“ZENZO Set Meals and Izakaya”

A new proprietress has joined this drinking establishment, which has been popular for 20 years, and it will reopen in 2024 as a set meal and izakaya restaurant. The proprietress and her daughter will warmly welcome you in a calm, modern Japanese-style space.

Fish, meat, and alcohol

A rare set meal lunch near the station

There aren’t many restaurants open for lunch around Fujieda Station, so this is a rare find.

The set meal comes with three daily changing side dishes in addition to the main dish, allowing you to enjoy a variety of flavors.

The restaurant’s signature dish is silver cod West Tokyo-style grilled fish. The fish is carefully selected from a trusted fishmonger.

The fish is grilled to perfection, with a fluffy texture and just the right amount of flavor, bringing out the deliciousness of the silver cod.

Another popular menu item is the pork ginger stir-fry. The tender meat is coated in a sweet and spicy sauce that goes well with rice.

The lunch rice comes with a “free large portion” service, which is a nice touch.

At night, it’s a drinking spot

At night, it’s a drinking spot.

Solo diners can enjoy a leisurely drink at the counter. It seems that some customers are residents of nearby apartments or business travelers staying at hotels who come for a drink.

The restaurant’s recommended snacks are fried chicken gizzards with garlic, Zenzou’s dumplings, and homemade pickles. If you’re unsure, try these.

The option to keep a bottle is also appreciated by regular customers.

Additionally, since the renovation, more families and groups of women have been visiting in the evenings.

This is because the set meal menu is also available in the evenings, so some customers come just for dinner.

A calm, modern Japanese-style interior

Shortly after the renovation, the interior became clean and calm with a modern Japanese style.

There are raised seating areas where you can take off your shoes and relax.

In the back, there are about 16 seats in a sunken hearth-style tatami room, which can be used by groups of friends or large parties.

From the 20-year-old “Yoshikura” to the new “ZENZO”

Originally, the restaurant was called “Yoshikura” and was run by Kimiyo-san, the mother, for 20 years. The name ‘Yoshikura’ comes from Kimiyo-san’s father’s name, whose reading is “Zenzo.” When naming the restaurant, they chose to use the reading “Yoshikura” to avoid using her father’s name in its original form.

“Yoshikura” had been supported by regular customers and had been in business for a long time, but like many other restaurants, it faced difficult circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the pandemic began to subside, Asako, the daughter, decided to join the store, and the two of them restarted the business together. To express this new beginning, Asako renamed the store “ZENZO,” and it reopened in March 2024.

A place where you can relax with delicious food

Currently, the restaurant is run by a mother and daughter, but Asako, the daughter, has become the new representative following the renovation. She is putting her experience working at restaurants in Shizuoka City to good use at the restaurant.

Even so, the presence of her mother, who has run the restaurant alone for 20 years, is still strongly felt.

As mother and daughter, yet also as a seasoned business owner and a newcomer to the field, the two occasionally clash.

I believe these disagreements stem from their shared desire to improve the store and bring joy to customers.

“This is a restaurant that my mother, who loves food and people, has run for a long time. I want to make it a place where customers can feel warm and relaxed with delicious food. I want to continue running it for a long time while valuing our customers.”

Asako shared her thoughts with us.

It will be interesting to see how the restaurant, run by the two of them, will develop in the future.