｢シッタカ｣｢サザエ｣｢アワビ｣の貝3種を!! : Morita Ya

About a week ago, I happened to run into the master of this place, and when I said, "I want to eat Shittaka," he generously replied, "If you had told me 2-3 days earlier, it would have been fine!" So, I made a reservation for that Saturday.
However, my friend added, "I want to eat Abalone too," so I asked the master if we could have Shittaka, Abalone, and Sazae together, making it three types.
On the morning of the day, I received a LINE message from the master saying, "I can't find Shittaka." I felt disappointed since Shittaka was the dish I wanted the most. But about an hour later, I received the delightful news, "I secured Shittaka!"
It's been over ten years since I last had Shittaka, which I first tasted as an appetizer at a seafood izakaya I randomly stepped into. When I was a child, every summer I would visit my grandparents' house in Izu, and I would go rock-pooling to catch Shittaka. The memory of eating it boiled with salt for dinner is vivid. The adults would enjoy it as beer snacks.
*I believe it's now prohibited to catch them due to fishing rights regulations.
Because of this, Shittaka is a kind of 'soul food' for me.

The master's skills are remarkable. He prepared the Shittaka, Sazae, and Abalone with impeccable boiling, steaming, and grilling techniques. Although these dishes aren't on the regular menu. It seems he has a good relationship with "Watanabe" at the fish market, ensuring he gets high-quality ingredients.
If I feel like having any other seafood dishes in the future, I'll definitely ask for my whims again! (laughs)

I returned for a visit just three weeks after my last one.
My main goal this time was to try the classic "Mentaiko Mochi Cheese Monja" since the "Shirasu Monja" I had previously wasn't too great.
However, the highlight of the day was definitely the "Horumon Yaki."
The master cooked it right in front of me.
Apparently, this Horumon is sourced directly from a senior supplier in Shibaura, so it's clearly a premium selection.
With the master skillfully cooking it right before me, it was served hot and fresh, and there was no way it could taste bad.
My companion, who was really enjoying it, said, "I want a second serving!!"
But when I reminded them, "You want to have Monja and Okonomiyaki after this, right!?" they hesitated and reluctantly decided to pass.
Afterward, we also had the "Mentaiko Mochi Cheese Monja" and the "Okonomiyaki," both of which were delicious as well.
Of course, the master was the one cooking, but it seemed like he was currently teaching a part-time boy his skills.
That makes sense because once the restaurant gets busy, it will be hard for the master to handle every table by himself.
On this day, all the tables were fully occupied.
Having increased my satisfaction level, I rated it slightly higher than my previous visit.
I genuinely want to try the lunch "Sashimi Set Meal" offered for around JPY 1,200.

On the Higashi Street of Tsukiji Outer Market,
I found this place that just opened last month on the 2nd floor of a building right off Harumi Street.
Recently, most of the restaurants opening in Tsukiji seem to cater to tourists or foreign visitors,
but this place has a different vibe.
The owner previously operated a seafood and monjayaki restaurant in Ningyocho for about 10 years,
but he really wanted to open a restaurant in Tsukiji, where he was born and raised.
It seems the menu is not much different from the previous place,
so while the name has changed, it's basically like a relocation.
What’s refreshing is that it hasn’t jacked up the prices just because it’s in Tsukiji.
Since the owner grew up in Tsukiji, he obviously has many acquaintances from the old market,
and it appears he has solid seafood supply routes.
Additionally, according to long-time locals, Tsukishima, known for monjayaki, is within the same territory.
So the combination of seafood and monjayaki is certainly not surprising.

Apologies for the lengthy introduction,
but on that day, I heard from locals that the food here is quite good,
so I made a reservation for 5 o'clock and went to check it out.
All the tables are equipped with teppan.
Unlike the narrow spaces of monjayaki shops in Tsukishima,
there's a sense of spaciousness here, which is nice.

I started with a soda-based umeshu while my friend opted for a highball,
and we ordered our dishes.
The sashimi platter featured 5 types: uni, bonito, yellowtail, otoro, and umegai.
Absolutely no complaints there.
* The uni and otoro were so good that I ordered them again.
This led my friend to order a bottle of red wine,
and I chose a bottle of kokuto shochu.
* The name of the kokuto shochu, "Seira," is actually the name of the owner's daughter.

An interesting dish was the sake-steamed clams.
They placed clams and sake inside a tough, cellophane-like wrap,
and just set it down on the teppan.
Over time, the bag puffs up to show it’s ready.
The clams were small but delicious.
Next, we had the famous monjayaki.
That day we were encouraged to try it with good shirasu (white bait), which we did.
The owner prepared it for us but didn’t make the typical cabbage dam.
Hmm, looking back, I slightly regret not choosing our favorite "mochi mentaiko cheese" instead.
Finally, we had the "Yaki Neapolitan."
This dish was popular (it was a hit at the previous restaurant as well) and was indeed delicious,
but the portion was quite large.
The owner kindly mentioned that we could have half the portion,
so I wish I had taken him up on that offer.

Overall, it deserves the rating I gave.
If it wants to feel more like an izakaya,
it could benefit from a few items typical of an izakaya menu.
But from a business perspective, they probably need options for the influx of tourists,
it seems there’s a lot to consider regarding the menu...

However, I look forward to seeing how it develops.
Right now, many people in Tsukiji are trying to promote things as "Tsukiji specialties"
or labeling themselves as "born and raised in Tsukiji,"
but I hope the owner here continues to strive for "authenticity" like he has.

I'll make my way back at the right time.