Shita-gokoro in Tenjin Area
Shitagokoro, the sister shop of "Fridge", a popular Italian restaurant-bar in Haruyoshi, is a highly recommended example of a new breed of izakaya that blends great food with modern atmosphere and delivers excellent price performance. While it's certainly not your grandfathers' dusty o... Read more...
Hakatarou
Fukuoka is famous for its abundance of affordable and tasty eateries, but many of these places fall into the traditional izakaya category: colorful, compact and literally hives of energy, they can be a bit too noisy and too casual for certain occasions. This issue we introduce you to Hakatarou l... Read more...
Yanagibashi Shokudo
Often warmly referred to as "Fukuoka's Kitchen", the Yanagibashi Fresh Food Market is one of the Fukuoka's most colorful and fascinating places for foreigners to visit. Famous for its dozens of butchers and fresh fish and vegetable shops, it's where many of Fukuoka's top chefs can be f... Read more...
Rakuten-an
It's said the origin of tempura, one of Japan's most widely recognized cuisines, dates back to the mid-sixteenth century when early Portuguese and Spanish missionaries and traders introduced batter-coated deep-fried fish. After centuries of refinement one would think that every means of enjoying... Read more...
Kiwamiya - Takatori Branch in Tenjin Area
Located along a quiet stretch of the Fujisaki shopping arcade, Kiwamiya's bright and boldly painted exterior is impossible to miss. So is the sweet scent of smoke from succulent barbecued beef billowing out of their chimney. Warning! Kiwamiya is so popular that reservations are strongly advised,... Read more...
Karinto in Tenjin Area
Named after the tower which appears in the popular <i>manga</i>, Dragonball, Karinto, located on the third floor of a modern building near the Kego four-way intersection is an unique small diner that offers tasty original dishes in a friendly and <b>playful atmosphere</b>... Read more...
Udon Kimura in Tenjin Area
Most udon (wheat-based noodle) shops cater to those on the run, looking for fuel for their busy days. The vibe here, however, is much more mellow. The simple, yet carefully produced interior is a blend of modern and traditional Japanese. A few small tables and a simple counter bar overlooking th... Read more...
Naminori Santa in Tenjin Area
Fukuoka is famous for delicious fresh fish; but finding an affordable and casual spot to feast is not easy. Naminori is a no-frills izakaya conveniently located just off of Nishidori in Daimyo that specializes in reasonably priced seafood. You'll have three options for seating: the counter borde... Read more...
Akomenohama in Nishi Area
In a renovated 100-year-old house just a few minutes walk from Meinohama Station Inenaga-san and staff prepare gorgeous gourmet-style okonomiyaki. Closer to Kansai-style than Hiroshima, the okonomiyaki served here are light, almost fluffy in texture. The lightness is partially attributed to a he... Read more...
Wan Ochazuke Dining in Tenjin Area
For the uninitiated, ochazuke is a simple Japanese dish made by pouring green tea, dashi, or hot water over rice and garnishing with savory toppings. Tsukemono (pickles), umeboshi (sour plums), nori (seaweed), and shake (salted salmon) are some of the most popular toppings. Usually enjoyed towar... Read more...
Pikaichi in Hakata Area
For 33 years now, Cho-san and his hard working crew have been serving what is for many customers, and obviously this reviewer's opinion, the perfect sara udon! For the uninitiated, sara udon, (Nagasaki-style), consists of vegetables, seafood, and pork in a sauce, poured over a bed of thick Chine... Read more...
Sakau in Tenjin Area
Located amongst the modern fashionable shops on Southern-dori near the Yakuin six-way intersection, Sakau, with it's Showa-era atmosphere almost seems out of place. The truth is, Sakau has been serving tempura here for over fifty years. Second generation master, Chano-san and his wife run this c... Read more...
Wappa Teishokudo in Tenjin Area
Shokudo, or restaurants specializing in Japanese set meals, are not uncommon these days, but Wappo Teishhokudo on Kego-hondori stands out when compared to this widening field. A sister shop to the high-end washokuya, Tanakada in Hirao, Wappa's interior is more stylish than other similarly priced... Read more...
Teuchi Soba Yabukin in Tenjin Area
Amongst the trendy shops, restaurants and bars in Daimyo, Yabukin's traditional Japanese exterior stands out. Especially in the mornings when its owner and soba master, Gotou-san, can be seen in the window kneading and cutting buckwheat dough for the day's noodles. The restaurant was started by ... Read more...
Tonkatsu Tonki in Hakata Area
Served with miso soup, rice, pickles and finely cut cabbage, Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) is a favorite amongst foreign residents of Japan. Tonkatsu Tonki's Hirose-san learned his double flour and egg batter technique in Tokyo where the dish originated. The double coating seals in the pork's j... Read more...
Menchanko-tei in Tenjin Area
In the seventies Yonehama-san operated an udon shop. He was also an avid sumo fan and often visited the wrestlers' stables, sharing their staple meal chanko-nabe, a hot-pot of veggies, meat and seafood. Typically, noodles are added towards the end of the meal. Yonehama-san questioned the need to... Read more...
Menya Ono in Tenjin Area
In Fukuoka tonkotsu ramen (Chinese noodles in a pork broth) reigns supreme. But still, not all ramen is created equal! Menya Ono's hearty tonkotsu is based on a rich and hearty broth that simmers for three days. The noodles are the traditional Nagahama thin but firm style, made fresh on premises... Read more...
Taigen Shokudo in Tenjin Area
Where's the beef? Here's the beef - and the good stuff! Opened in May 2006, the term "shokudo" (literally diner or canteen) doesn't do justice to its stylish interior and location on Fukuoka's fashionable Keyaki-dori. The sister shop to Taigen, a high-end yakiniku (barbecue) restaurant... Read more...
Kanehira in Tenjin Area
Next to catching a fish yourself, the best way to score fresh seafood is to go to your local fish shop. Kanehira goes one step farther, offering a fish shop and restaurant rolled into one. There you'll find black t-shirt clad men working a busy and smoky open kitchen, overflowing with the aroma ... Read more...
Satsuma
Thanks to the shochu boom that began earlier this decade, finding a decent choice of this traditional Japanese spirit at restaurants and bars is almost never a problem. But for the real shochu fan, especially those who prefer imo-jochu (the potato variety), Satsuma is the Promised Land. This qui... Read more...
