Sakyuu-ya, Ogikubo 砂丘屋、荻窪

Not far from Ogikubo station’s south exit (yet far enough on a bitterly cold evening), Sakyuu-ya is closet-sized izakaya/ koryori-ya specializing in simple, strong tasting dishes designed to compliment sake and other tipples.

The counter seats about eight diners, at a push, and the master of the house has very little kitchen space in which to work but, nevertheless, manages to produce a variety of fish-themed, sake kasu (sake lees) infused dishes.

There’s a menu to choose from, although Woodster and I decided to try one of the omakase plans. Three price grades were available: ¥1,000, ¥2,000 or ¥3,000. We did the latter, which proved to be excellent value in terms of both quantity and quality.

Flame seared, fatty salmon 

Interesting otoshi – the beans marinated in Kahlua were great

Grilled fish and roast vegetables – reminiscent of Mediterranean cooking

Tofu and chicken, in sake kasu soup

Deep fried fish head, stuffed with roe baked in sake kasu

Dashi maki tamago

Sake kasu pizza!

Salmon and daikon in miso soup

03-3392-6909

Sakyuu-ya

Ahiru, Kichijoji あひる、吉祥寺

According to tabelog.com, this little bar and wine store goes by the name of Ahiru Beer Hall, which is probably pushing it a bit. It’s located (a few yards from Ko-Panda) amongst the increasingly well turned out bars and eateries that occupy what was once a warren of ramshackle, decades old retail spaces huddled under rusting corrugated iron across the road from the bus rotary outside the central exit of Kichijoji station.

Many of these popular, if small, establishments are run by the now almost ubiquitous (in Kichijoji at any rate) Mishima – easily spotted by the little red lanterns outside each of their businesses. The ground floor bar, through which the upper floor with its chipboard furnishings is entered, is rather attractive; the far wall (as is that of the stairs) being lined with shelves full of tempting wines.

The service can be either extremely good or excruciatingly bad. The Gin & Tonic they serve is, however, beyond reproach.

Tel: 0422-20-6811

http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1320/A132001/13105108/

Jidori-ya, Nakano ぢどり屋，中野

That Nakano has plenty to offer besides the otaku “delights” of Mandrake is well known, especially to those who enjoy izakaya. Out of the station's north exit, the labyrinthine area sandwiched between the Sun Mall shōtengai and the Fureai Road is home to a bewildering – and of late changing – array of izakaya and bars of various persuasions. 

Jidori-ya (spelt with a ぢ) is a little place specializing in simple free-range chicken izakaya fare and other classics reminiscent of much that is nowadays touted as cuisine peculiar to Miyazaki-ken.

Prices are reasonable; beer, Hoppy and cheap shōchū plentiful, and the service friendly, informative and a little over-concerned...

“Can the honourable foreigner eat chewy chicken?” Yes, he could, and so too could his honourably indigenous dining partner. So it was that we tucked into an admittedly chewy, but thoroughly delicious dish of firm, charcoal grilled momoniku. The smoky flavour rich enough to be interesting, without becoming burdensome. In fact, as we lingered over this and other dishes, it was quite delicious even after becoming cold.

The potato salad was poor, which is to say sloppy – the easy way out is always to rely on the mayonnaise too much. Certainly not as good as the perfectly humble variety served at Isukura. The edamame, too, failed to impress.

The interior was fun though. Packed up front (the space is L-shaped), we’d entered because the crowded counter and side tables suggested that either the food was at least okay, or the prices were very, very cheap; or perhaps a nice combination of the two. The mix of simple tables, 1950s (?) television set and a kind of tobacco/ sweet shop façade seemingly rescued from the set of Always added to the neighborhood Shōwa feel of the place.

There was nothing tired or musty about the gyūreba teki however. Again, the staff were concerned about the esteemed visitor’s ability to eat liver, let alone raw liver – from a cow of all things – but such niggles aside it tasted great. Both the sesame oil and grated ginger complimented the dish perfectly. The potato wedges went down a treat, as they tend to after being silly with the beer. 

03-33887447

http://r.gnavi.co.jp/b089200/

Dachibin, Kōenji 抱瓶、高円寺

Having had few good experiences of Okinawan cuisine, I tend not to bother with it. Luckily, Dachibin went some way to improving my view of Okinawan dining in Tokyo.

Located on the “Central Road” shōtengai on the north side of Kōenji station, it’s easy to find. Indeed, there are several appealing Okinawan places in the vicinity that, it turns out, are all part of this small group of family owned Okinawan izakaya, steak restaurants, furuzake bars and live music houses.

Kiyoka, the original restaurant and thus the “honten,” has been in business for just over 50 years. Dachibin has been around for a while, too. 31 years in business and still packed most nights; must mean they do something right.

I first read about the place back in 2005 during my Asagaya days. For whatever reason, I never seemed to find the time to visit Dachibin, despite it being only a station away. A year or so ago a client mentioned that it was a favourite place to dine, and yet it’s taken until now to try it. It was worth the visit.

This popular izakaya opens at 5pm. By 4:45pm eager diners were loitering around outside, waiting for the doors to open. They weren’t the only people loitering on the streets. Around that time, another quake hit Ibaraki. The streetlights and overhead wires started swaying; the earth moved a jot and suddenly all the shop owners and snack bar mamas were out on the streets trying to judge the strength of the tremors.

Dachibin’s façade is distinctive; the building itself looks ready to collapse. The interior is dark, cozy and well-used looking. The ground floor is dominated by a long counter down one side. Jars of potent awamori line the shelf above the counter, while photographs of regular customers and visiting geinōjin adorn the walls. The rear of the space is a raised platform, a ko-agari, furnished with horikotatsu. There are upper levels, which I can only assume share the same warm atmosphere. 

Within half an hour of opening the place was heaving. Orders are taken swiftly but can take time to arrive. Indeed, our goya champuru was forgotten, and despite being the first dish we ordered was not received until near the end of our meal. Thankfully, the sturdy glasses of Orion beer are delivered with greater precision. Anyway, the champuru was good. Perhaps not outstanding, but it certainly benefited from being made with real pork rather than the usual chunks of spam.

These ingredients are the main reason I’ve not had much respect for Okinawan cuisine. It just seemed pretty dull, and well, kind of cheap. By which I mean basic, almost impoverished. This is, of course, a ridiculous opinion, but one that endless variations on spam, scrambled egg and goya (with occasional tōfu when lucky) is easy to form.

The food at Dachibin went a long way to setting me straight. All the “classic” dishes you’d expect to find where present, along with many that neither my dining partner nor I had come across before. Overall, prices were reasonable, although the portions were a bit stingy. Some dishes suffered from “padding,” but more on that later…

The otoshi was a simple bowl of stewed carrot, daikon, potato and pork – probably pork offal of some kind. The umibudō, or “sea grapes” (which despite looking suspiciously like bitter tasting fish eggs is actually a variety of kelp), was great. Not strong tasting the ponzu it was dipped into provided most of the flavour. The texture and a slightly crunchy quality when chewed were enjoyable though.

The rakkyō salad was crunchy too, if a bit dull. Just a plate of scallions topped with katsuboshi. Even crunchier was the gurukun; a small fish fried into oblivion so that head, spine and bones are edible. The main flesh of the fish was separate from the skeleton and still moist, the skin crispy and delicious.

The five-year Koshu/ Furzake awamori, served from large earthenware jars beside the counter, was potent. I’ve never been a big fan, and this did little to change my mind. 

The rafuti, essentially a somewhat drier (closer to Chinese) buta no kakuni, was excellent. The fatty parts melted in the mouth while the meat itself crumbled delightfully.

The papaya salad was okay, too. Ever so slightly spicy, it made for a pleasant change of flavour. It also won the award for being the worst (or best?) example of “padding out” of a dish I’ve come across in ages. While the papaya salad was tasty, it actually only constituted the top third of the dish. The two thirds being a “bed” of bulk standard, unadulterated lettuce and tomato. 

I’d visit again though. The menu seemed to have plenty more to offer and the lively, somewhat boisterous atmosphere was enjoyable. Probably best to visit with a party next time, so as to sample a wider range of the cooking at what is now my favourite Okinawan izakaya, having knocked Zanpa no Kaze off the top spot.

03-3337-1352

www.dachibin.com

Iseya, Kichijoji いせや、吉祥寺

Kichijoji’s Iseya is not only a yakitori classic, but also a Tokyo classic. Well loved, well known and much frequented it is, however, not all that it is purported to be.

Located at the top the flight of stone steps leading down into the leafy confines of Inokashira Park, opposite Toriyoshi and Gin no Saru (two other izakaya worthy of mention for their popularity if nothing else), Iseya Sohonten (the other recently sanitized and thus ruined iteration is nearby, somewhat closer to the station) billows smoke into the street by dint of the charcoal grills at the front of the shop churning out mountains of yakiton (skewered pork innards) for queues of expectant, hungry customers.

This yakitori-ya’s reputation precedes it. After all, it has been in business since 1928, first as a butcher’s shop and then from 1958 as a yakitori-ya, as the building and interior bare testament to. It’s dilapidated, dirty (just visit the toilets!), smokey and immensely “old skool.” Those that reside in these blessed isles, and those that live in Tokyo more so, and those that have a thing for “traditional izakaya” even more so, love this kind of decrepit hangover from “better days,” when Japan was more Japanese and Japanese cuisine, and thus izakaya more generally, had yet to be tainted by the culinary incursions of colonialists and “ethnic” dishes from the mysterious regions of Asia.

Admittedly, the old-style, basic aspect of the shop brings to mind a simpler, somehow more authentic, working-class dining experience. You can almost imagine occupation-era U.S. military types and pan-pan girls negotiating a night’s intimacy through the choking smog of smoking chicken fat. Don’t get me wrong; it’s all good stuff. Great fun. It’s just not what it’s cracked up to be. Very much a case of the Emperor’s new clothes.

The interior is all creaky floors, warped beams and stained, curling posters and menu slips. Service is to the point, hurried and for the most part amicable. Generally always heaving, you can book in advance, the atmosphere is lively, even raucous. Old-timers perch at the counter enveloped in smoke, while everyone else enjoys whatever bench they are awarded.

Drinks are limited. Beer, unnamed instantly forgettable sake, shochu (accompanied by plum syrup served in old whiskey bottles) and sours etc. The food menu is basic, mostly yakitori standards and other skewered morsels (read offal) derived from the carcasses of pigs. The sashimi is best avoided, as I hope you would expect.

And it is the food, not the whole point perhaps but still an important factor, that enjoys near mythical and utterly unjustified renown. It is, at best, passable. Sure, it’s cheap. Tastes okay, or at least doesn’t induce nausea. But is surpassed in both quality and quantity by a myriad of other yakitori-ya. Some dishes, the liver in particular, are especially bad. Presentation isn’t even considered, and is not made up for by the flavour. The stand out dish is easily the handmade gyoza, which for a shop famed for its skewered chicken and pork nankotsu is almost shameful.

Jimmy Dean had this to say about Iseya, while Marxy helps perpetuate the myth here.

Still, it is fun. A glimpse and, more than likely, a real taste of the past. A past before Michelin stars and restaurants aimed at monied expats. Go for the atmosphere, go for the surroundings, just don’t expect to go back for the food.

Tel: 0422-43-2806

Shuotan, Yotsuya 酒徒庵、四谷

The alignment of the stars had been deemed fortuitous, and as had been ordained by powers too sinister to mention, The Woodsman, Jimmy Dean, Jasmin and I were to be received by Tokyo’s most acclaimed dining blogger. Shuotan, a small sake specialist izakaya in Yotsuya, just a little way up the street from the Yotsuya Brewery and Salsa Cabana, was the venue chosen for this most auspicious of occasions. 

I’ve always thought meeting people through the Internet to be a little odd, even scary. Aren’t most Internet users pedos? Well, it seems not. Some of them are just well rounded individuals that share a passion for izakaya, sake and other gluttonous pursuits. So it was that with a minimum of awkwardness and sweaty palms we made first contact with Mullers, Poshand and Boo Boo.

Shuotan’s website described the availability of a choice selection of sake in excess of one hundred varieties. This was certainly promising, although the photographs of the interior made it look more like one of the grim, lifeless 1970s kissaten where you pay ¥1,000 plus for lukewarm, tasteless coffee and stale air.

Upon our arrival, thankfully, we found that the place was not quite so uninviting. The interior was certainly minimalist, more or less just plain walls, dull furniture and a bit of wood here and there. Not the usual Japanese styling. Partitions and the positioning of tables managed to make every table semi-private, which is all well and good, but makes it hard gain inspiration by peeping at what other patrons are ordering. We just had to follow our instincts and hope our ability to read kanji was up to the job of deciphering the menu.

Shuotan doesn’t really do beer, wine or other beverages as it is positioned as a place for the serious sake drinker. When one of our party dared attempt to order a beer, the master of the house was not in the least amused. To make amends, we set about working our way through the sake menu. Around twenty-five varieties were listed on the menu, all priced between ¥350 and ¥450, served in smaller than usual glasses, so you can try a greater proportion of the menu than would otherwise be the case. All well and good, but I found that without a beer to quench my thirst the pace at which I was sinking the sake was a little worrying.

I started with the Yanma, which was pleasant enough, but not nearly as good as the pricier Yanma T4 Oriori Rock. This was quite refreshing and gave a slight fizz upon the tongue. Probably the best of the evening. Several glasses of Shuho followed, as once Mullers had bravely finished the dregs of the bottle originally presented to us, a fresh bottle was opened, and its content found to be quite agreeable.

We were served for most of the evening by a couple of reasonably friendly young ladies, who as well as being patient (the prettier of the two enduring Jimmy Deans stream of oyaji gagu with great grace) seemed to have a good knowledge of the sake on offer. The more we ordered, the more welcoming the service became. Even the brusque master made a few appearances to suggest sake not on the menu that would match our (mainly Muller’s) requests. From what I remember, other sake sampled included, but was probably not limited to, the Urahassen, Kaiun (enjoyable) and the Nanbubijin, an old favourite.

Although the service warmed up a little, throughout the course of the evening the pouring of sake was less than generous. Each glass was supplied sans masu, being filled only to the brim and not allowed to overflow. Even when we attempted to use the commemorative sake cups that Mullers had bestowed upon us as masu, the situation was not improved.

All this drink needed to be balanced with food. That on offer was okay, but just okay. Not that it was bad, with the exception of the nikujaga, but it was just rather lustreless. I suppose Shuotan concentrates on sake, with the food (much of which was apparently dried in volcanic ash before being grilled) being something of an afterthought.

The o-toshi was cooked aoyagi and wakame, which although a little gritty was no worse than it looked. To our dismay there was nothing in the way of sashimi to be had, and our usual ordering pattern being thus disrupted we went for a couple of plates of katsuo, which were actually pretty good. Meaty, rich tasting and reasonably generous in their thickness. A dish comprising sliced gobo and carrot in sesame oil was also tasty, if a little small.

As mentioned above, the nikujaga was dull. A few sad little potatoes and some tasteless minced meat. Could have done better myself. The oysters, despite initial concerns over their reduced “Golden Week” price, were fine. For the most part we had them grilled. Large fleshy, and labelled with their prefecture of origin. I can’t remember being impressed with the karasumi with slices of daikon, so will have to agree with Muller’s verdict that for the price the quantity and quality were a disappointment.

The seshiko, apparently mackerel preserved in rice bran, was better, but hardly enough to banish my growing hunger. A basket of fresh, raw vegetables (carrot, radish, celery, cucumber and leaves) accompanied by sesame oil, moromi mayonnaise and kimuchi mayonnaise dips was good enough, which was not the case with the tsukemono moriawase. Very boring pickled cucumber and carrot. Not what I’d have expected at an izakaya intended for sake drinking.

To be fair, we were having too much fun to pay close attention to the food or atmosphere. I’d go as far as to say that Shuotan is the kind of place where you have to take your atmosphere with you. Something we certainly did, although I don't recall seeing any festive peppers... The sake was enjoyable, and no doubt further visits and a better acquaintance with the hundred plus sakes on offer would raise my esteem for the place.

The food was average though, and as we were just getting warmed up, and the night was still young, we felt the need to visit a second establishment. Preferably one serving sake, of course, and sashimi. Being as Yotsuya is just a hop and a skip from Iidabashi and Kagurazaka, we hopped onto the Metro to continue our dinner at Seigetsu.

Tel: 03-3351-6119

Tabaruzaka, Nakano 田原坂、中野

Nakano offers up another fine izakaya, specializing in Kumamoto style dishes, a little short of ten minutes stroll from the station, on Waseda Dōri. Named after the hill in Kumamoto prefecture upon which ‘The Last Samurai’, Saigo Takamori, fought one of the bloodiest campaigns of his Satsuma Rebellion, Tabaruzaka provides a good selection of shōchū, a few decent sakes, such as the Bishōnen, and tasty dishes that differ from the usual Tokyo fare.

The building itself is instantly recognizable for its old-fashioned white plaster namako kabe, diamond patterned, walls. Stepping through the dark entrance reveals a large open plan room; wood panels covered in yellowing hand written menu entries, fading photos, reproductions of Taishō period beer advertisements, and rows of small tables and chairs around a counter before the kitchen area. Everything about the interior décor and atmosphere of the place suggests times gone by, the recent past, better times. Charming in its simplicity, the reality is that Tabaruzaka is a bit shabby. Faded, like the photographs adorning the walls. Not that this in any way does the izakaya a disservice. Indeed the ambience created, in addition to the somewhat brusque welcome and treatment at the hand of the mistress of the house, all adds to the flavour. 

Although the place was heaving upon our arrival, service was prompt. The mistress was a little too impatient when taking our orders and the food arrived almost a little too quickly for my liking. Initial bottles of cold Yebisu beer were accompanied by an otsumami, appetizer, of komatsuna ohitashi, a green spinach like vegetable cooked in fish stock laced with soy sauce and mirin. Of the many dishes on offer, my dining partners and I readily agreed that the Kumamoto basashi, slices of raw horsemeat with grated garlic, ginger and soy sauce, was a must. Undoubtedly tasty and fresh it failed, however, to match the genuine article. Each slice was almost painfully thin, and small in all dimensions, compared with the thick juicy slices I have enjoyed in Kumamoto. Still, it is often said to be near impossible to find decent basashi in Tokyo, and that served at Tabaruzaka goes some way to dispelling the myth.

A delightfully hot karashi renkon, crunchy sliced renkon stuffed with a miso and mustard paste, came with a heat warning, while the kaisen sarada, seafood salad – a quotidian affair consisting of sashimi, lettuce and a forgettable dressing – came with a ‘but it’s raw fish’ warning aimed at the gaijin, myself, in the party. A literally steaming buri-daikon, stewed daikon and yellowtail, was delicious with the fish itself being particularly tender. In many ways the atmosphere, or rather perhaps the smell, of the place brings to mind Okajōki, another Nakano favourite. As the evening progressed the volume of customers thinned out and service provided by younger members of staff was friendlier. Throughout the meal the heavy-browed jowly face of Saigo-san glared down at us. Dining under his portrait was certainly a first.

An interesting izakaya, Tabaruzaka’s best feature is the regional, Kumamoto style, flavour and dishes. Not as wonderful as I had hoped, but enjoyable all the same. 

Tel: