Category Archives: Izakayas (The pub)

Discover the exciting world of the Japanese pub, or izakaya. Kochi has a lot of them, and we have found the best.

Sake tasting at Hikaruya

Posted on by
Reply

The sake hempai-ed at you as another enkai draws to a close is NOT good sake. I know many people who have written off this delicate Japanese wine purely on the basis of the rough stuff brought out at weddings and beer gardens. The truth is, that with a bit of guidance, and with the right food, nihonshu is really rather wonderful.

Hikaruya, which has been reviewed on this site as a place for a good bowl of udon at lunch time is also a fine Izakaya by night. On October 16th, you can treat yourself to a little lesson in all things rice wine with some good food to boot!

It is a bit steep at 5000 yen, but that includes six courses and lots of sake!

Call in advance to book your table on 088-855-3344

 

View Larger Map

Asyukutei: An izakaya style sushi restaurant with a Bali feel

Posted on by
Reply

At the end of April, Asyukutei opened in Chuo Park. Asyukutei’s very simple design and pure white exterior may make it appear to be another little Kochi cafe, but closer inspection of the menu outside the front door reveals that it is a sushi shop in disguise.

Then, you walk in and find yourself even more confused. You discover that it is really a sushi shop disguised as a Bali inspired izakaya cafe… While a little ambiguous, the small space has a good atmosphere and feel to it. The food was just as enjoyable.

While Asyukutei’s main focus is on sushi, they have a daily lunch set that, at least on the day we went, was not sushi–it was gingered pork, red miso soup, rice, and a little side of fish for 850 yen.

The daily sushi plate lunch (1050 yen), was an 8 piece set–each piece was quite a bit bigger than the average kaiten zushi, so the price seemed reasonable. This set also had the red miso soup and side of fish.

Both sets were very good, but if you’re not in a mood for sushi, you might want to make sure the daily lunch set is not sushi.

Oh, and one more point, he cooks all of his rice in an Okama (traditional style Japanese pot [see picture below]).

At night, there is a course meal for 3500 yen which had a lot of goodness on it. It changes daily, and includes an 8 piece sushi plate. If you want more control of what you get, you can order items individually, although it might get expensive fast. Oh, and of course, there is sake.

Talking to the owner, his goal is to make sushi a more accessible food–especially for foreigners who struggle with the typical scribbled kanji menus of other sushi restaurants. He plans to work on an English menu to help with this. Ultimately, I think he wants his place to be known for good sushi in a casual, izakaya-esque atmosphere.

The owner was a very friendly man, so go practice your Japanese conversation skills and learn more about sushi and fish!

Next time you’re downtown and wanting to try something different than your usual, we hope you’ll check out Asyukutei and support their efforts in making a more friendly, social sushi shop.

details

Tel. 088-871-1866

Times:  11:00 am – 2:00 pm;  5:00 ~

 



View Larger Map

Rinrin Suzu No Ya: Strange name, Great Izakaya

Posted on by
Reply

With so many Izakayas to choose from, and the knowledge that the menu is going to be handwritten and indecipherable, it is often tempting not to bother and just pop to Hirome again.  Hirome is great, but sometimes you might want something a little more laid back and without the risk of being approached by a deeply emotional sake-addled onchan.  Well, here is one very rewarding option: Rinrin Suzu no ya.  It has a strange name, and it is in the Kochibeat’s favorite area of Kochi, Harimaya-cho!

It is a very new izakaya, just a few months old, so everything is very simple, stylish, clean and fresh.  The food is excellent, and one of the waitresses speaks English.  She will be more than happy to help you make your way through the menu.  All the fresh fish I tried was wonderful.  The katsuo tataki in particular was heavenly (and straw roasted in front of me!)

The name is an amalgam of the owner’s two daughter’s names but it also means the soothing sound of a small bell ringing.  And that is a good way to sum up this little eatery; a fine, gentle pleasure!


View Larger Map

Slow Down to the Good-Life Paced Atmosphere of Yururi

Posted on by
2

Just near Yasube, the awesome gyoza place downtown, is another izakaya with a very different feel to it.

Yururi (ゆるり) means to slow down and take it easy. Stepping into the cozy, intimate space imbues the relaxed feeling of the Kochi surfer culture. The atmosphere, accompanied by the aroma of the delicious food being made right in front of you, might cause a temporal lack of desire to go back out to the real world.

If you like fish and vegetables, this is the izakaya for you. All of the ingredients are from Kochi, and the chef has some interesting variations on things.

For example, the last time I was there, we had fish and chips, but the fish was battered with a slice of avocado. Mind blowing stuff–give me more!

Vegetables are usually steamed, and the sashimi is as fresh as it comes, making this place great for the health conscious as well.

The menu is very difficult to read, handwritten kanji, but don’t let the deter you. One of the servers speaks pretty good English and can describe anything on the menu if you ask him.

Don’t go crazy on ordering because the price will rack up pretty quickly, but it is still in moderate range. If you’re going with a group of five or six who like to drink a lot as well, you can expect of 3000-4000 per.

Also, it’s not so big, so if you’re heading in with a group, call for reservations ahead of time.

Yururi. Relax. Eat. Drink. Talk. Refresh. It is a must in Kochi.

For more info, check here.

View Larger Map

Leave a comment down below if you’ve got anything to contribute to this post.

Make getting new posts like this one, and other news about events, art, music, places to see, and things to do in Kochi as easy as getting an e-mail from a friend.  Subscribe for our free weekly newsletter:

The Perfect Hangover Cure: Healthy Udon at Hikaruya

Posted on by
Reply

We struggled into the centre of Kochi city; fuzzy-headed and weak-stomached after a few too many the night before. We knew that some nutrition was required, but what to eat? That’s when we stumbled upon hikaruya (ひかるや) shining at us just across from Harimayabashi.

The outside is wooden and serene. The inside is clean, friendly and mercifully calm. We were assigned to our own little room – not just becasue we looked a complete mess – but because the restauarant is made up of small ‘ko-shitsus’ – small private tatami rooms.

And the food? Lunchtime is all about udon. We went for the yuzu jelly and fresh veg udon. It was simple and delightful. And 630 yen. There is plenty of other choice and the daily lunch set looked lika a little bargain at 800 yen.

And the good news is that if you are feeling better a few hours later, you can go back for some Izakaya-style food in the evening. The tempura is delicious, sashimi fresh and grilled saba sushi unbeatable!

The details can be found here

Name ひかるや　(Hikaruya)
Open 11:30 – 15:00 for udon and 17:00 – midnight for Izakaya


Map

View Larger Map

Leave a comment down below if you’ve got anything to contribute to this post.

Make getting new posts like this one, and other news about events, art, music, places to see, and things to do in Kochi as easy as getting an e-mail from a friend.  Subscribe for our free weekly newsletter:

Tosa Cha Tea House: A real cup of local tea in Obiyamachi.

Posted on by
Reply

Tosa cha cafe is a newly opened tea house in Obiyamachi. Yes. You heard that right: opening in Obiyamachi. And it’s not a pachinko parlor or hair salon! Hark at these glad tidings – Obiyamachi is not dead as many feared. there is still life! It’s something you really want to support, which is made really easy in this case, because the building is stylish, the atmoshere is bubbling, the food is healthy, cheap and good, and the tea is sumptuous!

Praise indeed, you say. Well, check it out for yourself. Go at lunchtime for the day’s set menu, and the ‘osusume’ tea of the day, chosen by the resident tea somelier! If it’s a sunny day, relax in the courtyard and let the pros tell you how to really brew a proper cup of green tea, and then enjoy the way that each pouring of the same tea has slightly different flavor and strength.

Or, go in the evening to the second floor, and have some izakaya fare and a small cup of local sake while overlooking Obiyamachi Koen.

It made me very happy to discover that there are people who haven’t given up on our little arcade, and even happier when it was actually really good!

The details

土佐茶カフェ　(Tosa cha Cafe)
Open 11am – 10pm
Holiday: wednesday
Tel: ０８８－８５５－７７５３
Website

View Larger Map

Leave a comment down below if you’ve got anything to contribute to this post.

Make getting new posts like this one, and other news about events, art, music, places to see, and things to do in Kochi as easy as getting an e-mail from a friend.  Subscribe for our free weekly newsletter:

Naughty Food and Early Booze:  Three places to break New Year’s resolutions

Posted on by
Reply

The Kochibeat wants to help you have a realistic start to 2011, so we kick off the January gastronomy guide with three little tempters…

1.  Tosamon

This cafe in central park doesn’t have a very naughty menu, and you can be good and have a nice cuppa tea in the center of town at anytime.  But unlike other central cafes, this place will give you the option of a glass of wine, beer or a variety of cocktails.  It is very conveniently located, just opposite Daimaru at the bottom of the footbridge.  it is connected to a really nice gift shop and there are usually a spare couple of tables.   It could provide an excellent alternative to Hirome ichiba as a central meeting place.  The staff are also super friendly, and the service excellent.

Opening times 9am – 10 pm (11pm on Saturday nights)
website

View Larger Map

2. Habotan

Now we are getting naughtier.  This very traditional izakaya located just across from central park on the south side of the densha-dori is a den of booze and unhealthy, strangely delicious food.  It opens at 1pm and is full of old Japanese men by 1:05pm.  the reason?  cheap sake and good food!  An afternoon beer, some yakitori and maybe some raw horse (Yup, i tried it – not bad!!)  seems to be the poison of choice for the locals.  The atmosphere is fantastic in a very Kochi-sense, and it is tempting to stay there for a lot longer than intended.  The staff are all old craggy women, who will squeeze you in to any of the randomly laid out seats that they can find.  The further you go back into the Izakaya, the more afraid you are of a fire breaking out!  It really is a rabbit warren at the back, so for anyone a little nervous, just prop yourself at the bar.

The menu is located on scraps of paper plastered to the wall.  Good luck with ordering!  Or just ask a lovely waitress (or kindly neighboring gentleman) for the osusume (recommendation) and hope you don’t get the sparrow on a stick. (Yup, I tried that too, it is not good.)

Opening times 1pm – 11pm
Telephone: 088-872-1330
website

View Larger Map

3. Yasube

This is ultimate after-work snack for city dwellers: officially the most sought after gyoza in Kochi.  It really is fantastic.  There are three places to get your hands on this delight; one opposite bowl jumbo, another in the depths of hirome.

Our particular fave though, is a makeshift izakaya in harimaya – cho.

The menu is super simple:  GYOZA, lovely, lovely garlic filled, super fried gyoza.  and beer.
And guess what?  Between five and seven they have a happy hour!  half price beer! I know, a happy hour in Kochi, how naughy is that!?

Opening times:  5pm – 12am
website

View Larger Map

Happy new year everyone!


Please comment and let us know if you check any of these places out, or have anything to add to our naughty list!

Subscribe by e-mail and make keeping up with the Kochi Beat as easy as reading an e-mail from a good friend.