Japan's culinary finesse is known far and wide, and when one comes across a restaurant with top quality food, affordable prices and a convenient location it is certainly worth remembering and recommending to friends. That is exactly what we have found with Tora Dogenzaka (とら 道玄坂) in Shibuya.
Upon stepping in, you pick up the signs that guarantee a wholesome dining experience - wooden sliding doors, wooden furniture, quintessential Japanese ornaments, dimmed lighting and soft koto music playing in the background. Small and large groups can both easily be accommodated in private rooms with excellent decor.
The meal started off with appetizers - a combination of smelt and potato, which was shortly followed by two of the night's star dishes - a fresh vegetable medley that came up with a scrumptiously heated anchovy garlic dip and a plum dip followed by a large platter filled with a myriad of fresh sashimi slices precisely arranged. The former included a range of freshly cut, crunchy vegetables from lotus roots to watermelon radishes that packed a punch of flavors and textures that went well with the contrasting dipping sauces. The sashimi included yellowtail, tuna, octopus and more and each piece was an absolute treat for the taste buds.
The rest of the dinner involved dishes that were real crowd-pleasers, including a dish of duck slices with a pungent yuzu sauce, grilled yakitori sticks, grilled beef tongue with julienned onions, crunchy and creamy crab croquettes and sliced beef with mushrooms. The standout for the dinner crowd was the smoked pork ribs, with everyone eating it clean to the bone.
As for drinks, there is a wide range to choose from including beers, colorful cocktails, nihon-shu, sho-chu and the staff will happily recommend a drink to match the tastes of the food ordered.
Menus are available in perfect English with detailed images of each selection that greatly enhances the ordering process.
With a winning combination of cozy decor, personalized table service and gratifying flavors, Tora Dogenzaka is a place you will want to visit again and again.
