Toromasa (トロ政)
One thing that you’ll quickly notice when walking through the streets of Tokyo are the izakayas, or the pubs that light up at night and draw in crowds from all over the neighborhood. You’ll often see throngs of workers leaving work and getting together to share a few drinks over a meal, or just friends casually meeting up at their favorite late night spot.
Before I go any further, I will add a caveat. Toromasa is not the most “hole in the wall” izakaya, and it can be fairly pricey based on what you get, compared to more lowkey establishments. Furthermore, they are located in the center of Shinjuku’s busier streets, therefore lacking the intimate settings that one might expect from somewhere like Omoide Yokocho a few streets away. However, based on local sentiment and their relatively unique menu items that many foreigners have probably not tried, I’ve decided to go ahead and add this to Xplorago.
Toromasa is known for their seafood and sashimi offerings. Nigiri sushi does not seem to be their priority though, and if you are looking for sushi nearby, you’d be better off going elsewhere such as Uogashi Nihon-Ichi. In addition to their seafood, Toromasa also offers chicken and various vegetable dishes, including customer favorites such as karaage (fried chicken). However, a popular attraction for many customers is the extensive drink menu, offering all sorts of beers, high balls, and fruit-based sours. Drinks are the usual when eating and customers often end up ordering a few rounds during their stay.
Even though Toromasa is crowded on most nights of the week, we did not have a problem getting seated quickly. Once seated, the staff explains the seat charge, something that is customary in most izakayas. It is essentially a cover fee and is usually only a few hundred yen (I think ours ended up being about $4 USD per person at the time). The good news is that your cover usually pays for a small dish that varies in size and selection by the restaurant. Toromasa gives great value for their cover charge as it provides diners with a decently-sized array of sashimi with about eight pieces, all presented in a plastic lemon bowl. It consists of two slices each of squid, tuna, fatty tuna, and silverstripe round herring. The fish from this appetizer dish is not bad at all, but if you order additional sashimi specifically, it is better tasting.
Moving on, I ordered a large basket of karaage, which comes with six large pieces and costs a little under ¥1,000. I didn’t expect much from this so I was surprised when I took the first bite. The chicken is, for a lack of better words in my brain while writing this, super juicy and tender, and could easily cost much more than it went for. The exterior is perfectly fried without drying out the meat, making it delicious to eat with an ice-cold Sapporo beer. The large basket has quite a bit of food and I honestly would get the smaller portion with three pieces if I wanted to eat it by myself in the future.
Just before I could finish the first piece of karaage, the red sea bream sashimi came out. Nothing crazy in the presentation other than simple and fresh fish. It comes with six slices of fish with kelp and wasabi for ¥590. Squeezing the lemon from the karaage on top and pairing it with the wasabi makes it an excellent treat, lighter in taste than the karaage. For those that have never tried red sea bream, its texture is mostly soft with a slight firmness, and tastes like most white flesh fish. It is an inoffensive and delicious sashimi that is perfect for those who may be trying raw fish for the first time.
Ok cool right? But here’s the coolest part. I’ve heard that horse sashimi (yup, you read that right) is a popular item in izakayas in Japan, and so I was curious. I saw other diners ordering them, and I had to try it cause who knows when I could have the opportunity again. I ordered the standard red horse meat sashimi for ¥780, although there is a more expensive version that comes with other parts of the horse if you’re so inclined. It is presented delicately on a bed of raw red onions opposite a ball of grated ginger and raw garlic cloves (as a note, those that are with you will absolutely abhor your breath after this).
The meat’s texture is very similar to raw beef (imagine western beef tartare or Korean yukhoe if you’ve had either of those), and the taste is quite alike as well, although a slight bit more gamey like lamb. This dish is honestly the reason that I put this restaurant on the guide because most foreigners would probably not venture out to a hidden corner in a back alley to try this, but Toromasa makes it easily accessible for those seeking it out at an inexpensive price. All that being said, the taste is not offensive or strange at all, and I’ve certainly had cooked meat that tasted worse in the past. I know that conceptually it seems like a very strange thing for most foreigners to try, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you won’t regret it. Again, everybody’s immune systems and responses to certain foods, especially raw ones, are different, so only try at your own risk.
Although I didn’t take any pictures of them, I highly recommend the beers and sours, as they are delicious and not too expensive. There are so many to try and the cocktails are really where the restaurant shines.
While it is a bit more expensive than other izakayas that you might find in Tokyo, Toromasa is a great spot to come with friends or coworkers to enjoy a good meal and even better conversation. Whether it be a grub out on a hot summer night or just a few drinks with an old friend, Toromasa is a great, all-around casual spot that will have what you are craving for in the late hours.
