Ogakiku (大川菊)

Serving Kawagoe’s Finest Unagi

FRESHWATER EELS── sounds appetizing? Yes, indeed! And Kawagoe has one of the best UNAGI in Japan. At the historic streets of Koedo, you can savour some delicious unagi in Ogakiku. A lot of people want this summer delicacy, so if you don’t like lining up, you need to be patient and wait for your name to be called up.  It is a traditional Japanese restaurant, hence, it can be pretty intimidating for people who can’t speak or read Nihonggo. But, they do have an English menu and the staffs are very friendly. We ordered: 1. Shirayaki – Eel unglazed style, with wasabi and soy sauce (3,100 yen) 2. Unaju- Eel over rice (4,500 yen) 3. Orange Juice and beer (950 yen) The meal included a soup (made from the eel’s liver) that had a hint of roasty flavour and some crunchy pickled vegetables.  Both of the items were delicious, but I liked UNAJU more than Shirayaki, since I like dishes with strong flavour. Also, I’m Filipino so I like sweet flavour. I also love the way the meat melted in my mouth. It was tender and juicy. My partner liked SHIRAYAKI more because of its subtleness, and according to him, it doesn’t have a “sauce” that masks the real taste of the eel. It was indeed pricey, but overall, it was a great meal! Schedule: 11:00 -14:00 16:30- 19:30 (Last Order: 19:00) Close :Every Thursday (except national holidays/ regular holidays is not fixed) For More Information: http://www.koedo.com/ogakiku/en.html