下町のナインチェ
A one-liter bottle of wine and charcoal-grilled food shop produced by the long-established liquor store Sagamiya. The shop has a stylish exterior, which made it a bit intimidating to enter, but after several months of hesitation, I finally decided to go in. The first floor has an open-style counter around an iron plate. The large table has a high ceiling up to the second floor. The second floor has various styles including standing drinking. What should I drink first? Of course, beer. There are so many drink options! There are 19 types of craft beers alone, including rare ones from Japanese breweries. I chose the "Daidai Ale" (700 yen) from Hitachino Nest Beer. It is an IPA made with Ibaraki's specialty "Fukuraimikan". It has a citrusy aroma, not too sweet like fruit beer, but with a moderate bitterness. Yes, this is delicious! I might get hooked on this. The food menu is also extensive. Charcoal-grilled skewers range from 200 yen per skewer, and there is a wide variety of deep-fried skewers. I started with asparagus and pork belly skewers (200 yen each). They coat and fry them right in front of you, which elevates the experience! The asparagus is sweet! It is fried to perfection, retaining a nice crunch. The pork belly is average. Next, I ordered shrimp breaded skewers (300 yen) and Hichin Chicken liver charcoal-grilled skewers (200 yen). I was expecting Chinese shrimp bread, but it was totally different! It has a spicy shrimp paste sandwiched between fluffy white bread, giving it an exotic flavor. When I asked the staff, they showed me the Cajun seasoning they use. The fluffy bread turned out to be Pelican bread. No wonder it stays fluffy even when fried. The Hichin Chicken liver is pressed flat with a "kue" (a type of spatula). It seems to be a Kansai specialty, but I saw it for the first time. However, the liver ended up being a bit tough and not that great. The miso-like condiment served with it is super delicious! It can make you drink more alcohol just by itself (laughs). It is a seasoning called "Tokkara" from Nagano. The staff showed me this as well. For the second drink, I had the sparkling wine "Kohime" (700 yen) from Sakai Winery. It is made from Delaware grapes from Yamagata. Oh, so this is the taste when Delaware grapes are turned into wine. It is dry and delicious. While I was taking photos, the staff brought the bottle to me. Wow, thank you! After that, the staff came out of the counter, opened the wine cellar to show me, and told me that the owner loves Japanese wine... It was a very enjoyable time, as they shared various stories with me. Each dish is affordable, so you can try various dishes even when dining alone. It's completely non-smoking, and no seating charge is a plus. The staff are friendly, making it perfect for solo drinking! I will definitely visit again! It is located on the Foodie Street just one block inside the Kaminarimon Street. It is right behind the now popular public bathhouse for foreign tourists, Jakotsuyu. It is a 3-minute walk from Tsukuba EXP Asakusa Station, a 7-minute walk from Ginza Line Asakusa Line Asakusa Station, and about a 4-minute walk from Kaminarimon. The Belgian potato specialty shop Frits Bruges is also nearby.