Solitary Gourmet - Season 3

First aired: 7/10/2013 12 episodes

Episodes

1. Guinea Fowl and Eel Bowl of Akabane, Kita Ward

Aired: 7/10/2013

Goro arrives in Akabane, Kita Ward, pleasantly surprised at how the town has changed. He goes to fruit shop and cafe called "Puchi Mondo" to meet with his client, a rather eccentric lady dressed up in GothLoli-style clothes. She asks him to find akuma (devil) statues for her collection. After his strange meeting, he stays at the cafe to have some refreshments, a fruity creamy sandwich set. Next, he goes to his second client, an owner of a kimono shop. As he arrives there, he is told by the owner's daughter that her father has gone off to another place and asks to meet him there. She gives him some directions plus a heavy bag and umbrella to "please give it to him since you're headed there anyway..." Goro obliges and walks around town to a meeting place that turns out to be a snack bar. The walk made Goro very hungry and of course, we know what that means... He remembers a certain eel shop he visited before and goes to look for it. However, another nearby eel shop catches his eye...

2. Pork Stomach Ginger Stir-fry and Patan of Hinodecho, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Aired: 7/17/2013

Goro travels to Hinodecho, Yokohama City for an appointment with a pet salon owner. It seems he's too early so he strolls around the area for awhile until he gets a call from his client. Apparently, he has made a mistake and he is actually late for his appointment. However, when he gets there, the owner has stepped out. As he waits, he is treated to a cute sweet snack in the shape of a dog's face... After his appointment, he decides to go and visit a zoo on top of the hill. However, it seems he could not find it and switches the plan to search for a place to eat instead. He ends up at a Chinese restaurant called "Daiichi-Tei" that serves varied pork parts and innards dishes, and garlicky noodles with a strange-sounding name...

3. Wasabi Bowl with Fresh Wasabi of Kawazu-cho Kamo-District, Shizuoka Prefecture

Aired: 7/24/2013

Goro's next appointment is in Shizuoka Prefecture. Despite the long travel, he seems to be looking forward to it as he rides the train to the Izu Peninsula. Once he's there, he meets with his client, an inn owner and pipe-enthusiast. Later he has a cream and strawberry refreshment at a shop called "Nanadaru-Jyaya" while amusing himself with the loud chat of three oba-chan customers. He strolls around the town and feels refreshed by its quiet and idyllic scenery. He next tries out a wasabi specialty shop that sells direct sale wasabi and wasabi-based dishes. It's called "Wasabi-En Kodaya." Uncharacteristically, Goro orders only one simple type of dish but not necessarily in just one order...

4. Fish Market Kyoto-style Grilled Black Cod of Edogawa-bashi, Bunkyo Ward

Aired: 7/31/2013

Goro goes to Edogawa-bashi in Bunkyo Ward for the first time. He meets with an owner of a Go board game shop who happens to be quite an active matchmaker. The client insists Goro to take part in an omiai. Of course, the perennial bachelor, feeling uncomfortable, quickly ends his appointment. Nevertheless, it does not mar his day since orders keep pouring in. He strolls along a small shopping district, called Jizo shopping street. He takes time to snack on purposely broken senbei bought from a traditional rice cracker shop, "Kisaku". Then, his feelings of hunger continue to gnaw on him, so he searches for a place and ends up at an eatery run by the fish market, called "Uotani". It serves delightful dishes that would make any seafood-lover extremely happy.

5. Lamb Karahi and Laghman of Higashi-Nakano, Nakano Ward

Aired: 8/7/2013

Goro arrives in Higashi-Nakano. He strolls around a shopping street with an old-Showa feel. Then, he goes to a small theater owned by a senpai of his, an indie filmmaker. Before their meeting, he is treated with a sweet-salty Sakura flavored gelato. Afterwards, his senpai asks him for help regarding a movie themed exhibit. However, Goro has a hard time ending his meeting as his senpai has a habit of talking endlessly when it comes to movies and theaters. Finally he extricates himself from it and he goes in search of a place to eat and chooses a restaurant with a Bohemian atmosphere. It's called "Caravan Sarai" serving Afghan and Pakistani cuisine of lamb-based dishes and kebabs.

6. Grilled Pork Innards and Yakiniku of Itabashi, Itabashi Ward

Aired: 8/14/2013

Goro steps off Itabashi Station and heads for an appointment with an aspiring shop-owner with an unusual last name. Afterwards he stops at a store, "Tamotsu's Bread." Its inexpensive, old-fashioned bread delights Goro, making him reminisce about his boyhood. Later, he goes inside a yakiniku shop, called "Yamagen" to bask in a smoky feast of grilled pork innards.

7. Mushroom Garlic and Oyster Au Gratin of Komaba-Todaimae, Meguro Ward

Aired: 8/21/2013

Goro comes to Komaba-Todaimae Station in Meguro Ward. Arriving very early for a business appointment, he notices several takoyaki shops in the area. He tries out "Demaru", an Osaka-style takoyaki shop that seems popular with young students. He then spends a relaxing quiet time at a park while eating his order of tiny hash browns. Afterwards, he visits a quaint antique furniture store for his meeting. Then later, he sees a nearby Italian-style restaurant, "Borracho." He tries out their au gratin dishes, bread and hearty soup...

8. Minced Chicken and Avocado Cutlet and Chicken Rice Pot of Uguisu-Dani, Taito Ward

Aired: 8/28/2013

Goro arrives in Uguisu-dani on a hot summer day and stops to have a coffee float in a cafe. Afterwards he goes to his appointment with an owner of a large cabaret-style theater ballroom. He is asked to provide French fixtures and decors for the place. Goro is happy with the prospect of having a huge business deal that it probably made him very hungry. Refusing offers of drinks from his client, he rushes off to eat somewhere, and yet ironically, ends up at a place where people can drink booze starting at 10 am. It's called "Tori Tsubaki", a drunkard's heaven that features inexpensive yet "mega"-sized nibbles and items, including cutlets, chicken dishes, and beer.

9. Roast Pork Sandwich and Salsiccia of Kotake Mukaihara, Nerima Ward

Aired: 9/4/2013

Goro arrives early in Mukaihara for a business appointment, so he stops by a cafe called "Surprise" to partake of a roll cake with a curious name. Arriving at his meeting with his client and friend, an owner of a charming gallery store of European pieces, he notices that she is in a vexed mood. She tells him her orders will not arrive in time for her opening tomorrow. So Goro decides to stay to help her, and eventually pulls out an all-nighter. With his task accomplished, Goro sets out the next morning, pleased and of course, very hungry. He chances upon a chic bread store that calls itself "Machida no Parlor." Goro orders himself a hearty breakfast of pork sandwich, quiche, Italian sausages, and different kinds of rustic bread...

10. Flaming Sake Pot and Barley Rice with Grated Yam of Nishiogu, Arakawa Ward

Aired: 9/11/2013

Goro sets out for an amusement park in Nishiogu. He meets with a client, the director of a train museum. Goro finds his enthusiasm for trains and intolerance of children who play with his train models quite amusing. Later he spots a takoyaki shop and buys a takoyaki-senbei sandwich. Later he uses the town's streetcar and helps out an old lady carry her defective rolling luggage to a neighborhood he has not seen before. There, he decides to eat at a tonkatsu shop. Despite the hot weather, he orders a flaming sake hot pot, barley rice, and of course a mini-tonkatsu set.

11. Stewed Beef and Five Ingredient Rice-in-a-Pot at a Drive-in, To-kamachi City, Niigata Prefecture

Aired: 9/18/2013

Goro travels to Niigata Prefecture in his BMW. The rice fields and pastoral scenery make him look forward to eating a rice-based feast after his meeting. He also stops by a shopping street in the station area and tries out some delicacies with names taken from local expressions and phrases. Later, he visits an unusual old house turned into a work of art. There he meets with the town's fun activity planner, a small hairy man with an unlikely name. Later, Goro views the terraced rice fields, reminding him of his other purpose. He drives around until he spots a roadside diner called "Toge no chaya Kura" which serves kamameshi (rice in a pot) dishes and stews.

12. Sardine Yukhoe and Nigiri-zushi at Ooimachi, Shinagawa Ward

Aired: 9/25/2013

For the final episode, Goro travels to Shinagawa Ward to meet with an owner of a cat cafe. Goro finds the owner quite gentle on cats but drives a hard bargain. Afterwards, he stops by a standing bar, hoping for some rice dishes but ends up ordering Chinese-style nibbles. Still yearning for rice, he decides to try out an eatery/pub, "Daruma-ya," specializing in sardine-based nibbles and dishes. Along with his usual oolong tea and his favorite rice, Goro sits down for a glorious fiesta of sardines - raw, boiled, grilled, and deep-fried...