Unagi Tomoei

The Japanese are crazy about eel, so much so that 70% of the freshwater eel eaten worldwide is consumed here. If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, a great place to find out is at Tomoei in Odawara. This unagi (freshwater eel) restaurant cooks every one of their dishes fresh, keeping the eels in spring water tanks with a strictly controlled temperature, until they’re ready to cook. After anything from a ten minute to one hour wait (on account of the store’s wild popularity, which peaks on weekends) you’ll be seated and presented with a rectangular red box. Open it up to be hit with the aroma and the sight of perfectly cooked, lightly glazed golden strips of eel on a bed of rice. Other eel dishes feature on the set-course menu, as do some seasonal additions which keep things fresh for regulars.