Isshin Izakaya 一心 @ Tokyo

This is not the same Isshin that I love so much. According to this Isshin, which is a block away from the other one, they have closed since Covid hit hard.

Kaisenkappo Isshin is a hidden gem in Akasaka run by a chef with many years of experience. Located between Akihabara and Kanda, the restaurant has a calm atmosphere. About 30 years ago, he became the head chef of the Akasaka members club 「ナンバーワン」”Number One” when it opened. He retired in 2003 and became the owner of this restaurant. He currently runs the restaurant with his Filipino wife.

This wasn’t our first choice – the other Isshin was supposedly closed. I walked through the noren curtain and opened the sliding door to be greeted by the owner and his wife. There were counter seats and four tables.

刺身盛合せ Sashimi Moriawase

It is particularly renowned for its fresh sashimi, leveraging the trust built from years at Tsukiji to procure high-quality seafood. The plate featured a diverse selection of items: 本まぐろ tuna, 甘エビ sweet shrimp, イカ squid, 鯛 Japanese sea bream and the specialty of the day, 鯨ベーコン whale bacon.

鯨ベーコン Whale Bacon

Whale bacon, known as kujira no unesū 鯨の畝須 in Japanese, is a type of whale meat, specifically the fatty part of the whale’s belly, often from the chest area. About 4,000-5,000 metric tons of whale meat are supplied to Japan annually, amounting to 40-50 grams of whale for each Japanese person.

中卜口 Chutoro

中トロ Chutoro is the medium-fatty part of the tuna belly, specifically from the bluefin tuna (honmaguro 本まぐろ). It is a prized cut for sushi and sashimi, offering a balance of richness and flavor between the leaner akami (red meat) and the fattier otoro (belly fat). Their chutoro was too veiny as the sinew had not been properly processed.

甘エビ Sweet Shrimp, イカ Squid, 金目鯛 Splendid Alfonsino

And the rest of the sashimi in the platter included 甘エビ sweet shrimp, イカ squid, and the auspicious 金目鯛 splendid alfonsino.

銀鱈 煮付け Soy Glazed Black Cod

If you’re craving a melt-in-your-mouth fish dish that’s simple yet impressive, the soy glazed black cod never fails to satisfy the palette. Known as gindara in Japanese, it is known for its rich, buttery flavour and delicate, flaky texture due to its high oil content. The tender black cod was cooked to perfection in a rich Japanese style soy glaze that’s full of depth. Simple and yet satisfying.

金目鯛 (キンメダイ) 煮付け Kinmedai Nitsuke

This was one of the dishes that on the few very lucky days that they had spare (high quality and fresh) fish heads that did not need to be made into the day’s miso soup. There needed to be enough 金目鯛 splendid alfonso heads for 1 seating of customers that day. The category of nimono 煮物, or simmered food in Japan is large and plays an especially important role in home cooking as a typical meal consists of soup, a simmered dish and a grilled dish. The technique of nitsuke 煮付け falls under this category. Delicious and homely.

天ぷら盛合せ Tempura Moriawase

As we proceeded to drinks, we needed something deep fried. Tempura was a good choice and they did it competently.

寿司と巻の盛り合わせ Assortment of Sushi and Maki

And to finish our dinner, chef prepared a mix of tekkamaki 鉄火巻き, chutoro 中トロ and madai 真鯛 nigiri, and tamagoyaki 玉子焼き. The fish were insanely fresh, but the shari was so-so, but this is an izakaya so I wouldn’t be too critical.

味噌汁 Misoshiru

The miso soup was too watered down IMHO. I was hoping a better soup since they process so much fish in the shop.

Surprisingly good, this was not in our itinerary but we were glad we stuck to our reservation. They proved that you can not have a bad meal in Tokyo.

Isshin Izakaya 海鮮居酒屋 一心
Japan, 〒101-0041 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Kanda Sudacho, 2 Chome−7-14
東京都千代田區神田須田町2-7-14 JR高架下 1F
Tel : +81 3 3256 4850

Visited May 2025