1. each of the 10 restaurants has its own concept

Founded in 1983, the pasta chain Grubby's has a name recognition of more than 98% (?) among Ibaraki Prefecture residents. The pasta chain Grubby's is well known by more than 98% of Ibaraki residents. The restaurant is frequented by 90% female customers, but many of them are fierce eaters of the big bowl of spaghetti with plenty of noodles and other ingredients.

We came to Grubby's Tsukuba Higashiodori branch. The store has a unique presence, but since the current president is originally an architect, each store has its own exterior and interior theme.

For example, the entrance ramp is embedded with a glass-like substance, which is said to be inspired by the flow of water. To be honest, I didn't notice this until you mentioned it, but it is fun to think that even the most casual of places has an intention behind it.

The person waiting for me at the entrance was Ryota Shiraishi, manager of the Groovy Tsukuba Higashiodori store, who spoke with the president in advance about various topics for this interview.

2. 120 spacious seats, all facing the window

Of the 10 Grubby restaurants, the Tsukuba Higashiodori branch is the largest, with 120 seats.

Each seat is spacious enough to keep your private space. This spaciousness is possible because of Ibaraki's large land area.

This is one of the reasons why more than 90% of the customers are women, and according to Mr. Shiraishi, "Many of our Guest/customers are women who enjoy conversation, so I think this spacious and relaxing space is the reason why many of them use our restaurant."

The iced coffee I ordered was Grubby's original blend, which has a gorgeous taste and sweetness. It had a gorgeous flavor, sweetness, and low bitterness, making it easy to drink even if served black.

What also caught my eye was the extraordinary number of items on the menu! The shop was originally a coffee shop, and as a result, they have many drinks on their menu.

Although the number of items varies slightly from store to store, the Grubby Tsukuba Higashiodori store offers 91 types of drinks, side dishes, and desserts alone, and with the addition of 132 other dishes and store-exclusive items not listed here, the menu easily exceeds 200 items.

This is the result of creating a menu that meets the needs of customers, At one time there were over 350 varieties. However, since everything from preparation to cooking is done at Grubby's restaurants, the number of items on the menu was narrowed down in consideration of the popularity of the menu as well as the burden on the restaurants.

3. here it comes, Groovy's famous "Pirate Spaghetti!

Among the many popular items on the menu, there is one specialty that is unique to the pasta chain born in Tokai-mura, Ibaraki Prefecture, which faces the sea.
It is. Dantotsu's most popular "Pirate Spaghetti pasta, which is made from pasta and is made from the same ingredients as the pasta. The number of orders is said to be one digit different from other popular products, which shows its prominence.

The pirate spaghetti is loaded with seafood ingredients (shrimp, squid, crab, tuna, and kobashira ......) and covered with a rich sauce. The handmade tomato sauce and béchamel sauce have been refined and improved to make them even tastier.

Pirate Spaghetti was created because of the "fufu spaghetti," which is still popular today.

Fufu Spaghetti is made with onions, mushrooms, and shrimp, baked in the oven with plenty of cheese and other ingredients. Luxury version Pirate spaghetti was conceived as a potential signature product with a satisfying texture.

When you break through the layer of cream and scoop up the noodles, they are covered with a thick layer of cream, and as a "lover of thick and creamy things," the texture is irresistible.

As we proceeded to eat, the first thing we felt was the volume. While most restaurants are said to serve 100 to 110 grams of noodles, the noodles weigh 130 grams, and boiled noodles weigh as much as 280 grams. The amount of ingredients and sauces is also very generous, reaching up to 280 grams, Total weight of one serving of pasta is about 600g The amount of ingredients and sauces on top of the noodles is as much as 280 grams.

If you pay 330 yen for a large portion, the noodles are 1.5 times larger at 195 grams, and the boiled noodles are 420 grams. The size of the bowl is even larger because of the additional ingredients and cream.

Among the many menu items, this pirate spaghetti is "probably the biggest. When noodles, sauce, and seafood are added, the total weight comes to about 800 grams, and a large serving is said to exceed 1 kilogram.

The pasta can be changed to sticky pasta for an additional 150 yen. Fresh spaghetti and can be changed for an additional 150 yen, with a choice of "plain noodles" or "spinach noodles. According to Mr. Shiraishi, "It's not just a little bit different from regular dried noodles, it's completely different.

The noodles are originally soft fresh pasta, and after boiling for about 3 minutes, "the noodles become really sticky," he says. Especially when combined with cream or tomato-based sauces, "it is very easy to combine, and I highly recommend it," he said enthusiastically.

4. the hidden specialty "Meat and Natto" is selling well at ......?

In addition to the pirate spaghetti, the "Meat and Natto" is another item on the menu at Grubby's that caught my attention. This is an Ibaraki-like dish of meat sauce and natto. It is a lost (?) dish born from a pun. But is it selling well?

According to Mr. Shiraishi, somewhat reluctant to answer, "To be honest, sales at this restaurant are not so much. ...... (laugh)," but it reigns as a hidden menu specialty.

Furthermore, the most popular hidden menu item is mayonnaise sauce-flavored pasta. Mr. Shiraishi says, "You don't often hear of mayonnaise flavored pasta, but I personally recommend it because it goes surprisingly well with pasta and is reasonably priced.

5. simple "Pilaf" is a reluctant favorite

Mr. Shiraishi says, "Pilaf comes out unexpectedly. The most popular item is "scallops and shrimp. He says that simple pilafs like this one, which contains only scallops, shrimp, and onions, are favored.

The taste of the sea permeates throughout the rice, making you want to bite into it. The accent of onions was also the essence of umami, breaking the harmony.

The pilafs are also generously sized with 300 grams of rice. Another popular dish is the "Pirate Pilaf," a rice version of pirate spaghetti.

These dishes are seasoned "a little strong. Ibaraki is a prefecture with a thriving agricultural industry and many hard-working people, and many people traditionally crave strong flavors, so the president of the company Seasoning is strong, and the quantity is a bit much." was conscious of the fact that the menu was being offered.

For those who may have leftovers due to the large portions on the menu, free to-go containers are available for those who want to take some home.

Yes, pizza is another popular item. They make it by hand from the dough, and when an order comes in, they stretch the dough, put the ingredients on top, and bake it. Furthermore, they are particular about making sure that the dough is evenly stretched so that it can be easily cooked.

6. the only restaurant in the chain with a patissier

The Tsukuba Higashiodori branch has the only cake workshop in the groupie, and the patissier makes all the cakes by hand.

Although it was not available on this day, ice cream comes with every cake order.

The manager, Mr. Shiraishi, recommends the "Napoleon," a store exclusive. It is made of pie crust and loses its crispiness on the second day, so it is only served at the Tsukuba Higashiodori branch.

Another recommendation from Mr. Shiraishi is the cream puffs. Due to the freshness of the pie dough, this item is not available at other stores, and is only available at the Tsukuba Higashiodori store.

When the crispy cookie dough is cracked open, a rich custard cream overflows, giving it a freshly made flavor and aroma. The combination of pirate spaghetti, scallops, and shrimp pilaf was a great relief from the large portions.
The cakes, though, are shipped from here for other restaurants, The most attractive thing about the Tsukuba Higashi-Odori branch is that you can eat it freshly made. There are many varieties of cakes to choose from.

7. "Dressing" with a shelf life of only one month

Another nice point is that all pizzas come with a regular-size salad. On this particular day, it was the first to appear as an appetizer.

Another specialty of Grubby's is the "dressing" that is pre-dipped on the salad. The dressing is made at the Tokai main restaurant, and four different kinds of dressing are served daily.

The four types are "carrot," "sesame," "shiso plum," and "celery." They are "raw" dressings that have not been heat-treated and contain no preservatives, so they last only one month. It is often sold at local supermarkets and is one of the most popular products. In addition to the fact that it contains no coloring, it is also attractive because it contains only about 60-75% oil, whereas most dressings are said to contain about 60-75%, The oil content is as low as 20%. The other advantage of this product is that it contains no coloring.

Basically, the freshest dressing is served on a daily basis, and the cash register displays "this is the dressing of the day," but you can change it if you like or dislike it.

Incidentally, we were also served the "soup of the day". The soup of the day was a moderate tomato sauce flavored soup with various ingredients blended in to create a luxurious atmosphere.

Mr. Shiraishi says, "I am happy when customers bring their grandchildren here.

In addition, "to keep customers waiting on weekends and other occasions from getting bored," he has started Groovy's original capsule toys. There are two types: acrylic key chains and eco bags, Winning ticket The capsule toys are also included in the package, and you can win a dressing, a 500-yen meal coupon, and other prizes.

The volume of the food was outrageous. I had skipped breakfast in anticipation of eating a lot, but after eating pirate spaghetti, scallops and shrimp pilaf, salad, soup, and cream puffs all at once, I felt as if my stomach had been ripped open and I had a "real belly ache" for the first time in several years.

Walking back home, I realized that I was in for a real treat as a groupie that can satisfy the hungry of Ibaraki, and I was determined to learn the depths of Ibaraki, which is both near and far.

The sense of satisfaction I experienced in the spaciousness of the hotel remains in my mind and body to this day.

Groovy

• 1055-684 Shimohirooka, Tsukuba, Ibaraki MAP
• 15 minutes from JR Tsuchiura Station by car
• 18 min. by Kanto Railway bus from JR Tsuchiura Station, 10 min. walk from Hirooka bus stop.
• Weekdays 11:15-15:30, 17:30-20:30
  Non-weekdays 11:15-20:30
  March and August: 11:15-20:30 on all days
  *11:15-20:30 on days when crowds are expected.
• December 31, January 1, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
  Open on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday in March, April, and August.
  　Open on national holidays, closed the following day.
  Check the official website for other holidays.
• 029-860-2112
• Free of charge
• Refer to the calendar on the official website for business hours.

8. hotel directly connected to the station " BEB Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts" where you can go to groupies in a jiffy

The entrance to the hotel is only 10 seconds from the Tsuchiura station ticket gate, and the lounge is open 24 hours a day, so you can relax while putting away the rest of your work.
The hotel is also a place to enjoy Tsuchiura, a city of bicycles, so it is a fun time to take your time adjusting your beloved car and cycling around the famous stores and places of interest.