Tazu

One of the appealing things about Tazu’s offal hot pot is that you can order a single serving, whatever the size of your party. Three kinds of domestic beef offal—techchan, akasen and shochou—are served with pork belly, cabbage, garlic chives, onion, bean sprouts and tofu in a Japanese-style broth flavoured with soy sauce and bonito, finished with Chinese cabbage kimchi. The menu lists a single serving at ¥980, making it easy to build a meal around the hot pot. One diner reported that, despite its reddish appearance, the broth was only mildly spicy and could be adjusted to taste with spicy miso. Another found the broth light yet satisfying, with generous portions. As you work your way through the ingredients, you can also tailor the heat to your liking.

For the final course, choose from medium-thick noodles from Mitani Seimenjo, Korean sari noodles, udon or a rice-porridge set. One diner who ordered the medium-thick noodles enjoyed their springy texture and smooth finish. The porridge set comes with rice, egg, seaweed and spring onion; the menu also suggests adding cheese for a risotto-style finish. Whether you end the meal with noodles or rice infused with the broth is up to you.

While the hot pot cooks, try crispy fried pig’s trotters, also available in a half portion, or raw senmai as a side dish. The menu also includes garlic-chive pancakes and seafood pancakes with prawns, squid and clams. You can add green chilli or cheese to the pancakes. There is plenty of scope to shape your order, whether you are gathering around the hot pot or sampling a few small plates.

Tazu is open from 8 to 21 from Monday to Thursday and on Saturdays and Sundays; it is closed on Fridays. One diner reported enjoying the same menu in the morning, so the hot pot need not be reserved just for lunch or dinner.