In a suburb where the fish-and-chipper has the greatest after-dark pull,it’s big news when a modern izakaya rolls in. Enter this unpretentious,intimate diner that serves Japanese classics alongside easy-on-the-purse wines and sake,and not a matcha cocktail in sight.
Pork gyoza are plump and crisp,miso-glazed eggplant is generous and not too jammy,arriving as four sesame-covered quarters,while teriyaki chicken does exactly what it says on the tin.
Sushi and sashimi play a similarly crowd-pleasing tune with rolls tightly filled with chilli-jam tuna and soft-shell crab delivering on texture,freshness and fun.
“Wa Gyuto” refers to a chef’s knife rather than a cut of beef,although the marbled meat appears twice on the menu,too. Crowd or date night,it’s game,set,snack here.