[Okazaki City] Yoshoku Morii Uses Local Ingredients in a Simple and Delicious Way!

​Yoshoku Morii is a popular restaurant in Okazaki that is loved by locals and known to those in the know.

Since it opened in 2018, it is a western restaurant that is full of volume with reasonable price, so you have to wait for a long time. Yoshoku Morii, which celebrated its 5th anniversary this year, uses new ingredients from Okazaki and has evolved to match the milestone.

*Information at the time of coverage in April 2023.

About 8 minutes on foot from JR Okazaki Station. When you see a chic exterior that stands out from the surrounding apartment buildings and houses, you've arrived.

This time, we asked the owner, Mr. Yuki Morii, about the particulars of Yoshoku Morii and the background behind its evolution.

A Careful Work within the Reach of My Eyes and Hands

The logo is an elegant design that combines "Treasuring connections" with Mr. Morii's "Well: 井 (i)"

The exterior is chic but full of plants. There are even cherry trees in the parking lot! The atmosphere is very easy to enter.

The hamburger steak was the reason why Mr. Morii wanted to become a chef.

Yoshoku Morii was opened by a popular Aichi restaurant, Restaurant "Kouma". For Morii, eating out means eating hamburgers from the same restaurant with his family since childhood. After that, he worked at the same store as a junior high school student, a part-time job in high school, and as an employee, and worked for about 12 years including the part-time job period.

“I want to do it in a style that is within the reach of my eyes and hands.”

Mr. Morii developed this feeling while absorbing the thoughts of his seniors and learning how to behave as a member of society at Restaurant Kouma. “For example, I felt that if I could communicate directly with producers and vendors, I would be able to make my own decisions and incorporate them into my restaurant…” This feeling grew stronger day by day, and based on the knowledge and experience gained in the kitchen, Mr. Morii decided to go independent.

Inside the store, there is a letter of appreciation from a French winery!

One of Mr. Morii's words that left an impression on me was, "I believe that encounters and connections with people (customers, producers, vendors, and staff) are assets." I felt that Mr. Morii decided to go independent not only because of his experience at his previous job, but also because of the connections and support he had with people.

Reasons for Sticking to Local Ingredient
Is to Spread the Charm of Okazaki

Introduced "Okazaki Takechiyo Pork"

From March 2023, all pork used at Yoshoku Morii has been switched to Okazaki Takechiyo Pork.

Okazaki Takechiyo Pork is a brand of pork born in Okazaki that was born this year. There are many abandoned bamboo groves in mountainous areas in Okazaki City, and a project has been launched to highlight and utilize bamboo. As one of the policies, pigs that ate bamboo charcoal-added feed were born. The meat quality and lipids are checked one by one by experienced meat market staff, and the pigs meet the selection criteria.

Mr. Morii:“Last fall, I was told by our business partner Nagataya that Okazaki brand pork would be launched. When I tasted the pork loin, I felt that the fat was sweet and the flavor was not overpowering. I genuinely wanted to make hamburgers using Okazaki Takechiyo pork.

Mr. Morii came across Okazaki Takechiyo Pork and wants more people to recognize Okazaki City's branded pork.

To meet ingredients that make me think "it's good!"

Left: Red dressing Right: Dressing using white miso from Masuzuka Miso. (200cc ¥200 each)

The reason why Mr. Morii sticks to local materials is that he feels that he can contribute to the region by being conscious of local production for local consumption.

Mr. Morii: "We believe that using ingredients that the producers can see their faces gives us peace of mind from the consumer's point of view. Also, if we have a sense of distance that allows us to interact with the producers, we may hear real voices or be introduced."

In fact, Mr. Morii was introduced to Masuzuka miso (*) by a liquor store he does business with. Yoshoku Morii uses Masuzuka miso to make white miso dressing.

Mr. Morii: "It was very impressive to see the process of careful manufacturing. I want to take advantage of the goodness of the material and use it carefully. At the same time, I have become more aware of the environment in which the producers and the community can circulate."

* What is Masuzuka Miso: Founded in 1928 in Toyota City. A miso shop with a long history that uses old-fashioned cedar and cypress barrels and continues to preserve natural brewing methods.

Mr. Morii says that in order to discover ingredients, he goes to direct marketing markets and goes out to find them on his own. By earnestly facing the ingredients that you think are good, various people in the business can give Mr. Morii advice.

Mr. Morii:"I'm being honest when I talk with professional. I don't think there's a right answer. I've been actively trying to apply it once, and I'm continuing to challenge myself through trial and error."

A Cozy Interior with the Modern Atmosphere
Warm and Inviting Interior

When you open the door of the shop, there is a wonderful entrance!

Stained glass from Morii's father-in-law's collection

Modern atmosphere with high ceilings

A store that can accommodate 4 or 6 people with bench seats

Strollers can pass easily. Equipped with chairs for children

Yoshoku Morii has a lot of family customers, so most of the seats are table seats.

“From the outside, there are no windows, so it's hard to tell what kind of restaurant it is. That's why I chose bright colors to make it easy to enter.” The atmosphere is very appealing, and can be enjoyed by men and women of all ages for lunch and dinner. You can imagine the customers laughing together around the Western food.

“Personally, I really like the exterior and the interior. We aim to be a set meal restaurant in the town, not a gorgeous Western-style restaurant (laughs).

This building used to be a teppanyaki restaurant. When I visited the store and was surprised by the size of the store, Mr. Morii said, "At first, I was worried about the size of the store." However, I felt that the location was good, and the food and store appearance were important, so I decided, "This is the only place!"

Yoshoku Morii's Recommended Menu

Yoshoku Morii's recommended menu "Hamburg Steak"

Hamburg Steak lunch (Single: ¥1,580 Double: ¥1,980)

The demi-glace sauce is full of delicious ingredients such as beef tendons, beef bones, chicken bones, and vegetables!

Yoshoku Morii's recommended menu item is the "Hamburg Steak" made with minced beef and pork. The secret to its deliciousness lies not only in the Takechiyo pork, but also in the minced minced meat made with Morii's unique mix. Every day, mince the amount that will be used on that day and let it rest in the refrigerator once. By kneading it by hand before opening, it becomes a juicy hamburger that retains its shape without losing its flavor.

“By switching to Takechiyo pork, the umami of the meat has been enhanced and the taste has stabilized. There is little variation in the meat quality of Takechiyo pork, so I think we can provide customers with the same quality as before,” says Mr. Morii.

You can hear the gravy popping!

The thing that shocked me when I actually ate it was that it had a sweet taste even though it was a hamburger. According to Mr. Morii, Takechiyo pork has a good amount of fat, which is why it tastes sweet. The spices are also modest, so it's easy for children to eat, and it's a delicious taste that you won't get tired of!

By the way, the bread and rice on the lunch menu and set menu can be refilled. It is a sufficient amount for children who are full of food and those who are hungry, and it is a filling feeling to eat.

Popular with locals! Too rich "Crab Cream Croquette"

Crab cream croquette ¥1,580

Crab cream croquette is a popular menu item at Yoshoku Morii. The secret to its popularity lies in the dashi stock, which is made by roasting blue crabs in the oven, splitting them, and combining them with kombu seaweed.

Mr. Morii: “The dashi stock makes the croquette quite rich. Baking it in the oven makes it easier for the dashi to come out and brings out the aroma.

Surprise! The inside of the croquette is dark brown!

Dashi is the decisive factor! This is a condensed crab extract

When I saw the inside of the croquette, I was surprised to find that it was dark brown. Apparently this color is also the color of crab miso!

The crab cream croquette not only has a crunchy texture, but the rich flavor of crab spreads in your mouth every time you bite into it. There is also crab meat inside, and if it is big, it will be a lump of meat about 2 cm!

“We want our customers to enjoy the taste of the ingredients as they are,” says Mr. Morii. The croquettes are extravagant and classy, with the flavor and aroma of the crabs being enhanced by taking time and effort. You can understand why it is popular with locals.

The strength of Yoshoku Morii! To-go Menu

Bento (¥1,180)

Bento (¥2,160)

Weekday limited one plate lunch

Yoshoku Morii also has to-go menus, which is familiar to regular customers. For to-go, you can choose from bento boxes and Western-style menus.

There are mainly two types of bento. If you are going to pick it up during daytime, you must make a reservation by phone by the day before; if you are going to pick it up at night (after 5:00 p.m.), you must make a reservation by noon on the same day. It is a very reasonable price because it includes the recommended menu of Yoshoku Morii, and it is said that it has become a standard now. Also, from April this year, 15 pieces on Saturdays and Sundays will be sold at "Mag Foods Nakajima Store".

In addition to bento boxes, you can also take out from the store menu. (other than soup)

Mr. Morii:“Since the number of seats is small, there may be times when you have to wait. If you're short on time, one phone call and we'll have it ready warm for you to pick up at the time you want

While Valuing Connections with People,
Face the Ingredients and Work Simply

Morii Yoshoku takes great care in selecting ingredients and taking care of their ingredients. We asked Mr. Morii about his future outlook.

I2t would be great if I could bring out the charm of the ingredients that I thought were good and make customers feel that they were delicious. I would like to create a restaurant that is loved by customers by simply seasoning the ingredients themselves. Although it is such a simple idea, I would like to be chosen as a Western restaurant that represents Okazaki City in the future. "

On reaching the 5th anniversary, Morii Yoshoku met Okazaki Takechiyo Pork. I feel that the reason why it is loved by the locals is that the cuisine expresses "regional ingredients" and "attitude of positively challenging ingredients and trial and error". When you go to Okazaki City, why not stop by Yoshoku Morii?