Eating Tempura (天ぷら) at Tenmatsu Restaurant, Tokyo

Tenmatsu Restaurant, Nihonbashi branch, in Tokyo, Japan, serves amazing Japanese tempura. Go for the lunch special!

When I was in Tokyo, I attempted to eat as much Japanese food as I possibly could, in the amount of time that I had. Along with sushi and sashimi, another popular Japanese dish is known as tempura. Now let me tell you that I had eaten tempura many many times before ever going to Japan - but I have to say, this meal changed my view for the better about real tempura - no longer will soggy deep-fried shrimp ever satisfy me again. This tempura meal I've had in Tokyo raised the bar for me and it was absolutely delicious.

So I was recommended by my friend over at Food Sake Tokyo (), to check out a restaurant in Tokyo known as Tenmatsu. Now there are a couple of different branches of this restaurant in Tokyo, and I think the main branch is actually in Shibuya and might be more expensive than this location. But the branch I went to was located in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo, a real business and historical area of town.

One thing you have to get used to about Tokyo, is showing up early for lunch - because during the lunch rush, it can be challenging to actually find a seat. I've never been to a city where there is so much lining up for food. Literally almost every restaurant you visit, you've got to wait in line to get in. So anyway, being the food crazy person that I am, when I was in Tokyo I made sure to arrive at all restaurants for lunch as soon as they would open, and sometimes even 15 or 30 minutes before they would open. So we got to Tenmatsu early, and luckily we were first in line. And right after we got in line about 10 other people joined us.

As soon as the doors opened for lunch we walked in the front door at Tenmatsu and the menu was at the reception. So I had to make my lunch order quickly, and decide what I wanted to order. So you first order at the reception and pay at the same time up front, and then you walk in and choose a seat. Being first in the restaurant, we set down at the tempura bar seating so that we could see the chef as well as eating our meal. Sitting at the bar is actually one of the most awesome things about eating Japanese food in Japan.

At Tenmatsu restaurant, I decided to order the combination of fresh tempura paired with a bowl of sashimi over rice known as a Maguro zuke Don(まぐろずけ丼). I could not have been happier with my meal choice, it was absolutely a sensational combination. As soon as we got in the restaurant and took our seats, the chef began to whip up his incredible tempura creations. Since we were first in the restaurant we were served first, and he personally served us onto our plates on the bar. One of the best things about Japanese food is how fresh everything is served - nothing sits around for too long.

The tempura at Tenmatsu was absolutely amazing, the batter was light, and crispy, and it was not even oily at all - meaning probably that it was deep-fried in exactly the right temperature. The bowl of sashimi over rice was also extremely delicious. The red tuna was incredibly buttery soft, and just had amazing flavor to it. Paired with hot fresh rice and sprinkled with seaweed and sesame seeds it was absolutely sensational. I had an amazing dining experience at Tenmatsu Restaurant in Tokyo Japan, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a delicious tempura experience that won't break the bank when you're in Tokyo, Japan.

How to get to Tenmatsu Tempura, Nihonbashi, Tokyo:
Take the Tokyo Metro to Mitsashae-mai station, exit at B6, and make an immediate right turn around the corner. Tenmatsu Restaurant will be on your right hand side.
Address: 1-8-2 Muromachi, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Price - 1,260 Yen (about $12)

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