01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Stepping into the side streets off Shibuya’s bustling Dogenzaka leads to Mansai, a cozy izakaya built around thoughtful snacks and deeply flavorful, dashi-simmered cooking. Inventive interpretations of oden immediately catch the eye. Offerings range from oyster and sea lettuce oden, where briny sweetness meets rich broth, to delicate prawn and scallop wrapped in yuba, and a mizutaki-style oden combining local chicken and fresh lettuce in a hearty soup.
Among the best accompaniments for a drink are atemaki, bite-sized sushi rolls crafted specifically to pair with alcohol. The vinegared mackerel and sweet-pickled ginger roll provides a refreshing, clean acidity that naturally encourages another sip of sake or shochu. Diners after something richer can opt for the luscious minced fatty tuna and avocado atemaki.
Starting with the 4-dish obanzai assortment allows guests to sample a variety of traditional Kyoto-style small plates at a relaxed pace. The selection features items such as fried eggplant steeped in savory broth, fluffy rolled dashi omelet studded with spicy pollock roe, and sweet-and-sour marinated Kamui pork. The menu also offers crispy sweetcorn tempura, alongside platters of fresh seasonal raw fish like Pacific bluefin tuna.
To finish the meal, options include chilled sudachi citrus udon, delivering a bright and cooling palate cleanser, as well as comforting onigiri filled with combinations like salmon and spicy pollock roe or soy-marinated egg yolk. With counter seating welcoming solo diners and a more relaxed 2nd-floor space for groups, the tavern easily accommodates everything from a quick after-work drink to an unhurried evening of conversation.
