県外からのお客さんにも自慢できる店ができた！ : Izakaya Tsunofuri

The "Basara Festival" has settled firmly into our summer traditions. On my way back after enjoying the festival, I was walking through the east-facing shopping street in front of the station when... "Oh! It's Tsunofuri!" my companion exclaimed. This place has a spacious banquet hall that can be reserved for large groups, and there were times when we used to go here for company outings. However, it suddenly disappeared from our radar last year when the Yuraku Cinema closed, which sparked quite a bit of conversation within the office. It seemed to be quite popular, especially since they had recently renovated a few years ago, adding a large aquarium where guests could enjoy fishing from their seats. I was curious why it had closed down. The unique name "Tsunofuri" didn't come up in many searches, suggesting it might have been a family-run business, and my boss speculated that the owner must have retired. Today, we had plans for a home-cooked meal, but on a whim, we decided to change our plans! Without hesitation, we headed down the stairs, only to find a notice saying "We are very sorry, but we are closed..." Just then, my companion spotted another staircase to the right. When we looked down, the atmosphere changed dramatically, revealing an incredibly stylish entrance that you wouldn't expect in Nara! Once we stepped through the door, we were even more surprised by the chic interior—definitely not what we imagined from the exterior. We crossed a glass bridge spanning a small river to reach our private room, where the chairs also had glass insets, and looking down revealed water and stones in a pond! I was a bit worried about whether it would break, but I cautiously took my seat. As I looked around, the staff soon brought out the appetizer...!!! It was a lovely assortment of five types, including conger eel, terrine, and Yoshino kudzu tofu. The colors were beautiful, and the flavors were delightful. There was also a green pea soup and other Western-inspired dishes, heightening our expectations for the meal. From the daily specials, we ordered "Sanma Sashimi JPY 600," "Conger Eel and Matsutake Mushroom Dobin Mushi JPY 600," and "Furofuki Daikon with Meat Sauce Gratin JPY 390." Additionally, we ordered "Yosezaru Tofu JPY 290," "Mackerel Namero Canape JPY 690," "Fluffy Dashimaki JPY 390," "Yuba and Mozzarella Stone-Baked Pizza JPY 690," "Garden Fondue JPY 890" (this one was a hit!), and "Ishiyaki Omurice JPY 600." Tsunofuri has always been known for its delicious seafood, but with the recent changes, the presentation and taste of the other dishes have definitely stepped up to match the stylish decor. The drink menu is filled with local sake and shochu, and if it weren’t a Sunday, I would have loved to order more! Halfway through our meal, I spotted a familiar veteran staff member who used to handle our reservations at the previous Tsunofuri. I joked that I was glad his sister hadn’t been let go, and after catching up, it was great to hear various details about the restaurant. During the time they were closed, it seems the entire staff worked together to grow vegetables and herbs in a field, hence their renewed confidence in the quality and variety of their vegetable dishes. There’s also a hidden banquet room at the back with mirrored walls that can be reserved for up to 90 people, which would be perfect for gatherings. The notice about being closed halfway down the stairs also mentioned plans to open a bar soon, so it appears that the place is relatively quiet for now since the entrance is a bit hard to find. However, on the weekend we visited, it was lively as expected. It seems that reserving a private room is highly recommended! We finished our conversation and when it came time to settle the bill... it was surprisingly cheap! I hadn’t drunk much, but still, just in the JPY 6000 range?! It looked like they had only recently opened, and although some staff members were still getting the hang of things, the balance of taste, price, and aesthetic was fantastic. We’ve discovered a hidden gem that we want to show off to everyone!