IKEBUKURO: (REVISTED) Nan-Tai-San Yakitori friendly counter seating and view of the chef!

This is just a great spot that's been around for years and has a steady following of regulars.

Seasoned Carrots are one of the specialties here... never had it anywhere else.  And raw liver with sesame seed oil was tasty.

My previous entry: 

http://tokyobelly.blogspot.jp/2012/11/ikebukuro-nantai-san-for-some-old-skool.html

I think this was one of the original founders that passed away.

This older gentleman with the hat sat next to us and we all started talking... he was first talking with the guy to his left but preferred chatting with us and later he'd invite us out to his favorite little mama-san bar.

Yakitori Garlic... very soft.

Another friendly customer to my right.

Its almost impossible not to meet friendly customers from a different era at these old skool Japanese yakitori spots with counter seating.  Afterward we all went to our new friends favorite watering hole that he's been going to for over 30 years.

A little Karaoke and whiskey... another great unexpected ending long day in Ikebukuro.

Tsukemono by Mama-san.

The tiny foods at a mama-san "snack" bar... just something.

Goodnite!

Shop: NanTaiSan Yakitori

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13021282/

Address J: 東京都豊島区東池袋1-41-14

Address E: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Higashi Ikebukuro 1-41-14
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IKEBUKURO: NanTai-San for some old skool Yakitori

A very very old school Izakaya that most likely rarely see's any foreigners.  The staff were all in their 50's and seemed to live and breath Yakitori... But this is actually a regular spot for a good friend of mine who has an office nearby.

Rarely do I spot red label Sapporo... super smooth

Spicy carrots

Raw liver with some sesame seed oil dip.

Very chunky pieces of Yakitori.

Chicken skin and Liver

I'm not much of a Sour drinker because on occasion they use flavored syrup vs real slices of grapefruit or lemon... this night I had a few Grapefruit Sours.

Yakitori sticks start at 115yen.

This was great... salami, cucumber and cheese.

Green tea sour

Mega Jockey beer... too filling.. no thank you~.  Overall the amount of meat on the sticks were bigger than most but our 2nd floor seats got very smokey from the grilling sticks on the 1st floor.  Definitely a place for the boys but I don't think I'd go back unless my Japanese friend wanted to have a few sticks here... it just didn't have much of a welcoming atmosphere.

Shop: Nan-Tai-San

Shop Website: http://xn--tqqr33atlt.com/ 

Foodie Blog: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13021282/ 

Address J: 東京都豊島区東池袋1-41-14

Address E: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Higashi Ikebukuro 1-41-14
MAP:

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SHINJUKU 3-CHOME: Nihon Saisei Sakaba... what could this mean?

In the back alleys of Shinjuku... sandwiched between the very Yakuza filled suspicious Kabukicho and the ever so popular clubs & bars streaming Madonna/Erasure/PetShopBoys crowd of Shinjuku Ni-Chome lies the famous eating/dining district of Shinjuku 3-Chome home to hungry salarymen and random OL's. 

As you enter they will immediately bring you the little Otoshi (always included if you order alcohol and its usually 315yen is added to your bill)...  We got little cuts of seasoned cabbage...

Icy cold draft beer... 

The chopsticks were in a very unique spot... I won't tell ya but it was pretty cool.

The main menu was on this old cardboard layout... Japanese menu's are just so confusing and when you get lost just say "Osusume Kudasai" (Recommended dishes please)... But there was one menu in both Japanese and English... the Yakitori stick menu. WARNING: Possibly unique to Japan but there are odd items on the Motsuyaki Stick Menu (Brains, head meat, intestines, stomach etc).

We got a great corner spot facing the Chef hard at work.

Terry's first Osusume-Kudasai was Bacon~... super juicy and tender.

This place used Charcoal for the grill...

2nd Osusume... think this was pork shoulder.  Had a nice tough texture...

Specials menu above us written in Chalk... I ordered the...

Motsu-Nikomi (Giblet Stew)... was very tasty.

View looking out from the counter.

Rina ordered the Liver... this seems popular with girls... even Mari loves this.

Closed with a crispy Onigiri... think it was flavored with miso or shoyu?

If you select "tare" for your sticks they will dip it into this pot... Chef said the sauce has been in there for 10years.

As the cold settles into Tokyo you should always give "Atsu-kan" sake a try... heated sweet Sake thats a hit with both the ladies and guys.

Partners in Crime for this night... Terry and Rina.  Overall the staff was exceptionally friendly and initially tried to take our order in English.  There was a very good rotation of customers so if this spot is busy there were so many other places facing this restaurant.  If in the area and want to experience a little bit of tasty Yakitori/Motsuyaki I'd recommend this friendly standing eatery~.

Shop: Nihon Saisei Sakaba 

Shop Website: http://www.ishii-world.jp/brand/motsu/nihonsaisei/shinjuku3/

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13006797/

Gnavi Website: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/a634252/

Address J: 東京都新宿区新宿3-7-3

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 3-7-3
MAP:

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