Interview with Bunker manager Ikuo Tomoda
Bunker is a restaurant where you can enjoy generous portions of curry and set meals that are well-balanced and offer excellent value for money.
We spoke with Bunker manager Tomoda Ikuo about what led him to open the restaurant, what makes it special, and some stories about the place.
The name comes from the golf bunker
Where did the name “Bunker” come from?
Tomoda
It comes from the golf bunker.
When a ball lands in a bunker, it can be quite difficult to get it out.
I chose the name because I want customers to relax and take their time, like a ball that has landed in a bunker.
The restaurant opened at 11 a.m. on January 11, 2019.
There are a lot of ones in the date, but that wasn’t intentional.
We chose an auspicious day to open, and it just happened to work out that way (laughs).
Taking on the food-service industry for his second career
Why did you start Bunker?
Tomoda
I had always worked as a company employee.
It was in a completely different industry from food service.
After I retired, I thought I’d like to try running a restaurant.
I like curry, so I was thinking of a small, cozy place that I could run by myself, with spice-focused curry as the main offering.
I couldn’t find a suitable property for a while, but one day someone introduced me to the property where the restaurant is now.
It was a larger space than I had expected, though…
I wanted to run a small place with around 10 seats.
Also, because it’s located in Kurashiki Station’s West Building, there are many businesses nearby.
So I made a bold change from spice-focused curry to Western-style curry that many people are familiar with.
I also added set meals, so that office workers and business travelers could come for lunch.
Since I had originally planned a small restaurant, I intended to run it by myself.
But the space was larger than expected, so I hired staff.
We want customers to feel they got good value when they eat out
What are Bunker’s features and appeal?
Tomoda
Bunker’s main feature is that every dish comes in a generous portion for the price.
And you can enjoy a well-balanced meal.
Since customers are spending money to come out and eat, I want them to leave feeling they got good value.
Office workers nearby come back regularly for lunch, so I also think about nutritional balance.
Refills are free with set meals!
If you think the rice portion is too large, you can ask for less, which is popular with female customers too.
We also have a daily set meal so regular customers don’t get bored.
Coming up with a menu every day is hard, but thankfully, the daily set meal is our most popular item.
Making the most of the location by the station, with a hotel in the building
What would you like to do with Bunker going forward?
Tomoda
As I mentioned earlier, many people come for lunch from nearby offices.
There are also hotels in and near the West Building, so many business travelers visiting Kurashiki come here too.
That’s why weekdays were busy, while we had fewer customers on weekends and holidays.
But gradually, more tourists started coming on weekends.
We also have visitors from overseas.
We’re right in front of the station, and there’s a hotel in the building, so I’d like to attract even more customers and welcome more tourists as well.
In closing
Every dish at Bunker comes in a generous portion, is well-balanced, and offers excellent value for money.
It’s a great option for office workers at lunchtime, and has many regular customers.
At the same time, the food has a comforting, home-style flavor, making it a place where everyone can find something delicious.
Given its location by the station and close to hotels, I thought it would be a good place for visitors to Kurashiki on sightseeing trips or business trips to eat.
You’ll be more than satisfied for the price.
Bunker details
| Name | Bunker |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-7-2 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, Kurashiki City Plaza West Building, Basement 1 |
| Contact | None |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 11 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Closed | Thursday Third Wednesday of each month * Closed even when a regular closing day falls on a public holiday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Available Reservations can only be made in person at the restaurant |
| Seating | 24 seats total ・6 counter seats ・3 tables for two ・3 tables for four * Table arrangements can be changed |
| Smoking | Smoking permitted |
| Restrooms | Western-style and Japanese-style toilets |
| Families with children | Strollers allowed Children’s tableware available |
| Accessibility | Elevator Wheelchair access |
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