JPN: Azuma Tei (東亭)

A serendipitous find of homely food near the Great Buddha of Gifu!

My first meal in Gifu Prefecture was at a quaint family-run restaurant for lunch. The warmth of the place, along with the kind gesture of the couple running the eatery, instantly made me feel at home. I didn't confirm with them, but my guess is that the restaurant is called Azuma Tei. Deciphering Japanese kanji characters can be very tricky since they often have multiple readings.

The menu is shown on the wall, which is written entirely in Japanese. I found out from online reviews that while there isn't any English menu available, there's a picture menu to those who need it.

Ten Don ¥800 (~S$7.00)

Taste: 7.5/10

The Japanese writing of the dish on the menu is 天丼. I can never resist the temptation of deep-fried prawns coated in a golden, crispy batter. The two big ones that I had at Azuma Tei were tasty, although the batter could be lighter, while the accompanying battered green chili pepper lent a gentle heat to the dish. I'd love to have a bit more of the sweet sauce drizzle.

Niku Udon ¥750 (~S$6.60)

Taste: 8.5/10

The Japanese writing of the dish on the menu is 肉うどん. It was a simple, yet truly comforting bowl of udon (Japanese wheat flour noodle), perfect for the rainy weather. While I'd prefer the soup to be slightly less oily, its natural sweetness made up for it. The udon had a delightfully bouncy texture, and the sliced beef was fresh and tender. The topping of sliced green onions added a fresh and aromatic touch to the dish.

Kenchinjiru ¥300 (~S$2.65)

Taste: 8/10

The Japanese writing of the dish on the menu is けんちん汁. Originally created as part of Zen Buddhist temple cuisine, kenchinjiru is a kind of soup featuring a variety of root vegetables, tofu and mushrooms. The version served at Azuma Tei deviated from the classic recipe as it included a bit of chicken meat, making it non-vegetarian. It was heart-warming indeed.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8/10

Ambience: 7.5/10

Service: 9/10

Overall: 8/10

In my conversation with the friendly couple, I learnt that they visited Singapore for their honeymoon and had a wonderful time there. Before I left, they thanked me for coming and gave me some Pocky. Pika's advice: It's possible to upsize any main course for ¥250 (~S$2.20).

Azuma Tei

(東亭)

3-18 Imamachi

Gifu City, Gifu

Japan

(Daily: 11.30am - 7.30pm)

*Prices quoted are nett prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)