Sashimi plate, all local fish!

Service: Friendly and very attentive
Facilities and equipment: Very clean overall. Excellent washroom
Prices: Reasonable (considering the quality)
Strong points: Local fish, sashimi or cooked, crab and seafood, local vegetables. Great sake list!

In Kanazawa City winter means early and cold nights.
People tend to go earlier to their favorite haunts and it is always a good idea to reserve as good or popular establishments are full by 6:00 p.m.!

For our first night we chose to visit Itaru (Honten, there is another one)!
We came early enough and were lucky actually to get the best seat at the corner of the counter with a full view of the kitchen!

In such a cold part of Japan, entrances are deceptively narrow to keep the cold out, but once inside you usually find yourself with plenty of space!
But it is still cold for some and knee blankets are available!

Such a spot by the counter does not seem that popular there and we were really glad to grab it, which allowed us not only to watch the chefs at work but to share a chat with them!

Of course I ordered local sake!

In Kamazawa City, izakayas are proud of their heritage and always have plenty of local sake on their menu!
The above was Tengu no Mai!

O-shino/home-made pickles!
Kanazawa is also famous for its countryside providing a wealth of vegetables!

Local seafood for our sashimi plate:
Octopus, tuna, sweet shrimps, yellow tail and seaweed marinated seabream!
Interestingly enough the freshly grated wasabi is made with roots from Izu peninsula!

from another angle!

A local grilled fish: Nodokuro/Black throat!

Expensive, even in Kanazawa!

Another local specialty: Lotus root chawanmushi!

Another local sake. Sorry, I forgot to note down the name!

Another local specialty: hako crab sushi donburi!

And to finish pork and vegetable stew!

tasty, comforting and healthy!

ITARU (Hontenn)
Kanazawa City, Kakinokibatake, 3-8
Tel.: 076-221-4194
Opening hours: 17:30~23:00
Closed Sundays
Cash only
English menus available

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City