Kanazawa

Dai-Nana Gyōza

第七餃子 (http://www.white-gyouza.c...): opposite the mori-no-sato jusco shopping centre near the kakuma campus of kanazawa university, a restaurant that specialises in gyoza. counter seating as well as private rooms upstairs that are available for hire. the gyoza, known as "white gyoza", are famous in the region, and very unlike normal gyoza. part of a small but insanely popular chain of "white gyoza" named after the founder, a chinese man named hak (白, or "white". ten gyoza are â¥360. go early to get a seat - it's very popular with students and young salarymen.

Gyoza-no-Ōshō

餃子の王将 (http://www.ohsho.co.jp/ne...) katamachi, 1 minute walk from the scramble [part of a nationwide chain] and in other locations in kanazawa . serving cheap chinese food in a brightly-lit and often smoky environment. chinese dumpling gyoza are 6 for â¥180, large rice will set you back â¥200 and mains are in the â¥500-600 range. look for the gaudy yellow, red and white sign near the bus stop. all osho restaurants have a bilingual english-japanese menu.

Ōmichō-ichiba

近江町市場 (http://ohmicho-ichiba.com/). a local market selling fish, vegetables, fruits and meat. there are a number of great kaiten-sushi restaurants in this market, great for eating well on a budget.

Sakanaya

魚菜屋, hyakumangai shopping annex of the jr station. counter seating only, this little joint is always packed with locals looking for a quick serve of cheap seafood. try the kaisen tonkomori-don 海鮮とんこ盛丼, ¥980, a bowl of rice topped with all sorts of raw seafood goodies.

Skylark Family Restaurant

A few minutes walk from the station between a car dealership and toyoko inn hotel. cheap and cheerful western style food as well as japanese dishes. ask for the drink bar option to get unlimited access to the buffet style hot/cold soft drinks for only a couple of hundred yen. there are many other "family restaurant" style places in kanazawa, from big boy to joyful, though most are out in the suburbs.

Hacchouya (はっちょうや)

Katamachi. its halfway between the "scramble" and "kohrinbo" its on the left-side of the street as you head from the scramble towards kohrinbo. the entry is hard to spot because you have to head down a set of stairs from street level its underground. the best way to describe this place is a "refined" izakaya. the fare here is a modern twist on izakaya food. the quality of the food is unbelievable for the price. it has sunken seating by the open kitchen or private tatami style rooms and very cosy. not much english is spoken but you manage to get your message across. be adventurous, point to the menu and you can't go wrong. staff are very friendly and efficient.

Hirosaka-Tei (ヒロサカ亭)

2-31-32,katamachi, +81 076-223-8422, 5:30pm-11:30pm. located a few doors down and across the road from the spice box. rustic style izakaya with an open kitchen, there is an emphasis on local seafood so the tempura selection â¥1,300 and sashimi of the day platter â¥1,500 are good choices to begin with. the homemade ginger ale has quite a kick and goes well with the fish dishes. japanese menu but english is spoken by the owner.

Chochinya

2-31-32,katamachi, +81 076-223-8422, 5pm-2am. well worth a visit to try the fantastic tebasaki crispy chicken wings, order at least 3 per person! the young owners speak limited english but have an english menu available. they have over 20 brands of shochu to chose from and a selection of local sake. there is a charge of â¥262 for the small appetizer you will be served when you sit down. always packed out at the weekends.

MoriMoriZushi

もりもり寿し, forus 6f right outside kanazawa stn, +81 076-265-3510. excellent sushi starting at â¥120 per plate. the salmon is divine and they even do a meat lovers' hamburger nigiri! the house special is the "three-point plate" 三点盛り which gets you three different seasonal delicacies for ¥598. you can sit at the counter or for more elbow room ask for a table. no smoking throughout. there is a newly opened branch in omicho market.

Pilsen

ϼˆã´ã‚‹ãœã‚“）,　katamachi, +81 076-221-0688. opened in 1968, this german beer hall style restaurant is well known in kanazawa. there is a long counter downstairs and more intimate table seating upstairs. limited english is spoken but they are used to foreign customers and have an english food menu. drinks from â¥600 main dishes start around â¥800. closed su.

Right next to Kanazawa train station is a new shopping complex called Forus. The 6th floor is dedicated to restaurants and has a very good conveyor style sushi restaurant. No English is spoken but they do have a picture menu and all tables have an electronic menu device. Be aware that if you do not finish all of your food, the Forus restaurants will not give you a box to take your leftovers! Other options include Chinese; Indonesian; Italian and Korean restaurants. Nearly all restaurants have a lunch special in the ¥1000 range.

Sushi Ippei (鮨一平）

1-5-29, katamachi, +81 076-261-8674, 6pm-1am, closed su and national holidays. tucked down a side street this family run restaurant offers the chance to try authentic sushi without breaking the bank. prices start at â¥100, expect to pay around â¥3000 for a good feed. english menu and limited english spoken by the beaming kimono-clad okamisan.

Taiheizushi

太平寿し, nonoichi-machi, taihei-ji, +81 076-248-5131, 11am-2pm and 5pm-11pm, closed w. when japanese celebrities visit kanazawa this is the place they go for superb sushi. the master chef is soccer crazy and speaks excellent english. lunch begins at â¥5000 per head and dinner starts from â¥10,000. watch out for the wasabi rolls. worth every penny/yen! counter seats 12. book well in advance.

Takeshi

たけし, saigawa, katamachi +81 076-234-2121 japanese only, 5pm-11pm, closed su. modern japanese cuisine in stylish surroundings. the color yellow is a major theme and even the chef's phone is yellow! courses start at â¥5250 per person for 8 dishes, not including drinks. reservations essential.

Tsubajin

つば甚, teramachi, +81 076-241-2181 japanese only. open for lunch and dinner, reservations required (http://www.tsubajin.co.jp...). founded in 1752, and the premiã¨re japanese dining experience in kanazawa, tsubajin has hosted daimyo, members of the imperial family, government ministers, and others who can afford the hospitality of this 250-year-old ryotei - dinners start at â¥20,000 and rise into the upper stratosphere. a mere â¥9,000 will allow you to taste their lunch set menu. the current building dates from the early taisho period 1912-1925, and is designed in the finest kanazawa style.

Ume No Hana

梅の花, 1-101 tomizu-machi, +81 076-237-4188 japanese only, 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-9pm daily. for a true japanese dining experience that is hard to beat this place will make even ex-pat lifers in japan misty eyed. beautiful landscaped gardens; immaculate tatami rooms with each room having themed pottery; a mind bending array of tofu dishes and phenomenal service. kaiseki lunches start at â¥1,500 while dinner starts at â¥3,500 per person. allow plenty of time to savour the experience as dish after dish will be brought to you. a nice discrete touch is that instead of a check you will be given a keyring to handover when you leave. ensuring only the bill payer sees the total! reservations essential even at lunch time. away from the main sights so a taxi is the easiest way to get there. you will never look at tofu in the same way again!

A famous local dish is jibuni 治部煮, made from boiled and seasoned duck and various vegetables. Crab is another local favourite served up during the winter months, common types include the hairless male crab zuwaigani or smaller female crabs with eggs still attached. Served cold with a light vinegar or in nabe style hot pots. Sushi made with fish from the neighboring sea is also popular, the sweet shrimps amaebi are especially good in this region. In Spring the tiny gray river fish gori is a well known delicacy. Sometimes served deep fried with salt or in miso soup. Eaten whole it is an aquired taste.