Shoya Izakaya offers a unique perspective on Japanese food, pub-style

Aside from the sea of sushi restaurants that have taken over the Atlanta Japanese food scene, there exists only two traditional “izakayas,” which are the Japanese equivalent to the tapas bar. These izakayas, which serve small plates of traditional Japanese fare, are a welcome addition to Atlanta. Shoya Izakaya, nestled in an unassuming shopping center right off Buford Highway, offers so many unique dishes and drinks it’ s hard to wrap your head around the expansive menu. That being said, this is one experience you don’t want to miss.

From the moment you walk through the unassuming front door, you are immediately transported to a traditional Japanese pub. The obligatory sushi bar is front and center and a large range of sake bottles are showcased to remind you that, yes, drinking is preferred. A very polite host takes you to your table, which is either situated above the main floor overlooking the sushi bar or around the corner from the kitchen in a larger dining room. Walking to your table, the place is lively; guests are busily washing down plate after plate of food with various beverages ranging from DIY orange shochu sours (where the orange is to be squeezed by hand) to ever flowing pitchers of Sapporo. Taking your seat, the host points out the mystifying big red button that is for you to press any time you want service, whether it be to order another plate of food or simply to ask if it is okay to pass out in the booth after your meal. From the moment the host walks away, the table is yours.

Sukiyaki Korokke

The menu, while vast and expansive, should not be confused with some other gargantuan menus you would find at a diner or chain restaurant. Each dish is prepared with care, representing the best of the Japanese food culture and their attention to detail. The pork gyoza, dumplings that are lightly fried and served with a soy dipping sauce, are slightly crisp on the outside and an airy medley of pork and vegetable on the inside. The dipping sauce adds perhaps too much saltiness to the whole affair, so it is not entirely needed to compliment this dish. The sukiyaki korokke, a Japanese-style croquette filled with stir-fried beef and potato, is crusted in panko bread crumbs and fried until golden brown. The texture is mesmerizing; the exterior is perfectly crunchy while the interior is a hot mash of potato and beef that is entirely complimented by the affectionate squeeze of lemon. The filling is not too flavorful, perhaps needed an extra influence of marinade, but the dish itself is filling and goes well with a glass of cold Sapporo.