By the time we were on our fourth visit to Sasagin, we had already drunk our way through sparkling sake, cloudy sake and all manner of sweet and dry sake (¥650~). We followed our usual tactic and let Narita-san do the choosing for us. All that was left to do was pick from the wide array of seasonal Japanese cuisine, both traditional and offbeat, written in small kanji on two sides of a B5 sheet of paper. Much like the liquid offerings, we never quite know what we're going to get when we order food at Sasagin.

An order of fried asparagus with an almond coating (¥800) arrived as a stalk of asparagus wrapped in fish cake and rolled in pine nuts. A shrimp and mushroom salad (¥900) was closer to its description, but came with a generous helping of mayonnaise that managed to mask much of the flavor. But where Sasagin shines is in the simple things. The mixed sashimi platter (¥3,500) has never disappointed, with fish that is always fresh and tastes even better with a sip of sake. The roasted gingko nuts (¥600) are equally good as an appetizer, with just a sprinkling of salt to draw out the flavor. 

A great place to bring out-of-town guests, Sasagin also offers omakase course options to fit any budget, and can find a sake to suit any palate. The only difficulty we've found is knowing when to stop.