Kazaman-chi

A salted rice ball topped with butterbur miso is a simple combination that makes a memorable start to a meal at Kazaman-chi. The rice balls are made with Uonuma Koshihikari rice, and the menu suggests them as a way to round off the meal. Pair one with house-made butterbur miso, prepared with butterbur shoots, and take your time over these flavours of the region.

In spring, choices include fiddlehead ferns and mountain asparagus dressed with sesame, as well as an assorted plate of seasonal mountain-vegetable tempura, with the selection left to the kitchen. Some diners have mentioned enjoying the sesame-dressed fiddleheads and mountain asparagus, egg with soy sauce and young akebia shoots, and the tempura. Other dishes on the menu include Tochio fried tofu grilled with butterbur miso sandwiched inside, and Tsunan pork stir-fried with mountain asparagus. Mountain vegetables appear in everything from small plates to more substantial dishes.

There is plenty to sample a little at a time, but fish is another highlight. Reviewers have praised the depth of flavour in a small bowl of sashimi and in agedashi tofu. The menu also lists a small serving of Miyuki trout sashimi, charcoal-grilled char and cod grilled with house-made miso marinade. Choose grilled or simmered fish to go with a drink, or build a leisurely dinner around the day's selection.

Diners have also mentioned enjoying sake from Niigata and Uonuma. Drinks include a Uonuma mugwort-tea highball and house-made fruit sours with red shiso or quince. To finish, consider Yukikura Coffee Liqueur, made with sake and served on the rocks. The menu describes it as a dessert drink with an aromatic fragrance and bitter notes.

Kazaman-chi is an izakaya in Asagaya that serves meals for dining in. Dinner reservations are available, and the restaurant recommends booking for the evening.