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Izakaya
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An izakaya (居酒屋) is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. The food, known as sakana, is usually more substantial than those offered in other types of drinking establishments in Japan such as bars or snacks.
They are popular, casual and relatively cheap places for after-work drinking.
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The name "izakaya" is a compound word with "i (to remain)" and "sakaya" (sake shop), showing that they originate from sake shops which allowed customers to remain on the premises to drink.
Izakaya are sometimes called Akachōchin (red lantern) in daily conversation, because these paper lanterns are traditionally found in front of an izakaya.
Depending on the izakaya, customers sit on tatami mats and dine from low tables in the traditional Japanese style, or sit on chairs and drink/dine from tables. Many izakaya offer a choice of both, as well as seating by the bar. Usually, you will be given an oshibori (wet towel) to clean your hands with; next an appetizer (otoushi or tsukidashi) will be served. This may be free of charge, but occasionally added onto the bill in lieu of an entry fee.
The menu may be on the table, or displayed on walls. Picture menus are common in larger izakaya. Food and drink are ordered throughout the course of the session as desired. They are brought to the table, and the bill is added up at the end of the session. Unlike other Japanese styles of eating, food items are usually shared by everyone on the table.
Common formats for izakaya dining in Japan is known as nomihodai and tabehodai ("drink all you can" and "eat all you can"), especially popular in large, chain izakaya. For a set price per person, customers can continue ordering as much food and / or drink as they wish, with a usual time limit of two or three hours.
There are a wide variety of izakayas offering all sorts of dishes, but items almost always available in any izakaya are as follows:
- Food. Izakaya food is usually more substantial than tapas or mezze. Many items are designed to be shared.
Rice dishes such as ochazuke and noodle dishes such as yakisoba are sometimes eaten at the end to round off a drinking session. (For the most part, the Japanese do not eat rice or noodles (shushoku - "staple food") at the same time as drink alcohol, as sake, brewed from rice, traditionally takes the place of rice in a meal.)
Izakaya were traditionally down to earth places where men drank sake and beer after work; this trend is complemented by a growing population of independent women and students, and many izakaya today cater for the more diverse clientele by offering cocktails and wines as well as improving the interior.
- Chain Izakaya - became popular in the 1980's. They are often large in size and offer an extensive selection of food and drink, allowing it to cater for large, sometimes rowdy, parties.
- Yakitori-ya - specialises in yakitori. The skewers are often grilled in front of customers.
- Robatayaki - customers sit around an open hearth on which chefs grill seafood and vegetables. The fresh ingredients are displayed for customers to point at whenever they want to order.
- Establishments specialising in oden are called oden-ya. They usually take the form of street stalls with seating and are popular in winter.
- Izakayas are often called aka chochin ("red lantern") after the red paper lanterns which are traditionally displayed outside izakaya. Today the term usually refer to small, non-chain izakaya.
In Vancouver, British Columbia, izakayas have become extremely popular due to the large Asian population, Japanese ESL students, and a generally Asian-savvy restaurant clientele. Their popularity derives from a recent trend in tapas combined with an explosion in sushi and Japanese restaurants.