On a night when you somehow don’t want to go home.
On a night when you want to eat a warm meal made by someone.
On a night when you want to talk with friends.
No matter what kind of night it is, there is a place that welcomes customers with a cheerful "Yes! Welcome!" and serves Bichu local sake and carefully prepared dishes.
It is Bichu Local Sake Bar Suiyoubi, located near the entrance of the Bikan Historical Area and Geibunkan Hall in Kurashiki City.
We interviewed about how to enjoy Bichu Local Sake Bar Suiyoubi and the secret to always keeping customers smiling.
About Bichu Local Sake Bar Suiyoubi
Bichu Local Sake Bar Suiyoubi (hereinafter referred to as "Suiyoubi") is an izakaya located in the center of Kurashiki City.
Since opening as a local sake bar at the end of October 2013, it has exclusively handled "Bichu local sake".
The owner, Nakahara Kazuo, is a chef who has trained in a ryokan in Kurashiki, a kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto, and various restaurants in other prefectures. Many regular customers come to enjoy not only Bichu local sake but also Nakahara's dishes.
Sake served at Suiyoubi
At Suiyoubi, you can enjoy local sake made at breweries in Bichu.
There is a menu, but the sake available varies depending on the day's supply, so it’s best to ask Nakahara. When I visit the shop, I always ask, "What do you recommend today?" and get the day's recommendation.
Suiyoubi is a popular spot among brewery staff, so they have limited edition sake that is produced in small quantities and sake that is mostly exported and not widely available in Japan.
For the latest supply information, be sure to check Suiyoubi's Instagram and Facebook.
Dishes served at Suiyoubi
At Suiyoubi, you can enjoy dishes rich in dashi made by chef Nakahara, who has experience in kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto and kaiseki-style restaurants in Okayama Prefecture.
All the dishes have a simple appearance like home cooking, but many are elaborate creations that take several days to prepare.
Before going to the shop, I always think, "I will eat something I haven't had before!" but when I sit at the counter and see other customers eating their usual dishes, I can't help but drool and end up ordering the same things every time.
Here are some of the delicious dishes from Suiyoubi that make you nod and say, "This is it!" no matter when you eat them.
Tsukune Pepper
The tsukune pepper, with thick peppers and a generous serving of tsukune, is one of Suiyoubi's popular menu items.
Although peppers are summer vegetables, you might think they are a seasonal menu item, but they are offered as a regular menu item. It’s always a mystery how the peppers remain crunchy no matter the season.
The tsukune served alongside the peppers bursts with spice aroma as soon as you take a bite.
Both the peppers and the tsukune are large and satisfying, and the tsukune pepper was inspired by the manga "Kodoku no Gurume".
Miso Pickled Cheese
What looks like a simple block of cheese is actually miso pickled cheese.
It has a milky white color typical of cheese, but when you taste it, the aroma of miso spreads in your mouth. Both the miso and the sake pair well with each other, so this miso pickled cheese is, of course, perfect with sake.
Even when my stomach is getting full, this is a dish I always order when I want to enjoy a little more sake.
Dashimaki Tamago
A simple dashimaki tamago without any ingredients or toppings.
This dish allows you to purely enjoy the taste of eggs and dashi.
It’s a bit large for one person to eat, but when you start to feel tipsy, sharing a dashimaki tamago with a regular customer is exceptional.
Suiyoubi has many solo customers, but the owner Nakahara communicates with customers attentively, so you often see customers getting to know each other and sharing dishes.
Fried Taro
A personal must-have dish is the fried taro.
Carefully seasoned taro is fried to a crisp and served with a rich dashi.
Not only is the taro delicious, but the richness of the dashi poured over it makes you want to drink it all up.
I asked Nakahara, the owner of Suiyoubi, who continuously sources seasonal sake from Bichu breweries and serves elaborate dishes, about how to enjoy Suiyoubi.
Data about Bichu Local Sake Bar Suiyoubi
| Name | Bichu Local Sake Bar Suiyoubi |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-13-3 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Ikeda Building 1st Floor |
| Contact | 086-434-3142 |
| Parking | None |
| Business Hours | 6 PM - 11 PM |
| Regular Holiday | Monday |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seats | 14 seats |
| Smoking | Completely Non-Smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Bichu Local Sake Bar Suiyoubi Facebook |
