Feasting with Eels

Yamazakiya is one of the oldest shops that sells eels in Urawa since the Edo Period. It probably has a history of 200 years in eel cuisine, so it sells nothing but eels nowadays.

Though the interior looks nothing like 200 years ago, but it was renovated to allow the guests to dine in comfort. As the dining area is a traditional tatami floor, all the guests need to remove their shoes and store them in the shoe lockers at the foyer.

One thumb up for the Japanese restaurants for the free drinks of either cold water or hot green tea upon settling down on the dining table. Are you wondering what that chunk of wood with number "28" is? It is the shoe locker key! Cool, isn't it?

Since this shop is famous for nothing but eels, my order was definitely the prominent unadon (eels with rice). Another thumb up for Japanese food is the presentation that is also a feast to the eyes.

When the lid of the rice box was opened, it was another feast to both my eyes and nose.

The eels here are grilled to perfect golden brown with a shiny glazed surface. It was supposed to be eaten with the ground spices provided on the table, but I prefer the natural flavour of the fish in the original grilling sauce.

This has got to be the best unadon that I have tasted as I could sense the fragrance of the grilling sauce and the eel taste in every grain of rice inside my mouth. I have tried unadon at other places but they just lose hands-down to Yamazakiya in terms of freshness and flavour.

Will I go back for more? I definitely will! Although this meal made me ¥1,890 poorer, it was worth every single Yen.