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Izakaya Den

So … walk downstairs towards the clothing store; hang left through a glass door; go under the black curtain. And there you’ll find it: this dark, gleaming basement tavern, a slick version of the post-work hang-outs of Shibuya or Shinjuku. It’s still about food to drink to, though, so the focus is on char-grilling, be it ox tongue, duck or gloriously sticky lamb ribs with white miso: a terrifically delicious argument against the myth that Japanese food is all about austerity. Otherwise, try snackier food, such as octopus with pickled cucumber, or crisp “sakata”-coated prawns. A stand-out tuna tataki teams vividly fresh fish with heady hits from the allied wasabi and chilli mayos. It’s all backed up by smooth service and a choice of Victorian whites, Japanese beers, cocktails or plum wines. At once “very Melbourne” and “very Tokyo”, Izakaya Den is, finally, very good.