Do you like yakiniku?
Are yakiniku chains not enough for you?
Want to enjoy delicious yakiniku you can’t get anywhere else?
“Aidoen” is a restaurant that we hope every yakiniku lover will visit at least once.
This long-established yakiniku restaurant, located in front of JR Kurashiki Station, has been in business for over 60 years and is a popular local favorite.
In 2017, it was reborn following a renovation.
Despite its long history, Aidoen offers not only classic dishes but also new, original ways to enjoy yakiniku.
For example:
- Never seen anywhere else! The ultimate negi-shio tongue: “Aidoen Original Negi-Shio Tongue”
- “Aidoen Original Chicken Tender Roll,” with a juiciness you wouldn’t expect from chicken tenderloin
- Yakiniku with the flavor of sukiyaki!? “Grilled Outside Round Sukiyaki-Style”
These dishes are also featured in this article, so be sure to check them out.
We’ll also introduce the history and distinctive qualities of Aidoen, a long-established yakiniku restaurant that continues to try new things.
The information presented here was current when the article was published in January 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Aidoen? A long-established yakiniku restaurant founded in 1955 in front of JR Kurashiki Station
Aidoen is just south of JR Kurashiki Station.
It is right by the shopping street Kurashiki Center-gai (Bios Kurashiki).
Aidoen is a long-established yakiniku restaurant that opened in 1955.
It has been a beloved local fixture for over 60 years, with some customers visiting with their parents, children, and grandchildren.
For many years, it was a traditional “Showa-era yakiniku restaurant,” but it underwent renovations in 2017.
▼The interior was transformed into a stylish restaurant inspired by a meat bar.
As a result, Aidoen welcomes a wide range of customers, from groups of young women and office workers stopping by after work to families and longtime regulars.
▼The restaurant also has original Aidoen stickers.
Why not take one home as a memento of your visit to Aidoen?
Aidoen’s recommendation: Tottori’s branded beef, Manyo Beef
The main meat served at Aidoen is a branded beef called “Manyo Beef.”
Manyo Beef is a branded beef from Tottori Prefecture.
Aidoen serves beef from Manyo Beef producer Taniguchi Takuya.
Taniguchi’s Manyo Beef is the meat that Aidoen’s owner, Kanemitsu Shingo, fell in love with.
As of 2022, only three restaurants in Okayama Prefecture, including Aidoen, serve Manyo Beef.
▼Aidoen is a certified Manyo Beef restaurant and the 15th in the country.
Alongside Manyo Beef, Aidoen also sources quality meat from around Japan, including Yamagata and Kagoshima.
Aidoen’s recommended and popular dishes
The staff introduced some of Aidoen’s recommended dishes and customer favorites.
“Aidoen Original Negi-Shio Tongue” offers a new way to enjoy negi-shio tongue
Negi-shio tongue is a yakiniku classic.
I love it too.
But at Aidoen, they have an original way of eating it.
It’s really interesting.
Usually, negi-shio tongue is served with green onions on top of the tongue.
▼At Aidoen, however, the green onions are served in a separate dish.
And the green onions are in large pieces.
▼The tongue is large and looks delicious.
First, place the dish of green onions in the center of the grill and warm them up.
It’s almost like ajillo; before long, the green onions start bubbling.
Once the green onions are warm, grill the tongue around the dish.
▼It’s grilling up nicely.
Once the tongue is cooked, eat it with the green onions. You can put the onions on top of the meat or wrap the meat around them.
This is a truly novel experience.
This way, you can enjoy both the flavor of the green onions and the taste of the tongue.
Negi-shio tongue has long been a popular dish, but many customers said, “Even though the green onions are on the meat, they fall off when you flip it. But I don’t want to cook it on just one side.”
So, after much trial and error to find a way to enjoy the meat and green onions together, this way of eating negi-shio tongue was born.
“Premium Thick-Cut Zabuton” lets you savor Manyo Beef chuck roll
Next up is the “Premium Thick-Cut Zabuton.”
This is Man'yogyu beef, recommended by Aidoen.
Zabuton is a cut from the chuck roll, near the ribs.
▼Its long, rectangular shape makes quite an impression.
Its beautiful red-and-white marbling looks like a work of art.
The zabuton had fine cuts made into it, dividing it into sections.
To grill the Premium Thick-Cut Zabuton deliciously, cook it until all eight sides are browned.
It’s also delicious with as much wasabi as you like. Wasabi goes very well with loin cuts.
When you eat the zabuton, the rich umami and sweetness of the high-quality Man'yogyu beef spread through your mouth.
It had a wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth flavor.
By the way, the green pepper served with the zabuton was grown by a vegetable garden called Mangiare in the Mitsu area of Okayama City.
Aidoen also puts a lot of effort into its vegetables.
When I tried it, I was surprised by its gentle sweetness—it hardly tasted like a green pepper.
“Aidoen Original Sasami Roll” is fun to grill and juicy
Next is the “Aidoen Original Sasami Roll,” made with Kagoshima Wagyu beef.
▼The sasami roll is also striking in appearance.
It’s truly a work of art.
It seems like the kind of dish you’d expect from Kanemitsu, who has a background in restaurants.
▼The rolled meat is stacked like tsukimi dango.
▼The presentation is so beautiful that it almost seems a shame to eat it.
When grilling, first place each of the two ends of the roll face down and brown them.
Once both ends are browned, lay the roll on its side and roll it over the grill to brown the sides.
Try eating it with the inside still rare.
The flowers used for decoration are called “pentas,” and they’re edible.
We recommend placing a flower on top of the sasami roll and adding sudachi juice.
When you eat the sasami roll, its savory aroma spreads through your mouth.
And it’s wonderfully juicy, almost melting in your mouth.
I was amazed: “I had no idea there was such a delicious way to eat this meat!”
Sasami meat is a little dry when eaten as is.
But prepared as a sasami roll, it’s so juicy you’d never think it was sasami.
I thought the sasami roll was beautiful in both appearance and taste.
And Aidoen’s idea for this grilling method is wonderful, too.
“Grilled Sukiyaki-Style Outside Round” pairs Man'yogyu round with mellow egg
Here’s another recommendation from the chalkboard menu.
It’s the grilled outside round, sukiyaki-style.
The chalkboard menu changes depending on ingredient availability, so it may not be available every day.
Among the Manyo Beef cuts, the round cuts are especially delicious, so be sure to try them!
The outside round is served in a tiered box, giving it an elegant feel.
The egg is a “red egg” from Nodahatsu, an egg producer in Tamashima, Kurashiki City.
▼The outside round is topped with a sukiyaki-style sauce.
When grilling it, be careful not to overcook it, as the meat is thinly sliced.
We recommend giving it a quick sear, leaving a little red in the middle.
The sauce is already on the meat, so once it’s cooked, dip it in the raw egg and enjoy.
The sweetness and savory flavor of Manyo Beef round, the sweetness of the sauce, and the mellow richness of the raw egg come together for a blissful taste that feels like it could melt on your tongue!
▼The bowl holding the raw egg is made of Bizen ware.
Meat and Bizen ware go really well together!
By the way, the younger brother of Aidoen owner Shingo Kanemitsu is a Bizen ware artist, and he made this bowl.
“Outside Round Caesar Salad with House-Cured Beef Prosciutto” features the rich flavor of prosciutto made in-house with care
The last dish I’ll introduce is the outside round Caesar salad with house-cured beef prosciutto.
▼The petals scattered on top are marigolds, and they’re edible.
The prosciutto is house-cured! We coat the surface of the meat with a spice called fennel and cure it for about a month.
▼The prosciutto has a lovely, subtle aroma of fennel.
Along with just the right amount of saltiness, the meat’s savory flavor comes through as you chew.
Aidoen Menu
Aidoen offers a wide variety of dishes, from classic yakiniku favorites to original creations.
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
Be sure to look for the connoisseur’s rare cut, “yomenakase.”
▼ Aidoen also puts a lot of effort into its vegetable menu.
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
Along with the meat, be sure to try dishes made with carefully selected fresh vegetables.
Also, be sure to check out the “blackboard menu.”
The blackboard menu changes daily depending on what ingredients are available.
Some items may no longer be available by your next visit, so be sure to check it.
Aidoen also has a wide selection of drinks.
Along with beer and highballs, it offers shochu and local sake.
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
▼ Be sure to check out the wine with Aidoen’s original label.
A wine with an original label is featured each month, with one variety introduced at a time.
Takeout Available
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
Aidoen offers takeout for bento meals and meat.
The menu is as follows. Meat can also be ordered individually.
| Menu item | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Manyo beef soboro and wagyu harami rice box | ¥2,500 |
| Wagyu kalbi bento | ¥1,500 |
| Harami bento | ¥1,200 |
| [Meat] Couple set / serves 1–2 | ¥4,500 |
| [Meat] Family set / serves 3–4 | ¥9,000 |
| [Meat] Special selection set / serves 1–2 | ¥10,000 |
Photo courtesy of Aidoen
You can order in person at the restaurant, but if you want to pick up your order at a specific time, we recommend ordering by phone in advance.
Phone number for orders: 086-422-3115
- Bento orders are accepted from 12 noon to 5 p.m.
※After 5 p.m., reservations may not be available depending on how busy the restaurant is. - Meat takeout orders are accepted from 12 noon to 5 p.m.
※Orders placed by 5 p.m. can be picked up as late as 10 p.m.
Inside Aidoen
Aidoen’s interior has a stylish atmosphere inspired by a meat bar.
▼ The wall features a blackboard modeled after a popular manga character that was a hit and brings back memories for people in their 40s.
Aidoen has a total of 90 seats.
They can also provide four extra chairs.
While a long-established restaurant, Aidoen is also proactive in suggesting new ways to enjoy its food.
We spoke with Aidoen’s owner, Shingo Kanemitsu.
Aidoen Information
| Name | Aidoen |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-3-26 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-3115 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 5 p.m.–10 p.m. (Last order at 9:30 p.m.) |
| Closed | Mondays Third Tuesday of the month Open if Monday is a public holiday; closed the following Tuesday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted Call to make a reservation between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. (They may not be able to answer the phone after 5 p.m.) |
| Seating | 90 seats in total [First floor] ・Counter: 6 seats ・Tables: 31 seats [Second floor] ・Tables: 49 seats (up to 4 additional seats can be added with extra chairs) |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Families with children | Strollers allowed Children’s chairs, tableware, and small plates available |
| Accessibility | Wheelchair access on the first floor only |
| Website | Kurashiki Aidoen [Official Website] A delicious yakiniku restaurant |
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First, let’s take a look at the Aidoen Original Negi-Shio Tongue.