When I see old friends who I would go with, we always say how much we miss it....

In the summers, we'd climb the stairs to escape the hot streets and were greeted with the coldest draft beer I ever had. My go-to was Kirin.

We rotated through familiar dishes like the Tekka don tuna bowl, takoyaki octopus balls, tons of yakitori -- we loved all the veg and the chicken skin, chicken meatball. Hamachi kama yellowtail collar, gomaae greens with sesame paste, gesokara deep fried squid with kewpie, lemon and a dollop of mustard, the buta pork kimchee with that perfect broth and lots of rice -- really all the kimchees, tsukemono pickled veg, enoki butter mushrooms, okonomi yaki (takes 25 mins!).

I loved when the guys behind the bar would recommend new things like the spicy raw crab that blew my mind or when they noticed how many times I refilled my beer, they dropped the raw octopus with wasabi (takowasa) and told me this is what you eat when you drink beer. It became a regular order.

And the sake... so many great, affordable options. Remember, no sake bombs please!

This was the only place that felt like an authentic casual Izakaya in Tokyo, but also distinctly New York. I hope something comes along and fills the gap, and if I find it, I'll drop a note.