Visited on a Friday night. Finally had the chance to visit. Started with ordering the Heartland sake, and decided on our menu while enjoying the soy sauce beans. It was nice to have beans as the appetizer. The soy sauce beans had a hint of almond tofu flavor. The appetizer platter included thinly sliced tofu, olive sauce chicken wings, shrimp flavored buri and eggplant in black vinegar, lamb meat dumplings with yogurt sauce, simmered shikaku bamboo, and chilled vegetable medley. Along with the appetizers, we also ordered hot sake. Everything went well with the sake. The tofu was a new sensation, the chicken wings had a crispy coating with a fragrant shrimp aroma, the black vinegar eggplant was irresistible for black vinegar lovers, the lamb meat dumplings had a Nepalese momo-like feel, the shikaku bamboo had a nice aroma and texture, and the vegetable medley was consistently delicious. We ended up having 2.5 servings of sake with the appetizer platter. We had Ayaka, Kitajima, and Kinkohoshi Ao Ba. The taste and aging level increased in that order. The confit of child-bearing ayu with rasam sauce was a standout dish. Combining ayu with rasam was a brilliant idea. It's a must-try for rasam lovers. The ayu was packed with eggs. The combination of the bitterness of the ayu and the rasam was amazing. It's even better when eaten with baguette. The beef tendon borscht is a dish you crave in cold winter. The slight sweetness and simmered vegetables are irresistible. The beef tendon is melt-in-your-mouth tender. Sake paired with vegetables is truly the best. We ended the meal with coffee. It was rich and satisfying. The bill came out to around 8000 yen. The food and sake were delicious, and the master recommended various hot sake options, making it a very fulfilling experience. There are other menu items that caught my eye, so I would like to revisit this place.

■ SUGAR Sake & Coffee I went to SUGAR Sake & Coffee, a sake and warm sake izakaya in Asagaya. The restaurant is on the second floor, up a staircase. It's not very noticeable from the outside, but it's quite popular with customers. It might be a good idea to make a reservation before going. ■ Ishikumon They also had a good selection of Chinese liquor, so I tried Shanghai Lao Jiu and Ishikumon warmed. ■ Soy Beans The appetizer was soy beans in soy sauce. Once you start eating them, you can't stop. ■ Firefly Squid, Burdock Root, and Avocado with Ume Plum and Sesame Dressing It's firefly squid season! Combining burdock root, avocado, and firefly squid with umeboshi creates a dish where each bite is different and interesting. ■ Gold Kiwi and Blood Orange Yam Salad The slightly sweet gold kiwi paired with the tangy blood orange goes perfectly with the spicy yam salad. The texture of the nuts is also great. ■ Moroccan Potato Salad, Mouthwatering Chicken, Chichaharu-style Mutton Oil with Pickled Vegetables A selection of three appetizers you can choose from. Each has an Asian twist and is quite interesting. ■ Dried Daikon Radish and Dried Natto Achar Another additional appetizer. Japanese ingredients prepared with Nepalese cooking methods. This one is also delicious! ■ Cantonese-style Shumai Shumai with large cuts of pork and shrimp inside. Steaming hot and very satisfying. ■ Baijiu Mojito A mojito made with Chinese liquor, baijiu. It has a high alcohol content, but the mint and carbonation make it refreshing and easy to drink. ■ Stir-fried "Cat's Ears" Despite the name suggesting cat's ears, it's actually a type of noodle. Stir-fried with various vegetables, chicken, and black vinegar. Surprisingly filling. A mix of Japanese ingredients and Asian cuisine. A delicious restaurant with a focus on good drinks. With a menu that changes frequently, it seems like a place you can enjoy over and over again.

I enjoy creating dishes that combine Chinese and spice flavors. This was my first visit for takeout, and my second time eating in. The dishes I tried included firefly squid, doko, and avocado with plum sesame dressing, pickled daikon and natto achar, kiwi and orange yam salad, a platter of Moroccan-style potato salad, mouth-watering chicken, and lamb oil with Chinese chives, Cantonese-style shumai, and fried wood ear mushrooms with achar. The wood ear mushrooms with achar were especially delicious, I feel like eating them on top of rice. The lamb oil-infused Chinese chives were a new dish for me, and I enjoyed the balance of richness and healthiness. Even though I don't usually choose shumai, the ones here were tasty. There was no curry on the menu that day, but I really want to try their curry again because it was so delicious.

I had always wanted to visit this place, but due to the pandemic or the store being closed, this was my first visit. The restaurant is located on the second floor, with a different izakaya on the first floor. When I arrived a little before opening, they were still preparing, but when I returned after 5 minutes, they recognized me and said, "Thank you for waiting." I was seated at a table in the middle of the restaurant. The menu, attached to a clipboard, listed the dishes, recommendations, and serving times. There were seasonal ingredients like firefly squid and mountain vegetables, with unique cooking methods and flavors that got me excited. They had a variety of sake, including warm sake and Chinese sake. I started with a bottle of beer as they didn't have draft beer. The appetizer of simmered soybeans was delicious, followed by dishes like firefly squid and avocado with plum dressing, spring chrysanthemum dumplings, and a platter of salt-seared Spanish mackerel, salt-seared sardines, marinated sea bream, and leaf garlic soy sauce. The food was fresh and expertly prepared, enhancing the flavors. The sake selection was great, and I tried a few different ones. The fuki and taro blue cheese gratin was a perfect match of bitterness and cheese. The assorted dishes were all unique and went well with the sake. I also had a dessert-like dish of mascarpone with figs and smoked cheese, which was delightful. The crackers with sake lees were also tasty. Overall, it was a great experience enjoying delicious food and sake in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

I went to this restaurant with a friend for our second stop of the night. It offers a mix of Chinese, ethnic, and international cuisine, with a selection of Chinese and Japanese drinks available. The atmosphere is bright and welcoming, making it easy for solo female diners to feel comfortable. The kitchen seems to be run by one person, so the food may take some time to be served. They require each person to order at least 2 dishes and 2 drinks, so it may not be suitable for non-drinkers or those looking for a quick bite. Some of the dishes we tried were the Peppers Dumplings, which had a generous amount of chopped peppers mixed with meat, and the Oily Chicken (apologies for forgetting the exact name), which consisted of fried summer vegetables and chicken with a flavorful sauce. Both dishes were delicious and well-prepared. Overall, it seems like a great place for dining alone or with a friend.

At the third stop from Nishi-Ogikubo, I feel like ramen is more of a snack than a meal. So, even though there were many menu items I wanted to try, I decided to go with ramen. While waiting for the ramen, I snacked on seaweed and edamame. I also wanted to try the Tsugaru-style hand-kneaded noodles. They were a bit salty due to the Tsugaru style, but it was just right as a snack. The chewy texture of the noodles was also good. I remembered that I wanted to visit this place after the first stop, so I will definitely come back next time.

■ Shop Name: SUGAR Sake&Coffee ■ Location: Asagaya Station ■ Budget: 4000-5000 yen > Ordered Menu - Appetizer (Soy Sauce Beans) - Century Egg Tofu - Mapo Tofu - Homemade Karasumi Just a short walk from Asagaya Station, exit onto Kawabata Street and take a left. After a brief walk, you'll see this shop. It's been open for 6 years and still feels quite new. The interior is clean and filled with the owner's personal touch. There are 7 counter seats and a few tables, including 3 two-person tables and 1 four-person table. The shop boasts an impressive selection of Chinese liquor, making it quite rare. They also have a niche selection of sake, showcasing the owner's unique preferences. I tried the dishes mentioned above, and here are some reviews: > Century Egg Tofu Consistently delicious. A must-try for drinkers. It comes with cilantro on top, so be cautious if you're not a fan. Personally, I avoided it because I can't stand cilantro. The century egg is soft and pairs well with ponzu sauce, creating a delightful balance. > Mapo Tofu Served in a smaller portion for one person. Gentle and flavorful. The presence of minced meat stands out more than the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns. The seasoning is well-balanced, with a hint of gaminess that is skillfully masked. The use of beef mince is likely, and the slight hint of animal scent is effectively subdued by the cooking method. The rich miso flavor, possibly from doubanjiang or sweet bean sauce, adds another layer of depth. This dish is delicious. Overall, I really enjoyed this shop. I was satisfied with the variety of alcohol, appetizers, and main dishes, as well as the flavors. I'm drawn to shops with a strong commitment to quality. Thank you for the meal, and I will definitely be back.

After getting full in Kichijoji, I wanted to stop by here as I was along the Chuo Line. It's the "SUGARSake&Coffee" that I used to visit almost every day when I lived in Asagaya. The appetizer is soy sauce simmered soybeans. It has a fragrant aroma of star anise and a crunchy texture, which is delicious. The sake is Snow Crescent from Saga Prefecture, a limited winter cloudy sake that is light and floral. Another one is Kura no Filtered Raw Sake Junmai from Nara Prefecture. It has a high alcohol content but is easy to drink with a slight fizziness. When you come here, you have to order this... the assorted appetizers. It's amazing again this time. Starting from the top left in a clockwise direction, there's Moroccan-style potato salad, grilled spicy pollack roe, Four Delights (fried wheat gluten in Shanghai-style sweet and savory sauce), garlic soy sauce simmered white clam, lamb borscht, and country-style simmered mountain jellyfish and butterbur sprout. With just this, you can enjoy many recommended dishes, so I recommend it. Of course, it changes daily, so you can enjoy it without much overlap even if you go every day. This was also delicious, lamb and tomato water dumplings. The dipping sauce made with coconut was incredibly delicious, with an Asian and ethnic flavor that was not quite Chinese but still delicious. Japanese sake is good, but for Asian-flavored dishes, try the "Dragon Ball," a carbonated mix of Shaoxing wine. The distinctive aged wine becomes easy to drink and goes down smoothly. I met the owner, Mr. Sato, for the first time in almost 2 years, and he seemed to be in good health as usual. I'll definitely stop by again when I come back to Tokyo! SUGARSake&Coffee 3-34-9 Asagaya Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo Forest One 2F 03-6279-9451 Business hours: 18:00-24:00 Closed on Wednesdays

Sugar Sake and Coffee is a place where you can enjoy creative dishes with a focus on spices, especially Chinese spices, along with alcohol. The menu offers a variety of delicious options, but everything I chose was spot on. The dishes really highlight the ingredients and the dashi broth is excellent. The combination of spices is amazing. In particular, the curry that changes flavors and the steamed tofu skin with tofu miso were fantastic. The lemony and sour curry was my favorite. The tofu miso had a great salty flavor from the tofu. I even ended up trying Chinese sake, which I don't usually drink.

I was invited by a friend who is knowledgeable about sake to Sugar Sake and Coffee. Despite its cute name, the restaurant served dishes and sake with a punch! The menu included sashimi, oden, mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, and binda curry, all of which looked delicious and made it hard to choose. We started with a toast of Shimane Umetsu's Dobu Soda mix, a sweet and flavorful adult Calpis. The restaurant also offered unique drinks like their original soda and tonic mix. As we were only two people, we couldn't order too much, but we tried the following dishes: - Moroccan-style Potato Salad: Made with cream cheese instead of mayonnaise, and topped with nuts, coriander, and spices. A unique ethnic-style potato salad. - Lamb Dumplings with Spicy Sauce: The lamb flavor was intentionally left in, but it wasn't too spicy. - Harbin Cabbage: A light dish to cleanse the palate. - Oyster and Blue Cheese Gratin: A surprisingly harmonious combination of oysters and blue cheese, both strong ingredients. - Fatty Roast Pork: Sweet and savory, well-cooked and perfect for pairing with sake. The sake selection leaned towards fruity and full-bodied options, suitable for warm sake. Tamagiku's warm sake was a perfect match for the bold flavors of the dishes. While we focused on sake this time, the restaurant also offered a variety of Chinese liquors. I still want to try more dishes, so I might come back to pair them with Chinese liquor next time. The cozy atmosphere created by the owners added to the overall experience. I will definitely visit again!

Today, I went to Asagaya, an area I don't visit often. I learned about this restaurant from some information, and the interior is bright and has a nice atmosphere. The menu doesn't seem to have very unusual dishes. I had a meal with someone who loves Japanese sake, so we toasted with Umetsu's nama-zake, mixed with tonic water and carbonated water. It didn't have ice, so it didn't dilute until the end, and the sake had a strong body, making it perfect for sipping slowly. Today's event was all about drinking Japanese sake, but they also have several types of Chinese liquor. I don't know much about them, though. The sake I tried today were: Hikarikiku from Saga, a brand newly established by a toji who used to make Kikuyou in Aichi. It's low in alcohol but has a tangy acidity and a solid body. Jujiasahi from Shimane, a type I love that tastes great both warm and cold. Tamazakura from Shimane, a dry and fully fermented sake. Benten Musume from Tottori, a dry sake with a sharp taste. Yuiemon from Iwate, aged for about 7 years but doesn't taste aged, a clean and beautiful sake. Sanshomatsu from Nara, brewed with Bodai-moto, has a lactic acid taste and a different sweetness. These are the ones I remember. The dishes I had were: Moroccan-style potato salad with cream cheese and yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Lamb dumplings with a spicy sauce similar to chili oil, topped with coriander for an oriental taste. Harbin cabbage lightly pickled in garlic soy sauce. Oyster and blue cheese gratin, with a mild blue cheese flavor and easy to eat. Freshly baked roast pork, warm and delicious, perfect with aged sake. There were also other dishes like sashimi and Japanese regional cuisine, so the menu is quite diverse. The lineup of sake and the style of dishes reminded me of a certain restaurant in Kichijoji and Yoyogi-Uehara, and it turned out to be spot on when I asked about it.

Located on the 2nd floor, this shop is easy to overlook, but I'm glad I decided to go in today. While the focus is on Japanese sake, the standout dishes are the various Asian-inspired items on the menu. The owner's excellent culinary sense shines through in dishes like fuki no tou croquettes, oyster and glass noodle stir-fry, and a cheese potato salad with a Malaysian twist. I was impressed and will definitely be back to try more dishes.

First stop in Asagaya: Satoburi Second stop: Under the Tree Third stop: Here Order: Smoked herring and dried fig with cream cheese dressing - 600 yen Sweet and fatty roasted pork - 700 yen Kiku Takahawk sake (small 150ml) - 750 yen We enjoyed the smoked herring and dried fig with cream cheese dressing more than we expected! It paired well with the sake. The roasted pork was similar to the sweet type I had in Hong Kong before, and it was also good. Thank you for the meal.

It's been months since I last visited Asagaya, and it's been months since I last visited "Sugar". "Sugar Sake & Coffee" opened on May 2, 2016 as a "sake specialty store". The name of the store comes from the owner Sato's last name. Sato, who learned at "Nihonshu-ya", proposes a matching of sake and dishes. What's fun is that they freely incorporate ethnic techniques from India, Thailand, China, and more. The interior of the store may seem simple at first glance, but it is actually quite diverse. Let's go check it out. - Umezaru cloudy tonic water: Lightly enjoy the cloudy sake from Tottori's Umezaru Brewery. The menu describes it as "like an adult Calpis soda!", and it truly is. The soybean appetizer is interesting with its crunchy texture and the contrast with the sweet soy sauce. - Togorou iwashi tempura: Togorou iwashi, not a member of the sardine family. Its tender flesh is like smelt, but with a crispy scale texture. - Coriander, summer orange, and green papaya yam: A refreshing salad with a citrusy flavor, reminiscent of Thai Som Tam. - Amberjack tartare in uzura style: A dish with a unique name, combining amberjack and spicy green pepper. The gentle texture of amberjack with the spicy green pepper goes well with sake. - Le Tonnerre sake: A French sake by the winemaker Grégoire Bœuf, brewed in France with Tottori's Tamadaka rice. It has a strong, impactful flavor with a hint of Chinese rice wine. - Squid vindaloo stew with baguette: A Goan curry influenced by Portuguese cuisine, with a rich squid flavor. - Delicious grated lemon sour: A refreshing drink to cleanse the palate after rich dishes. - Hoya rice ball: A warm and fresh rice ball filled with hoya. - Ham yui (fermented salted fish) fried rice: A traditional dish from southern China, using fermented salted fish for a unique umami flavor. This restaurant offers a variety of dishes and sake pairings, making it a place where you can enjoy different experiences depending on what you order.

I used the second restaurant from Namba. Last time, I didn't have much time and couldn't eat much, so I came back for revenge. I asked for sake warmed up and some snacks that would go well with it. I also ordered the mapo tofu that I enjoyed last time. A friend nearby called for a gathering, so we moved there to continue drinking.

During this Tokyo business trip, there was another place I really wanted to visit. It's "SUGARSake&Coffee" in Asagaya, which became a favorite during my spring business trip. After finishing the company event, I hopped on a train right away and managed to go there, even though it was late. I hadn't contacted them in advance, so I was a bit worried about whether they would be busy or not (lol). But the staff remembered me and welcomed me back after half a year. It made me so happy. Of course, the first dish I ordered was the "assorted appetizers." It included various items like vegetables with natto dip, chicken liver in Worcestershire sauce, boiled peanuts, cod roe simmered in Sansho pepper, and sashimi of natural silver salmon from Rausu. The chicken liver in Worcestershire sauce was cooked at a very low temperature, giving it a smooth texture. It went surprisingly well with sake. For my first drink, I had the "Kikutaka Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Otohi Nama" from Aichi Prefecture's Fuji Ichi Sake Brewery. It had a rich aroma but also a sharp finish. I also ordered the additional dish of crispy-scaled red snapper with Rassam sauce. The red snapper was cooked with crispy scales and topped with a tangy curry sauce made with Rassam beans. The light and delicate red snapper paired perfectly with the tangy curry sauce. Delicious. For my second drink, I had the slightly cloudy "Hanatomoe Natsu-sake Nama" from Nara Prefecture's Miyoshino Brewery. It had a fresh fruity aroma and was easy to drink with low alcohol content. I think I managed to visit all the Tokyo restaurants I wanted to this time. I couldn't invite my usual Tokyo friends this time, but I'll make sure to invite them next time. Let's go for some meat somewhere! And I definitely want to visit this place again. SUGARSake&Coffee 3-34-9 Asagaya Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo Forest One 2F 03-6279-9451 Business hours: 18:00-24:00 Closed on Wednesdays

Asagaya Station is a town with many wonderful drinking establishments. While Star Road is charming, the area on the south side, opposite the station, is also worth exploring. This restaurant is about a 5-minute walk from the south exit. It is a stylish izakaya located on the second floor of a trendy building called Sugar Sake & Coffee. Despite its name, the interior is calming with a Japanese-style atmosphere. It mainly serves Japanese sake, making it a so-called sake bar. The menu is diverse, offering a wide range of dishes from Japanese to Chinese, and even curry. The curry they serve is not Japanese or Chinese style, but a creative curry made with spices and vegetables. We started with a platter of appetizers, enjoying them with sake. The platter included water dumplings, sashimi, and nanban-zuke, all elegantly delicious. We also tried the mapo tofu, which was a full-flavored dish with a good balance of spiciness and numbing sensation. And then there was the curry. That day, we had the pork tongue coconut curry, which had a South Indian vibe with its coconut base. The basmati rice served in a teacup was a nice touch. This restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes centered around Japanese sake. I love the mixture of different cuisines they provide. It's wonderful to find a place where curry is served as a natural part of the menu.

A Chinese and sake restaurant in Asagaya. I had been interested in this place and tried to go a few times, but it was closed each time. Finally, I was able to visit on my third attempt. Unfortunately, they were out of sashimi, but I ordered mapo tofu, karasumi salad, and pickled fish roe to go with sake. The mapo tofu had a slightly spicy taste with a strong hint of sansho pepper, and the pickled fish roe went perfectly with the sake. I look forward to trying their sashimi and creative dishes next time.

Reasonable and delicious, but they are losing out due to being slow and having poor temperature control.

It is located on the second floor of an apartment. I live nearby, so I dropped in and was delighted to find that the dishes and drinks were exactly to my liking. There seems to be more sake from the west than from Japan. In addition to sake, there is also Shaoxing wine. The portion size of the dishes is small, so it may not be suitable for those who want to eat a lot, but I think it is just the right amount for drinkers. I will definitely go again.