Sonoji

Sonoji (日本橋 蕎ノ字)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🍤 Tempura / 📍 Nihombashi Ningyocho

📓 Visits: 3 (2020-2021)

Sonoji is the 3rd-most highly ranked tempura restaurant in Tokyo, behind Takiya and Kusunoki.  Cheaper lunch courses were available in the past but lunch is the same as dinner now and I've only ever been for dinner which is currently priced at JPY 19,690 plus 5% service.

On my first visit extra pieces were available and I was asked if I wanted to add any of these to the course.  That didn't happen on subsequent visits.  If sweet potato is available as an extra and you want to eat this you won't be able to add it at the end as it takes a long time to cook so be prepared to decide if and when asked.  Suzuki-san doesn't talk a lot but he is friendly, as is his wife.  No English is spoken.

The quality of ingredients is excellent.  Not as special as Kusunoki but better than Motoyoshi (review here), possibly marginally better than Edomae Shinsaku (review here) and certainly featuring more rare items.  Suzuki-san's parents owned a soba restaurant in Shizuoka so there are a few soba side dishes served during the course and the final savory dish is soba.  I'm not particularly a fan of soba but the soba at Sonoji is special, the best I've had anywhere.

Tempura courses can take a very long time but happily dinner here won't take much longer than two hours.

My third visit to Sonoji was my last.  I switched to Edomae Shinsaku where I think the tempura is better and costs about the same (though I've now switched elsewhere.)  The batter coating the ebi was bit thick a couple of times and a bit floury coating the ika on one occasion.  Small differences matter when it comes to tempura and when you're paying this much everything needs to be great, not merely good.  The only truly memorable item I've eaten here was the carrot on my first visit which was like eating candy.  This was not as good on my most recent visit and a little greasy.

I would recommend a visit to Sonoji.

📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1302/A130204/13201969/

❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.25

📱 Booking: 🟥 Difficult.  Bookings are taken by phone but if you ever call they'll say they're full so ask to go on their wait list and they'll call you when they get a cancellation.  You'll be able to book again after your meal but they only accept bookings a few months ahead.  The restaurant is listed on Pocket Concierge as well.

📍 Location: 

2-22-11 Nihombashi Ningyocho.  2-3 mins walk from Ningyocho station or Suitengumae station Exit 7.  Dedicated street-facing entrance.
Map data ©2021 Google

📅 Visit February 2021

Soba
Dashi
Ebi x2
Ebi head x 2
Kisu
Ika
Fukinoto
Ninjin
Tama negi
Shingo
Kaki
Kaki nori
Uni obamaki
Takenoko
Anago
Satsumaimo
Sakura ebi kakiagedon
Soba

💴 Damage: 22,070
⏱ Time taken: 2h10m

📅 Visit September 2020

Ebi x2
Ebi head x2
Kisu
Kobashira
Nasu x2
Peanuts
White fig
Ayu
Sazae
Matsutake
Uni
Anago
Kabochya
Sakura ebi kakiagedon
Soba
Anko

💴 Damage: 22,580
⏱ Time taken: ~2h

📅 Visit April 2020

(no notes)

💴 Damage: 22,760