Lonely Gourmet Map: Spicy Curry Rice at a Hidden Izakaya in Tokyo’s Alleyways

Text & Photos byRight-45-Degree-Angle Girl

If you ask me why I’d seek out “Lonely Gourmet” spots when Tokyo has so many great eateries, my answer might be “everyday food.” It may not be mind-blowingly delicious, but I love that vibe—just like Taiwan’s street snacks.

Late last month, I started my first “food walk” chasing after the footsteps of Goro in Tokyo and found that the spots featured on the show were mostly small shops tucked away in hard-to-find alleys. Take this izakaya, for example—no tourists at night, or more accurately, even locals are rare… and that’s despite it being in central Tokyo.

So I thought, why not share how to use public transport to find this hidden alleyway spot? First, take the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line and get off at Nezu Station, then exit from Exit 1.

Turn left immediately, heading toward Nezu Shrine, and walk for about three to four minutes. You’ll see a library at the intersection (basically just across the street). Then, enter the alley on the left side of the library. I walked through this alley during the day too—it had quite a few passersby, but by night, it’s nearly deserted, with most shops closed.

After walking about four to five minutes into the alley, you’ll see this izakaya, “Sumire,” on your left.

As I pushed the door open, I heard the warm “irasshaimase” from the owner and all the customers turning to greet me… Then, their faces all read: “Tourist.” That included the owner, who spoke up. Not because I look like a tourist, but because this place—and this shop—are basically all regulars, with zero outsiders. The shop has only six or seven seats, and that night, they were almost all full. It felt like a regulars-only crowd, yet no one was chatting much. Everyone was quietly eating and drinking, occasionally punctuated by the owner’s laughter and conversations with customers.

As soon as I sat down, the owner handed me the “drink menu.” Yep, it’s an izakaya… So I followed Goro’s lead and ordered a “oolong tea.” The menu was mostly written on a hanging blackboard… but the characters were tiny and a bit messy. My Japanese isn’t great to begin with, so I could barely make out what was what. In the end, I followed Goro again and ordered “curry.” The owner smiled knowingly.

● 《ET News Cloud》 reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, and don’t drive after drinking.

Then I noticed two things on the table: a Giants team wristband and a “Lonely Gourmet” toy. That’s when I first learned that “Lonely Gourmet” has a “gashapon” (capsule toy) series. I later spent some time hunting for them at Akihabara and Shinjuku’s gashapon museum, but no luck XD.

The place had about a hundred wooden name plaques on the walls—I guess they’re the owner’s collection. It was the first time I’d seen so many collected in one shop. Pretty fun. After about ten minutes of waiting, my super-spicy curry finally arrived, wafting with curry aroma… Maybe it was the name or the TV show, but before my first bite, I steeled myself (because over the years, I’ve become less and less tolerant of spicy food).

But after two or three bites, I realized it wasn’t that spicy—at least not unbearably so. But… then… the spiciness Goro described slowly kicked in… along with a hint of saltiness, though the main flavor was still classic Japanese curry (spices). The texture was pretty thick and sticky, and the taste was actually quite good, aside from the steady stream of nose-running. Then I suddenly remembered Goro also ordered a side dish. BUT… I couldn’t pronounce the name in Japanese. So I just showed the owner a photo of it on my phone, and she burst out laughing and nodded.

Before the side dish arrived, she gave me this postcard from Season 5 of “Lonely Gourmet” =)

Alright, even though the curry got spicier as I ate, the pickled sweet onions were crispy, sweet, and great for cutting through the heat. Oh, and I’m still not entirely sure what this dish was called… but it felt like the kind of stewed side you’d find at any izakaya. It was piled high with shredded green onions.

The sauce had a slight savory umami from the broth and a faint miso-like aroma. The main ingredients were tofu and chicken skin, with a generous amount of the latter. The chicken skin was stewed until soft and almost mushy, yet still had a bit of bounce and chew. It absorbed plenty of the broth, making it smooth and flavorful, while the tofu was tender and juicy.

The owner suggested adding a bit of chili powder—it really did make it better, especially toward the end when it started getting a little salty.

I sneakily snapped a photo of the neighboring uncle’s cheese platter for drinks. Meanwhile, the guy on my right, after I’d finished eating, ordered a burger that looked absolutely insane… Maybe one day I’ll come back for that burger too XD.

If you’re interested in this izakaya, you might want to check out the nearby “Yanaka Ginza,” also known as “Cat Town.” Also, the staircase here is one of Japan’s famous sunset spots. It’s closer to JR Nippori Station, and it takes about 20 minutes to walk from there to “Sumire.”

Along the way, you’ll pass a small slope with an adorable and quirky cat café—but unfortunately, it’s closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, so I couldn’t go in. I just took a photo at the entrance.

Also nearby is the 1900-year-old Nezu Shrine, which is pretty famous. If you have some time after visiting Yanaka Ginza, you might want to stop by for a visit.

There’s no thousand torii gates here, but there are still over a hundred.

【Nennko House】
2-1-4 Yanaka, Taito City, Tokyo
03-3828-9779, Hours: 11:30 AM–6:00 PM (Open only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays)

【Sumire (すみれ)】
2-24-8 Nezu, Bunkyo City, Tokyo
03-3821-8941
Hours: 6:00 PM–1:00 AM (Closed on Wednesdays)

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