Continuing our story on Ibaraki's new antenna shop "Ibaraki Marche." On the way home from Palaceside Building in Takebashi, I stopped by. Took the Tozai Line to Otemachi, then walked past JR Tokyo Station for about 15 minutes.
The former "Kamon Marche," closed in August, greeted you near the entrance with a large "Hustle Kamon" mascot — Ibaraki's yuru-chara I love. The new shop is a bit more stylish (?), with a clean entrance. In the sales floor... finally found it: phone mascot strap ¥680＝photo top. Sadly only this for now, but they plan more goods — stay tuned.
About two weeks after the November 13 opening, the restaurant already has hit dishes. Dried-sweet-potato mont blanc, ¥580＝photo bottom — an Ibaraki specialty reworked as mont blanc; talent Suzuki Nana from Ryugasaki, appointed "Ibaraki Ambassador (PR Director)," reportedly raves. Restaurant hours: lunch (11 a.m.–2 p.m.), cafe (2–5 p.m.), dinner (5–11 p.m.) — no mont blanc at lunch.
One more dish: "Natto tonkatsu," billed as an Ibaraki specialty (or so they say). I've seen katsu topped with natto at a Mito restaurant, but here natto is wrapped in batter with pork and deep-fried — the real deal (?!). Can you see natto in the cut on the left half of the photo below? Taste... a matter of preference; I thought it worked. Lunch ¥1,280 with all-you-can-eat salad bar, natto bar (2–3 kinds plus five "chef's special sauces"), and shijimi clam soup from Lake Kasumigaura near Mito; dinner single item ¥980. Lunch also offers "thick-cut rose pork ginger steak" ¥1,280, etc. "Chef's recommended lunch plate" ¥980 often sells out early.
Dinner has a little story. That tale another day.