Gyoza bar in JR Utunomiya Station. Will I be able to enjoy my drink without being overwhelmed by the cool and stylish atmosphere?
Hi, it’s “Drunk Uncle”!
Today I went to “Gyoza toieba Bariron” in Utsunomiya on my way home from work.
Speaking of Utsunomiya, of course, it’s “gyoza”! Speaking of gyoza, it’s “Minmin”, the famous restaurant! Or so I thought, but after doing some research, it seems that Utsunomiya is “Minmin” written in hiragana. There are many other “Minmin” names, such as “Minmin” written in kanji in Osaka (you often see in Tokyo), “Akasaka Minmin” (a branch of a chain), “Ryu Minmin” in Okinawa, and “Sendai Minmin” which has nothing to do gyoza, a shark fin wholesale.
There seem to be various names, such as Osaka Ohsho and Gyoza no Ohsho, family ramen, Jiro ramen, or maybe trademarks issues, but aside from that, I went to “Gyoza toieba Bariron (means, “When it comes to gyoza, it’s Bariron”) on the first floor of JR Utsunomiya Station, which was recommended to me by a local.
It was Thursday dinner time, so there were about six people waiting. I had to be patient because I wanted to eat gyoza.
At the entrance to the restaurant, staff are skillfully making gyoza. It’s a little nice to be able to watch the cooking process.
Young staff run the restaurant, and the clientele is a diverse bunch, including couples in their twenties, groups of people on their way home from work, and university students. There are no “Drunk Uncle” like me, and the atmosphere is completely different to the usual pubs, making me feel a little uneasy.
After waiting about 10 minutes, I am shown to the counter. It seems they are expecting two people, so I am told that we can use two chairs, which is a relief.
Looking at the menu, there seems to be a variety of dishes such as fried dumplings, boiled dumplings, a la carte dishes, skewers, and pho, but I decided to go for the hardcore fried dumplings and spicy fried dumplings. As for drinks, there is no Hoppy, of course… but there is sake. It says, “Tochigi’s world-renowned sake is fun and delicious!”, so I ordered Shikizakura (please entertain me…).
I was told that I could choose from six types of appetizers.
While I was waiting, I looked it up and found out that this is a restaurant belonging to a group of restaurants called “Team Barista” based in Utsunomiya (apparently they are considered to be of the “Bari style”, but definitely not of the “Hare style”). They also have a branch in Tokyo Station Gransta, but I hadn’t noticed it because it was under my nose. While the turnover rate in restaurants is high, it’s nice to see young people with dreams jumping in and providing lively service inside the restaurant, even though it does have an old man feel to it. It suddenly reminded me of the old ladies from Omiya Izumiya. How are you all?
The appetizer and Shikizakura, the sake, are brought out. The sake seeps into my empty stomach. It tastes just like regular sake.
The male customers next to me are eating pho as a finishing touch to the meal. I instinctively want to order more, but I hold myself back and wait patiently for the fried dumplings.
The fried dumplings are brought out. Sorry for repeating myself, but as I wrote in the Hidakaya Kinshicho station, for the past few years, Yoidoreojisan has been eating his dumplings with vinegar, salt and pepper. Well, you can eat them however you like.
The important thing is that the taste is just normal and good. It goes really well with the vinegar and pepper.
If you gulp it down like you would with regular second-class sake, the sake will dry up quickly. I add a second glass of Asahiko (apparently it has a clean mouthfeel and a good sharpness!). To be honest, I don’t know what it tastes like, but it’s pretty good.
The spicy fried dumplings arrived. They were already seasoned, so I was told to eat them as is. I had made fresh vinegar and pepper, so I was a little disappointed. But these were also quite tasty.
I paid the bill and left the restaurant. I was completely engrossed in the chic and stylish atmosphere of the restaurant.
The dumplings and sake were delicious, but for me like “Drunk Uncle” with the smell of a pub permeated his mind, something didn’t quite feel right and I was left feeling unsatisfied. I felt a little guilty about using this kind of chic and great place as a substitute for cheap drinking.
*Best with colleagues, friends, or as a couple!
Where can I get rid of this feeling of unease? Continued here…
Bar information
Gyoza toieba Bariron
Address: Utsunomiya Station Building Paseo 1F, 1-23 Kawamukacho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture
Payment method: Various cashless payment available!
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