Sumishou, Nishi Azabu (炙り処 すみしょう)

Continuing with our theme of random places on the north side of Nishi Azabu crossing, I wandered into a tiny one today. (This is also in keeping with my theme of averaging one post per day this month…hang in there.) I didn’t notice until after I ate, but Sumishou is a motsu specialist – your choice, grilled, stewed or dipped in vinegar, as long as they’re intestines! This means I won’t be back for dinner, but lunch was OK. Tiny, tiny place (why does a smaller size require two tiny’s?) with a counter so close to the wall that you couldn’t stand there, and a table with seats for 6 and a grill down the middle. I suspect there’s an upstairs but couldn’t see it. How could they stay open with 6 customers plus perhaps some drinkers on the sidewalk? Another cute feature were the Shimoda decorations; there was a sign for local clams (地はまぐり), so maybe that all goes together. I don’t know about the image of blue water, white sand, and roasted intestines though. Somehow…Lunches are don or teishoku for Y700-900, which represents about the level of value you expect as you move away from Roppongi (good!). Today’s specials were negitoro don or torosanma teishoku (must be autumn! I would have realized it today if I hadn’t already been beaten about the head by restaurant and supermarket proprietors all month, wielding thin, shiny fish and yelling “Sanma! It’s Autumn!”. Damn their eyes. Arrr! [Something’s broken. Let me turn off the Pirate Mode. OK.]). I broke with the specials and had the lots-of-mushrooms hamburger bowl, which turned out well since it came with wakame salad, some pickles, and miso soup with fu (Y850, and I thought about stopping before I finished, but soldiered on).Nothing interesting, but at least something different. A Once In A Lifetime Experience, as I like to say. And never for dinner!I don’t think it’s possible to find a place that’s not on tabelog…