Shun, Kichijoji 和旬、吉祥寺

A run of the mill, somewhat over priced izakaya thirty seconds walk, toward the Marui department store, from the park exit of Kichijoji station, Shun fails to impress. Relatively large, and on the occasion of my visit noisy, at first glance I thought Shun would prove to be a cheap and cheerful izakaya that while offering nothing of note might have served some purpose as a venue for an evening’s drinking with friends. This turned out not to be the case.

Decidedly average ‘traditional izakaya’ décor, service that was not only slow but also poor when it was given and an uninspired menu were only the beginning. Being seated by a large, boisterous group of young men and women seemingly intent upon alcohol and shouting more than anything else, my dining partners and I found our conversation drowned out by the goings on around us and gaining the attention of the waiters above the din to be near impossible. To make matters worse, the majority of our initial orders, such staples as maguro sashimi, were not being served as they had already run out despite the early time of the evening.

That which was actually available was little better. Although priced above most budget chain-store izakaya fare the dishes we ordered were not only painfully small and poorly presented, but also bland in terms of both taste and colour. The buta-kakuni, for example, was, instead of the expected rich meaty brown, a putrid off-grey, almost as if it had been soaked in dish-water for several days before being served. A mizuna salad, of green leaves and baby shrimp, was similarly miniscule and mundane. I dared one nihonshu, the Kubori, which was rather poor, too.

Over-priced, poor quality food and drink served badly, if it is in stock. Shun is, plainly, best avoided. We made a hasty exit.

Tel: 0422-41-8701