Tempura Yaguchi

⚠️ Unfortunately tendon is no longer served at lunch and it's now courses only.

Tempura Yaguchi (天ぷら やぐち)

⭐⭐⭐

🍤 Tempura / 📍 Nihombashi-Ningyocho

📓 Visits: 2

Tempura Yaguchi was recommended to me by Suzuki-san of Sonoji (review here) which is just around the corner.  At lunch (and I've only been for lunch) only tendon is served.  Previously there was a choice of one bowl at JPY 1,500 which includes 2 shrimp, green pepper, nasu, anago and ika or a bowl at JPY 2,000 which includes all the above plus kisu and shiitake.  On my first visit everyone chose the second option.  On my second visit this was the only option.

There are just 7 seats at the counter.  In March 2021, I arrived at 11:10 on a weekday and one person was in the queue already.  By 11:30, when the restaurant opened, all seats were taken.  On a weekday in June 2021 it was less busy.  I arrived at 11:12 and was the only one in the queue until 11:27 when two more people turned up and then one more a minute later.

Chef fries the tempura in batches of three and the first batch was served at about 11:43.  If you're in the second batch of three you might have to wait up to 25m inside plus queuing time outside until you're served, which is quite a lot of waiting for lunch.

The quality of ingredients is very good for this price.  The pieces of tempura are quite large and I'd characterize the flavours as strong, particularly the anago which was really earthy and the nasu which is very caramelized.  I did have a greasy taste in my mouth as I left but I've experienced worse.  Rice is good quality and the tendon is served with good tsukemono and akadashi.  It's not as good value or quality as the 2K lunch at Tempura Miyashiro (review here) but that seems to have stopped for now.

Tempura restaurants can age very quickly but Tempura Yaguchi opened in July 2020 so is still clean and new.  Tendon lunch is all about quick turnarounds so there's no conversation but chef was polite and remembered me on my second visit.

For JPY 1,500-2,000 this is the least oily tendon I've come across.

Yaguchi was awarded a Michelin Star in the 2022 Tokyo Guide so expect it to become a lot busier.

📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1302/A130204/13248312/ 

❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.7 

📱 Booking: First-come first-served for lunch.

📍 Location:

2-9-7 Nihombashi-Ningycho.  1 minute from the A3 Exit of Ningycho station.  Dedicated street-facing entrance.

Map data ©2021 Google

📅 Visit June 2021

💴 Damage: 2,000 (cash only)
⏱️ Time taken: 45m (20m outside, 25m inside)

📅 Visit March 2021

💴 Damage: 2,000 (cash only)
⏱️ Time taken: 40m (20m outside, 20m inside)