01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Take a seat at Iwashi-ya in Hatagaya, and the natural starting point is the sardine sashimi, catching the eye with its glistening, fatty sheen. Another house mainstay is namero—fresh sardine finely minced with ginger, aromatic shiso leaves, scallions, and savory miso—delivering deep umami that effortlessly coaxes another sip of sake. Beyond the raw preparations, the menu celebrates the entire fish from head to tail: grilled with salt, fried crisp in tempura batter, or served as crunchy bone crackers (hone-senbei) and fried heads (kabuto-age).
Warming Tsumire Fishball Soup and Rustic Jakomeshi to Finish
After working through the grilled and fried dishes, the tsumire-jiru is a welcome transition. Centered around tender, fluffy minced-sardine dumplings, the delicate clear broth is infused with the gentle aromas of mitsuba, long scallions, and fragrant yuzu peel, soothing the palate as the meal winds down. Pairing this soup with jakomeshi—a bowl of rice topped with egg and salted baby sardines (jako)—makes for a deeply comforting, wholesome finale.
Seasonal Fish and a Thoughtful Drinks List
Beyond sardines, the kitchen features a changing chalkboard of seasonal seafood, such as daily sashimi catches, wild mountain vegetable tempura, and udo dressed in sweet vinegared miso. The drinks menu is equally well considered, pouring draft beer and crisp lemon sours alongside premium sake labels like Denshu and Kubota, as well as distinct sweet potato shochu including Kurojin and Sato Kuro. With its relaxed, unhurried atmosphere, taking your time over fish and drinks here is best enjoyed with an advance reservation.
