eel on the Day of the Ox during the summer is a custom that has continued since the Edo period. The story goes that Hiraga Gennai, a scholar of Western learning during the Edo period, put up a sign in front of an eel shop owned by an acquaintance that read "Today is the Day of the Ox during the summer" to boost sales, and thanks to the advertising effect, the shop became very successful.
”On the Day of the Ox (Unohi), it is considered good to eat foods that begin with the letter "U," such as udon noodles, pickled plums, and melons. Recently, beef and horse meat have also joined the list because they are believed to provide stamina, and eel is one of them, with the above origin theory being well-known!
When it comes to food in Hamamatsu, where we live, the first thing that comes to mind is undoubtedly eel. There are many eel specialty restaurants, and people have different preferences depending on how the eel is grilled, the flavor of the sauce, and how the rice is cooked, so I think everyone has their own favorite restaurant!
If we, as a couple, were to give our unbiased opinion, the restaurant that would take the top spot in terms of overall score, considering factors such as store appearance, service, ingredients, taste, and cost performance, with a very good balance, would be "Kanerin Unagi-ten"!
Originally founded in 1950 and operating in Sugawara-cho, this establishment moved to Irino-cho in October 1977. After 39 years, due to seismic safety concerns, the building underwent a major renovation, becoming a newly constructed structure. On June 23, 2016, it transformed into a charming establishment with a Japanese garden, and its tranquil Japanese-style space, despite facing the street, is praised for its comfortable atmosphere, further solidifying its reputation as a renowned establishment!
Even before stepping through the noren (curtain), the savory aroma of grilling eel was enough to knock you out!
Normally, reservations are possible, but on the Day of the Ox during the summer, when it is expected to be crowded, reservations are not accepted and customers are served equally on a first-come, first-served basis!
However, since it was around 1 PM, perhaps because the first round of customers had already passed, we were able to enter the restaurant without having to wait!
With a total of 61 seats available, including counter seats surrounding the courtyard, table seats, private rooms, and tatami rooms, we headed to the tatami room at the back with a sunken hearth!
"Unaju (regular)" 2,940 yen
Here, we quickly prepare high-quality eels sourced seasonally, grilling them over binchotan charcoal until they are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside!
For 68 years since the company's founding, the rice has been dipped three times in a secret sauce that has been passed down and preserved since my grandfather's time, resulting in the best possible taste, color, and sheen. It is then served on top of piping hot rice that has been cooked in a large pot, ensuring that each grain is fluffy to the core!
The eel is so tender it can be easily cut with chopsticks, and the sauce is not overly sweet or spicy like many country-style sauces, but rather elegant and perfectly balanced. The white rice has firm grains and is glossy with the sauce, making it so delicious you can't stop eating. In a time when eel prices are soaring, this is a rare restaurant where you can enjoy a bowl of unaju (eel rice bowl) for under 3,000 yen (tax included), even if it's just a regular portion! Not only is it delicious, but its cost performance goes without saying!
Just the other day, on a TV program, when asked "What should you put sansho pepper on to make eel taste even better?", the shocking answer was "on top of the rice." As we believe in "experience is everything," we immediately tried it with this unaju (eel rice bowl), lifting the eel and sprinkling sansho pepper on top of the rice! Indeed, when we used to sprinkle sansho pepper directly on the eel, we first felt the aroma and spiciness of the sansho, but when we ate it this way, the sansho didn't directly touch our tongues, so the savory aroma of the eel came first, and after savoring the deliciousness of the sauce, the aroma of the sansho, steamed by the heat of the rice, spread through our noses, allowing us to enjoy a richer flavor, and the taste and aftertaste were significantly enhanced! It was truly an eye-opening experience!
I always enjoy Kanerin's unaju (eel rice bowl), but the little touch of sansho pepper made it even more delicious, making it a truly satisfying Day of the Ox!
Finally, we took a commemorative photo with Kenko Hakamada from the shop!
I'll definitely come back to enjoy your delicious eel again!
Kanerin Eel Restaurant
Address: 731 Irino-cho, Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
TEL: 053-448-9335
Opening hours: 11:00-13:45 [0.S], 17:00-20:00 [0.S]
Closed: Every Wednesday and the third Tuesday of the month
http://kanerin.net/
