Old lotus

[A restaurant specializing in eel and loach dishes that has been in business for half a century]

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of this restaurant, which specializes in eel and loach dishes. Located in front of Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station, it is easy for tourists to stop by, and the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant is warm and relaxing. “We have been protecting the secret sauce that has been handed down for half a century, and we are pursuing uncompromising bamboo steaming,” says the owner, speaking passionately about his feelings for eel.
He is particular about using domestically produced eels from Kagoshima, and when domestically produced eels became scarce nationwide two years ago, he went to Taiwan in search of eels with a similar texture to domestically produced eels. After searching around, he found one that he was satisfied with, and procured it locally.

The rice is Hinohikari brown rice, which is purchased from his parents’ home in Yame City and stored in a refrigerator, with only the amount he uses being polished. The most popular dish at the restaurant is the “Jyo Seiromushi,” which is served with a not-too-sweet sauce and thinly sliced shredded egg on top. The balance of the four large pieces of eel and the steamed rice is exquisite.

The store is usually kept clean, but since the COVID-19 outbreak, they have put up a transparent screen at the register and installed alcohol disinfectant on each table. “We open the windows once every 30 minutes to ensure good ventilation,” they say. They also sell “mini steamed bamboo steamers” and take-out “steamed bamboo steamer bento.”