200 Chances to Love Shochu
“Boasting nearly 200, (yes 200!), varieties of shochu in stock, it’s little wonder that Imo (potato) is known by many as “”the shochu bar””, but as owner Ito-san insists, equal emphasis is put into the food menu, which is a mix of Japanese izakaya favorites and western dishes with Japanese flavorings and twists. So be adventurous with the foie de gras with a soy based sauce and wasabi, or do the straight -up wabi-sabi Grandma’s Pickled Rice. Unlike most izakaya, vegetables are used liberally in most dishes, you’ll find many of these on both the seasonal and daily special menus.
Now, back to that huge selection of shochu. Nearly all 200 are potato based spirits from Kagoshima and southern Miyazaki, and according to Ito-san, if isn’t potato shochu, it isn’t shochu. Most are priced reasonably at either 500 or 600 yen, and served on the rocks, or with hot or cold water. There’s no menu, instead you just point to the bottle you fancy. Ran, is popular specialty shochu made for only potatoes and (supposedly) the fragrance of orchards. Shochu goes well with most foods except the sweeter dishes, and apparently it one of the least fattening alcoholic beverages anywhere. There’s a great excuse to order another dish and one more cup of imo shochu!”
"1F, Place Ropponmatsu, 1-15-27 Tani, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka"
092-738-8451
“Hours: 19:00~03:00
Closed: Wed.
Prices: 400 yen charge includes snack. fried eggplant with spicy chinese sauce 580 yen, oven-baked 1/4 cabbage 680 yen, foie de gras wasabi 1,580 yen, most shochu 500~600 yen.”