Kokera Shimokitazawa

A couple of days into our trip to Japan and a friend brought us to this little secret place. It is a small restaurant with a very charming atmosphere. It is busy, so you do need to book a table in advance and might have to wait if you book later in the evening, but well worth the wait. You greeted... as you would expect in Japan and seated at a table or in a nice little booth, where you remove your shoes to sit at a traditional style table. The menu was in Japanese, but there was an English speaking member of staff on hand to help. Fortunately, our host was fluent in Japanese and odered a selection of dishes which arrived in a steady flow and we finished each dish. The food was simply amazing - Each dish very careful and skilfully prepared and presented and we knew that we were experiencing true Japanese cuisine at it's best. The plata of fish was just out of th world with a combination of white, red and blue fish, Red Clam and baby skid with a alluring side side salad and sauces. The cream potato crochets were the best I have ever eaten. One dish, although a Korean style, consisted of tuna and sea urchin mixed together with spices and raw egg - Exceptional. The beer was also very good and Sagi was very pleasant on the pallet after such a wonderful selection of food. The staff were polite and efficient, which simply added to what was a very pleasurable experience. This really set the tone for the rest of the trip.

Visited April 2017