While back in Japan for the first time in a year, I had a thirst for the good stuff so I consulted my trusty copy of John Gauntner's Tokyo Sake Pub Guide . As usual this fine reference did not let me down as I continued on my way to making it to all of the recommendations in it (more to follow). On this night I chose to visit Yakitori Masa, named for the proprietor, a friendly soul who I would get to know well by the end of the night - assisted by some premium ginjo. I found my way to this inviting spot by taking the Chuo-Sobu line to Nishi-Ogikubo and following the highly accurate map that John provides in his guide. I chose Yakitori Masa because of John's high praise, but more so because I was in no mood on a Saturday night to go to one of the ultra-small, downtown izakaya that can be overwhelming for a gaijin just trying to get a drink and something to eat.
Upon entering the clean, well-lit interior, I noticed first that the place had only a few patrons, and next that there was what appeared to be a young European working behind the counter - both observations would lead to an interesting evening. I was directed to sit anywhere and chose a table in the back, and in typical American fashion, by the end of the evening had expanded to two tables full of food and the good stuff.
John's pub guide recommends the 5 glass sampler offered by Masa and that is what I settled on. After waiting for about 30 minutes - there is always a time-lag while the Japanese staff try to figure out what the hell to do with a guy that probably speaks no Japanese - I was approached by Masa's wife. This delay is common for gaijin, who are often dismissed out of hand - not because of prejudice, but because the staff would just prefer to not deal with someone who not only does not know Japanese, but who may very well be overwhelmed by dishes of raw fish and cups of brewed rice. But in the case of Yakitori Masa, this could not be further from the case. Masa is a welcoming soul, as is his wife and chef. So much so, that the European I noticed in the cooking area was a French foreign exchange student, interning with Masa to learn about Japanese preparation of fish and foul. I ordered my five-glass sampler (90ml each), and when it came came out, got not only that but also the accompanying bottles that were placed before me so I could photograph them and attempt to read the labels. To complement these distinctive brews spanning offerings from Ishikawa, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano, and Miyagi prefectures, I ordered a sampler of five yakitori - grilled chicken on a stick - and a nice avocado/ cucumber salad. After spending the last year in Korea without any premium sake passing my lips, it was if the skies had parted in Western Tokyo as I took my first sip. I was so excited, I had goose bumps. Moreover, I quickly realized that Yakitori Masa's namesake fare was quite exquisite. So much so that it was not long until I ordered another sake sampler with another round of yakitori, this time with the addition of kani miso, which is something from inside a crab that many Westerners find repulsive, but I just love, especially with the right sake.
As the sake began to seep in the conversation began to flow. Masa noticed the Sake Pub Guide on my table and asked to borrow it. Apparently he does not own a copy. He showed it to some of the patrons in the place and soon I was visited by a local who spoke perfect English and also had an affinity for the good stuff. Sake lovers in Japan are something of a family. Once you establish minimal credentials, doors are flung open by those who are genuinely gladdened by the fact that you too like the good stuff - especially if you are a foreigner.
Another, older couple, at the bar began to engage me as well. I moved from my table to the bar where I found that the man in the couple used to work in the US Embassy in Tokyo. The world is indeed small. We were later joined by the Frenchman on his smoke break and Masa and his wife, and the party was complete. I ordered a plate of fresh uni - sea urchin - and asked Masa to recommend and accompanying sake. I was feeling too good to write down what he said, but the suggestion was spot on and I cannot remember a better combination of tastes at any other time in my life - perfect. As I enjoyed this combination of tastes, Masa and his wife showed the young French apprentice the finer points of using chopsticks; that is a war-story he will have forever. "Who taught you to use chopsticks?" "Well, actually when I was interning in Japan..."
At the end of the night ( I spent five hours there) I walked away having had perhaps the best one-on-one, intimate sake experience of my life. I love drinking the good stuff with friends, but striking out alone with a sense of adventure, ready to try something new and dive into the menu with limited Japanese, seems to always provide the most satisfaction. Yakitori Masa has moved to the top of my list of great sake pubs in Tokyo and I can't wait to go back almost as much as I want to check off the next place on the list. Kanpai!
