Hida

At Hida in Kamata, the day’s catch arrives at the table in a variety of dishes. The owner selects the seafood, and a neatly presented sashimi platter is a fine way to appreciate its natural character. There are plenty of accompaniments for a drink, too, including seasonal fresh sea urchin, raw oysters and filefish dressed with its liver. They make an inviting start to the evening.

Simmered fish and fried dishes bring out the best in their ingredients

The appeal goes beyond sashimi: Hida also handles cooked fish with care. Simmered kinki, its rich flavour soaking into the fish and complementing its fat, and simmered black mutsu both make substantial centrepieces for a meal. For contrast, there is lightly fried white squid and asparagus tempura, as well as fragrant anago grilled on a bamboo leaf. Choosing dishes for their different textures and temperatures is part of the pleasure.

An evening at the counter or in a tatami room

Seating includes a counter, tables and tatami rooms, making the restaurant suitable for a solo drink with a meal or a relaxed gathering with good company. Drinks range from beer to distinctive coffee shochu mixed with water. To finish, consider fragrant unaju—grilled eel served over rice—or kakiage fritters. Hida opens in the evening at 18:00, and seats can fill up, so booking ahead for dinner is recommended.