01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Step through the noren curtains in search of oden lifted steaming from a copper pot, and your eyes will immediately wander to the walls lined with tempting drinking snacks. At ZO Oden House, the simmered broth dishes cover reliable staples like daikon radish, boiled egg, and hand-tied shirataki noodles, alongside playful options such as the "Kuroda"—a butter-rich croissant warmed through in dashi—and lightly stewed seasonal items. Guests write their selections down on the paper slips provided at each table and pass them across; before long, bowls filled with fragrant, hot dashi arrive.
Equally prized alongside the simmering pots is the red prawn sashimi, whose head is marinated in dark tamari soy sauce. After savoring the sweet raw flesh, diners can sip the rich tomalley or sample drops of the infused tamari between drinks, turning a single plate into an extended accompaniment for alcohol. Other small dishes highlight the kitchen's range, from the signature sesame fish (goma-uo) and soft onsen egg tofu to freshly fried tempura of maitake mushrooms or whiting.
Except for draft beer and warmed carafes, drinks lean heavily into self-service: guests pick their own small bottles of sake or mixers directly from the refrigerators and wall shelves. From selecting a favorite ochoko cup to pouring a chilled shari-kin frozen shochu sour, setting your own pace is central to the tavern's appeal. For a closing bite, consider an order of dashi-accented keema curry or a compact elephant-motif tenmusu rice ball.
