A note on the words: otoshi is a small seated-charge appetizer served at Japanese izakaya, tairagai is pen shell clam, ishikagegai is a type of cockle, sazae is horned turban shell, and hokkigai is surf clam. Namero is fresh seafood finely minced and seasoned with miso and aromatics, shuto refers to salted, fermented fish innards eaten as a pungent drinking snack, and dashimaki tamago is a rolled dashi-flavored omelet.
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Akoya on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hello, this is Hangover Meshi. While looking around for a place to go drinking with a friend, I discovered they were just as big a shellfish lover as I was. Searching with shellfish as our theme, we found a spot called “Yakigai Akoya”. It is close by in Ebisu, seems easy to reach right by the station, and looking at the photos it looks like the real deal! So we immediately decided, booked a table, and went.
The atmosphere of the shop is really nice. Inside, there is a counter and a scattering of table seats.
It is not that large a restaurant, so you are definitely better off making a reservation before going!
Looking at the menu, it is genuinely all shellfish!! For a shellfish lover, this is irresistible, but
anyone who isn’t so crazy about shellfish should probably be careful, ha.
What could this be — nagarami (a small sea snail), I think? Apparently there are plenty down around Kansai, but you might not see them much in Kanto.
Soaked through with a sweet sauce, it is delicious.
A tiny sazae (turban shell), namero (minced seasoned seafood), and grated daikon tossed with grated cucumber, I think? Both the sazae and namero are delicious. They go great with drinks.
Tairagai (pen shell), ishikagegai (a cockle), and what was the other one again? In any case, raw shellfish sashimi.
Zero fishy smell, and delicious! Incredibly juicy shellfish. For a shellfish lover, you just can’t get enough.
Shirogai, I think they said. When I looked it up, it seems to be a shellfish found around Hokkaido and Aomori.
It is great being able to eat shellfish I haven’t encountered much before. By the way, this is delicious, ha.
What kind of shellfish was this again…? You eat it tossed with shuto (salted fermented fish innards).
Oyster sauce and baigai whelk, I think? They go well together.
Since it has plenty of vegetables, it is a menu item where you can take in something other than shellfish!
Scallop sashimi ordered as an addition. Plump, juicy, and delicious!
And then, hokkigai (surf clam). This too was amazingly moist and succulent, and you can really tell how fresh it is! Hokkigai is delicious!
Plump and large hamaguri clam. Naturally, delicious!
They go together, quite naturally.
Now this, it is really good, ha. I wish I had ordered it earlier. A dish you want to keep on the table at all times.
Man, getting such a full dose of shellfish left me completely satisfied! Truly a dedicated shellfish specialty shop. To think such a wonderful spot was right in Ebisu. It was a disappointment that akagai (ark shell) and other popular shellfish were sold out! Because the shellfish is so good, the drinks kept flowing, and this is definitely a place I will visit again. It was delicious!
Akoya (Izakaya / Ebisu Station, Daikanyama Station, Naka-meguro Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.7
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
