Kaasan, Nishi-Shinjuku かあさん、西新宿
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 3:28PM | Dave 
Kaasan (“Mum”) is an interesting chain of izakaya dotted around the city in major transport hubs and business districts.
The theme is simple, yet successful. Focusing on down-to-earth home style cooking and presentation, these izakaya are staffed by teams of middle-aged motherly ladies who bustle around taking orders, relaying them at high volume to the kitchen, and pouring sake and kindly – if somewhat direct – words for their customers.
The interiors seem to vary little between the handful of Kaasans I’ve visited (although I mostly end up in the Nishi-Shinjuku store, on the street behind the Yodobashi Camera honten); worn wooden floors, heavy set wooden tables and benches and long counter before an open kitchen, upon which huge bowls and dishes containing simple, robust dishes are displayed. Usually to rear of the shop, fridges chill a nice selection of sake, while beer kegs congregate around the till for some reason. In other words, it’s all intended to hark back to simpler times.
Tired as this approach can appear, it actually does serve to pull the heartstrings of older salarymen. The veneer of home, of the tender wife setting pickles and beer before him when back late from work, or else distant memories of his own mother back home in the mythical furusato. I doubt these images now resonate much with younger Japanese. The clientele seems mainly to be middle-aged men and women at any rate, with perhaps a smattering of younger “nostalgia” seekers.
They might get a dose of the good old days, but not much in the way of fine dining. Kaasan isn’t really about the food. Which is not to say it’s bad – it’s not. It’s just unpretentious, basic, hearty and yet decidedly average stuff. Fish and chicken, fried and grilled mainly, as well the kuroke are usually gracing most tables. Seasonal vegetable dishes usually make an appearance, but tend to suffer from being over cooked. Chunky, low-grade sashimi, potato salad and all manner of pickled, deep-fried and stewed dishes. Although way to oily, the deep-fried gobo (burdock) is a personal favourite. Prices are very reasonable, bordering on cheap. So too for the beer.
Although, Kaasan is more about sake than beer. They have plenty of the stuff, covering a surprising variety of regions and makers. Sadly, the sake is less aggressively priced than the food and beer. What seems like a cheap meal can soon turn out otherwise if you, or one of your dining partners, have a thirst on.
Still, the (usually) lively atmosphere and simple surroundings (not to mention large tables) make a nice change once in a while.
03-3344-0771
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