Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto; unadon, grilled eel on bed of cooked rice
Japanese eel, unagi, it is very popular dish in Japan, but also expensive.
Japanese restaurant in Tokyo Unatoto offers delicious unagi dishes in moderate prices and good quality.
Japanese restaurant Unatoto is located in Tokyo quarter called Shimbashi.
Unagi are one of my favourite fish so I go there to enjoy eel prepared in traditional Japanese way.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto- outlook
Unatoto is located on the corner of building and has two entrances and two big windows.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto; view of all restaurant's facade
Through one of windows there are served take away dishes and it is possible to see through all what is happening inside.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto; second entrance to the restaurant with sign boards
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto; restaurant's interior seen from the outside
Building in which restaurant is located doesn’t look so attractive and has grey, sad walls. But there are orange and wooden signboards, orange lantern and wooden benches and a menu boards, so all together it looks quite lively and not bad at all.
The restaurant logo with funny unagi made me smile. I had to look carefully to notice this ell, but it is eel for sure.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto; restaurant's logo
In front of unagi restaurant there are many bikes and empty containers, what brought in my mind pictures of old Tokyo.
Unatoto outlook is not very impressive perhaps, but I found it rather amusing.
Seems like owner tried to make this ugly building a bit more friendly looking.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto- how to order and pay
Menus with prices are displayed in front of the restaurant’s doors.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto, entrance to the restaurant with displayed menus
They are written in Japanese of course, but there are also some photos, so it is not too hard to make decision what we want to eat.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto, outside restaurant's menu with photos
What is even better, inside of restaurants there are menus with many pictures and prices on restaurant counter and on walls, so in this case it should be not problem at all to order.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto, resturant's menu with pictures
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto restaurant's menu written on wooden boards
If somebody has never tried unagi, I am sure this person will not ne disappointed.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto restaurant's menu with picture of unagi dish
You must tell (or show) chef what you chose and you will able to see how your dish is preparing.
When you finish eating, you should give a signal that you want to pay.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto chef is taking payment
Chef will give you bill and you should put money on the top of counter from kitchen’s side.
Jaoanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto resturant's counter is the place man can leave money for payment
Chef will take the money and eventually you will receive your change and receipt.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto receipt
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto- interior and atmosphere
Interior of Unatoto is a bit old fashion and looks old in general.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto interior in retro style
This is not ugly or poor at all. It looks rather stylish in a sense. There are plenty of small and cute objects, which caught my eyes and which were really pretty.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto interior counter area
Long wooden counter is running around almost all restaurant and has sort of U shape.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto interior view from customer area
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto interior view from the outside of restaurant
There are seat located around the counter from customer area, nine from one side and 4 from the other side of restaurant.
There are many wooden details in restaurant in general and place looks cosy.
Kitchen is located inside of counter area and it is very small, packed with many kitchen utensils.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto interior the kitchen area
Two chefs working in kitchen must share rather limited space.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo| Unatoto interior chefs in the kitchen
Menus are nicely written in Japanese manner or print on papers and placed on walls, same like posters.
Atmosphere is very pleasant thanks to mild light and nice classic jazz music. I enjoyed eating my unagi and listen swing. Also this restaurant, or rather bar, is very small and a bit similar to place from book for children- my impression.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto- food and service
We ordered two different unagi dishes.
I wanted something simple to I asked for unadon, piece of eel marinated in special sticky sauce and grilled & served on bed of rice.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service unadon grilled eel on bed of cooked rice
I really liked my dish. Rice was very tasty and unagi in sticky, sweet sauce tasted was excellent. I add to my dish also egg plant pickles which are for free and customers can eat as much as they want. They were a bit salty and delicious too.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service free pickles
My friend ordered more complex dish called hitsumagushi. It was dish made from cooked rice, pieces of grilled unagi, sea weed, spring onion and dashi jiru (broth), served separately in lovely metal tea pot.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service hitsumagushi eel dish with broth in metal pot
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service hitsumagushi detail
He received also empty bowl with spoon to replace some part of dish from bigger bowl, place in smaller and pour hot dashi broth on top of this.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service hitsumagushi thw way of eating
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service hitsumagushi with broth
My friend added a bit of san sho- Japanese pepper from wooden container opened in interesting way.
Hitsumagushi was a very good dish, milder in taste than my unadon. It is because of delicate taste of dashi jiru.
This dish can be eaten also without dashi, but I think that it is much better in original version, as soup.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service free tea
In the middle of our meal we received cups of fantastic green tea, which was for free too. Cups had restaurant logo.
As I mentioned before, Unatoto provides also take away service, so one chef is taking care for customers inside of the restaurant and second grills unagi and prepare bento boxes. He is working close to open windows, so all smoke from grill is naturally removed by fresh air from outside of restaurant. It is a very good idea.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service chef grilling eels in open window
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto food and service chef preparing take away dishes
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto- comments
I must admit that I expected tasty unagi lunch and I have got really tasty grilled eel.
We pay for our meals not too much and ate enough to feel satisfied.
Food was very fine, atmosphere pleasant and quiet and I really enjoyed the music.
After eating in Unatoto I had excellent mood and I want to recommend this place from all my heart.
It looks modest but this is good place to enjoy eel.
Japanese Restaurants in Tokyo | Unatoto- additional information
• Unadon costs 500 yen and hitsumagushi costs 700 yen
• portions are big enough to feel full after meal
• prices are very moderate
• smoking is allowed
• it is place to eat only, at least during lunch time, in evening you can stay longer
• single customers are very welcomed same as couples
• for groups it may be too little restaurant
• it is good place to eat for men and women too
• dishes are served by chef
• hot green tea, pickles and spices are for free
• restaurant is open from 11:00 am to 10:30 pm
• take away service –from 2 pm to 6 pm
• as of 2009-05-16
Category:Japanese Restaurant
