[Caution] Inspiring photos and menus will appear in the article. Please be careful. In addition, please browse at your own risk.

In a zombie drama that I've been addicted to recently, I saw a scene in which characters in survival judge and eat insects and snakes. Fortunately, Japan is currently in an environment where food can be easily stored at convenience stores and supermarkets, but in the near future it will not be so if zombies wander around the town. From now on, I have to get used to these foods that I don't usually eat ...!

■ Welcome to the food circus

That's where I came to "Rice and Circus Takadanobaba", which is a 3- to 4-minute walk from JR Takadanobaba Station. It is a unique restaurant that offers discerning game (meat of wild birds and beasts obtained by hunting) and delicacies from all over the country with a Japanese taste. These dishes can be enjoyed at relatively low prices due to direct contracts with hunters and producers.


The letters "Rice and Circus" dimly illuminated by red light. At the entrance, a dead-eyed deer welcomes you with a sign saying "Beware of beasts." Already too suspicious.


Immediately after entering, the interior of the store with the poster is certainly a "circus" atmosphere. However, it seems more like a world view closer to Suehiro Maruo's "Shojo Tsubaki" rather than a "fun circus ♪".


You will be guided to the back door and sit at the counter seat. I went there around 20:00 on Saturday, but the store was almost full. Everyone was enjoying the meal with a smile.




The menu prepared on the table was made by hollowing out the contents of the picture book. I wonder if the story about Jibie offered here is chosen. The author's table was "Kachikachiyama".


As a result of my worries, I chose the limited 5 meals "Goat's Kindama Ruibe (980 yen including tax)" and "Bathynomus doedrum (1,980 yen including tax)" . When I placed the order, I was embarrassed to say "Goat's testicles ..." and the staff's older brother said "Hello! Kintama!"

■ It tastes like life

First of all, from "Goat's Gold Ball Ruibe" . At first glance, it looks like "sashimi", and if you don't say the menu name, you won't notice it as a goat. It is recommended to soak it in vinegar and soy sauce.


The first texture is crispy ... Flavor similar to squid sashimi. Every time you chew, the unique flavor spreads throughout your mouth. Somehow, it tastes like life. It has a unique taste, like this, which is different from the fishy smell.


By the way, I got the same impression even if I brought the thawed food to my mouth after a while. Sprinkle plenty of ginger on it to make it a little easier to eat. It's a taste that collects around your chest. Don't like this ...

■ Popular deep-sea creatures

Next is "Bathynomus dorsalis" . It's smaller than expected, but it looks completely like a worm. It's dangerous to turn it over . You can see it from the front . It looks like an alien and a predator added together and split.




A terrifying bite. It has a crispy texture and is close to the tail of fried shrimp . The body is also packed, and this place is almost the same as fried shrimp. I mean, it's usually delicious! It looks good as a snack for sake.



There are many other rare dishes such as "Gecko roasted (1,480 yen including tax)" and "Frog soup (1,680 yen including tax)" that look the same. The texture of the gecko was like a mixture of white fish with many small bones and chicken , and the frog soup was almost the same as the chicken soup. Both are pretty good!





In addition, a familiar menu was also offered, and the "kiriboshi daikon" that came out through the restaurant and the "potato salad" that my acquaintance had ordered were also quite delicious. It turns out that it is not just an “impact-only store”.


By the time I got home, I was so satisfied with "rice and circus" that I thought "I want to come back to eat normally regardless of whether zombies appear or not". It seems that there is a sister store "Bread and Circus" in Shinjuku, so I would like to visit it someday.

■ Rice and Circus Address: 2-19-8 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo