Behind the Counter a local Japanese Yoshoku Restaurant

this is behind the counter at a local Japanese yosoku [Music] restaurant so today I'm back in Tokyo's Asaka area and we're going three generations deep at this restaurant behind me it actually started earlier this morning so let's cut to that now today I'm taking you behind the counter and deep into the kitchen of Pichi a 90 old yosoku restaurant meaning Japanese influence Western Cuisine hidden in a back alley just a few steps from the area's Kamon Main Street it's made a name for itself for its rich and uniquely Japanese born beef stew served in a hot iron pot I don't know about you but there's just something about a suus Vibe that's always got me fired up let's go good morning sure this is San the third generation owner of the shop oh hello not at [Music] all the shop is very much run by the family with his mother wife and Aunt but like all days he's the only Chef so his morning start [Music] early what do you do first in the morning I bet what's that oh okay so you're still working on it oh no sorry to hear that where's the pain [Music] ouch what's that for because the ingredients of the shop signature beefs do have different cooking times he simmers them separately while also preparing other items as the only chef at the shop he's keenly aware of all the tasks ahead of him for the day so he diligently Works committed to creating the highest quality food possible damn he's using eight pots all at the same [Music] time by the way do you live upstairs oh how old is your son is he going to take over the shop oh really what does he want to do oh what's he setting nice do you have any other kids oh and what does she do that's brilliant he says that as a father he wants to respect their dreams and doesn't want to force them into the family business but adds that his son is currently working part-time at a Ramen Shop and if he wanted could even change the place into a Ramen Shop in the future at the end of the day their happiness is his happiness so why the name Pichi I see he says that the shop started out as a bar by his grandfather but later he converted to a yosoku restaurant in 1936 well before it became popular in Japan many years later as a high-end Cuisine for the upper class and fueled by Japan's economic boom happening entertainment districts like aaka were flooded with these restaurants trying to cash in as dining here became a status symbol so yosoku with roots in Japan going as far back as a period evolved over time to suit the Japanese palet and culture taking Western dishes altering the taste and arranging in with [Music] Ry so did you always want to do this oh really what did you do before this like selling jeans dope is that your dad so were you too close jeez did you guys fight a lot oh that sounds rough apparently he started working at the shop at 27 and officially took over 4 years later when his father passed away from cancer overwhelmed with a pressure as a young owner on top of having to repay his father's business debts he was forced to dig down deep finding solace in his passion for the culinary arts and the idea of continuing his family's Legacy what's that on your neck nice how long have you been married he says that he got married at 35 and his son was born one year later I have a three-year-old son yeah he is so are your kids still cute you raised them well he says that despite his busy schedule when his kids were younger he would take them to many different places and travel so that there wouldn't be a distance between them growing up like he experienced with his own father further saying that even now he still finds a time to have dinner with him valuing his relationship with his family I see a lot of rock and roll stuff around here are you in a rock and you pierced your ear too really apparently he used to play the drums in a rock band dreaming at one point that it may become his career but eventually gave it up to take over the family business that said his love for it never completely went away as he still goes to concerts with his friends when he has a Spare Time by the way you know UI on from masah right how was he back oh cool really he didn't tell me [Music] that now he prepares the Shop's mayonnaise from raw ingredients as it serves as an integral part of his dishes as a sauce it's handmade with a bit of time and much physical [Music] effort its natural sweetness and vibrant flavor has become a signature part of his Cuisine that has many locals coming back time and time again wow you're using all of that oil oh you're watching TV Okay so is this a secret recipe that's a shame I hope you find an apprentice who has as much passion for this as you do so why don't you use machines he says that he's already tried many different tools but the taste T just wasn't the same and it made it even more difficult to make adjustments to the recipe which is why he prefers doing it by hand nice he's removing the beef tongue from the shop signature demig glass sauce it then goes into the beef tongue [Music] stew next he prepares the beef that goes into the stew searing the surface and then boiling it in the demig glass sauce for 8 hours producing an irresistible tender meat while at the same time the rich Essence from all the beef tongue and tendons are drawn out into the sauce the entire cooking process spans about 1 week but the exact timing of this delicate dish is evaluated by only the chef who's mastered this dish over many years oh wow he's already cleaning the kitchen focusing first on the so which he scrubs down every day to ensure that the grease does doesn't accumulate over time I guess not a moment is wasted as he readies his shop for his [Music] customers what are you doing oh no as a small shop owner he also needs to make minor repairs here and there now he prepares the hogu a staple at Japanese yosoku restaurants it's completely different from Western hamburger meat patties as it's made from a blend of minced meat egg pko and chopped vegetables to create an airier and juicier texture and taste and of course served in Japan with rice instead of a bun by the way what's your most difficult task here that good morning that's his ant sure thank you for having me so before we continue on I want to give a quick shout out to the sponsor of this video Squarespace if you all don't already know Squarespace is the number one way to build your online presence in fact I use Squarespace from my website at Tokyo zebra here are just some of the reasons why I love using Squarespace so much now with fluid their next Generation website design system and helps anyone unlock their creativity with reimagined drag and drop technology for desktop or mobile and start with a professional website templates but then customize it like I did for my website to fit your own needs check out my homepage it shows my latest video for both my channels if you want to sell products online physical digital or service products Squarespace has you covered sell custom merch Squarespace has you covered want to accept online appointments guess what Squarespace also has you covered so there you go go to squarespace.com today for your free Char and when you're ready to launch go to squarespace.com from Tokyo and get 10% off your first domain or website now he prepares the ton kutu slices starting from a whole slab of [Music] pork he meticulously pulls out the veins as it's not a favorable part of the [Music] meat [Music] have you been working here a long time right awesome she says her nephew continuing on the family business actually makes her happy for [Music] sure what do you do on Sundays when the shop is closed awesome is this you in the picture so cool do you still stand on top oh okay oh you like the ocean that sounds like fun you have active friends really but you can make [Music] mayonnaise do you have kids oh how old are they oh that's his son where are you going yeah so what are you going to do with your girl how are you going to stick around this area oh that's nice have fun discovering shops like this is truly what makes these videos worthwhile seeing it span from Grandfather to grandson and through the passage of time learning how the shop has overcome hardships through dedication and commitment to create the highest quality dishes is truly remarkable I can only hope that it continues on so that I can one day visit again with my own grandchildren hello apparently he still maintains relationships with the same vendors his father used some of them in business now for 40 to 50 years hello she's sasagawa son's wife I just saw your son maybe what have you been up to that's a busy morning so it's their routine while her husband does the prep in the kitchen she takes care of the morning house chores and after she finishes she helps with a shop so did you ever think you'd work in this [Music] business I see so what do you like about this job awesome anything like that [Music] now he prepares one of their side dishes nap put itan spaghetti a common item in Yos Shoku restaurants it's basically a softboiled pasta served in a rich and sweet ketchup sauce which tend to give older Generations a nostalgic feeling hello what are you going to do now oh but you have a dishwasher right there anyway can I ask how old you are 91 wow how long have you been working here damn she actually got married at 13 years old and has been working here ever since pretty much her entire life what's that oh I'm sorry how'd you get it ah you're still so active working every morning though you're incredible right before this door opens he breeds the Tatu meat knowing he's going to need it right [Music] away at 11:30 the restaurant finally opens for business [Music] look at him go he cooks up multiple dishes all at once to ensure that the customers don't wait long for their [Music] orders I guess the first customer orders the Tatu hamburger and fried shrimp [Music] combo fried items like Ebie fry and donkatsu are also popular items at the shop which are fried in chamele alard from Holland known to be the most premium kind helping create an unforgettable crispiness and unique Umami that's their signature beef stew he mixes the ingredients only after it's been ordered by the the customers unlike other places with pre-cooked stews the shop stew has its own distinct lightness blended with a complex flavor and deep mmy and before noon all the seats are filled and getting busier than ever excuse me do you come here often cool has anything changed over the years so what's your recommendation here and what did you order today thank [Music] you during the lunch Peak the kitchen gets even busier the dishes are plated at an incredible speed and swiftly delivered to the customer [Music] while the kitchen continues to cook for the ltime crowd the rest of the shop cleans up and starts to prepare for dinner and that's another one in the books if you want to visit this shop for yourself I'll be sure to leave a link in the description okay so that's behind the counter at a local Japanese is yosa restaurant if you guys like this video like always help me out and hit that like button and if you guys want to help support the channel then definitely check out my hot sauce Paulo from tokyohot sauce.com and if you guys want to see more videos like this or anything related to Japan hit that subscribe button and the bell button I'll catch you guys in the next one

Channel: Paolo fromTOKYO

Views: 474,657

Keywords: Paolo, Japan, Japan guide, Japan travel, tokyo, tokyo travel, japan food, japanese food, japan behind the counter, tokyo hidden spots, behind the counter, japan food tour, japanese food tour, japan food documentary, japan travel food, tokyo restaurant, japanese cuisine, food documentary japan, japanese fried food, tokyo hidden gems, japanese western food, japanese kitchen, hidden gem, asakusa food, what to eat in tokyo, traditional japanese food, japanese restaurant food

Id: PjoSqv870b8

Length: 18min 47sec (1127 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 23 2024