I heard that in the shitamachi neighborhood of Monzen-nakacho there was an izakaya run as a retirement pastime by an owner-chef who used to run the kitchen at Sushi Sasaki, a famous sushi restaurant in Ginza, so I went to check it out.
This kind of place..
It is a very small place, the sort of standing bar where the local old boys drop in for a quick drink and head home. A woman, and I could not tell whether she was his daughter or his granddaughter, was helping the old man out. Maybe that is why the regulars like it even more..
Otoshi
The place is so cramped that pulling out a camera felt awkward, so these are phone shots. The otoshi was nothing special.
Sashimi moriawase
Maybe because it is summer, it is mostly shellfish. Nice and fresh.
Omakase sushi
The pieces come out big and rough-and-ready, and for the price it is good, but it does not quite reach the taste of a top-name sushi place. I suppose I expected too much.
Tamago
Tasty.
Tekkamaki
Goes nicely with a drink.
For just having a drink in your own neighborhood there is probably no better place, but the location is awkward enough that unless I end up living around here, I do not think I will be back.