Hanawa

With a generous portion that looks like a whole conger eel and a sauce that is savoury rather than overly sweet, Hanawa’s conger eel tempura rice bowl makes a satisfying lunchtime centrepiece. One diner visiting at lunchtime described the tempura as crisp, with tender, flaky eel, accompanied by vegetable tempura. Another diner praised the fluffy texture of the conger eel rice bowl, offering a different way to enjoy it without the batter.

The lunch menu also includes fish dishes. One diner who tried a set meal with sashimi, a small side dish, rice, clear soup and a prawn-and-vegetable fritter noted that the fish could be chosen according to what was available, including salt-grilled or simmered options. It is a way to build a meal around fish rather than choosing a rice bowl.

In the evening, tempura and small plates can be enjoyed with a drink. A diner who paired sake with a salad of baby sardines and lettuce, grilled chicken skin and oyster tempura recalled the salad’s simple sesame-oil-and-salt dressing, along with the chicken skin’s tender texture and soy-based sauce. For a final dish, options include Tokushima’s Handa somen noodles and shrimp tempura rice balls. There is room to put together a meal centred on tempura and enjoy something to finish, too.