01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
At lunchtime, Tachiju Sono’s signature dish is tachiju, a rice box topped with beltfish that offers a change from unagi (eel) rice. Diners have described the charcoal-grilled kabayaki as tender and fragrant, with few troublesome small bones. Some say the rich sauce complements the fish’s own savoury flavour, while the dish feels lighter than eel—a good choice for anyone curious to try grilled fish in a different form.
The meal can also be enjoyed as tachimabushi, with dashi served alongside. One diner was shown how to savour the first half with the kabayaki sauce, then pour dashi over the rest, noting how the flavour became cleaner and lighter. Another mentioned a hint of yuzu in the dashi, which made a refreshing finish with the beltfish and sauce stirred through it. Whether you prefer the grilled flavour from start to finish or a lighter final few bites, the rice box offers both options.
The accompaniments carry the beltfish theme through the meal. Diners have praised the salad with crispy fish-bone crackers for its crunch and saltiness, which offered a welcome pause between bites. Alongside the rice box, the crackers and dashi broth provide more ways to enjoy the fish. At lunch, the signature dish takes centre stage.
In the evening, the restaurant serves set courses. Some diners have enjoyed sashimi platters, small dishes and appetisers, choosing drinks to go with the meal and taking their time over dinner. It offers a different way to dine from stopping in for the lunchtime special. The compact, Japanese-style interior is centred around counter seating, making it suited both to a solo lunch featuring the beltfish rice box and to an evening course booked in advance.
