An izakaya has to be noisy - it's a casual and informal place where people have fun, talk loudly and drink. So says Takeshi Tong Kwan-mo, head chef of Yagura restaurant in the Eaton Smart hotel in Jordan. True to form, Hong Kong's Japanese izakaya joints are where people go to relax and let off steam over drinks after work.
In Japan an izakaya can be a place for fairly hardcore drinkers, who invariably start with a few beers before moving on to sake. Izakaya patron Chau Yi-yan, who studied in Japan, says the affordable chains attract students because 'they [could] drink crazily until they were quite drunk'. Chau finds Hong Kong's food-driven izakayas quite different from those in Japan, where the drinks list is extensive, the food menu short, and a drink and a plate of food can cost as little as HK$30.
In Japan the choice of drink comes first and the dish second, and there are few pairing rules. The food is not an afterthought but customers expect simple grilled skewers (kushiyaki) and hearty stews. In Hong Kong, patrons are offered a broader range of dishes, including premium sushi and sashimi.
Local foodie and fan of Japanese food, Choi Tsz-tsun, says she enjoys the unstuffy atmosphere of local izakayas, and she and her friends especially like going to places where they can relax on a tatami mat.
Choi also appreciates that the food comes in smaller portions because 'we can order more dishes and try different varieties', she says.
Huang Renjiang, owner of Yi Pai Ya in Causeway Bay, says customers enjoy the 'three elements of time, space and taste'. Yi Pai Ya means 'one cup house' and 42-year-old Huang opened the first of three restaurants in his native Shanghai 10 years ago before exporting his formula to Hong Kong and Sendai. He offers a variety of sakes and plum wines, many brought back from his frequent trips to Japan.