The classic dining area at Sudachi
photo: Kevin Bond
San Francisco has seen an uptick in izakayas – Japanese taverns serving small plates and sake drinks – as diners hunger for options beyond sushi from the Land of the Rising Sun. The most recent entry is the Sunset District’s Sozai Restaurant and Sake Lounge. Sozai means "ingredients" in Japanese, and you’ll find plenty of interesting ingredient combinations on the menu – all lightly salted “to bring out the tastes of earth and ocean,” the menu says, and perhaps, we suspect, also to tempt patrons to order another drink (1500 Irving St.; 415-681-7150).
Looking for more izakayas? Check out these spots.