New Izakaya trend
For no reason, I did not feel up. Do you have such days? What do you do to feel better? I went to the gym and talked to my muscles. It worked :-)
There are countless Izakaya in Tokyo. But I must tell you, not only me, but my friends are saying they are "getting tired of regular Izakaya, especially chain Izakaya." Izakaya need character to survive. For example, "A Hide-out in Kanda, Vegetable Izakaya GENKI" has a mood like "a neighbor's home." They serve vegetable dishes. In this one, Okasan, all the cooks are women like Mom, and you can enjoy Mom's hand made dishes. I like this "do it yourself" Izakaya. In this place, you grill seafood yourself on a "Shichirin" (a Japanese charcoal grill). In this one, "Honan", you cook your food on "Irori". I think it is because of the slow food trend that these kinds of Izakaya are popular now.
Some say the new trend is Japanese dried fish, "Himono". They have more calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium than raw seafood and most of all, because drying fish in the sun increases the UMIMI (savory flavor), himono is very tasty. "Ichiya Ichiya" serves Ichiyaboshi (fish dried for only one day) and white rice cooked in a traditional rice cooker, a "kamado". Aburyanse Hyakkan, Ichigo and Kemuriya, those are all Himono Izakaya. Just reading the menu is making my mouth water, but this would only happen if you're Japanese :)
When I checked some Izakaya information, I found there are many Izakaya in New York now. I think you can enjoy Himono at Aburiya Kinosuke. Please check the review here and here. Izakaya Kenka looks like a very authentic Japanese izakaya to me. Check it out.

Peace in the Middle East is obtainable with US and The European Union intervention
Posted by: alpina | Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 09:52 PM
My mind is like a fog, not that it matters. I just don't have much to say these days. That's how it is. I haven't been up to anything recently.
Posted by: nissan | Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 11:55 AM
Hi There
Taneko. Hmm funny name. Some ferment food is tasty and nutrient-rich more than raw food. Himono and Natoo, maybe Kimchi is such a kind of foods.
Posted by: mari | Friday, October 27, 2006 at 03:04 PM
The Scottsdale, Arizona-based entrepreneur who started the restaurant chain "P.F. Chang's" in the U.S. is now starting what he calls an izakaya-inspired restaurant chain called "Taneko," with the first location just down the road from my office. I'm looking forward to giving it a try.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_39_39/ai_n15655372
Posted by: bshock | Tuesday, October 24, 2006 at 04:24 AM
is dried fish healthier than raw fish? i buy fresh salmon every week and eat them raw (with lots of vege and fibre of course).
Posted by: vesance | Tuesday, October 24, 2006 at 12:42 AM