New York University
Journalism at NYU
Feb 25, 2004


Japanese Restaurants That Skip on Sushi

by Leah Black

Sushi and udon noodles. That’s what most people think of when it comes to Japanese food. Yet, that’s not what is being served at the newly opened Japanese establishments in New York.

Izakaya, as the popular new eateries are called, are Japanese-style pubs, and are also located in Los Angeles, CA and Scottsdale, AZ. Serving a variety of sake, wine, beer, and inexpensive, appetizer-size meals - such as fried tofu, cold vegetable salads, and rice balls filled with salmon - izakaya are attracting city dwellers in their 20s in droves. They’re the Japanese equivalent of the Spanish cafes known as tapas bars, which have led some in the food industry to dub the cuisine, “tapanese.”

“They are exploding in New York,” said Jenny Anderson, executive editor of Technomic, Inc., a restaurant consulting firm in Chicago, over the phone. Of course, izakaya have long been a staple of Japanese night life, where they were traditionally places for men to gather after work, though more recently izakaya in Japan have opened their doors to women.

On a recent Thursday night in New York's East Village, a row of four izakaya on St. Mark’s Place was overflowing with Japanese hipsters and Americans in their 20s. “I have never had Japanese food like this,” said Jen Lai, 24, an American account executive sipping Asahi beer in a small, back room of Oh! Taisho. “I’m curious to see what it’s like. Who wouldn’t want to try eight different dishes of something?” she asked, gazing at the glossy menu covered with photos of dishes like a skewer of beef for $1.50 and a plate of calamari filled with cheese for $6.

Indeed, part of the appeal of izakaya is the affordability. “At izakaya you can get a variety of things and share with your friends, especially more common with younger people with less cash flow,” commented Lai’s cousin, Caryn, who recently spent a year living in Japan.

Experts in the food industry say that small portions are popular when it comes to ‘exotic’ food. “With any kind of ethnic food, tapas are well positioned for growth,” said restaurant consultant Anderson. “People are going to have exposure to food they haven’t seen before, and it’s more comfortable to try smaller portions.”

But izakaya are also just ‘cool.’ Tucked a few steps below street level, the izakaya in the East Village are hidden, intimate havens run by young Japanese with streaks of dyed blond hair and wearing jeans and trendy T-shirts. Behind a long bar – similar to a sushi bar - chefs work preparing food in an open kitchen, occasionally yelling commands in Japanese as they grill skewers of meat called yakitori. Along with beer and sake, other popular drinks at izakaya are japansese vodka, wine, vodka cocktails, and whisky.

“These places are the real deal,” said Jack Spielberg, Director of Marketing for www.nycjapan.com, a Japanese culture website. “They feel right out of Tokyo.”

On East 11th Street between Avenues B and C, is Kasadela, an izakaya that opened five months ago. It’s run by Yujen Pan, who formerly worked at New York’s world-famous Japanese restaurant, Nobu. “It’s more comfortable, and not uptight,” said Pan, comparing it to Nobu. Pan also said that the food is typical of what you would find at izakaya in Japan.

Other izakaya on in the East Village include Yakitori Taisho and Go on St. Mark’s Place, and Otafuku, a food stall selling fried pork, shrimp, octopus, and beef to go, located on East 9th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. There are also a cluster of izakaya in midtown, including Ariyoshi on East 53rd Street, Sakagura on East 43rd Street, and Restaurant Riki on East 45th Street.

Though they are currently concentrated mainly in big cities, like many food trends, izakaya may soon branch out around the country. “There are no izakya here,” lamented Caryn Lai, who lives in Austin. “But I would go if one opened.”