Casual lunch joint during the day, izakaya at night – this no-frills eatery in the basement of the Semba Center Building has been going strong for more than half a century. Over the years, Tentomo has built up a veritable army of regulars, many of whom have been coming to fill up on the shop’s hearty home cooking for decades; some old-timers continue to seek out the place they relied on for lunch during their professional years even long after retirement.
Seats start filling up soon after the doors are opened at 11am. The most popular lunchtime order is the Mamegohan Teishoku (‘set with beans and rice’), which comes with sides of tempura, chilled tofu and miso soup. The daily special (higawari teishoku) is usually just as safe a bet, with sashimi and various deep-fried delicacies making frequent appearances. An innard-warming soup made with sake lees is served as part of the set during the cold season (November to April).
The izakaya menu takes over from 3pm, listing a whopping 70-ish small dishes ranging from classics like oden (from ¥100 per item) to rarities such as kabura kizushi, vinegar-marinated mackerel sandwiched between slices of pickled turnip (available only in winter).