Tsukihō

Build your own lunch as you browse the deli counter. Visitors say that Tsukihō lets diners choose either 3 or 4 side dishes for a set meal eaten in. One day, you might go for vegetable sides; another, add tatsuta-age or a fish dish. One diner chose tatsuta-age with potato salad and simmered hijiki, while another paired vegetable sides with sweet-and-sour pork and Saikyo-yaki red fish. With a choice of sides for each order, you can shape your set meal around what you feel like eating.

The restaurant’s popular vegetable-rich shira-ae—vegetables dressed with tofu—is also frequently mentioned by visitors. One diner praised its pronounced sesame-paste flavour and generous pieces of konjac and shiitake, making it an appealing first choice among the side dishes. Simmered hijiki and lively potato salad are also among the regular small plates. One visitor remembered a bright note of lemon in the potato salad; another found the hijiki easy to eat. Choosing small plates also gives you the chance to pair dishes with contrasting flavours.

There are set meals with a choice of sides, as well as fixed-menu options. Lunch choices include a tatsuta-age set, a chicken teriyaki set and the fish of the day; the fish set is listed with shira-ae and simmered hijiki. Ask the staff what fish is being served, making it an option when you’re in the mood for fish. Side dishes are also available to take away, and bento choices include marinated grilled mackerel, mackerel simmered in miso and chicken nanban. The restaurant also lists small plates, natural wine and beer, so you can enjoy the side dishes with a drink as well as over a set meal.