Wankasaiten

Settle into a booth at Wankasaiten, just moments from Kasai Station, and dinner begins with a bowl of raw vegetable salad served as the table's otoshi starter. Paired with straightforward appetizers like spicy pounded cucumber and a cold draught beer or highball poured into a ceramic goblet, the meal quickly finds its relaxed rhythm.

The undisputed centrepiece here is the signature handmade melting-cheese tsukune. Ground chicken mixed with crunchy cartilage envelops a core of rich, softened cheese, designed to be swirled through a raw egg yolk before each bite. Alongside it, the griddle dishes keep conversations lively, including crisp nagaimo yam steak glazed in fragrant soy sauce and piping-hot teppan gyoza.

The dining floor is arranged primarily into partitioned private rooms, offering a calm setting shielded from neighbouring tables. With a dedicated kids' corner and child-friendly dishes available, the restaurant transitions easily from casual gatherings with friends to relaxed family dinners. Those seeking lighter or sweeter drinks will also find plenty to choose from, spanning dessert-like cocktail floats to varied non-alcoholic options.

As the evening winds down, diners can turn to dashi-steeped stone-pot chazuke or traditional tea-over-rice. Before leaving, the kitchen provides a complimentary bowl of agari-wan—a soothing soup made with house-crafted Shinshu miso. Open late into the night, it makes a convenient destination whether you are heading in after work or dropping by for an unhurried second stop.