Our Day 1 in Nagoya was powered almost entirely by food. After landing from a red‑eye flight and dropping our bags, we eased into the city the best way possible — with good coffee, comforting noodles, and an indulgent beef dinner.
Quick Meal: Kishimen at Sumiyoshi (Surprisingly Good!)
Our first proper meal of the trip was something truly local: Kishimen a classic Nagoya specialty at Sumiyoshi, located right on JR Nagoya Station’s Platform 3/4.
This spot is famous among commuters and travellers for its fast, flavourful, and affordable bowls. It’s a standing-only counter.
Most of the toppings here — like the prawns and beef — are ready‑made or frozen, something you’d expect from a train‑station eatery. But what surprised us was how good everything still tasted. The noodles were soft, silky, and a gentle bite, and the prawns/beef were satisfying despite being pre‑prepared.
The broth we had was a clear yuzu‑based soup, light yet fragrant, topped generously with bonito flakes that melted beautifully into the heat. Add a fried prawn on top, and the whole bowl became simple, comforting, and exactly the kind of warm, savoury start we needed after a red‑eye flight.
Sumiyoshi may be unassuming, but it delivered far more than we expected — a perfect introduction to Nagoya comfort food.
But first Coffee — Blue Bottle Coffee: Nagoya Gate Tower Mall Cafe
We stopped by Blue Bottle Coffee for a caffeine boost. This coffee out has a clean and minimalist aesthetic. Warm wood textures and soft lighting made it a calming spot even when you are jet-lagged.
I tried both the cappuccino and latte, available in blend or single origin.
Between the two, I preferred the single origin — it had a hint of brown sugar sweetness that made it feel naturally balanced and smoother on the palate. A lovely pick‑me‑up for the afternoon slump.
Dinner — Bakuroichidai Nagoya West (Premium Hida Beef Feast)
This meal turned out to be one of the highlights of the day — beautifully prepared meats, thoughtful sauces, and unique small dishes that made the entire dinner memorable.
We are fortunate that we are ushered to a seat immediately despite making no reservations made in advance.
This meal turned out to be one of the highlights of the day — beautifully prepared meats, thoughtful sauces, and unique small dishes that made the entire dinner memorable.
We are fortunate that we are ushered to a seat immediately despite making no reservations made in advance.
Starter: Bread with Foie Gras Sauce
The bread was perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, and the sauce added a delicate richness without being heavy. It also came with a small portion of cured meat — savoury, well‑seasoned, and a nice way to ease into the meal.
The bread was perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, and the sauce added a delicate richness without being heavy. It also came with a small portion of cured meat — savoury, well‑seasoned, and a nice way to ease into the meal.
Mini Kenton Homemade Sausage
Next was the Mini Kenton sausage, made fresh in‑house.
This was unexpectedly one of the standouts — soft, juicy, and savoury with every bite. The mustard it came with was especially interesting: tiny pearl‑like grains that looked like caviar but tasted unmistakably like mustard. A fun texture and a delicious pairing.
Satori Top‑Level Special Meat Platter
Then came the star of the night: the Satori top‑level Hida beef platter.
Next was the Mini Kenton sausage, made fresh in‑house.
This was unexpectedly one of the standouts — soft, juicy, and savoury with every bite. The mustard it came with was especially interesting: tiny pearl‑like grains that looked like caviar but tasted unmistakably like mustard. A fun texture and a delicious pairing.
Each cut was arranged from smaller pieces to larger slices, and honestly, each one somehow tasted better than the last. The beef was incredibly flavourful, tender, and melt‑in‑your‑mouth soft. The marbling gave every cut a rich yet elegant taste that didn’t feel overwhelming.
The platter came with a selection of sauces, each bringing out a different character in the beef:- Bakuro original sauce – sweet, savoury, and classic
- Wasabi paste – a clean heat that brightens the meat
- Lemon sauce – refreshing and perfect for cutting through richness
- Broth with spring onions – lightens heavier cuts
- Pink salt – simple but perfect for appreciating the meat’s natural flavour
We also had Korean lettuce leaves for wrapping, which helped balance the richness of the beef.
Each cut was arranged from smaller pieces to larger slices, and honestly, each one somehow tasted better than the last. The beef was incredibly flavourful, tender, and melt‑in‑your‑mouth soft. The marbling gave every cut a rich yet elegant taste that didn’t feel overwhelming.
- Bakuro original sauce – sweet, savoury, and classic
- Wasabi paste – a clean heat that brightens the meat
- Lemon sauce – refreshing and perfect for cutting through richness
- Broth with spring onions – lightens heavier cuts
- Pink salt – simple but perfect for appreciating the meat’s natural flavour
We also had Korean lettuce leaves for wrapping, which helped balance the richness of the beef.
Onigiri with Shogun Stewed Hida Beef
The onigiri came filled with stewed Hida beef.
The flavour was nice, but compared to the rest of the dinner, this was a simpler dish — pleasant but not particularly memorable.
The onigiri came filled with stewed Hida beef.
The flavour was nice, but compared to the rest of the dinner, this was a simpler dish — pleasant but not particularly memorable.
Bokuro Salad
The Bokuro salad came with two dressings:
- a miso‑based sauce for the potatoes and lady fingers
- a Japanese-style dressing for the mixed greens
It also included several cold cuts, all well‑marinated. While interesting, it wasn’t my favourite dish of the evening — the textures and flavours were a bit too varied for my liking.
The Bokuro salad came with two dressings:
- a miso‑based sauce for the potatoes and lady fingers
- a Japanese-style dressing for the mixed greens
It also included several cold cuts, all well‑marinated. While interesting, it wasn’t my favourite dish of the evening — the textures and flavours were a bit too varied for my liking.
Final Thoughts on Dinner
Bakuroichidai lived up to its reputation. The Hida beef truly stood out — rich, tender, and full of flavour — and the thoughtful starters made the meal feel complete. It was the perfect indulgent dinner for our first day in Nagoya, and a delicious way to end the night.
Day 1 was meant to be slow, but food has a way of making even a tired day feel full and memorable. From Blue Bottle’s calm morning vibes, to comforting noodles on the train platform, to one of the best beef dinners we’ve had — Nagoya welcomed us with warmth and flavour.
Bakuroichidai lived up to its reputation. The Hida beef truly stood out — rich, tender, and full of flavour — and the thoughtful starters made the meal feel complete. It was the perfect indulgent dinner for our first day in Nagoya, and a delicious way to end the night.
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