Kakekomi Gyoza Restaurant is a new izakaya-style restaurant in Shinjuku's bustling Kabukicho district. Opened in April 2015, this two-story restaurant offers a fun, traditional Japanese firehouse atmosphere with colorful decorations and friendly staff who read customers' orders out loud and sing songs. Kakekomi Gyoza is open 24 hours a day, has free Wi-Fi and is a nice place to stop by for a beer and some food.
Specializing in gyoza, horse meat and Oden fish cakes, the restaurant serves a range of delicious dishes. There are four ways to prepare gyoza: frying, stir-frying with a rich Chinese broth, clam broth and seafood. Each variety is worth trying, but I prefer the fried version. Another special food that goes perfectly with gyoza is horse meat. The dish is served like sashimi, you can eat any part of it including heart, neck, ribs, fillet, etc. Most are served raw, but there are also some that are cooked or semi-cooked. Raw meat may be a bit tough, but the taste is great served with various dipping salts and sauces. To fill your belly, you can try oden. This dish includes the usual vegetables (radish, potatoes, shirataki noodles) as well as eggs, horse tendons and fish cakes. It's great if you order this dish with your meal. In addition to the three main courses, there are a few other side dishes and a delicious dessert pudding.
Inside the restaurant, there is a non-smoking area on the first floor with table seating and a bar. On the second floor, smoking is permitted and there are separate tables for small and large groups. The interior is decorated with bright white lights and vintage items and symbols from early to mid-20th century Japanese fire stations. Wooden signs and waiters and cooks hang on the walls. Obviously, such design and architecture cost a lot of time and money.
A special feature of this restaurant is the work support group for former prisoners. Former prisoners often find it difficult to find a permanent job after serving their sentence. Therefore, the Tokyo-based New Ordnance Support Association has provided work support to three former prisoners who were serving their sentences for robbery or similar crimes. The support group said these former inmates will initially focus on washing dishes and other tasks in the kitchen, but may be promoted to kitchen assistants depending on their progress.
“Even someone like me still has a job and serves the community. “It’s a great feeling,” said a 72-year-old former prisoner who always had difficulty finding steady work. He was one of three people who started as a dishwasher at the restaurant. Compared to before, the former inmate said that this new job gives him the strength to move forward and the opportunity to live a normal life.
