早稲田のガラパッチだけど語りたくなる居酒屋さん : Yakitori Ikkyuu

When you exit Exit 3b of Waseda Station on the Tozai Line and turn to the right towards Anahachimangu Shrine, you will see a red sign with "Ikkyu" written on it. I had always thought that Ikkyu Co., Ltd. was a chain of izakaya Izakaya (Japanese-style bar), but one day I read a review from someone I follow on Tabelog and it turns out that's not the case. When I looked into it, it seems that this is an Izakaya (Japanese-style bar) that has been deeply loved by Waseda students and alumni for a long time. So I was checking to see if I had a chance. On a cold night nearing the end of the year, this signboard caught my eye. I wanted to have a drink before getting on the Tozai Line, so I decided to head there. If there wasn't a sign, I'd never think to enter.As I entered the place, which was more like a gap between buildings than a narrow alley, I found an entrance with only half of the door visible at the back. It seems like Ikkyu is here. I suppressed my anxiety, wondering if the door would open properly, and when it opened sideways, I was relieved (lol) →What I ordered: ・Medium mug of Kirin Ichiban Shibori Barrel Draft Beer @380 ・Kirin Lager (large bottle) @430 ・Dashi-wrapped egg @ 400 ・Tori skin (3 bottles) @380 ・Kashira (3 bottles) @380 ・Garlic sake @380 ・Appetizer @350 Inside the store, which has a miscellaneous old Showa era scent, there are tables filled with mainly young people, probably Waseda students. It is full and everyone is talking passionately, feeling tipsy. When I told him I was alone, he guided me to the counter. It's a small restaurant with only a few tables that seat 4 people and a counter that seats 5 or 6 people. Later, I realized that there were stairs in the back, and there was also a second floor. Served from a medium mug. Well, it's my first time at this shop, but I'm easily getting used to the good old atmosphere. I asked for skewers of chicken skin, kashira, and egg rolls wrapped in dashi soup. Basically, there are 3 skewers. It's a bit of a problem for a single person, but since students are probably the main target, I think the number of tickets is set so that it's easy for groups to order. Cut the soup-wrapped egg into triangles. It seems fresh because I haven't seen it in a while. The taste is just right, not too hard, and the texture is just right. There are large bottles of lager lined up in the refrigerator in the back. Looking at this made me want to drink it, and I quickly ran out of the medium mug, so I switched to a large bottle. A large bottle @430 is a good deal. As I was pouring it into a glass and drinking it, the skewers were grilled. Chicken skin is served with sauce. I like this because it has a sweet and spicy taste that gives you a sense of history. The kashira is small and served with salt, but the taste is not bad. Drinking beer while alternating the sauce and salt makes me feel nothing but happiness. I thought I'd wrap things up quickly, but when I looked at the menu, I noticed that there was a category called ``homemade''. If you look here, in addition to shiso-hai and umeshu soda wari, you can see garlic sake, mamushi sake, and Woo-kerby. It's something that young people would find interesting and drink. The old man was also curious, so he decided to have some garlic sake. It has a slightly dull orange color. I'll try to give it a quick squeeze. It's a taste that's difficult to describe, but it's easier to drink than I expected. I feel like I'm getting some kind of power. This is good is not it? It's not something I'd drink many times, but if you come here, I'd like to have it as a finishing touch. I'm also curious about Mamushizake, and I'll definitely come back to try it again. It was strange to see Reiwa students drinking and talking passionately in this rustic restaurant, but it warmed my heart to see the same scene as the old men when they were young. Waseda is a great town where young people gather to learn about these kinds of Izakaya (Japanese-style bar) from their seniors.