Ekyumu

Down a quiet backstreet in Nogata, Ekyumu lays out wine-friendly seafood and thoughtfully composed warm dishes. A natural place to begin is the raw oysters, available by the single piece (1). Smooth and slippery, they offer an unadorned hit of ocean brine that seafood lovers regularly drop in for. Those after something richer and more substantial can turn to the bluefin tuna tail steak.

The kitchen's other pillar is creative oden. Staples like daikon radish and chikuwa fish cakes are dressed with a special house sauce rather than just dashi broth; the richness of the sauce complements the ingredients and makes the dish well suited to drinks. Beyond oden, the à la carte menu features small plates such as roasted duck, quiche, and oysters baked in escargot butter, letting diners assemble a spread to suit the evening.

Open from 20:00 in the evening until 5:00 the following morning, the venue accommodates late-night plans, whether it is a drink on the way home from work or an easy solo stop for a second round. In the relaxed interior stocked with wine and beer, an easygoing owner turns out plates to unwind over deep into the night.