I went to a steakhouse in my hometown of Nagoya, Japan, after days of research.
I was exhausted.
And absolutely starving.
Then I discovered something I still can't quite believe.
For just ¥900 (around ₱350), I could get a regular chicken steak set, with unlimited rice, kimchi, miso soup, and vegetables.
Even Korean seaweed.
Unlimited vegetables too?
Why? 😂
I started eating.
One bowl of rice became two.
Then three.
I think I ended up having around six bowls.
This place is heaven for rice lovers.
But somewhere between bites, my curiosity kicked in.
With prices rising in Japan, I couldn't help wondering:
How can a restaurant offer this much food at this price?
So I asked a staff member.
“Why is this place so affordable?”
His answer was simple:
“We let customers serve themselves.”
I paused.
That could certainly be part of the reason.
But was that the whole story?
I had visited around 2 PM, when the restaurant wasn't particularly busy. The staff member didn't seem rushed, either.
Yet that was the explanation I got.
Maybe it really is that simple.
Maybe there are other reasons I haven't understood yet.
Honestly, I still don't know.
But after nearly three years of exploring Filipino culture, I've learned that sometimes, the simplest questions lead to the most interesting conversations.
And sometimes, you start asking those questions while eating your sixth bowl of rice.
And honestly?
If a place like this opened in Cebu, I'd probably become a regular.
For now, I'm still curious...
What do you think makes an all-you-can-eat restaurant like this possible?
I didn't expect to need my Cebu habits at a steakhouse table in Nagoya.
Nearly three years of asking strangers simple questions had changed something in me. The question came while I was still eating, and I asked it the way I ask in Cebu: plainly, without pretending to already know.
I was born in this city. I used to think that habit belonged to Cebu.
It followed me home.
| Date | October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Location | NIKU & KOME, Nagoya, Aichi |
| Event Type | Solo Restaurant Visit / Price Curiosity |
| Access Method | Walk-in, around 2 PM |
| Food Featured | Regular chicken steak set with unlimited rice, kimchi, miso soup, vegetables & Korean seaweed |
| Cost to Attend | ¥900 (around ₱350) |
| Rarity | 🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜ — Unusually generous for the price, based on this one visit |
| Bayanihan Index | 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ — One brief exchange with a staff member |
I still don't know what else sits behind a ¥900 price, beyond what a staff member could say in one sentence.
