Website: Can’t seem to find one, yet.
Address: 仙台市太白区長町南4-12-16. About a ten-minute walk from Nagamachi-minami Subway Station or a four-minute walk from the Sendai City Gymnasium.
Map: Scroll down below.
Lunch: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm. Dinner: 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm.
Closed Sundays and the 3rd Monday of the month.
My wife and I have passed by this place quite often, not noticing what it was because of its hidden-like façade. When I realized it was a restaurant, I was hoping that it would fall in line with other hidden gems such as Café de Mieux, Bistro Beouf d’Or, and Bistro Ampoule.
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| A restaurant in hiding. |
But April Cat is not like any of the above fancy-schmancy places.
April Cat is about home cooking. Food your mother would make, if your mother were Japanese. Nothing fancy here: no pâté, no escargot, no quiche, just nice, hot, voluminous servings of home cooked meals.
We lucked out on the day that we went, April 30th, as lunch meals, regularly priced at 680 yen, were only 500 yen throughout the month of April as a special homage to the restaurant’s name.
The lunch set offerings were rather limited, with only Spaghetti Neopolitan, Stir-Fry Pork w/Vegetables, and Wagyū Beef Gyūdon listed on the menu for today. Unfortunately for me, the Karage Chicken that is usually listed was already sold out for the day.
My wife and I both ordered the stir-fry pork and vegetables set that also came with rice, miso soup, pickled daikon, sliced vegetables and a beverage.
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| 豚肉の野菜炒め定食 |
The pork/vegetable platter serving was quite generous, so generous that my wife couldn’t finish her dish. Luckily for me, I scooped up her pork. Hmmm, that sounds a bit like a double entendre.
The pork was tasty, marinated along with the veggies in a simple, yet flavorful sauce. Tasty, but again, nothing elegant. This really seemed like a home-cooked meal. The accompanying rice, tsukemono, and sliced vegetables all were appetizing and went well with the main dish. The miso soup was good, but I like my wife's better.
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| Close-up of the Stir-Fry Pork w/Veggies |
The coffee, our choice of beverage, was quite good! Which seemed to round out the cozy, home-type feeling.
April Cat is a mom & pop operation that just opened in July 2012, and by appearances has yet to catch on to a lunchtime following, or perhaps I just haven’t noticed it. I took a peek at their dinner menu and it seems as if they are continuing with the “Welcome home!” ambience. The evening menu consists of a variety of 唐揚げ、天ぷら、おにぎり, and お好み焼き type foods as their highlights, with light snacks and a couple of pasta offerings. Oh, and a WIDE selection of intoxicants!
They do offer a point card but no parking. I didn’t see any ashtrays around but I also didn’t notice any “No Smoking” signs.
April Cat seems like a place where it would be nice to become a regular. I would say their demographic audience is single men, aged 35 and older, who want a place that feels like home. Oh, and people who like pictures of cats. There are pictures and things of cats all over the place.
We plan to go back and try their spaghetti and karage chicken one day. I recommend you give this place a try.
**I'm having some difficulties with Google Maps. For the exact location, please click HERE and click the Search button again.
**I'm having some difficulties with Google Maps. For the exact location, please click HERE and click the Search button again.
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