TTOIMK・第149回〜小杉駅北口の信じられないCPの洋風居酒屋へ… : cherry blossom

[b:【'24. Mid-November - Local Cuisine】] I had been slightly curious about this Western-style izakaya [a: https://cherryblossom-dining.com, "cherry blossom"]. Although it’s labeled as a Western-style izakaya, it can also be categorized as a bar, Italian restaurant, or dining bar. The location is just a short walk from the north exit of Kosugi Station, across the southern line road towards Shin-Maruko. The exterior and interior exude a heavy, woody, traditional feel, but the restaurant itself has only been open for four years. It seems like it might have been a renovation of an existing space. The interior is dimly lit, which I assume is the owner's preference, but it feels a bit secretive. Personally, I would prefer it to be a bit brighter. So, why was I drawn to this place? It offers an incredible value for money! While I think a la carte options are fine, the focus is on snacks. [b: Light Course (5 dishes) - JPY 1,800! Standard Course (6 dishes) - JPY 2,500] Additionally… [b: Dinner Course (9 dishes) - JPY 3,500 2-hour all-you-can-drink - JPY 2,000 3-hour all-you-can-drink - JPY 2,500] The pricing for the all-you-can-drink options is fairly standard, but the course prices are surprisingly low! (They seem to have raised prices; the Light Course used to be JPY 1,500, which is amazing!) With such low prices, I was curious about what would be served. Since it was our first visit, we decided to try the Light Course with the all-you-can-drink option… Even then, it was only JPY 3,800 per person. [b: Drinks] We started with beer (it was Heartland) and then moved on to glass wine. When the glass wine ran out, the waitress kindly left a bottle for us to finish. We wrapped up with our usual highball. [b: Appetizers] Confit of gizzards Liver pâté Baguette Pickles The liver pâté was spread on the baguette, and the low-temperature cooked gizzards were surprisingly tender, making for a great snack with the pickles. [b: Seasonal Salad (with prosciutto, cheese, and fruits)] This course was a bit of a dilemma. Almost all the fruits were gone… It had lettuce, cheese, prosciutto, and persimmons, along with some berry-like fruits. I managed to eat the persimmons, but I gave all the berries to my companion. The cheese and prosciutto were delicious, but… (This is just a matter of personal preference, so the restaurant is not at fault.) [b: Anchovy Potatoes] I really liked this dish. It featured chunky fried potatoes coated with anchovy, which were fluffy and slightly salty, making them perfect with drinks. [b: Pork Tomato Stew] This is the type of dish I enjoy! The pork chunks were well-cooked and tender, with a nice tomato acidity. It was quite tasty, though perhaps a bit salty for my taste. (I'm at that age where I need to watch my blood pressure, haha…) [b: Bolognese (Finale)] This was the finale. The pasta was likely a flat tagliatelle. There was a generous amount of ground meat and whole tomatoes, and the cheese and meat were in a deliciously overwhelming quantity (laughs). I love both, so it was no problem for me! All these dishes for just JPY 1,800 per person! What do you all think? I wonder how the JPY 2,500 course would be, but I doubt we could finish it. Even if you just order your favorite snacks a la carte, this place could be enjoyable. The dishes are surprisingly elaborate (no offense intended). So, a return visit is definitely on the cards! The restaurant and the owner might have a tough time, but with prices like these, I hope they keep it up! Thank you for the meal!