Kisanji

The meal at きさんじ in Asakusa ends with takikomi rice, a signature dish that is hard to pass up when you visit. The regular option is takikomi rice with braised pork belly and spring onion, alongside seasonal rice cooked in a pot with ingredients that change through the year. Each version comes with dashi and condiments. Enjoy the freshly cooked rice as it is for the first bowl; with the next, pour over warm dashi to make it into ochazuke, or sip the broth on its own as a clear soup. Each bowl offers a different way to savour it. The generous portion is just right for two or three people to share, making a satisfying centrepiece for an evening meal.

While the rice cooks, carefully prepared small dishes bring the table to life. The choices include dashi-maki tamago, praised for its soft texture; the signature young-chicken karaage with a deep miso richness; and tender braised Sangen pork. These are warm, comforting dishes that pair well with a drink. For a drinking spread, there is also a sashimi assortment noted for its freshness, Koshida Shoten's "Incredible Culture Mackerel", and sea-bream shiokara cream cheese.

The drinks list is broad, with recommended sake, Kagoshima sweet-potato shochu such as Sato Kuro and Akarui Nouson, and barley shochu from different regions, including Toppai from Oita. Other options include Asahi Jukusen draft beer, a refreshing fresh-squeezed lemon sour and Sui gin soda, as well as soft drinks such as pineapple vinegar soda, so there is a range of flavours to choose from.

The calm interior has counter seating, making it suitable for a relaxed solo drink as well as a leisurely gathering. For a group meal, courses featuring the signature takikomi rice can be reserved in advance. A little removed from Asakusa's busy streets, きさんじ is a welcoming choice for an evening spent savouring thoughtful small plates and drinks at an unhurried pace.