Sakaba Isekagura

First to arrive at the table is Soba Tsuyu Kusa Nabe, a small starter of greens in a soba-broth hot pot. The warm, Japanese-style broth and generous vegetables make a soothing start, and the pot can then be used for shabu-shabu. Choose from loin or belly of Sakura pork from Inabe, Mie; finely marbled Matsusaka beef shoulder loin; or tender Ise red chicken breast. As the meat cooks in the pot, its savoury juices gradually enrich the broth.

Another signature dish, and one many diners order, is tulip karaage: bone-in pieces shaped to be easy to pick up by hand. A crisp, fragrant coating gives way to juicy, savoury meat. It is available from two pieces, making it easy to share according to the size of your group. The drinks and snacks bring in more of Mie’s regional flavours: Same no tare, a traditional dried shark dish associated with Ise Grand Shrine; Kajika no aburi, a smoked specialty from Kajika in Owase; and clams from Kuwana simmered together. The salty, smoky notes pair well with Ise Kadoya Beer Pale Ale from a long-established Mie brewery, a fresh sudachi sour or local sake.

To round off the meal, choose soba served in the broth, now rich with the flavours of the hot pot, or hand-cut mori soba, whose smooth texture makes for a refreshing finish. Ise udon is another option: soft, fluffy thick noodles coated in a rich, dark sauce, for a satisfying meal without ceremony. 酒場イセカグラ is on the second floor of a building on the west side of Ikebukuro Station. Its calm setting and Tuesday-to-Saturday hours until 3 a.m. make it one to keep in mind for a night spent lingering over drinks.