Kinkume — Restaurant in Tokyo

Delicious top quality food at the airport

As an American, my expectations for the quality of airport food are generally pretty low. When I’m at an American airport, I’m used to buying a tasteless burrito or perhaps a dried out sandwich.

Japanese airport food tends to be much better, but Kinkume is in a class to itself. It offers food that you might find in a high end restaurant in Ginza or Minami Azabu. Let me tell you about my experience….

We arrived shortly after opening, and the menu at that moment was restricted. They were only preparing one of the three menu items available. I assume that the others would be offered later in the day. Luckily for me and my wife, we both wanted the aji teishoku, so that’s what we ordered!

Our server was Miss Yamaguchi. We found her to be very friendly. She was both preparing the food and interacting with the customers. Miss Yamaguchi explained to us that they use sushi-grade aji, and because of this they only deep fry it for 20 seconds. This leaves the exterior hot and crunchy, as aji fry should be, but the interior was still raw, as you’d experience in a sushi bar. It was delicious! The fish was clearly extremely fresh, with a delicate flavor and firm texture that only the best fish has.

We were particularly enamored with the house-made tartar sauce. The ingredients are served in a bowl, and you mix them up yourself to create the final product. The sauce includes finely chopped eggs, seaweed flakes, mayonnaise, and especially unique was their use of smoked takuan, which adds crunch, sourness, and smoke all at the same time. I’ve never had smoky flavored tartar sauce before, and it was fantastic!

Other condiment options were mustard, sea salt, wasabi, and a fantastic dashi with some daikon oroshi. My two favorites were the tartar sauce and the dashi with daikon, both of which paired perfectly with the delicately fried fish. I added a little sea salt to the tartar sauce, which I think made it even better than it already was!

Additional items in the set were some kabocha pumpkin and miso soup, both of which they managed to elevate above the norm. The kabocha was perfectly cooked and firm throughout. There was no mushy exterior layer from the pumpkin absorbing too much liquid. The flavor was fresh and pure. The miso soup included a generous addition of baby clams, adding both flavor and a tiny chew as you removed the meat from the shells. Miso soup is pretty ubiquitous in Japan, but this one was elevated above the norm.

Rounding out the set was some shredded cabbage with dressing you applied yourself, a bowl of rice, and some pickled vegetables to accompany.

While this certainly was a delicious meal, we found the price to be a little high. We assume, however, that the rent in this location must be exorbitant, leading to the need to charge a little more than normal. We were happy to pay, however, to enjoy such delicious food in an...

アジフライ2,800円は、高〜い。

金粂（かねくめ） 羽田エアポートガーデン店（羽田空港第3ターミナル直結）

※店名は「かねくめ」と読む。 初見では私のように「かねじょう」と読んでしまう人もいるかもしれない。

2023年にオープン。羽田エアポートガーデンのジャパンプロムナード内にある魚定食専門店で、明治四年創業の水産仲卸が直営しているという。カウンター席のみで、10席ほどの小規模な店舗。

料理と構成 店頭には「生アジフライ定食」「鮭親子丼」「鯖の味噌煮定食」などが並ぶ。いずれも魚を中心とした定食で、調理法や構成に特徴があるとのこと 定食には漬物、小鉢、味噌汁が付く。出汁や味変素材が複数添えられているメニューもある アルコール類（日本酒、焼酎、ハイボールなど）も提供されていた

空間と雰囲気 店内は簡素で、調理の様子が見えるカウンター形式。長居には向かない 空港の喧騒からやや離れた位置にあり、時間帯によっては落ち着いている 朝10:00から休憩無しで営業しており、フライト前後の食事に対応可能

価格と利用感 定食はサバ味噌で2,500円〜。メニューの内容に対して、東京の一般的な相場の2〜2.5倍くらいする。羽田第3ターミナル2階の駐車場入口の奥にある施設内にあり、徒歩では航空会社カウンターまでは10分弱かかる。全般的に高めの価格帯。 持ち帰り用の弁当（鯖寿司、のり弁など）も販売されていた クレジットカード、交通系IC、QR決済に対応

総評 魚に特化した構成と価格設定から、誰にでも気軽に勧められる店ではない。 私のように、メニューの内容に惹かれても、価格を見て入店を控える人もいるだろう。 名物メニューについては評価が分かれるようだが、今回は食べていないため、味の感想は記載しない。高くて美味しい魚料理を中心とした定食を提供する店として、記録しておく価値はある。

Kinkume Haneda Airport Garden Branch (Direct access from Haneda Airport Terminal 3)

Opened in 2023. Located within the Japan Promenade of Haneda Airport Garden, this small counter-style restaurant specializes in fish-based set meals and is reportedly operated by a seafood wholesaler founded in 1871. The space seats about 10 at the counter and maintains a quiet atmosphere despite being inside the airport.

Food & Structure Menu items include “Rare Fried Horse Mackerel Set,” “Salmon & Roe Rice Bowl,” and “Simmered Miso Mackerel Set.” Each is centered around fish, with distinctive preparation and presentation Set meals come with pickles, side dishes, and miso soup. Some include broth and condiments for flavor variation Alcoholic beverages such as sake, shochu, and highballs were available

Space & Atmosphere The interior is minimal, with a counter facing the kitchen. Not suited for lingering Slightly removed from the airport’s busiest areas, and can be quiet depending on the time Open from 10:00 a.m., making it accessible for early travelers

Pricing & Accessibility The simmered mackerel set was priced at ¥2,500. Overall, prices are roughly 2 to 2.5 times higher than typical Tokyo standards Located inside a facility near the entrance to the Terminal 3 parking area; walking to airline counters takes nearly 10 minutes Takeaway options such as mackerel sushi and nori bento were also available Accepts credit cards, IC cards, and QR payments

Overall Given its fish-focused menu and pricing, this is not a casual choice for everyone. Some may be drawn in by the offerings but reconsider after seeing the prices. While the signature dishes receive varied reviews, I did not eat here and therefore won’t comment on taste. As a restaurant offering high-priced fish set meals inside the airport, it’s worth noting...

The deep fried horse mackerel set was delicious. The Kinkume staff were very welcoming. They helped me use the machine to place my order. And they provided a card that explained the meal so I ate it properly. The portions were perfect: fish which tasted fresh, rice, cabbage, miso clam soup (very mild, not fishy), and condiments. The whole experience was fun and tasty! I would recommend Kinkume to any hungry traveler who passes by, whether you are between flights, staying at the nearby hotel, or simply out shopping. Cost was ¥2,800 (less than USD $20) and the meal included a...