Bougie without breaking the bank – affordable Michelin-star dining!
Nakajima is a one-Michelin-star restaurant hidden away in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku neighbourhood. Despite the prestige, the restaurant has been offering cheap lunch sets for years. These high-quality, high-value lunch deals have made Nakajima a favourite spot for locals. As much as an hour before the restaurant even opens, the line snakes out onto the sidewalk. I recommend queuing up no later than 11:00 a.m. to secure a spot in the first seating.
How To Get to Nakajima
Shinjuku Kappo Nakajima is located down a nondescript side street. There is a brightly coloured 24-hour parking sign next to the building. The actual restaurant is downstairs in the basement, so look for people queuing on the stairs leading down. For those of us who can’t read Japanese, you’ll know you’ve found the correct place when you see Nakajima’s logo, which is two C-shaped halves making a square.
Ambience & Amenities
There are ten seats at the counter in the main foyer where guests can watch the chef work. Around the corner out of view is another small dining room. The large tables here have partitions set up to separate groups of diners. The partitions are transparent plastic, which is a peculiar choice and offers no privacy at all. It felt like the guy across the table and I were on display while we ate. You must be okay with sitting close to strangers to eat here.
Menu at Nakajima
Click on menu pictures to enlarge
There are only four options during lunch (11:30 am – 2 pm). Each set comes with green tea, miso soup, pickles and a bowl of rice. The rice can be refilled once free of charge, but additional refills are extra. I didn’t see a drinks menu, but I saw others ordering sake and beer. Payment is cash only during lunch, so make sure you’ve got the Yen.
Food at Nakajima
We’ve tried three of the four lunch sets at Nakajima. The Nizakana Set is a little plain, and with the Deep Fried set, the fried breading overwhelms the sardine flavour. I’ve never tried the Yanagawa Nabe set, but many locals were ordering this dish, so there must be something to it. Of the options I’ve tried, I can say that the Sardine Sashimi Set (¥1,100) is the best.
The raw sardines are sliced into bite-sized strips. Sardines never seem to be on offer at sushi restaurants back home, so it was fascinating to taste the raw flavour of the fish. They have a delicate fishy flavour and rich oiliness to them. There’s only sesame and green onion for minimal seasoning, so the fish is the star. A slice of lemon can cut the oiliness if you prefer, and there’s soy sauce for the sashimi experience.
Saturday Worthy?
I used to think sardines were just that gross flaky fish swimming in tomato sauce that came in cans. Nakajima completely changed our view on sardines and how delicious they can be when eaten fresh. If you don’t mind queuing and the very intimate dining setup, you must try lunch at Nakajima when you’re in Tokyo. Although my opinion on sardines has changed, I’m still not touching the canned stuff!
Price for 2 Pax: ¥2,200
Sardine Sashimi Set x 2: ¥2,200
Shinjuku Kappo NAKAJIMA
Address: Japan, 〒160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3 Chome−32−5 日原ビルB1 (basement level)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2pm & 5:30pm – 9pm Tuesday to Saturday, Closed on Sunday and Monday
Alcohol Served: Yes
