Saimaya

At lunchtime, savory smoke wafting from the grill draws diners seeking a hearty fish meal to Saimaya in Kanda Ogawamachi. The midday centerpiece is the grilled fish teishoku, anchored by options such as flavorful, fatty dried mackerel (saba bunkaboshi) and generously portioned butterflied dried horse mackerel (aji hirakiboshi). Cooked to a fragrant char on the outside while keeping the flesh tender and flaky, the fish is especially rewarding paired with coarse grated daikon radish and bowls of white rice. In addition to dried fish, guests can opt for fillets steeped in fragrant sweet miso marinade, including silver warehou (gin-hirasu saikyo-zuke) and rockfish (menuke saikyo-zuke), suiting different preferences day by day.

For meat cravings, the kitchen also prepares set meals with grilled beef hanging tender (gyu sagari) and Japanese-style teriyaki chicken, served with small side dishes and tofu for a satisfying lunch. In the evening, the atmosphere shifts to that of an izakaya, where patrons can settle into a calm environment over Japanese small plates and drinks.

The à la carte menu spans carefully prepared home-style dishes like simmered eggplant (nasu no nibitashi), kuruma-fu no sugomori, and iron-griddled grated yam, alongside casual bar snacks such as cucumber-stuffed fish cake (chikukyu) and ume suisho. Beverage selections are equally well-considered, ranging from regional sakes like Kakurei from Niigata, Manotsuru from Sado Island, and Suigei from Kochi, to the house Saimaya lemon sour made with frozen citrus and a coffee shochu that can also be ordered with milk. Counter seats make solo visits seamless, welcoming guests for everything from a quick weekday midday meal to a restorative drink after work.