A note on the words: katsuo tataki is skipjack tuna seared hard on the outside and left rare within — here over a blazing straw fire, the signature of Tosa (old Kochi Prefecture). The otoshi is the small starter every izakaya serves; chikuwa is a tube-shaped fish cake; oden is a dashi-simmered hotpot of daikon, egg and fish cakes. Prices are as of this writing (August 2026).
Warayakiya Roppongi on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Drinkers, thank you for waiting. It is Hangover Meshi time.
This time: “Warayakiya Roppongi”. In the warm months the windows — shutters? — are thrown wide open, and I would often walk past eyeing the people drinking so contentedly inside.
The open seats along the street were taken, so we were shown to the back — to a seat with a clear view of the straw flames that roar up with every order! The smell of burning straw carries all the way over too. As an experience, an excellent seat.
Otoshi received — and then, beeeer! (Could not wait; drank it; forgot the photo.)
This is the one dish you are obliged to order! Skip it and you would forget why you came at all!
An 800-degree straw fire sears the surface alone, in an instant! The particular smokiness of straw wraps the outside of the katsuo; inside it stays rare and moist, outside toasty and crisp. One bite and the straw aroma and the savour of the fish burst out together. Eating it with salt is the Tosa way, joined by wasabi and garlic. The usual ponzu-and-onion style is delicious too — but the Tosa way is a match for it!
Chi… chikukyu! Well — chikuwa fish cake stuffed with cucumber is a fine combination, no argument. That said, 650 yen might be a touch dear for it! And apparently this is a Kochi speciality — who knew.
On a bed of garlic chives boiled to a vivid green, a glossy raw egg yolk — and, in proper Tosa fashion, a generous cloud of katsuobushi shavings on top. A dribble of soy sauce, break the yolk, fold it through the chives. Delicious.
Now, this is “Hachikin jidori”, Kochi’s brand-name free-range chicken. “Hachikin”, in the Tosa dialect, apparently means a strong-willed woman.
What kind of chicken does that make it?!
The straw flame browns the surface handsomely: crisp, fragrant skin, and inside moist flesh with proper bite. The savour that builds with every chew is exactly what jidori is for. Delicious.
Slightly out of season, but: oden!
Kochi’s own take on oden, its dashi marked by the fragrance of yuzu. The classic pieces — daikon, egg, konnyaku, fish cakes — are simmered slowly in the yuzu-scented Tosa-style broth. One bite and first the fresh yuzu aroma drifts up through the nose, followed by the savour of a strongish katsuobushi-based dashi.
Delicious!
And so — back to “Warayakiya” in Roppongi after too long. Fresh-seared straw-fired katsuo tataki: unimpeachably good! And the snacks, true to hard-drinking Kochi, were built for alcohol — a thoroughly enjoyable session! I have barely spent any time in Kochi itself…
One day I would like to go there and drink myself silly, just once.
May you meet something good to eat today too.
Warayakiya Roppongi (izakaya / Roppongi Station, Azabu-juban Station, Roppongi-itchome Station)
Tabelog dinner rating ★★★☆☆ 3.4
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
