EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WINE AND CHEESE are delicious together, but what should you nosh on while sipping sake? Izakayas provide the answer—these Japanese gastropubs offer rice wine and beer along with small plates to nibble on while imbibing. Check out three local spots welcoming foodies eager to sample the unpretentious Japanese cuisine.
Kushi Izakaya&Sushi
(465 K St. NW, 202-682-3123, eatkushi.com)
Kushi opened in March and has been garnering buzz for pristine sashimi and sushi as well as grilled fish and meats. The gastropub uses custom-built grills (a robata wood-fired grill for larger items and a kushiyaki grill for smaller ones) for dishes like miso-marinated cod and Berkshire pork stuffed in sweet shishito peppers. Sake is presented on a scale of sweet to very dry and served in your choice of sake cups.
BlueOcean
(9440 Main St., Fairfax, Virginia, 703-425-7555)
Tucked in a strip mall in Fairfax, Blue Ocean serves sushi and dishes like gyoza and tempura along with a terrific izakaya menu. Takoyaki, dumplings with a nugget of octopus in the center, are topped with dried bonito flakes, while okonomiyaki, an addictive Japanese treat, is available with advance notice. Sake and Japanese beer are available by the bottle to accompany the menu’s satisfying flavors.
The Source
(575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202-637-6100, wolfgangpuck.com)
The Source, Wolfgang Puck’s Asian-influenced restaurant, overhauled its lounge menu earlier this year, relaunching it with an izakaya concept. Dishes are pan-Asian and include tempura green beans with curry salt and ginger aioli, sesame miso cones stuffed with spicy tuna and mini banh mi sandwiches. Order sake, shochu and Japanese beer by the glass as you sample different dishes during happy hour (three items for $20.10).
