Aishokudo

At Aishokudo, choosing a main dish is only part of the pleasure: the chawanmushi and small side dishes give you more to savour. One diner who ordered the simmered pork belly set meal described the pork as tender enough to cut with chopsticks, with the lean meat falling apart easily. Another account describes a set served with a simmered egg, rice cooked in a clay pot, chawanmushi, miso soup with toasted fried tofu and small side dishes. It’s an option for anyone who wants to enjoy the whole tray, not just the main.

Alongside the pork belly, the menu lists sea bream collar grilled with yuzu and shio koji, and black cod grilled with Saikyo miso. The sea bream collar is marinated with Japanese yuzu peel and shio koji before grilling; its citrus aroma and the koji’s mellow saltiness bring out the fish’s flavour. The black cod is grilled with Saikyo miso made with white miso and sake lees, offering a fish option with a different character from the pork. A diner who ordered it also enjoyed the miso soup, chawanmushi and side dishes—a glimpse of why changing the main might make another visit appealing.

For fried dishes, there’s young chicken karaage coated in a sweet-and-savoury sauce, as well as chicken nanban topped with tartar sauce containing takana. One diner recalled a generous portion of tartar over a large piece of chicken, accompanied by items including shumai, potato salad and chawanmushi. The weekly set meal is another way to try a changing special. Its contents are announced on Instagram every Sunday evening, according to the listing, so it’s worth checking before you go.

For dessert, one diner said the salt Basque cheesecake stood out for its subtle saltiness and moist texture. The listed opening hours are 11 to 14:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Reservations are available, and some diners recommend booking. If you’re planning a lunch, check the opening days and the weekly special in advance.