Warm up with nabe this winter
The colder it gets, the more satisfying it becomes to warm up from the inside with nabe (one-pot) dishes. There's no better way to celebrate the holidays with your coworkers, friends and loved ones.
Kushikoma Main Store
Nabe for sake lovers
Yokonabe JAPAN
Share a little nabe
Todaimon Takkanmari Ichigaya branch
Korean whole chicken nabe
Kushikoma Main Store串駒本店
Phone: 03-3917-6657
- Address:
- 1-33-25 Kita-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Sundays
5:00 pm – last order 11:30 pm for drinks, 11:00 pm for food
Tuesdays to Saturdays
6:00 pm – last order 11:30 pm for drinks, 11:00 pm for food - Closed:
- Mondays
The saltiness of ishiri fish sauce from Noto Peninsula is made mild by coarsely grated daikon (Japanese radish) in the ishiri nabe course (4,500 yen).
You can taste and compare famous sake brands like Jyuyondai, Naraman and Tenmei that are difficult to find in Tokyo.
Basashi (horse sashimi) from Kumamoto, the owner's birthplace, served with delicately sweet soy sauce from Kyushu.
Nabe for sake lovers
This izakaya (tavern) was one of the first to serve choice brands of Japanese sake and many sake enthusiasts are familiar with its name. Naturally, the ishiri-mizore nabe and other dishes served at Kushikoma Main Store are designed to accompany sake.
The soup in the nabe is made from dashi, sake, mirin (sweet cooking rice wine) and ishiri, a fish sauce from Noto Peninsula. The distinctive aroma of ishiri is balanced by the strong fragrance of herbs such as shungiku (chrysanthemum leaves) and nira (leeks) that deepen the profound taste. Other ingredients in the nabe include squid, cod and tofu. Just before extinguishing the heat, the dish is topped with coarsely grated daikon (Japanese radish) that adds a gentle sweetness. Every ingredient in the pot absorbs the flavor of the soup and strengthens your desire to drink more sake. It's a delicious dish worthy of this renowned izakaya.
While enjoying choice sake and cuisine in the rustic atmosphere, guests are entertained by erudite owner Tei Obayashi, who tells stories every night from his candlelit corner.
Something special
Owner Obayashi traveled the length and breadth of Japan to find Japanese sake that would complement his dishes as wonderfully as they complement delicacies. Along the way, he also learned traditional recipes from local communities and fishermen.
Phone: 03-3917-6657
- Address:
- 1-33-25 Kita-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Sundays
5:00 pm – last order 11:30 pm for drinks, 11:00 pm for food
Tuesdays to Saturdays
6:00 pm – last order 11:30 pm for drinks, 11:00 pm for food - Closed:
- Mondays
Yokonabe JAPAN横鍋JAPAN
Phone: 03-3398-7123
- Address:
- 1F Smile Hotel Asagaya, 3-37-11 Asagaya-Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- 6:00 pm – 2:00 am
- Closed:
- Open year round (except year-end and new-year holidays)
The tsuya (glossy) nabe's jellified soup melts when heated at your table. It's served with ponzu (citrus sauce) and sudachi (citrus) pepper.
The drink menu includes Japanese sake, wine, shochu, sparkling fruit wine and other drinks that complement nabe dishes.
Wagyu taki shabu nabe is eaten by wrapping sliced beef or pork around shredded cabbage dipped in Hokkaido Rishiri kelp soup.
Share a little nabe
"We call it yoko nabe (sideways hot pot) because its shared by two guests seated side by side at the counter," says a chuckling staff member while serving original tsuya (glossy) nabe. More than half of the restaurant's seats are at the counter where most guests choose to eat. There are also table seats for groups of three or more.
The stereotype in Japan is for nabe to be shared by large groups of people, but the wonderfully creative nabe served at Yokonabe is typically enjoyed by two.
The tsuya (gloss) nabe, an original recipe inspired by mizutaki (a hot pot dish from Fukuoka), is chef's most popular dish. Its highlight is the soup made from two breeds of chicken. When served at the table, the soup is a glossy shaking jelly that elicits excited comments from guests. Once heated at the table and mixed with Daisen poultry, cabbage and green onion, the soup becomes mildly aromatic and concentrated with chicken flavor. It's wonderfully addictive. And when pho (Vietnamese noodles) is served to mix with your leftover soup, you can't resist savoring every last drop.
Something special
Smooth Pho (Vietnamese rice noodles) are added to your leftover soup, making it easy to savor every last drop and enjoy a lasting fullness.
Phone: 03-3398-7123
- Address:
- 1F Smile Hotel Asagaya, 3-37-11 Asagaya-Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- 6:00 pm – 2:00 am
- Closed:
- Open year round (except year-end and new-year holidays)
Todaimon Takkanmari Ichigaya branch東大門タッカンマリ
Phone: 03-3262-8225
- Address:
- B1F, La Masion de Charrue, 4-7-22 Kudan Minami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Lunch 11:30 am – last order 2:00 pm
Dinner 5:00 pm – last order 10:30 pm for drinks, 10:00 pm for food - Closed:
- Sundays
The dak hanmari hot pot with heart-shaped potato cooks aromatically at your table to stimulate the senses. When ready, the waiter divides the whole chicken into small servings. (3,400 yen)
The secret to dak hanmari is a deceivingly simple soup made from chicken bones, green onions and other vegetables.
Yangnyeom fried chicken, a signature Korean dish, is best enjoyed with beer. (Whole chicken 2,780 yen, half 1,580 yen.)
Korean whole chicken nabe
Dak hanmari ("whole chicken" in Korean), is a Korean nabe dish said to have originated in the Dongdaemun (Todaimon) district of Seoul. It has an amazingly delicate flavor despite the simple recipe.
Consisting of no more than a whole chicken, several garaetteok (cylindrical rice cakes), potatoes and green onions, the recipe is so simple that the soup preparation and chicken quality make a significant difference. At Todaimon Takkanmari (the Japanese pronunciation of "dak hanmari"), only young 900-gram birds raised at domestic chicken farms are used to ensure tenderness and mild flavor. Moreover, the meat is never precooked. Its soup is made by simmering chicken bones, green onions and other vegetables in water at low heat for around 6 hours. This slow-cooking method prevents boiling and results in a clearly defined flavor and super fine consistency.
Guests begin the meal by tasting the transparent soup with a small choko cup. The flavor is light but with a highly condensed umami that is the pride of the restaurant and keeps customers coming back for more. The chicken and other ingredients are dipped in a special sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, mustard and tategi (red-pepper-based Korean condiment). When finished with the main ingredients, most customers add Korean noodles to the leftover soup to further enrich the flavor and more than satisfy their appetites.
Something special
Many guests finish the dak hanmari by adding thick Korean Kalguksu noodles (300 yen) that splendidly complement the chicken-enriched soup. Another way to finish off every delicious drop is to choose zosui rice porridge (500 yen) instead of noodles.
Phone: 03-3262-8225
- Address:
- B1F, La Masion de Charrue, 4-7-22 Kudan Minami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Lunch 11:30 am – last order 2:00 pm
Dinner 5:00 pm – last order 10:30 pm for drinks, 10:00 pm for food - Closed:
- Sundays
*Articles are written based on information available at the time of publication.
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