Sake Ichi Oden on Shaanxi Nan Lu is the kind of place you go for simple comforts: chicken soup oden, ramen, tsukemen, and a lineup of flavored highballs (starting from ¥30!) that go down easy.
Nomfluence Readers Deals: Highballs for only ¥9.9!
The Space
Like a scene lifted straight from Spirited Away, it feels like a late-night alley eatery transplanted from Tokyo. Warm wood, glowing lights, and clouds of steam frame an open kitchen where pots of broth bubble away behind a cozy bar counter.
Out front, the restaurant blurs the line between restaurant and street stall. Window seats overlook the open kitchen, while a handful of simple outdoor tables spill onto the pavement later in the evening.
The Specialty
The specialty here is oden — ingredients slowly simmered in house-made broths. Their signature chicken soup starts with a dashi stock made from a dozen vegetables, kombu, and bonito flakes, before chicken bones are added and simmered for hours. The result is a rich yet clean-tasting milky broth.
It’s the kind of meal you crave when you’re feeling a little worse for wear. Soups that revive, are clean tasting, and easy.
Oden Bar
There are a myriad of ingredients you can get in either chicken or dashi broths, starting from ¥10 per item. Chicken, seafood, vegetables, meats, and tofu.
I highly recommend the chicken balls (¥18), which were nice and fluffy, the grilled chicken outside skirt (¥15), and the mozzarella fish rolls (¥18). That last one is delish — melted mozzarella in the center of bouncy fish rolls.
Don’t miss the Rice Cake Fudai (¥15) either, tofu pockets filled with chewy and gooey rice cake.
You can really customize your bowls, and there’s plenty to choose from, including foie gras (¥38) and snow crab leg (¥35).
If you’re really flexible, they also have a “blind box,” ¥68 for five items or ¥98 for eight items, which includes a daily selection of meats, veg, and others.
Ramen & Tsukemen
For carb loading, there’s tsukemen (¥58), available with two kinds of dipping sauces, spicy or non-spicy, both condensed and packed with flavor.
I preferred the spicy version, which was deep, savory and had a kick that lingered.
Noodles extend to ramen, a seasonal bowl of Chicken and Spring Bamboo (¥78) sitting in a broth that’s a punched up version of the chicken oden soup.
The marinated spring bamboo is fantastic, flavorful and crunchy. The noodles are also topped with chashu and slow-cooked chicken breast, the latter beating out the pork with its absolutely tender texture.
They also have a bunch of small bites like wagyu beef ribs (¥78) and stir-fried chicken gizzards (¥38), crunchy in texture and imbued with roasted dried chilies that pack quite a bit of heat. The perfect drinking snacks.
Flavored Highballs
Speaking of drinks, they do a bunch of flavored highballs starting from an incredible ¥30 a pint. What! These whisky-based highballs come in all kinds of flavors, including carbonated coconut water, toasted sesame, cacao nibs with orange bitters, perilla and peach, and even green tea.
I liked the Tomato High (¥42) and Ginger High (¥38). If flavored ones aren’t to your liking, the classic is ¥30.
It’s also open late, which totally works for the adjacent street, Jinxian Lu, home to plenty of bars. A good spot to pop in for a comforting meal or even waimai the next time you’re craving good soup. Open until midnight.
So here’s the move: grab a seat outside, order a few bites and a Tomato Highball, and people watch from the street.
The food is warm and satisfying and the drinks are cheap!
P/S: Venue is dog-friendly.
Nomfluence Readers Deals
- Highballs only ¥9.9! Limited one per person, for dine-in guests only.
