Gojuichi — Restaurant in Fujiyoshida

At first “Modern Izakaya” made me thinking that it’s just about the atmosphere according to the photos of the place. But when I’ve started digging into the menu, I realized that the dishes are going to be something special. Octopus with the black rice caught my eyes in a moment, but at first evening they told me it’s sold out. It’s the second bell that gave me understanding that I have to try it, so I made a reservation for the next evening. So, on the first evening I’ve got this chicken which had exceptionally soft and little spicy flavor at the same time. Also you can get set of beers to find yours. The appetizer of an egg with the sauce on top of it was really good. I’m not a big fan of boiled eggs, but it was cooked well and the sauce gave me unforgettable taste of it. On the next evening I’ve got the octopus and there are no words to describe how good was it. It was just amazing. I literally closed eyes and went to “mmm” while eating it. A lot of places around were opened according to Google Maps, but they weren’t. Moreover, I have to mention, I was living 25 minutes walking from there but I had no doubts to come back again. At this place I was welcome every evening and had a great conversations with Japanese and Brazilian chefs as far as they’ve got opened kitchen so you can also see all the magic that happens over your dishes. Even with the lady in Japanese language, there were no worries to use translators to enjoy the conversation over the Ghibli. Definitely...

This was our first encounter with an unexpected "table charge" during our Japan trip. The atmosphere was also off-putting, with other guests loudly watching videos on their phones.

The place looks like any western bistro. Staff was smiley and welcoming. We ordered the risotto and wagyu special per staff recommendation. Both dishes were decent enough - while the sauce seemed overly sweet and simple and nothing particularly memorable (beef was cooked on top of mustard and a very sweet teriyaki), the food quality was acceptable.

At checkout, we discovered an 800 yen (400/p) charge we hadn't expected. The waiter explained it was for a complimentary first course (half a boiled egg) we didn't order. When questioned further, the cook somewhat defensively explained that Japan uses table charges instead of tips, claiming "that's how it is in Japan."

However, this was actually our first experience with such a charge throughout our trip, so it's not as universal as suggested.

While this became our first disappointing restaurant experience in Japan due to the unexpected charges and service approach, don't let this completely scare you off if you find yourself here. The food itself was decent - just factor in the potential table charge and atmosphere when making...

I don’t normally find myself eating western food on the other side of the globe but I stumbled upon this restaurant with my partner whilst there was very little else open in the area. Wow it did not disappoint. It doesn’t feel right to say it given how amazing the local cuisine is and how much I’ve enjoyed trying anything and everything, but it was definitely one of the best meals I’ve had in Japan. We had the caprese salad (far better than the one I actually had in Capri, the tomatoes were so sweet), smoked cheese salad (so simple but wow wow), Gorgonzola potato salad (yum), Brazilian-style croquette (the sauce with it was delicious), and the Gorgonzola, honey and walnut pizza (not Neapolitan style but incredible, I wanted another). I’ve spent a lot of time in Italy - the food here would not be out of place. These guys need to get themselves to Tokyo - they’d have queues if everyone...