Just a seven-minute walk from Monzen-Nakacho Station sits Kamabisu, a counter-only izakaya operated by Toranomon Distillery. Established in 2020, the distillery produces a wide range of craft gins, including an exclusive series made with seasonal botanicals. Bottles line the counter at Kamabisu, inviting guests to taste and compare the fascinating spectrum of Japanese gin. While the menu is designed to pair with gin or shochu, they also offer excellent non-alcoholic drinks made with seasonal fruits.
The evening begins with otoshi, the small appetiser served at the start of an izakaya meal. On our visit, Kamabisu’s version included two dishes: a chilled soy milk soup with nori, and a fig topped with creamy cheese and crushed nuts. Right away, their ryokan-level attention to detail is apparent. Even the otoshi – often treated as an afterthought – is plated with care and intention. And two dishes feels notably generous.
We then ordered the coriander chicken, homemade fried potatoes, and nikudango – a steamed, delicately soft pork meatball mixed with bits of mushroom. Come autumn, their Hokkaido Pacific saury grilled salad is an absolute must. The grilled fish is deboned and spread with a mushroom paste, then laid over a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, marinated eggplant and daikon radish, finished with dill and a squeeze of sudachi citrus.
Next came the maguro wrapped in seaweed, but instead of rice, the rolls were filled with cucumber and wild yam, accented with shiso and Japanese ginger. We ended with lotus root wrapped in thin slices of crispy pork, served in a sweet-and-sour sauce that was lightly spicy with a hint of fruity sweetness.
Kamabisu is the izakaya that shouldn’t be, but thankfully is. It’s food refined enough to impress a snob and soulful enough to please a salaryman. There are no gimmicks here – just excellent craft gin and a quietly remarkable menu to match.