A restaurant loved by regulars for its perfectly balanced set meals

The most popular daily set meal is 700 yen (as of January 2023), but it is more substantial than you would imagine given its price. There are roughly six types of side dishes served on a large platter.

"I make side dishes every day, taking into consideration the balance of meat, fish, and vegetables. I buy fresh and delicious fish from Okazaki Fresh Fish (a fish shop in the handmade exchange market Machiya), and I use fresh vegetables from local farmers, so it's local production for local consumption," says the owner. "If I can get something good for cheap, I'll add it to my order today, and that adds another dish. I don't do any calculations," he laughs.

Perhaps because of the owner's personality, most of the customers are regulars. "70 to 80 percent are from the old Iyo City area. They all come all the way to this remote place. I'm grateful every day."

However, on Saturdays and Sundays, the owner cooks the menu, which sells up to 100 meals, all by himself. "During busy times, I don't want customers to have to wait. That's the only thing I hate," says the owner, who cares about his customers who make the effort to come to his shop. When it's busy, please relax and read one of the many manga books available in the shop while you wait.

All sauces are handmade

The menu sign in front of the store says "All sauces are homemade," but in fact the owner used to cook in a hotel restaurant before taking over the restaurant from his older brother.

"I don't want to use ready-made products in my cooking," says the chef, who continues to protect the restaurant's flavors and makes everything from steak sauce to the tartar sauce poured over the large fried shrimp, and even the potage soup by hand.

The Idol's breakfast is set up like a hotel restaurant and includes both Japanese and Western cuisine. It's nice to be able to eat a Japanese breakfast early in the morning.

The Japanese breakfast, which includes a variety of side dishes such as grilled fish, shrimp piccata, raw eggs, and sausages, as well as miso soup and seasoned seaweed, is very popular with local fishermen who have just finished work. If you are heading out to the Nanyo area, why not fill your stomach with food at Idol first?

Is the name "Idol" worthy? The exterior and interior of the store are "Showa retro pop"

The exterior of the shop is a unique color scheme of light blue, orange, white, and gray mosaics.The interior is also a pop space with exposed gray concrete walls, simple white tables, mint green pipe chairs and sofas, and the red of the rebar and simple black hanging lights.

This cafe opened in the 1970s, during the heyday of Showa idols, and its Showa retro pop appearance makes it truly fitting for the name "idol."

In addition, the drink menu is reminiscent of a good old Showa era coffee shop. Soda float, mixed juice, tomato juice... The menu is filled with simple, nostalgic drinks that you won't find in trendy cafes these days. The coffee is brewed using a siphon, as the owner is particular about "it's hard work, but I want to provide something delicious."

And inside the store, manga books are lined up not only on the bookshelves but also on the counter tables. One day, a regular customer asked, "I want to read that book, so can you collect it for me?" and since then, the number of books has increased. If you find a manga you like in this strangely relaxing store, you'll probably end up staying for a while.