乃んでれ : Non Dere

This is a restaurant located in Shimizu. It's not very noticeable as it's tucked away in a small alley, but there’s a lunch banner out front. While it’s labeled as an okonomiyaki place, the menu board shows they also offer set meals like Yakiniku Set Meal, Fried Chicken Set Meal, Tonkatsu Set Meal, and Fried Horse Mackerel Set Meal. The inside has a cozy izakaya feel. Though I didn't see a teppan in sight, I caught a glimpse of something that looked like a teppan on one of the tables in the tatami seating area. There are around 7 counter seats. The tatami area has about 2 to 3 tables. I arrived around 12:10, and there were no other customers at that moment; however, a regular customer seemed to come in shortly after. There are menus posted inside, and it looks like they also serve okonomiyaki. This time, I opted for the Yakiniku Set Meal, priced at JPY 880. It seems the set meals are generally around JPY 880. The food arrived after about 10 minutes of wait. The Yakiniku Set Meal came with miso soup, salad, pickles, and kakiage (tempura). The Yakiniku was stir-fried with cabbage and bell peppers. It wasn't sweet and spicy; rather, it had a soy sauce base—a stir-fry kind of flavor. A dash of pepper added a nice kick. I noticed a different taste from a typical vegetable stir-fry, and discovered there were some shiitake mushrooms mixed in. Quite a variety of ingredients, which was a pleasant surprise. On the rice, white sesame seeds were sprinkled—very nice touch. The miso soup contained fu (wheat gluten) and wakame seaweed, and was perfectly tasty. The kakiage included some onion and sakura ebi (tiny shrimp). While it was clearly pre-made, it was nice to have it included at this price. The pickles were also delicious. After finishing, a coffee was served as well. After leaving the restaurant, I noticed on the board outside that coffee was indeed included in the offer. The coffee was quite nice. Overall, it was a very satisfying experience. For JPY 880 with this quality and even coffee included, I think it's a great deal. I wonder if the okonomiyaki is just as good...