Mashiko, Tochigi, Japan｜いろり茶屋

2023.10 I stopped by while I was in Mashiko for a pottery experience. I visited during the daytime on a weekday, so I was able to get in easily. It looked like there was an old folk house at the end of the small road, so I was worried about whether I was right on the way. . . When you enter the store, you can feel the atmosphere of an old folk house, with tables that look like an irori hearth. It's a hearth style, not a hearth (there's a stove inside). Dishes include udon, country cuisine, wild boar hotpot, etc. Zaru udon (450 yen) is really cheap, but it's also very filling. The udon noodles were also chewy and delicious! After that, I had a serving of wild boar hot pot. By the way, the serving size of the hotpot here is for two to three people, so please be careful. Wild boar has no odor and is delicious. Plenty of vegetables too. The soup with the flavor of the boar fat and vegetables is the best! I ordered udon separately, but I should have finished my meal with hot pot udon. . I will go again!

I had my first game, wild boar hot pot. I read from the reviews that the portions were large, so for the three of us, we were all full with two servings of wild boar hotpot, three servings of mochi, and one serving of udon. Boar meat has no taste at all, the fat is very delicious, and you can tell by eating it that it is high in protein and low in calories. There is no peculiar taste or taste, so you won't taste the taste of wild boar in a miso-based hot pot, but the more you simmer it, the more delicious it becomes. The rice cake is a traditional rice cake that feels like it was made at a restaurant, and it goes perfectly with the dashi soup. Maybe next time I can have two mochi instead of udon? I thought. By the way, the next day I ate pork shabu at home, and I realized once again that pork has a stronger taste and texture, and I'm just used to eating it, and that I was just prejudiced against the idea that wild boar meat has a stronger texture.

I watched the TV broadcast "Taxi Driver Takes Me to a Delicious Restaurant" and visited. There is a shop when you drive up a steep hill. There are 5 parking spaces in front of the store. Established in 1971, the restaurant has 3 hearth seats, 3 tables in a raised area, and a large tatami room where you can host a large banquet. The hearth was a gas stove. There are three types of hot pot menu: wild boar, duck, and chanko. Since there were three of us this time, we ordered the signature menu, ``Boar Hot Pot for 2 and Udon for 2.'' First of all, I was surprised at the size of the Mashiko-yaki clay pot that was brought to me!! ︎ It's not a pot, it's a flower pot. The pot is enough for 2 people and 4 to 5 people. A refreshing miso-based soup with garlic, a large serving of vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, garland chrysanthemum, chives, tofu, and enoki mushrooms, and plenty of wild boar meat. The boar meat has no odor at all, is soft and very delicious! ︎The soup is also delicious. Adding homemade yuzu pepper makes it even more delicious. The shop staff explained that it was made with yuzu and pepper, but it also contains chili pepper. Chinese cabbage has a sweet taste, and chives have large leaves, unlike those in the supermarket. Udon noodles have a chewy texture and are delicious whether dipped in soup or simmered. The volume of the hot pot was so large that I regretted ordering the udon. We recommend that you check the amount of hotpot before ordering the side menu. I've had wild boar hotpot at other restaurants, but Irori Chaya ranks first. No wonder customers come from other prefectures. The duck hotpot, which is famous for its dashi soup, is also said to be popular, so I would like to visit again.