Roraitei

A spot at the counter and a quick cold appetizer make for an easy start at Roraitei. Priced from the 100-yen range, the small plates feature bar staples like zha cai and seasoned bamboo shoots alongside rich century egg, moist steamed chicken, and bang bang chicken. Pungent mouthwatering chicken drizzled with chili sauce or refreshing pork tripe in ponzu offers the right contrast to a cold draft beer or lemon sour at the end of the day.

With a drink in hand, the move is to order freshly made hot stir-fries and dim sum. The kitchen turns out quintessential Chinese dishes like gently sweet and tangy stir-fried tomato and egg, popular mayo prawns with a mellow creaminess, plus pan-fried and boiled gyoza. Heavier dishes with unmistakable heat and rich savory oil, such as mapo tofu and spicy simmered pork, sit naturally alongside a glass of Shaoxing wine or a Hoppy.

Lighting up in the early evening along an alley near Oi-machi Station, this welcoming tavern doubles as an effortless spot for solo drinks. Because the food is served in modest portions, you can keep adding plates without hesitation, whether stopping by for a swift post-work drink or settling in for an unhurried sequence of dishes.