Following on from our craft beer and international food guide, we’re going local with craft beer and Japanese food. Japanese food is sometimes revered as the best in the world, and with the number of Michelin starred restaurants being the second highest in the world, only behind France in the rankings. Now, this may come as a shock to some of you, but I am not a big fan of sushi or ramen – perhaps two of the most well known foods in Japan.
That’s not to say I don’t like them, but there is so much more out there than these two food groups, that it’s a shame that people don’t know more about them. Combine them with some decent craft beer, and you’ve got a pairing for a decent night out with food and beers.
There are some conditions to this:
- The food must be Japanese or have come from Japan.
- Craft beer has to be on tap and not in bottles – we have no problem with the latter; however, there is no difference then in making your own food and buying your own bottles for consumption at home.
- Must have Japanese craft beer on tap – that’s a given.
- We’ve widened the area to anywhere in Japan, though there are probably places outside, we’re yet to get to them. Let us know in the comments below and we’ll try and get there.
Noge West End – Japanese Fish
This might seem like a weird item of food to add, but I love my fish and have found that grilled fish and beer are a great combination. There’s something to be said about having fish super fresh, with just a touch of seasoning, perhaps some salt or some ponzu sauce an an accompaniment to the meal. Noge West End does have a lot of items on the menu, but it’s the fish dishes that they serve here that make it an alternative place to come out for dinner and drink. With a whole range of other drinks – such as ciders and sake – there’s also items to choose from for people that don’t want craft beer.
Kanei Shoten – Nimono
Nimono, which means simmered, is a form of Japanese cooking, that generally consists of a base ingredient simmered in shiru stock and seasoned with sake, soy sauce, and a small amount of sweetening. The nimono is simmered in the shiru over a period of time until the liquid is absorbed into the base ingredient or evaporated. Kanei Shoten do this very well, with pots simmering away, as the beers flow, and what a selection of beers and drinks they have here. You might find it hard to get a seat at this place, mainly because it fills up within 30 minutes of opening, but if you can, you’ll have a good feed and drinking session here.
Bakushuan Ebisu – Washoku (Traditional cooking)
Kind of a catch all place, but one that seems to have gone under the radar of most craft beer drinkers in Tokyo. There’s a few branches to Bakushuan, but it’s this one that got me first and I’ve been back a couple of times to sample the food. The food is often seasonal here, with vegetables and meats being sourced from Nagano and served at their peak time, so it may be a case of come here one day, try something, but then the next time you’re here a few months later, it’s gone. There’s also a good list of craft beers on the menu, alongside some Nagano sake too.
Harajuku Taproom – Yakitori
Now we’re getting to the food that I have grown to love – meat on sticks! There’s a lot of very good yakitori shops in Japan, ranging from cheap hole in the wall places, up to high grade restaurants which use only the best charcoal, and the best meats and vegetables in season that will burn a hole in your pocket. But the Harajuku Taproom combines the grilled food on sticks with Baird Beers. It’s a place that fills up on the weekends, with large groups at the tables, or people at the counter, but I find myself coming back to have some pints and sticks.
Takadanobaba Taproom – Kushikatsu
We’ve had grilled food on sticks, let’s try deep breaded fried food on sticks – who says Japanese cuisine is healthy has never tried this culinary delight. Like yakitori, it’s a method of cooking that can be found on the cheap at hole in the wall places, or done to an exceptionally high standard in some standout places in Tokyo where your wallet will be a whole lot lighter. But combine the food with beers and you’ve got a taste explosion going on at your table.
Ohka The Best Days – Gyoza
Gyoza has its origins in Chinese cooking, but the Japanese version of potstickers varies due to one main ingredient – garlic. The Japanese gyoza, which comes from the word jiaozi, have a rich garlic flavour, which is less noticeable in the Chinese version, and that gyōza wrappers tend to be thinner, due to the fact that most Japanese restaurants use machine-made wrappers. Ohka The Best Days make some fantastic gyoza, and when washed down with some strong IPAs, they have you wanting more of both!
Towa World’s End – Soba & Tempura
I’m a big fan of soba and a big fan of tempura so with Towa World’s End serving them both freshly made to order, and an exceptional list of craft beer on tap, I always end up eating and drinking too much. There’s a wide variety to pick from – both beers and tempura – and you can happily sit by the window and watch people go through their daily lives. There’s a fantastic range of sake to pick from to finish off the night. And even if you don’t fancy the soba, there’s other smaller dishes to pick from.
Towa The World’s End Craft Beer and Sake and Soba in Ueno, Tokyo
Ramen & Bar Abri Kanazawa – Ramen
Perhaps this is a place a bit too far for most people, and I no longer eat ramen – I don’t enjoy a belly full of beer, soup, and noodles. But there’s still something to be said about a place that can offer the best of both, and keep people coming back. It’s been a fair number of years since I’ve been to Kanazawa but I know when I do go back, and here’s hoping it’s soon, I’ll be going to Ramen & Bar Abri Kanazawa for a bowl of ramen as a treat, washed down with a couple of cold beers.
Hitachino Nest Tokyo Stataion – Katsu-sando
Katsu-sando, or pork cutlet sandwiches, are really not up there with haute cuisine if you know about them. While you can find some A5 wagyu smothered in breadcrumbs and then deep fried, that’s a waste of a perfectly good piece of meat. A katsu-sando, when done well, is light yet filling, deliciously complex yet simple, moreish but enough for a meal. Have on at Hitachino Nest Tokyo Station and some cold beers as you watch people meander around the Yaesu side of the station, and you’ll walk away full, happy, and perhaps a bit less drunk than expected as the food soaks up some of the alcohol.
Yellow Beer Works Bunkadori – Onigiri
Yes, I know you can get some good onigiri at the local convenience store, but they’re mass produced, and as one person I once knew said “the seaweed tastes like ass (he was American but I won’t hold that against him)”. And I’d have to agree. Having an onigiri freshly made in front of you, with care and attention to detail is one of life’s simplest pleasures – and that’s coming from someone who really dislikes rice. Yellow Beer Works combines this with some good in-house beers for a lunch or dinner drinking session. Throw in some fried chicken, and you’ll be happy and content with one of the simplest snacks in Japan.
