Umaya

Some diners have remarked on the thick-cut lean horse meat and its springy texture. For an easy introduction to horse sashimi, Umaya in Higashi-Kōenji offers a platter of 3 cuts. At 870 yen, it lets you compare lean meat, loin and sirloin, making it an approachable choice whether you’re trying horse sashimi for the first time or want to explore the differences between cuts. Each cut can also be ordered individually for 290 yen, so you can add more of a favourite.

There’s more to horse meat here than sashimi. Diners have mentioned the gyoza and fried rice as highlights, and the menu includes horse-meat gyoza, horse kimchi fried rice and fried rice with horse-meat miso and egg. These make for a more substantial meal than a sashimi-led spread. For drinks and small plates, consider the potato salad enriched with horse meat or fresh green peppers filled with sweet-and-savoury minced horse meat and miso. The mildly spicy miso-flavoured offal stew is described on the menu as a good match for beer; try it with draft beer or a lemon sour.

This horse-meat specialist is close to Higashi-Kōenji Station. Some customers have stopped in alone after work, while others have visited as a pair after making a reservation. Reservations are accepted, and takeaway is available as well as dining in.