“Shuzen Honohomare Nishi-Shinjuku” (referred to hereunder as “Shuzen Honohomare”) in Shinjuku, Tokyo is a restaurant with the innovative concept of “celebrating rice as the main star of a meal.”
Here, you can enjoy dishes accompanied by rice cooked in traditional iron hot pots or earthenware, along with carefully selected Japanese sake. Each and every dish is prepared to enhance the deliciousness of the rice.
Enjoy rice cooked in a traditional iron pot as part of a grilled fish set meal
When visiting Shuzen Honomare during lunch, ordering from the “Gozen Set” menu is a must. Gozen are a type of Japanese set meal made up of several dishes. Gozen at Shuzen Honomare include rice cooked in a traditional iron pot and main dishes that bring out the deliciousness of the rice even more.
Out of the eight gozen sets offered daily, Umami bites highly recommends the “Grilled Salted Fish Gozen Set.”
“塩焼き魚御膳,” Grilled Salted Fish Gozen Set 1,280 JPY (tax included)
The main dish is a sardine grilled slowly over charcoal, with crispy skin and plump, juicy meat.
The fish is exceptionally fatty, and although seasoned only with salt, and it has a strong umami flavor!
Shuzen Honohomare is very careful and precise about the rice they use, selecting the most delicious variety from across Japan based on the season.
They purchase brown rice and mill it in-store, exclusively serving rice that has been milled within 24 hours. The cooked rice is fragrant and has an exceptional mouthfeel. You can feel the texture of each grain, and the more you chew, the more umami spreads across your palate.
When eaten with grilled fish, it’s even more exquisite! The simple flavor of the fish further highlights the presence of the carefully selected rice.
Pay attention to the supporting side dish cast that complements the rice!
The side dishes, besides the main dish, are also excellent.
On one plate, you’ll find three varieties: mentaiko (spicy cod roe), chirimen sanshō (dried young sardines with Japanese pepper), and ume wasabi nori tsukudani (nori seaweed simmered in soy sauce with plum and wasabi).
Each of the three has a subtle sourness or spiciness, creating a synergy with the sweetness of the rice.
(left) “ume wasabi nori tsukudani” (center) mentaiko (right) chirimen sansho
The mentaiko is slightly spicy, the chirimen sansho has a refreshing flavor, and the ume wasabi nori tsukudani offers the rich flavor of simmered seaweed.
You might find yourself finishing all the rice in your bowl just with these side dishes!
Additionally, the gozen sets come with a small dish that you can choose from among four options, including egg or grated yam.
Especially recommended is the Makkaran brand egg. When you beat this egg, with its rich umami and creaminess, and pour it over your rice, you’ll definitely want to ask for seconds!
Shuzen Honohonare offers dishes perfect for enjoying with Japanese sake
During dinner time, Shuzen Honohomare offers dishes that can be enjoyed with carefully selected Japanese sake.
They always have thirty varieties of sake on hand, ranging from rich and fragrant to crisp and refreshing.
A card provided for each sake describes its flavor profile
The dishes to accompany the sake are just as varied.
Firstly, the otōshi appetizers served are luxurious.
“お通し,” otoshi 650 JPY (tax included)
The cheese is marinated in sake lees, increasing its sweetness and richness. The salmon roe marinated in salted rice malt has concentrated umami.
Both pair well with any kind of sake!
The “Shellfish Dashi Soup,” packed with the umami of clams and sake, has a gentle taste and is perfect as a palate cleanser. It’s recommended to enjoy in between bites of your meal.
There are over thirty types of à la carte dishes, including sashimi, grilled fish, and meat dishes.
Of course, these dishes are designed to be paired with sake and rice.
“豚肩ロースの味噌漬け焼き,” Grilled Miso-Marinated Pork Shoulder 1,480 JPY (tax included)
The “Grilled Miso-Marinated Pork Shoulder” allows you to experience the restaurant’s philosophy through your taste buds.
The pork shoulder, marinated in miso, is rich in umami, with a mellow sweetness that spreads in your mouth. The slightly burnt miso adds a fragrant aroma and elevates the flavor.
The richly seasoned pork shoulder, with its lingering umami aftertaste, pairs perfectly with rice. It’s so irresistible that you’ll keep reaching for more—a dish that truly steals the show!
A luxurious finish: oyster and porcini kamameshi
To finish off your dinner, you should definitely order kamameshi. Kamameshi is a Japanese dish where rice and ingredients are cooked in a pot together.
Among the four types available, the “Oyster and Porcini Butter Kamameshi” particularly stands out.
The rich aroma of porcini and the sweet flavor of butter pleasantly subvert the image of kamameshi as a traditional Japanese dish.
“牡蠣とポルチーニのバター釜飯,” Oyster and Porcini Butter Kamameshi 1,480 JPY (tax included)
Five steamed oysters with concentrated flavors are generously topped on the rice. The restaurant uses domestic oysters, and at the time of our visit, thick, plump oysters from Hiroshima Prefecture were served.
While the luxury of the ingredients catches your eye, the rice infused with the umami of oysters and bacon offers a delicate flavor that makes you want to keep eating.
It’s a highly refined dish that brings out the best in each ingredient and harmonizes them beautifully.
As a staple food, rice is one of the essential ingredients in Japanese cuisine, enjoyed not only as a main dish but also as a drink, like sake.
While enjoying the playful culinary creations at Shuzen Honohonare, take the opportunity to experience and appreciate the depth of rice’s flavor.
Shuzen Honohonare’s interior
Information
| Store name | 酒膳 穂のほまれ 西新宿店 Shuzen Honohomare Nishi-Shinjuku |
|---|---|
| Address | Shinjuku Nomura Building B1F, 1-26-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
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| Access |
Nishi-Shinjuku Station Short-walk from Exit E7
Shinjuku Station（SJK） 6-minute walk from Shinjuku Station West Exit
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| Phone number | 03-5989-0003 |
| Reservations | Accepted Phone, Official website, Tabelog, Hot Pepper Gourmet, TableCheck |
| Payment |
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| Service charge/Table charge | Service charge (including otōshi) 650 JPY (tax included) |
| Hours | Mon-Fri. 11:30-14:00（last order 13:45）, 17:00-23:00（last order: food 22:00, drinks 22:30） Sat-Sun. & nat’l holidays 12:00-23:00（last order: food 21:00, drinks 21:30） |
| Closed | No holidays excluding Shinjuku Nomura Building holidays |
| Seating | 72 seats 56 table seats, 16 private dining room seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking A smoking room is available |
| Official website | https://www.dd-holdings.jp/shops/honohomare/nishishinjuku/#/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of August 2024.
