Zubora, Nihonbashi (寿保羅)

Geez, with a second repetition already under our belts, this weekly language lunch thing could become a permanent fixture. It's great lunching with a Retail guy too, because he knows all sorts of quirky places that I wouldn't find. This one was on the fourth floor of a mostly unmarked building (and appeared even less-marked when we got off on the wrong floor and met only a 1 square-meter room with two locked doors. I was really impressed by the 'private kitchen' nature of it for a second.) and has an awesome hideaway funiki (one of my vocab words from lunch, suffer with me) with a low ceiling, dark wood, wide counter overhung with a narrow purple curtain and generally cheerful clutter.I'd love to spend a night there, but the formica-topped tables are really small and low (and there are only three 2-tops aside from the counter). I think it's more suited to our smaller salariman brethren, and Mama would probably be more comfortable with that too.

For lunch, what you're getting is kamameshi, or rice cooked in its own little kama pot (which is spiritually a little like an automatic ATM). There are a bunch of varieties like seafood, bean, and vegetable, but this is Nihonbashi, home of financial firms, and that means things are packing up at 1 PM. We got there in time for the last two pots that they had, and we were glad to have them.

The seasonal vegetable one was pretty good - three kinds of mushrooms, carrots, thin-sliced green beans, gingko nuts, and sesame all on top of a big serving of rice. You's Chinese-style ankake kamameshi had thick sauce mixed with the vegetables, which you then had to stir into the rice. Either way, fresh and filling. Side dishes, different for each set, were a bowl of soup for me with lots of aburage and a stewed radish slice topped with ground meat for You. And pickles. And houjicha. I remember the what was in everything because You quizzed me mercilessly on the Japanese names for everything. That sort of language practice I don't need, dude!

I would try this at night, when they profess to get fresh fish up from Shimane and have a complete kappou menu. Oh, plus many bottle of shochu made from carrots! Japan is a land of mystery and wonder.

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