I’ve come to inhale the sap of an adult again… A bar where you can relax and feel like a rhinoceros beetle. It’s a Showa retro neo-pub, but don’t be put off by not trying it.
Hi, it’s “Drunk Uncle”!
Today I went to “Taishusakaba BEETLE” in Sendai on my way home from work.
This is a sister store, or rather an older brother store, of the “Sakaba Soda Sendai” I have already visited. It is located a little far away, about a 10-minute walk from Sendai Station. It is a so-called Showa retro neo-style tavern, but it captures the stomachs and hearts of the Drunk Uncles in Sendai city while also reaching out to younger customers. It is a new bar that recreates the atmosphere of a Showa-era bar while attracting a wide range of customers with its modern interpretation.
Some may say, “Hey dude, aren’t they always looking down on Showa retro?”, but the BEETLE chain also offers high-quality foods and drinks for adults, and I personally feel proud to be leading the new sakaba culture, so I would like to support them without worrying about the small details.
Before entering the bar, you would check the exterior as usual, right…?
The exterior is chic, or rather, sophisticated. Even though it was designed rather than historically created, it’s like Disneyland, and the atmosphere around here is important.
There’s nothing special to say about the outside signage. If you look closely, it seems to be open all year round (probably closed during the New Year holidays). It opens at 2 p.m., so please stop by if you have some free time. However, if you come to the bar at exactly 2 p.m., there will be quite a lot of regular customers lined up, so come a little before opening time… Well, let’s go inside.
The shop has a U-shaped counter and tables. Well, if you come here, you should sit at the U-shaped counter. Sit back and observe the inside of the bar… The customer base is a diverse mix, including middle-aged drunkers, a group of thugs who seem to be in their 20s, and couples who seem to have some kind of problem.
Check out the lighting. As we mentioned before;
Compared to “BEETLE”, the lighting in “Soda” is brighter, and as Drunk Uncle who wants to drink the sap of adults like a beetle at night, I don’t like it a little. It’s a bit embarrassing if it’s too bright.
So, “BEETLE” is easier and deeper to drink…
Anyway, let’s forget about such trivial matters and order something drink for adults.
Well, the first drink is decided before you even enter the store, or rather, from the moment you wake up in the morning, right…?
Here, the only choice is Shiro Hoppy. If you don’t start from here, your ancestors will cry if they see you.
Like I said before, if you pour the shochu into the glass like this, there’s a 100% chance it will spill… right?
In that case, pour it in so that it drips from the top. I won’t say it again, but this is the last time.
It’s the official way to insert it at the store. It will come up frequently in the practical exam, so make sure you practice it.
Gulp! The Hoppy I worked so hard to make tastes even better than usual! Now that I’ve hydrated my throat, it’s time to select some snacks to go with it.
The appetizer menu includes a variety of skewers, sashimi, a la carte dishes, set meals, and even desserts. It’s truly a cradle-to-grave experience. But my favorite, “Spaghetti Salad,” isn’t available here! Soda had it, but BEETLE didn’t…
Reluctantly, I ordered potato salad and today’s stewed tripe(motsuni). And when it arrived, the waiter said, “Today’s stew is curry flavored.” The traditional signature and standard menu item, “Motsu stew,” was casually dressed down and made curry flavored, so is this a restaurant that caters to the younger generation? BEETLE, you too, I thought, feeling sad.
Gulp! There’s no salad or regular stew, what a shame. I have no choice but to drink it…
Foods arrive. First, potato salad. Oh, there’s something stuck in there. Potato chips… So I’m supposed to put potato salad on potato chips and eat them. Gulp! I wash it down with Hoppy. Well, the ingredients are the same so it’s bound to be au fait, and the crunch and crunchiness are nice. After taking a bite, I make a dam of soy sauce to make it salty. I have a health check coming up, so I need to be careful not to eat too much salt…?
However, I’m sure I’m not the only one who thought this potato salad reminded me of the “Stargazy Pie” that is rumored to be the basis for the herring pie that appeared in “Kiki’s Delivery Service”…
Next is the stew… Who could eat such a fancy snack as “Today’s Stewed Motsu with Curry Flavor – Served with Coriander” with green grass on top…!? I thought to myself, taking a sly bite. This is…so delicious, Mom!! It’s as delicious as “Inaba Green Curry Can”, gulp! It goes well with Hoppy. I can’t put the taste into words as Drunk Uncle with a poor palate, but it was delicious in its unexpectedness. I’m sorry for pandering to the young people and making such random comments.
Gulp! I gulp down the Hoppy to the last drop and then I’m leaving! I want to hurry up and pay! If you tell the waiter, he will give you a complimentary “shijimi soup”, so drink it and wait patiently for the bill. This is a very appreciated service. I think Soda serves red miso soup.
I have to learn from their attitude of following the tradition of the bar while also trying new flavors. It’s about time for Drunk Uncle to take a leap and not just drink and die. Like a beetle in the night, I went from tree to tree, forest to forest in search of sap, vowing to start afresh and explore a new bar.
Bar information
Taishusakaba BEETLE Sendai
Address: 1F, 2nd MK Building, 3-2-16 Chuo, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi
Payment method: Cash only (QR code payment is apparently possible. I don’t know because I don’t use it)
Tabelog ‘Taishusakaba BEETLE Sendai’
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