Komagata Dozeu is a long-established store of Asakusa, located near Asakusa station. It is a loach restaurant running from 1801. Until about a decade ago, loach was eaten regularly in Japan, however, we hardly see them as a dish at home anymore.

There will be a long line in front of the shop of worshippers of Asakusa temple on the weekends.

When you slide the door open, you will see a hall with the atmosphere of old Japanese home. There are no tables. Everyone is picking from the loach pot that is on a tray on the floor. I recommend ordering Dozeu nabe teishoku and Yanagawa teishoku that can be ordered until 4 pm.

First came degaku (Devil’s tongue with miso).

Next came the Dozeu nabe. It looks disgusting. Dozeu nabe is made like this. First put living loach in alcohol. They will struggle a lot but as they calm down, place them on steel pot, add soup and simmer it.

This dozeu nabe is on the menu since the restaurant opened.

Since charcoal is used to make heat, the pot will boil. The charcoal turns to a pretty color when it burns.

You add a lot of green onion and season Japanese pepper or ground mixture of red pepper and aromatic spices (shichimi tougarashi).

As for Yanagawa nabe, you simmer cut loach and gobou with sweet sake and soy sauce. Then, bind it with egg. It is distinguished from dozeu nabe because it has gobou and egg in it.

Rice is in the wooden container. Dozeu soup has unique taste. It is sweet and thick. It is totally different from miso soup.

Lastly, the nutrition you can obtain from one loach is the same as to one eel. Since the look and the shape of loach are grotesque, there are many likes and dislikes. But this store is worth trying out once!