Sakura, Jingumae 神宮前

Not far from where Volantaire used to perch, Sakura is a tastefully appointed modern izakaya/ dining bar in Jingumae’s B6 building, more or less opposite the many faceted Audi showroom.

Dark interior, stylish yet simple furnishings and a decking veranda that must be great when it’s not raining (a rare chance of late!) combine with brisk, friendly service, quality cooking and an intimate, quietly convivial atmosphere to create a pleasant dining experience. 

The menu covers the gamut of izakaya staples, with each seemingly prepared from quality ingredients with an equal focus on presentation and volume.

Although my dining companion and I were too absorbed in conversation to delve deeply, those dishes we did enjoy were delicious, although, and as others have noted, the sashimi is okay rather than great, despite looking pretty.

The salad was plentiful, possessed of a delicious sesame-enfused dressing and both soft and crunchy textures. The takenoko, being in season, was very good, too.

The best, or at least most memorable, dish of the evening was the otoshi. Served on elongated platter, at least half a meter in length, it presented us (to our glad surprise) with an array of different flavours, textures and cooking styles, from simmered to deep fried, with pickles and chewy snails in between. 

Good stuff, and deserves further investigation. There’s another Sakura in Shibuya’s Sakuragaoka district, too.

03-6427-3335 

Sakura