Ohtaya

The first things that catch the eye at Ohtaya are the stew and whale dishes. The stew is made with a white-miso base, and some diners have praised the tender offal, well infused with flavour but not overly rich. One visitor also noted that it is served with little broth. Rather than a bowl to linger over for its soup, think of it as a savoury dish to enjoy alongside a drink.

There is more than one way to enjoy whale here. One diner was pleased with the generous portion of whale sashimi; another meal included not only sashimi but also whale steak, whale tempura and whale yukhoe. Choose it raw or try one of the differently prepared dishes. The range will appeal to anyone seeking out a restaurant with whale on the menu, as well as to groups looking to share several plates.

For a drink, there is also squid-guts grilled in foil and grilled squid tentacles. One diner ordered the foil-grilled squid guts with sake and enjoyed dipping the grilled tentacles into them. Both dishes appear on the menu, making them a tempting pairing to try at the same table. For a lighter start, consider komatsuna or spinach ohitashi (greens briefly blanched and seasoned), or pickled Chinese cabbage. Add sashimi or stew, and you can take your time over drinks with a few vegetable small plates along the way.

Alongside seafood and stew, the menu includes dishes such as stir-fried liver and chives, pork with ginger, and rolled omelette. Visitors have ordered ginger-fried pork and egg dishes between plates of sashimi and whale, so it is easy to build a meal around the drinking food while still making it feel like dinner. Drinks include Sapporo Draft Beer Black Label and bottled beer, as well as sake, shochu, lemon sours and green-tea drinks. Start with the stew, add a plate of whale or seafood, and settle in with a drink of your choice for a classic izakaya evening.