Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan｜うなぎ創作料理 うな昭

I loved everything about this restaurant. I actually don't like eating fish, and I've never even tried a good unagi before. But this was very delicious. The tsukemono was a nice palate cleanser, the soup had a light and refreshing flavor. I'm sorry I didn't eat the liver 🙇‍♀️ The grilled eel. Was so good. It had a slightly sweet and savory sauce, with a nice smoky flavor. It was tasty and tender, but the skin had a nice crisp to it. This dish was one of those that really stood out to me among everything I ate in Japan. Service was also outstanding. Everyone was so attentive and friendly, making sure my needs were met promptly. One of the waiters spoke English (forgot to ask his name), and despite any language barriers, they made great effort to communicate with me. I felt very welcomed even as a solo diner. The obaasan was very kind, she even gave me a delicious yokan afterwards. It's tucked away at a street across Kurazukuri no Machinami, so it's very quiet. Even so, a lot of Japanese people eat here even on a weekday. I reserved a seat through Savor Japan, but I suppose you can get your hotel to call them directly instead. In the photos is the standard unaju set, which was 5500 yen tax included. It was so worth it. One thing I guess they can improve is their English menu, since the difference of each set/meal was unclear to me. But it didn't affect my dining experience. All in all, I highly recommend this place. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just a couple streets away from the famed Kanetsuki-dori, you can find うなぎ創作料理 (Unagi Sousaku Ryouri). It’s down an unassuming little alleyway and easy to miss as you pass through — make your way to the two story house with the sliding door (it may be marked with a white curtain). When you enter, you’ll be greeted with a quaint Japanese style interior with seating in an upstairs area. At the current time, there’s no English menu, but the restaurant offers a plethora of their specialty eel-based dishes. We got the unaju set meals, which come with a bowl of kimosui, tamagoyaki, and some pickled vegetables — and the star of the show: eel placed atop fluffy white rice. We also got the kabayaki set, which consists of the same dishes as the unaju, but with the eel and rice separated into different lacquered boxes. If you don’t want a set meal, you can also order dishes by themselves. The eel was soft and fluffy on the inside with just the right amount of crisp flakiness on the outside. Each bite brought a balanced savory flavor, and it was not overly rich and greasy as I find a lot of eel tends to be. The eggs were soft to the touch with the flavor penetrating through each layer. The kimosui (eel liver soup), a subtle, crisp flavor, was refreshing to drink alongside the meal, and the rice was steamed to perfection. When finished, there was also a dessert of a citrus-y (yuzu?) sorbet. Overall, the food was amazing and the staff was very pleasant. The atmosphere was great, and as someone who is not a big fan of large crowds, the fact that it was a distance from the main street but still close enough was an added bonus. If you ever find yourself in Kawagoe, give this place a visit. The short walk from the main street is completely worth it!

I had the evening course and it was very delicious😋And the private room was very calm and I was able to have a good time🎵