My father-in-law called late at night last week excited that he discovered a new tempura restaurant. He wanted to know if I would join him. I ran out the door, even though I had already had dinner.

Yamagami san’s eponymous restaurant, @tenpura.yamagami, is a sleek counter. I ordered just a few pieces a la carte including squid, oyster, and meaty maitaké mushrooms. Ginkgo nuts were simply fried without the batter which matched the seasonal hiyaoroshi saké. Chef has worked at Tenichi, a chain of tempura restaurants, the main shop being in Ginza.

When I went back for lunch the counter was busy. Vegetables tempura are dipped in a sweet soy sauce and set on a bed of rice. It included broccoli, lotus root, maitaké mushroom, eggplant, kabocha squash, snap peas, and a thick slice of sweet potato. A hearty lunch and a bargain at 1,650 yen ($11). Dinner starts at 6,500 yen ()

Yamagami is a short walk from Kokubunji Station on the Chūō line.

Tokyo-to, Kokubunji-shi, Hikaricho 1-39-21
#foodsaketokyo #foodsakekokubunji #kokubunji #tempura #Yamagami @chuosuki #Chuoline #国分寺 #国分寺グルメ #中央線 #中央線グルメ #天ぷら #東京天ぷら #Japan #Tokyo