Ichizen

Operating as a hearty teishoku diner by day and a casual izakaya by night, Ichizen is a reliable neighbourhood fixture in Takadanobaba. Its comprehensive menu covers everything from comforting meat dishes to fresh seafood, focusing on unpretentious everyday comfort food.

Those after a substantial meal will find plenty to like among the main sets, which come generously stocked with sides. The daily rotating set meal might feature crisp fried prawns, juicy karaage, or sweet-savoury stir-fried aubergine with miso, each plate freshly cooked to order. For diners who want variety on one tray, combination platters offer generous assortments: the Ichizen Bento pairs tuna sashimi, ginger pork, and fried prawns, while the Yamitsuki Bento brings together bonito, miso aubergine, and fried prawns.

When settling in for an evening drink, the extensive selection of small plates comes into its own. The kitchen turns out affordable seafood bites like tuna chunks, tuna with grated yam, and tatsuta-age fried mackerel, alongside fragrant deep-fried river prawns and tender agedashi tofu simmered in dashi broth. Draft and bottled beers, lemon sours, green tea highballs, and shochu mixes make it easy to linger over a succession of small dishes.

Open continuously from 11:00 to 23:30, Ichizen is equally suited to a solo lunch or an impromptu drink after work. Support for smartphone payment services such as PayPay and Rakuten Pay keeps checkout quick and smooth during peak hours.