Kuriya

Rating: Very good
Meal: Dinner
Price:  4276 yen
Payment: Fuzzy memory, going to say no
Dishes: Whiskey, shochu, gobo tempura, avocado and tempura shrimp roll
English Menu: No
Smoking: Yes

Kuriya is a nicer looking izakaya located on Dobuita street close to Shioiri.  My wife and I tried to eat there the other night but were turned away due to there being a large group there already.  I returned by myself and though they tried to warn me away that there was no English menu, I was able to convince them I'd be ok and they let me in.  I take it they generally don't like foreigners there as they are on the same street as all the nasty bars (known by base folk as "the honch") and I can imagine they prefer to not deal with drunken sailors.

Mandatory appetizer

It's a pretty fancy place, with lots of different sake and shochu on the menu.  I selected a whiskey to start with (Hibiki Harmony) and later had a shochu.  For food I ordered the gobo root tempura and a delicious looking maki (sushi roll) that came with avocado and tempura shrimp.  I was delighted to also find cherry tomatoes in there too, which was unusual but very tasty.  There was a quite a bit of food in that one roll and I was plenty full afterwards.

Gobo tempura

Overall it was a very good food experience and I wouldn't mind taking people interested in a fancier izakaya experience back there (if they'll let us in).

Avocado and tempura shrimp roll