FOCUS IT.] Alleycats is a newspot in Yutenji where "everyone" gathers. The best day starts here.

The Corona has passed, and Tokyo is returning to the same daily routine as before. New restaurants are opening one after another, and a new hot spot, Yutenji, is bustling with people every day.

It is a diner that opened in Yutenji in May of this year calledALLEY CATS." The owner, Tetsuya Sonoda, affectionately known as "Tetsu," worked at the famous hamburger restaurant "Golden Brown" in Nakameguro for 14 years before opening his own restaurant.

As a diner, the menu includes American food such as hamburgers, breakfast plates, and toast. Open from 8:00 a.m., it is a great place to stop by when you wake up a little early or before you go to work.

. Don't worry if you don't want to eat heavy food in the morning. But don't worry. The comfort food is light, and is just right for breakfast.

When we actually peeked into the store, we found not only young people, but also families with children, local residents with pets, and a variety of other customers. We asked Mr. Tetsu about his commitment to "Alley Cats," which has captured the hearts of men and women of all ages in just two months since its opening.

Renovated from the site of an old and beloved 100 yen store, the store has a nostalgic atmosphere.

It's been two months since the opening , how is it going?

Sonoda:Thankfully, when we first opened, many of our customers were friends, seniors, and local residents, but the number of customers who go out of their way to come to our restaurant is increasing. On Saturdays and Sundays, people would line up in the heat of the day. Of course, there are times when I'm not busy (laughs).

Tetsu-san, I heard that you worked at "Golden Brown" in Nakameguro for a long time before opening this restaurant. How long have you been in the restaurant business?

Sonoda:I don't remember exactly, but I was at "Golden Brown" for about 13 or 14 years, so it has been about 15 years. Ever since I started eating and drinking, I had the idea in my mind that I wanted to eventually open my own restaurant.

How did you get into the company?

Sonoda:I think it was the timing of the opening of the Omotesando store.Tripster.was in charge of the interior design,Mr. Nuts.I liked the culture of the "painting" scene, so I joined as a part-timer. . At the time, there were not many cool places like that.

Tetsu, what do you think is the best thing about working at Golden Brown?

Sonoda: It was the expansion of my network of contacts. Staff members and customers brought their friends along with them, and our network expanded. There are many people who are still good friends with me today. I am deeply aware that the opening of this restaurant was made possible by the help of many people.

. It's wonderful to see the interaction between the waitstaff and the customers.

Sonoda:There is a counter there, so I can talk with customers unexpectedly because I am close to them. . So I wanted to make the interior of the restaurant like that. The interior designers of Golden BrownKunichi NomuraI asked the

The house is modern, but the use of wood, the sliding doors, and so on. It also has a good old-fashioned mood.

Sonoda:We made use of the good qualities of the original property as it was. It was interesting that we didn't decide on a specific design from the beginning, but rather decided as we went along.

Is there a reason why you chose this location?

Sonoda:Anyway, I wanted a place that I was familiar with. So we decided on Yutenji, a place we had a connection with. Although it is near the station, it is located one street down and has a calm atmosphere, which I liked. It gets a lot of sun, and the ceilings are high.

. a perfect place to have a leisurely breakfast. Such a perfect place is hard to find.

Sonoda:It took me a crazy amount of time, but I finally found a place. Actually, when I left "Golden Brown," I still hadn't found a place (laughs). But it was the right choice.

. It's also very accessible from Shibuya. Why did you want to do breakfast?

Sonoda:I myself am not the type to go out drinking at night. I don't go out for drinks very often anymore, especially since I became a member of Corona. I started to think that I would like to spend more time and money on my morning meal. Besides, Yutenji has a lot of families, so I thought it would be nice to have a place where mothers could relax in the morning.

It is true that there are few places in Tokyo where you can relax in the morning. What is your favorite morning menu?

Sonoda:Breakfast plates are very popular. . Originally, I always wanted to create a menu that packed a lot into a single plate like this.

The Breakfast Plate is made with familiar ingredients, but the scrambled eggs with just the right amount of heat, crispy bacon, and abundant vegetables . . This balance is hard to replicate at home.

Sonoda:But we have quite a few customers who eat our hamburgers in the morning. See, our hamburgers are smash burgers, so they are very light.

What is a smash burger?

Sonoda:A smash burger is a burger with a meaty texture, with a patty of coarsely ground meat grilled on a griddle and sandwiched in between. It is a standard in the U.S., but you may not hear about it that much in Japan. When grilling the patty, it is smashed firmly to make it crispy.

The Alley Cats Burger is the restaurant's signature item. It consists of a patty, onions, pickles, cheddar cheese, blue cheese and mushroom sauce sandwiched between fluffy buns. You can also add fries for an additional charge.

So, even though it's a hamburger, it's easy to eat. By the way, what is this white sauce?

Sonoda: This is a blue cheese and mushroom sauce .

. - The unique aroma of blue cheese is not too strong, so it's easy to eat. . I don't think you can find blue cheese sauce anywhere else.

Sonoda: I think you may be right. The standard "smashed cheeseburger" without the blue cheese sauce is also popular.

What are some of your other popular menu items?

Sonoda:I think it would be avocado toast. When I was thinking about the menu, I talked to a lot of girls I know and many of them said, "I want to eat avocado toast! So I decided to make it. Avocado has a nice color, doesn't it? I try to include as much color as possible in my menu items to make them look good.

Tetsu is a very flexible person, and I believe that he is able to create a store with the care and flexibility to incorporate the opinions of those around him, which is something that is only possible because he values the connections he has with others.

Sonoda:By all means, it is better than a 40 year old man like myself thinking on my own...right? (laughter)

Sweets include the popular vegan baked goods "HOMECOMINGYou are dealing with something that is a "one of a kind".

Sonoda:I knew that I liked them for a long time, but when I asked if I could wholesale them, they said yes. I was very happy to hear that because there are only a few stores around here that carry the product.

. It's nice. . There is a full range of food from breakfast to snacks , and they also have alcohol so you can have a lunchtime drink.

Sonoda:We also have draft beer, split beers, natural wine, and beer. Today, we had a customer who drank from the morning (laughs).

Isn't it great? Do you plan to expand your menu in the future?

Sonoda:I'm thinking about it, but for now I'm still alone. . Recently, we have made gluten-free bread, and we are planning to start it. The burgers will be able to be changed to gluten-free buns, so even those with wheat allergies can eat them. And they are amazingly good.

I am looking forward to it! What kind of restaurant do you want to make "Alley Cats" in the future?

Sonoda:I want to make this a place where people from all walks of life can connect with each other, regardless of occupation or age. Since we opened this restaurant, we have had more customers, and I feel even more strongly about this. It is nice to have a place where everyone can eat together and have a good time.