Since I couldn’t read any of the menus(and there weren’t pictures) I took a chance and asked the waitress in English, «Do you have potatoes?» When she responded affirmatively I was further emboldened. Me: Do you have chicken? Her: Yes, BBQ. Me: Do you have green vegetables? Her: Salad? Me: Do you have noodles? Her: Cold soba. Obviously, I ordered them all! I found this was way better(and easier) than ordering off the menu and I ended up with plenty of small plates that I couldn’t wait to tuck into. The potatoes were a highlight, gooey with cheese and accompanied by fish roe which may sound odd but actually turned out to be quite complementary. As with most izakayas in Tokyo, Nozaki Saketen allows smoking. The basement is a good size for a small group dinner and the servers are really accommodating(and at least one is fluent in English). If you’re looking for a quick bite or a glass of sake — or both! — in Shinbashi, this is a solid pick.
