After enjoying a day in Nagoya, don’t you want to try an izakaya (居酒屋, a kind of pub) in the evening? There are some things which you can only eat here.

Today, let’s find out the best things to order at Nagoya’s izakayas.
The nights are getting colder, so maybe we can find something to heat us up!

Dote-ni (どて煮)

This refers to oden with Hatcho miso (八丁味噌, a special miso in Nagoya). Depending on the restaurant, you can find beef tendon, pork intestine, radish or something else in this dish. As an accompaniment to drinks, it is very tasty. In Japanese, “dote” means “mud wall”. The name of dote-ni comes from the original cooking method. At first, they would spread premium hatcho miso around the edge of the pot, which looks like making a mud wall, then cook it with water.

Just looking at the food sizzling in the pot makes you feel warmer!

Fried chicken wings (Tebasaki 手羽先)

These are not the same as typical fried chicken wings. The sweet spicy sauce is a special taste of Nagoya. And if you want to try Nagoya Tebasaki, the restaurant named Yamachan (世界の山ちゃん), which you can find all over Nagoya, will be a good choice.

The deep-fried cooking is a hot, spicy delight!

• Shop Info :
  Nagoya Japanese-style Bar:
  Daruma

Miso Nikomi Udon(味噌煮込みうどん)

Another delicious way to enjoy Hatcho miso(八丁味噌). The hand-rolled noodles with chicken, tofu and vegetables will be cooked together in a casserole filled with soup and Hatcho miso. Don't forget to add an egg when the cooking is almost finished! Because of the Hatcho miso, Miso Nikomi Udon will be a little more salty than most Japanese food. No wonder it is one of the most popular dishes in Nagoya.

When it is winter, no matter how cold it will be, the Miso Nikomi Udon will warm you inside and out.

• Shop Info :
  Nikomiudon Nihashi

Miso Kushikatsu (味噌串カツ)

This red miso from Nagoya has a sweet taste. It is a good accompaniment to the Japanese pork cutlet, tasty but not oily.
Of course you can order a Miso Katsu if you think you can eat it all.

Get warmed up with this hot, fried dish.

Pasta (あんかけスパゲティ)

The pasta in Izakaya is teppan pasta. The taste is softer than regular pasta and also tastier. When you try it, you will feel like mostly what you taste is the sauce itself, and not the pasta.
Besides there is a special spaghetti named Ankake Spaghetti (あんかけスパゲティ). It is pan fried and topped with spicy tomato sauce and vegetables or sausage. Ankake Spaghetii is another special dish of Nagoya. It can be eaten in an izakaya, but it will be better in a restaurant which specializes in it.

On a cold evening, you will enjoy this super, spicy spaghetti.

• Shop Info :
  Spaghetti house Yokoi

Hitsumabushi (ひつまぶし)

Hitsumabushi - a special dish which you only can find in Nagoya. At first, you can eat it directly without anything else and enjoy it as it is. Then you can add some condiments - the taste with wasabi horseradish, nori dried laver and mitsuba trefoil can be a little different. At the end you can add some tea so it will resemble o-chazuke (お茶漬け).
The taste of Hitsumabushi changes depending on how you eat it.
Of course you can add whatever you like to make your own special Hitsumabushi.

Nothing will make you feel warm inside better than some piping hot o-chazuke.

• Shop Info :
  Atsuta Horaiken,
  Honten(Main Restaurant)

Taiwan Ramen

There is a “Taiwan” here, although it is a spicy ramen, Nagoya style, without any connection to Taiwan. In this dish, you will find some spicy mince beef and leek. The taste of it is richer than typical Japanese food.

It’s hot. It’s spicy. But most of all, it’s delicious!

All of them look so delicious, don’t they? Are you looking forward to the winter now?