Nodaiwa - Michelin Star Unagi
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Unagi is one of our favorite Japanese foods, and we’ve had plenty of it from many restaurants both in Japan and outside of it. While in Tokyo, we wanted to go to a high-quality unagi restaurant and came across a Michelin-star rated unagi restaurant called Nodaiwa. We were not surprised that a restaurant that was established in 1850 would earn such a prestigious accolade.
Finding Nodaiwa is easy: it’s a short walk from Shiba Park and the adjacent Tokyo Tower. Tokyo Tower is so close you can easily see it between the buildings across the street. The front of Nodaiwa is Edo-styled but has a modern take on it. Most restaurants have inconspicuous entrances since they are usually in basements or above the ground floor. Nodaiwa has one of the best-looking entry facades we’ve seen in Tokyo.
We walked in and were greeted by a hostess in a very nice kimono. She took us up to the third floor and down a narrow hallway to a room where our table was. The room was quite charming with its tatami mat floors, traditional-styled windows, wall scrolls, and beautifully decorated tables. The table where we sat had designs with a woman in a kimono holding an umbrella. Our favorite part was the eel chopstick holder at each place setting.
Fortunately, Nodaiwa has English menus available. We ordered two of the standard sets of unaju, Michelle got a smaller order, and Taylor got a Sapporo to go along with his meal.
Our order came out in covered bowls with sides of pickled vegetables, rice, and unagi liver soup. We lifted the lids to reveal the sets of perfectly cooked unagi on a bed of rice. The unagi was, to our surprise, very light and fluffy. It was also nicely grilled and had minimal sauce on it. Most unagi we’ve had is usually more dense and is covered in more sauce. As much as we love unagi sauce, it was great to get more of the actual taste of the unagi and not all the sauce. The sides were delicious as usual.
It was quite an experience being able to eat such masterfully cooked unagi and enjoy its actual flavor for once. Although the meal was slightly more expensive than other unagi restaurants, the overall quality and flavor of the unagi makes the cost more than worth it. We would love to return to Nodaiwa next time we are in Tokyo and would recommend it to anyone.
Google Maps Link: Nodaiwa
