Kasugai, Aichi, Japan｜Maido

Kasugai is a small and quiet little bedroom community with limited but comfortable offerings of izakayas, ramen shops, and more. Maido is a treasure, waiting to embrace the weary souls that descend the steps of Kasugai Station. One night, when I was tired from walking around Nagoya Station, and just waiting to get back to the comforts of my lodgings and a nearby grocery store with cheap-eats, I got lost and wandered into a parking lot with LED-lit signboard that was indicative of an izakaya, and I found myself immediately within the vicinity of what sounded like happy drunks. I dropped my umbrella in the entrance-way overcrowded with other umbrellas, greeted the goldfish in the large plant pots near the main door, and sauntered-in hyped. Cigarette smoke, far from the counter seat I was seated, was an ailment I was willing to endure for quality food. I was not disappointed by either the soothing pickled eggplant they served up as an appetizer, or the homeliness of the staff. On my first visit, I had the catch-of-the-day sashimi, deep-fried eggplant with bonito flakes for fiber, and deep-fried fish. On my second visit, I had the hormone-yaki, which is incredibly rich and fatty, and the deep-fried calamari with powdered lemon-greentea. Visit... even if you can't stand the cigarette smoke, or order takeout.

Very good restaurant

I came to Kasugai for work. At that time, I wandered into an izakaya, and it turned out to be a big hit. Especially the sashimi is amazing. This volume is enough for one serving of assorted sashimi. It's the best I've ever ordered. We also had delicious salty edamame, the restaurant's recommended stew, and the plum chazuke (plum chazuke). The umechazuke had multiple umeboshi in it, but there was one with only one seed left.