Black Cod in Tokyo?

[MariaLND]

I love Black Cod, any tip on where to eat it (at a reasonable price) in Toyo?
Thanks
Maria

[MariaLND]

The only Black Cod I know is the one I have in my fave Japanese restaurant here, called Asakusa, it's a Japanese hang-out and some Japanese mates too me there, so I guess it's pretty authentic....Anyway, it is not too sweet and I love it.
I will be staying in Shinjuku, so anywhere near there would be great...said that, I am a bit food-obsessed and would travel for food.
The hidden place you guys talk about sounds AMAZING...how do I find it??

[lost squirrel]

here are a few details that might help ya find it.
http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1310/A131...

[Asomaniac]

Hasegawa brings a stream of tears to my eyes... they are only open for lunch, do the best gindara saikyoyaki known to man and I don't work in the area anymore so can't go back.

It is well worth you making a detour. Kanda station is good for Hasegawa, or - a little further - Otemachi. Saikyoyaki is to be found at many places in Tokyo, and usually is pretty decent, but there are some real standouts and Hasegawa is head and shoulders above anything I have had. Costs around 1,000 yen for a set lunch, maybe 1,200 yen.

[prasantrin]

Do you by chance know what time they open? None of the websites (tabelog, gurunavi, etc.) list hours for Hasegawa (or even mention that they're open for lunch only), but with praise like yours, it sounds like a must-do!

[Asomaniac]

I am pretty sure they open at 11:30 am and do not close until some time after 1 pm. I have stood in line there before at 11:45, and people inside were already munching away. I have left at just before 1pm and some people were only starting, so that is the window I am aware of. I have a feeling someone told me they are open 11:30 am - 2pm, though I might be wrong.

[prasantrin]

Thanks! I'll add them to my list! I might go a little earlier (like just after 11) just in case.

[Uncle Yabai]

Just keep in mind that the place is run by 4 little old ladies whose combined ages would take you back to the early Heian era. The menu board bears no resemblance to what is actually available, and they run out of stuff relatively quickly, especially their gindara. Auntie Yabai makes the joke that their menu board is indicative of what they don't have that day.

[prasantrin]

I'd better get there very very early, then! I'd be going on a Friday--I hope they restock their gindara throughout the week!

Should they run out of gindara, do they do anything else particularly well?

[Uncle Yabai]

Anything you eat there will be good. Their saba is outstanding, and I don't even like saba that much. Auntie swears by the shake also.

[Asomaniac]

The shake always looks amazing. I have just never had the will power to order it. I always went there with the intention of ordering it for once, but then saw the gindara, got weak in the knees again and felt compelled to order it - again.

[prasantrin]

That happens to me alllllll the time! I rarely get to try new things at my regular restaurants because I can't bear the thought of not eating my favourites. Best to go with at least one other person, so you can order one of each and then share!

So, gindara is best, but saba or shake or anything else will also be great if I can't get the gindara. Good to know!

[catsluvcofffee]

I checked Tabelog and it seems like this place is closed. I was really looking forward to finding it for my upcoming trip!

[Uncle Yabai]

Man, that's is sad news.....

[Asomaniac]

It was only a matter of time, given the ages of the ladies who worked there. Very sad news. I am glad I had the privilege of eating there.

[edozanmai]

I went by the shop few weeks ago and the building it is in is being renovated and it seemed like all the ground floor places were closed. No reason to think they won't be back after the construction is finished.

[catsluvcofffee]

Hmm, I'll be there from 4th-13th Dec. Probably will have to check Tabelog again before going! Thanks!

[prasantrin]

I'll be there from the 9th-12th. Please let us know if it reopens before then! :-)

[Uncle Yabai]

Well, I guess "renovation" is a bit of an understatement. The *entire block* where Hasegawa used to be is a massive hole in the ground, prepping for yet another skyscraper. Don't know if they moved elsewhere, but I would be surprised if they did, the building was owned by somebody named Hasegawa (lots of Hasegawas in the mailbox area: a barber, the fish restaurant, a couple of offices) and my guess it was run by the building owner's great-great-grandmothers as something to keep them busy.

[lost squirrel]

That's sad news, I'll keep a flame of hope alive for a little while.

[Uncle Yabai]

I really don't know what the concept of "black cod" really is, but if you're thinking of what Nobu serves or whatever, what you are probably looking for is anything saikyoyaki or misozukeyaki. Gindara saikyoyaki is widely available, and any decent grilled fish shop will have misozukeyaki in some form or another, most likely using sawara or saba.

My favorites for this type of cooking are the Aoyuzu Tora on the 6th floor of the Marubiru and Yanmo, with two locations, one on Nakadoori in Marunouchi and another one in Omotesando. For lunch, you won't pay more than 1200-1500 yen for a full and delicious lunch set that makes anything found at "Nobu" and assorted poser restaurants of that ilk absolutely underwhelming.

[Silverjay]

I had the 1500 YEN gindara saikyoyaki lunch at Aoyuzu Tora in December and it was good. It's a solid lunch rec if this is a destination dining dish for you. But it really is pretty ubiquotious....Someone ordered this at Nobu in NY when I went for a business dinner. It is prepared sweeter that you typically get in Japan. Anyway, misozuke is one of the oldest types of dishes in Japanese cuisine.

[rockrock]

Second the Marubiru recommendation--that place has my favorite gindara. Andy's in Yurakucho does a good one too.

[shakti2]

Thank you Uncle Yabai. We ate at Yanmo Aoyama when in Tokyo last week after I spotted your comment above. We had sanma and sawara, and they were indeed everything a person could want at lunch.

[lost squirrel]

To have some of the best, check out Hasegawa. I think there were a few posts about it by Uncle Yabai and Asomaniac and possibly myself. It's a small old lunch place in Kanda nishikicho (as far as I can remember)

[Uncle Yabai]

Of course, Hasegawa. But to find it you will need a time machine, a translator, and a GPS good to 30 centimeters, which is how big the place is. One day I showed up with a google map printout of the location and the ancient biddies there were fascinated by the concept of a map you could print out at home.