izakaya!

An eventful day yesterday! Had a meeting at 10, conveniently at panera bread...enjoyed a nice big capupuccino and bear claw on a beautiful day! Ran a few errands (one of which included buying a new pair of shoes), then went home to prepare for my run- with another brat in a toasted sourdough bread "bun" slathered in mustard and a few small pickles on the side...

Luckily, no ill aftereffects during my run.

Ran the lake (about 4.5 miles) in 47 mins. Not bad, breaking in some new running shoes/insoles, and felt better in them today than during a previous run.

Ate a banana to fuel the after-run metabolism, then went on to make dinner plans- It was decided (by me) that we would have izakaya! mmm....yay!

We tried out a new place, Oyaji, recommended not only by yelp, but also backed by my dad's super-critical recommendation. My first time having izakaya in the city...not bad, but does not even close to my fave, Honda-Ya....

the night's eats, among 3 of us:
-chicken thigh yakitori
-chicken meatballs (very good!! great caramelization)
-pork yakibuta
-pork tongue (kinda tough, with some strange cartilage- or crunchy-something in it)
-aspara-beef
-agedashi tofu
-kani cream korokke (pretty good, smaller size, but nice proportion of fried panko to filling)
-deep fried soft shell crab (very good, melted in my mouth!)
-buta no kakuni (stewed pork belly, decent)
-ankimo (monkfish liver...on my dislikes list...didn't try, but it got rave reviews)
-cucumber sunomono
-toro nigiri
-kampachi nigiri

I might have missed a few...but it was all washed down with cold refreshing Hakutsuru sake, sapporo, and a bit of Iichiko shochu. Notice there wasn't any onigiri, ochazuke, or udon (in other words- FILLER- and more importantly, something to soak up all that alcohol.) I'm pretty sure D and S thoroughly enjoyed their initiation into izakaya. It was also D's first time trying "real" sushi...with excellent sashimi-grade fish. I'd say it was a winner.

it all got a thumbs up!

If you go here, and you're a female...just make sure not to wear a low-cut shirt. Beware the owner is slightly pervy and enjoyed oogling all the females in the joint nearing the end of his drunken night. He does like to socialize with his patrons though! (i'm having a bit of a time imagining my dad at this place with his buddies, chatting it up with the owner....??!!)

We spent the rest of the night drinking/sobering up (I did a bit of both, while everyone else hit it hard) next door at Tee Off Bar, a pretty great neighborhood dive bar. The drinks were stiff, the crowd was unpretentious (though full of characters), and the music flowing from the jukebox. Of course, the night can't end here...and the last bits of ourselves were taken over to Mel's Diner for a BLT and chocolate shake nightcap. (I didn't realize that not all Mel's are not open 24 hours....I thought that's what they're there for!!!??!!)

All in all, a great night out.


Oyaji Restaurant
3123 Clement (x 31st)
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 379-3604

Tee Off Bar

3129 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94121

(415) 752-5439

Mel's Drive-In **(NOT 24 HOURS)
3355 Geary Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 387-2244