When it comes to famous tempura restaurants, I always wanted to visit Tempura Kondo, and I was fortunate to secure a reservation starting at 12:00. The counter is divided into two sections, and I was seated at the back with 8 seats, all of which were full. After placing my drink order and confirming the course, I was told by a friend that the signature sweet potato was "a large portion and not as impressive as the reviews suggest." However, everyone around us was ordering it, so I decided to go ahead and order it after confirming the price (JPY 1,100).I paired it with Japanese sake—Sakuramasamune served warm, both at a standard and higher temperature—along with the Tsubaki Course, which included:- Sake appetizer: Mozuku seaweed- 6 types of vegetables: Asparagus, bell pepper, okra, lotus root, onion, and sweet potato- 4 types of seafood: Shrimp, scallops, whiting, and anago (conger eel)- Seafood tempura rice bowl to finish- Shijimi clam miso soup- Dessert: PeachAs for my impressions, I had previously considered vegetables like bell pepper and lotus root to be more of a side dish, but here, the thin batter truly brought out the flavors of the ingredients, making it some of the best tempura I’ve ever tasted. The sweet potato, which I ordered additionally, seemed to take a long time to fry, resulting in an overflowing sweetness that was surprisingly delicious for a tempura.However, the portion was quite large, and I quickly became full. (The staff mentioned that if you can’t finish, you can take it home.) The shrimp, whiting, and anago were honestly not much different from what I’ve had at other places. However, the tempura to finish off the meal had a unique softness to the batter and a texture I had never experienced before, and even though I was full, it went down easily.The pickles were perfectly seasoned, and I enjoyed them with the last of my sake. The shijimi clam miso soup and peach dessert helped settle my stomach, allowing me to end this delightful meal feeling satisfied.
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