You’ve most likely visited Gonpachi’s Roppongi branch, otherwise known as the “Kill Bill restaurant.” But did you know that the brand has 11 other branches? The latest opened on January 16 in Asakusa, and offers all the innovative dishes that keep Gonpachi customers coming back for more, along with an excellent view of the neighborhood’s bright red Azuma bridge.
Gonpachi Asakusa-Azumabashi, as the new branch is called, is just a three-minute walk from Kaminarimon, the imposing red gate that dominates Asakusa’s main street and is the district’s best-known landmark. The menu is a blend of traditional Japanese ingredients and unique flavors. Look forward to hand-pounded noodles in the “soba room,” where you can watch skilled Japanese chefs work their magic as they grind buckwheat seeds and roll out the dough before cutting the soba noodles into 2mm strips.
The menu also includes kushi (skewered) dishes that are barbecued using binchotan charcoal for supreme flavor, and on the second floor there’s a nori-temaki counter, which boasts high-end seaweed from Ariake that’s seared to order and wrapped around warm rice and other selected ingredients. To drink, you can choose from a premium selection of sake or a variety of original cocktails.
When you take up a seat at the wooden counter on both the first and second floors, note that the wood comes from trees that are over 200 years old, and be sure to glance across at the wall displaying a selection of shunga (ukiyo-e erotic artwork). From the copper-wrapped walls outside to the mix of modern and traditional decor inside, Gonpachi Asakusa Azumabashi offers a rustic warmth while still catering to the contemporary customer.
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