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Izakaya and Robatayaki

Dining at an izakaya is a cross between a sit down dinner and a night at the pub.An extensive menu will offer anything from sashimi to tenpura, yakitori to tofu, sometimes even pizza.Nothing really constitutes a full meal - the idea is to snack away while drinking.

Once the drinking is over one might order a rice dish to fill up on or go elsewhere for a bowl of ramen and a final beer for the night.If you go to a larger, chain izakaya all your options will be laid out for you on a large, full colour, laminated menu several pages long.

Drinks too will be run the full range from beer and sake to shochu cocktails and soft drinks.Small, family run izakaya, marked out by their red lanterns bearing the Chinese character for “alcohol” are like a home away from home for their regulars.

These are places to see the same faces every night and lean on the counter while master-san and mama-san keep the food coming and the cold beer (or hot sake) flowing.One popular type of izakaya is the Robatayaki, which aims to recreate the rustic atmosphere of a traditional farmhouse by having counter seats set around an open hearth.

All the fresh ingredients are also on display and all you have to do grab the chef’s attention and point at what you want for him to scoop up your choice on a huge wooden paddle and throw it on the griddle right before your eyes, he’ll serve it back to you on the same paddle, hot off the coals.