Interview with Eiraku Minami
We spoke with Eiraku Minami about what led her to start the restaurant, her attention to detail in creating the menu, and her hopes for the future.
Wanting to broaden the range of options: the journey to starting Tamashima Lunch Stand
Could you tell us what led you to start Tamashima Lunch Stand?
Eiraku (surname omitted hereafter)
I've always enjoyed thinking about food and health, and before starting the restaurant, I worked as a registered dietitian at a hospital.
A registered dietitian plans meals for people who are ill and provides nutritional guidance. But because it was a hospital, there were inevitably limits on the menus I could recommend.
When it came to food, I didn't want to tell people what they couldn't eat, but as a hospital I had to. I felt uncomfortable with that situation.
Around that time, my younger brother started Tamashima Bar BRUNO (a bar that operates at the same location in the evenings). The restaurant was sitting empty during the day, which seemed a waste. Also, having my own restaurant would let me offer a wider range of options.
Those were some of the reasons I started Tamashima Lunch Stand.
The recommended weekly supplement lunch
What menu items would you recommend?
Eiraku
The supplement lunch.
We come up with a new menu each week and serve dishes that are suited to the season.
There are definitely seasons when people tend to feel more tired. When deciding on the menu, I ask customers and staff how they've been feeling lately and make dishes suited to the temperature.
I want to turn what I feel firsthand into food, and I also hope that food can help prevent illness.
It's amazing that you come up with a new menu every week. What motivates you?
Eiraku
The customers, above all.
Some people come every week, and that makes me feel that I can't serve the same menu again.
Also, when I get my hands on seasonal vegetables, the excitement of thinking, “How should I cook these?” may be another source of motivation.
Thank you. Could you tell us about your approach to ingredients?
Eiraku
I want to use good, fresh ingredients rather than frozen ones. I work directly with farmers to have the ingredients delivered.
Fresh vegetables keep longer, so I think they ultimately help lower costs, too.
Eiraku's future challenges
Finally, is there anything you'd like to do going forward?
Eiraku
I'd like to take on new challenges.
When I took part in Kurashiki City's anko sweets project, I learned how to cook anko, which gave me one more way to expand the menu.
In summer 2025, I plan to take on Kurashiki Afternoon Tea. Afternoon tea involves serving many items, and I'm still trying to decide what dishes to offer.
Even so, I have to broaden my activities myself, so I'll keep taking on challenges with a can-do spirit.
From the Writer
Fresh vegetables and carefully prepared side dishes make you feel that you're “doing something good for your body” just by eating them. At Tamashima Lunch Stand, you can enjoy nutritious lunches prepared by Eiraku, a registered dietitian.
The weekly “supplement lunch” in particular is not only delicious, but also a meal that energizes both body and mind. Behind the delicious food is Eiraku's wish to “bring health to customers through food.”
When meals tend to fall by the wayside amid busy days, why not take care of your body and mind with a thoughtfully prepared lunch?
Tamashima Lunch Stand details
| Name | Tamashima Lunch Stand |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-91-1 Shin-Kurashiki Ekimae, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-486-5089 |
| Parking | Available 8 spaces in front of the restaurant (unavailable when other businesses are open for lunch) 5 spaces on the west side of the restaurant |
| Hours | 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (last order at 2:00 p.m.) |
| Closed | Sundays and public holidays First and third Mondays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted Reservations by phone or Instagram DM |
| Seating | [First floor] One table for two, one table for four, several counter seats [Second floor] Five tables for four |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restrooms | Western-style and Japanese-style toilets |
| Child-friendly | Children's chairs available |
| Accessibility | Not wheelchair accessible |
| Website | Tamashima Lunch Stand Instagram |
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