Kabukiya

If you are unsure what to order at Kabukiya for lunch, the fish set meals are a good place to start. One diner who tried the fried horse mackerel set meal said it was hearty, with two generously sized pieces of fish, a minced-meat cutlet, salad, a dressed side dish, rice, miso soup and pickles. The batter was crisp and the fish tender, they recalled; they ate one piece with sauce and tartare sauce, and the other with soy sauce. Two pieces make it easy to change up the flavours as you go.

Grilled and simmered fish are also lunch staples, and the restaurant’s board may offer seasonal fish to choose from. A diner who had the simmered rockfish set meal praised the tender, flavourful fish and generous portion. Other choices include fried horse mackerel, mackerel simmered in miso and a marinated tuna rice bowl, giving fish lovers plenty to choose from. Some listed set meals come with rice, miso soup, pickles, salad and a small side dish.

In the evening, fish takes a different form: order sashimi and grilled dishes as small plates to enjoy with a drink. The three-piece sashimi assortment changes with the day’s supply, so ask the staff what fish is available. Other options include Aurora salmon sashimi, octopus, scallops grilled with butter and mackerel heshiko, a fermented mackerel speciality from Fukui Prefecture. The heshiko is described as a good match for sake, and the selection of sake from across Japan offers plenty of possibilities for pairing.

Another diner recalled enjoying three beers with white liver as a snack on an evening visit. White liver does not appear on the menu listing, but the account gives a glimpse of a relaxed solo drinking stop prompted by that day’s offering. Kabukiya in Shinkawa 1-chome has two distinct sides: set meals by day, and small plates with drinks at night.