When wandering around Shinjuku at night, one is usually bombarded with people walking on the streets advertising for their izakayas (drinking establishments). My friend and I were looking for a quieter place to just sit and catch up but couldn’t seem to find one during the peak dinner hours, during which every other place seemed full.
We were just about to give up when we spotted a peculiar sign: Everything made with eggs. It was a sign for Tamago to Watashi (which means Egg and Me), a small diner that specializes in putting eggs in and on top of traditional dishes. The stairs led down to a brightly lit, happy-looking restaurant, so we decided to go in. It was also a short walk from Shinjuku East Exit, so it was easy for us to get home.
The place was just what we were looking for. It was hidden away, so there were customers that came and went as we just sat and talked about our summers. Our server was super friendly and very attentive to our needs. We were seated at a comfortable booth, and it was perfect for having conversations.
The dishes on the menu all looked really good, so we had a hard time deciding. I decided to get an egg omelet over hayashi rice (Japanese curry-like dish with rice and demi-glace sauce), and my friend decided to get the soufflé egg over creamy risotto. Both dishes came out really quickly and they looked amazing. The egg was really soft and fluffy, and it had a light flavor that complimented the amazing flavors of the main part of our dishes. My hayashi rice came with a salad, and the rich flavor of the demi-glace sauce and the light flavors of the egg and salad together were perfect. My friend and I had never tried soufflé egg before, so the light airy texture of the egg was new to us, and it was delicious paired with the flavorful risotto. The meal was surprisingly quite filling, and we both almost couldn’t finish our dishes.
The interior was very elegantly designed but with a homey touch, so it was comfortable but looked sophisticated. They were playing classical music, so it wasn’t too loud, but it helped create a peaceful atmosphere. It added to the intimacy of the meal, as we noticed many couples and close friends eating together.
The meal was very affordable, and we were happy to find that there are a few other Tamago to Watashi’s around Japan. I’ll definitely be looking for another in the future!
