Kushi katsu 串かつ is a popular local dish in Osaka. Vegetables, meat, and seafood are skewered, breaded, and deep-fried. Kushi means skewer and katsu comes from the word cutlets for anything breaded and deep-fried. Kushi katsu is traditionally served with a sauce that is sweet and salty. Rampuya is a charming kushikatsu shop near the…
Category: drinking establishments
Kyobashi Isehiro Yakitori
Not far from Tokyo Station is one of my go-to yakitori shops. Isehiro has been grilling chicken skewers for over one hundred years (est. 1921). The tsukune chicken balls, my favorite in the city, have a meaty texture. Isehiro calls these dango on their menu. When I worked at Takashimaya depachika down the street I…
Craft Beer – Yoyogi Watering Hole
Watering Hole near Yoyogi station is a great spot to try Japanese and imported craft beer. I felt like I was back in the US with the stickers on the wall and refrigerator. The menu is basic, fish and chips, mac n’ cheese, seasonal pickles, and rice crackers. Sadly, I believe the sweet potato chips…
Sausage Curry at Tsukiji Pyramid
One of the best curries I have had in a long time was at this German restaurant in Tsukiji. Yes, you read that correctly. A German restaurant at Tsukiji serving curry. But, this wasn’t just any curry. The meat is a German sausage, and for toppings everyone gets a quenelle-shaped German mashed potatoes with house-made…
Aoyama Cicada
At Cicada in Aoyama, near Omotesando, I always order the mezze plate. I love the variety of small bites, often with lots of vegetables. If you have allergies, or prefer for an all vegetable mezze, the kitchen is great to substitute something. I sometimes come by myself and sit at the bar. In New York…
Shibuya Kotaro 高太郎
** Note, reservations required. Kotaro is very popular and not many spots open up each month as regulars make their next reservations on their way out. Kotaro is named after the owner and chef who prepares all of the food in an open kitchen behind a large wooden counter. I was introduced to Kotaro by…
All-You-Can Drink Warayakiya わらやき屋
Tokyo is filled with many nomihōdai, all-you-can drink spots. Restaurants offer different set menus with a selection of beverages and a time limit. These are fun gathering spots when getting together with friends. Recently we had a reunion and the nomihōdai restaurants are fun. The staff at the restaurant bring out the different courses while refilling your drink…
Shinjuku Station Berg
I love that Tokyo is so big and filled with so many restaurants that new gems keep presenting themselves. On a recent television program Berg in Shinjuku Station came up as a great B Gourmet restaurant, cheap and delicious. It is open from 7 a.m. and stays open until late at night. It is located…
T.Y. Harbor – Oasis in Tokyo
Tokyo is a massive city and there are so many parts that I have yet to explore. One of the coolest areas, literally cool as the area is surrounded by canals, is Tennoz Isle. Until now I have only passed through on the monorail on my way to Haneda airport. Now I am kicking…
Ginza Sake no Ana 銀座酒の穴
Some of my clients are interested in learning a bit about saké during their visit to Tokyo. However, finding somewhere in Tokyo that serves a wide selection of saké during lunch is challenging. Most of the tours we offer start at Tsukiji Market which is of course only takes place in the morning. Sake no…
Tokyo Izakaya and Standing Bars
Grabbing a drink after work with colleagues or friends in Tokyo is great fun as there are so many options to choose from. These are some of my favorites from Food Sake Tokyo. Saiseisakaba This friendly tachinomi (standing bar) is located on the back streets of Shinjuku Sanchome. Designed with Showa era items, it feels…
Ebisu Tachinomi Q
I first came upon this great standing bar about five years ago when it first opened. It had great reviews for being cheap, with great food, and a fun environment. It was exactly that. This is not your typical izakaya with Japanese fare but includes many tapa-style bites. The menu includes home-cured bacon, escargot, smoked…
Tokyo’s Top Places to Drink
Izakaya 居酒屋 are literally places to have something to drink. When I was working as a sommelier at the New York Bar and Grill at the Park Hyatt Tokyo my shift would end late at night, well after dinner. I would often stop by a local izakaya for a beer and some small bites. What…
Sake no Ana: Best Place for Tasting Sake for Lunch in Tokyo – Part 2/2
Sake no Ana 酒の穴 Chuo-ku, Ginza 3-5-8 03-3567-1133 3. Juyondai Honjozo 十四代 本醸造 Premium sake, very hard to purchase retail. Often sold at much higher prices on E-bay (Sakamoto-san, the sake sommelier said that the bottle we had would go for 10,000 JPY even though the retail price is only about 2,500 JPY.) From Yamagata prefecture. http://www.yukinosake.com/juyondai.html (sake brewery site in Japanese)…
Sake no Ana: Best Place for Tasting Sake for Lunch in Tokyo – Part 1/2
Sake no Ana 酒の穴 Chuo-ku, Ginza 3-5-8 03-3567-1133 There are many wonderful izakaya in Tokyo, however finding one that is open for lunch is a challenge. I was in particular looking for an izakaya with a wide variety of sake by the glass that is open for lunch. All of my favorites, including Sasagin and Takara…
Five Questions for Japan’s First Master of Wine Ned Goodwin
Ned Goodwin is Japan’s first Master of Wine. Ned is also one of the most passionate sommeliers in Japan. Ned graciously took me under his wings when I moved to Tokyo to work as a sommelier. His generosity and guidance helped me tremendously. Ned has had a great impact in the wine world in Japan…
Drinking Japan by Chris Bunting
Imbibers in Japan, be on the lookout for Drinking Japan, A Guide to Japan’s Best Drinks and Drinking Establishments. The author, Chris Bunting, has an impressive website on Japanese whisky: http://www.nonjatta.blogspot.com/ Here is the link to the book on Tuttle Publishing’s website: http://www.tuttlepublishing.com/book/?GCOI=48053100473120
Food Sake Tokyo 