Ogakiku is a popular restaurant in Kawagoe that often has a line. If, like me, you don't enjoy waiting in crowds, I recommend avoiding peak dining hours. Get a numbered ticket when you arrive, then leisurely explore the nearby historic streets before coming back around your scheduled time to enjoy the food.
This time, besides trying the signature classic charcoal-grilled eel rice—with lightly crisp skin, a well-balanced sweet and savory sauce, and eel that melted in my mouth—I also unexpectedly ordered the chicken rice, which turned out to be excellent. It was topped with something similar to crispy egg flakes, giving it layers of flavor and a very distinctive texture. For eel rice lovers, this is definitely a delicious option not to be missed in Kawagoe. It's especially enjoyable in the cold winter, when you can duck inside and have a bowl of eel rice filled with smoky charcoal aroma.
