We were intrigued by the menu categories at this after-work izakaya - charcoal-grilled meats, charcoal-grilled small fish and charcoal-grilled big fish - all of them prepared over top-grade bincho charcoal. Heirloom breeds of pork, chicken and premium wagyu beef make up the bulk of the meat menu, and the ones we sampled were tender in texture and sufficiently fatty to bring out their full flavor after grilling.

Seeing the cedar ball hanging outside the shop we knew to expect a good selection of sake, and indeed the list of twenty or so labels is filled with reliable and well-known breweries like Tedorigawa and Dewazakura, although we didn't notice any especially unusual bottles or seasonal specials.

If you just want to grab a bite after work rather than spend the evening nibbling, Sanjuro offers several inexpensive teishoku sets built around their grilled specialties; there are also full-course prix-fixe menus if you want to splurge. Budget anywhere from Y2000-4000 at dinnertime, Y800-1000 at lunch.