Waseda WeeklyWaseda Weekly

The hearty Western-style lunch is excellent
"Kitchen Hinata"

[Interview, text and photography]
Waseda Weekly Reporter (SJC Student Staff)
Rinka Nishimura School of Human Sciences

From the main gate of Waseda University, walk straight along Waseda Street for about 7 minutes, then turn left at the next traffic light in front of Tsurumaki Elementary School to find Kitchen Hinata, a Western restaurant. The restaurant opened in 2020 and is run by a married couple. The owner and chef, Naganuma, was originally a private chef at a French restaurant in Tokyo, but when he was thinking about going independent, he found the perfect property in Waseda and decided to open his own restaurant.

The restaurant's name, "Hinata," was chosen because the owner happened to see the word "sunny" and was drawn to it. A week after opening, a state of emergency was declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the restaurant ran into financial difficulties, but it has now become a popular restaurant beloved by locals, with long queues forming.

At "Kitchen Hinata," you can enjoy a reasonably priced Western-style lunch. In the evening, the restaurant operates as a bistro, offering a different French menu than the lunch menu. Customers include Waseda University students and faculty, local residents, and many foreign customers.

Look for the big yellow sign

The restaurant's number one priority is "carefully prepared food and cheerful service." By placing particular importance on friendly service, it not only fosters a bond between the restaurant and its customers, but also expands the circle of customers among themselves. Many of the small items displayed in the restaurant were given to the restaurant by customers. The glass lighting and striking orange wallpaper selected by the chef also create a bright atmosphere.

The restaurant has a total of 14 seats, including table seats and counter seats, making it easy for both single and multiple people to use.

This time, I tried the daily lunch, which is offered in two varieties every day. First, I tried Lunch A, "Cheese Hamburger Steak & Sauteed Salmon." The hamburger steak is bigger than a fist, browned and topped with red wine-flavored barbecue sauce and cheese. The juicy cheese hamburger steak and rich barbecue sauce are an authentic taste that is hard to find at home. The sauteed salmon with its crispy skin goes perfectly with the basil sauce. The homemade sauce is made using basil from Ibaraki Prefecture, combined with cashew nuts and almonds.

Lunch A for the day was "Cheese hamburger steak & sauteed salmon" for 1,200 yen. Comes with rice and coffee.

The other lunch menu for the day was "Omuhayashi & Fried Squid." The egg in the omuhayashi was fluffy, and the beef tendon in the demi-glace sauce was very tender, melting in your mouth. Eating it with rice increases the volume and makes you feel even more satisfied. The fried squid had a crispy batter and a plump texture that was irresistible. The tartar sauce that came with it was full of ingredients such as egg and pickles, and its moderate acidity went perfectly with the fried squid.

In addition, all lunches come with hot coffee, allowing you to take a break and relax after your meal.

Lunch B for the day, "Omuhayashi & Fried Squid" 1,200 yen. Comes with coffee

The two daily lunch specials are both served with a combination of two dishes, so you can enjoy two main dishes on one plate! The hamburger steak, which is always on the lunch menu, comes with a different sauce each day, including demi-glace, grated daikon, ketchup, mustard cream, and barbecue sauce. The other menu combinations are decided based on the stock availability the day before or on the day, so you can't help but be excited about what's on the menu today until you get there.

Enjoy authentic Western cuisine at reasonable prices, and be sure to leave your stomach and your heart satisfied. The wide variety of daily lunch specials and the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant will make you want to return again and again. Please come and enjoy both the lunch and the French cuisine in the evening!

Store Information
[Store name] Kitchen Hinata
【address】557 Waseda Tsurumakicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
[Business hours]
Lunch: 11:30 - until sold out
Dinner (reservations required): 18:00-22:00 (last orders 21:00)
*Only open for dinner on Saturdays and lunch on Sundays. Please check the calendar in front of the store to see the opening days for each month.
*Payment is by cash only.
[Closed Days] Monday

*All prices in the article include tax.

A message from the shop's owners, Mr. and Mrs. Naganuma, to Waseda students

"First of all, please do your best in your studies! I would be happy if you could come to Kitchen Hinata to take a break. I look forward to you coming to eat after you graduate!"