01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Fronting a street in Kita-Otsuka, Toshima Ward, Sakaba Isshin is a counter-focused izakaya centered on seasonal seafood. Its culinary backbone comes from the master's market background, translating into a daily board filled with raw preparations, grilled cuts, and simmering braises.
A natural place to start is the fresh aji fry. The horse mackerel stays tender and fluffy beneath a crisp crumb, accompanied by the fried backbone cracker from the filleted fish. Sashimi offerings shift with the day's catch, spanning Japanese jack mackerel, deep-sea trevally, kurodai (black sea bream), cured saba, and rich tuna nakaochi. Heartier fish preparations, such as generously portioned ara-ni (simmered fish collars) and gelatinous stewed bluefin tuna eyeballs, showcase the kitchen's nose-to-tail familiarity with whole fish.
Between seafood dishes, the house-made dim sum provides an appealing change of pace. Steamed-and-seared dumplings with chewy wrappers, house siu mai, and shrimp wontons deliver satisfying, unpretentious flavours that keep drinks moving.
Bottled beer leads the drink list alongside powdered green tea highballs, sake, and shochu poured at reasonable prices. Small closing bowls, including raw whitebait donburi or negitoro rice bowls served with fish soup, round off the evening smoothly.
Doors open from 17:00 in the evening, with regular closures on Sundays and Mondays. Payment is cash only, making it best to stop by an ATM before settling in at the counter.
