Izakya Rintaro

Have any of you ever been to Japan? Well we haven't, but we're happy to say we are planning a trip for later this year! It will be a relatively short trip, but we've been doing a ton of research to ensure that we make the most out of our time there. We utilized the usual suspect like Lonely Planet, Tripadvisor, and Yelp, but we recently discovered that YouTube contains a ton of travel vlogs for destinations like Japan. As a surprise to no one, our favorite videos have been the ones focusing on food. Unfortunately, watching all these videos has also left us very hungry...

One of the things we're looking forward to doing is visiting an izakaya (or two) in Japan. For those unfamiliar with an izakaya, it's essentially an informal Japanese gastropub that serves small dishes like sashimi, chicken wings, and yakitori (a type of skewered chicken). We've gone to a few izakayas in the past, but none of them have really left us wanting more. That is, until now. Let's talk about Izakaya Rintaro!

Izakaya Rintaro opened a few years ago in a quiet part of SOMA. The area isn't exactly dangerous, but it is unusually dark and quiet at night. Hidden behind a wooden gate, the front of the restaurant is a dimly lit courtyard with outdoor seating. Don't worry, they also provide heat lamps and blankets to fight against those cold San Francisco evenings. The inside is equally as intimate with exposed wood beams, private little booths, and counter seating to watch all the action in the open kitchen. Once you step inside, you're really going to feel like you stumbled onto something special!

Anyway, let's focus on the main attraction - the food! The food is prepared fresh daily using ingredients that are sources from specific farms or local farmer's market. For example, the chicken is from Riverdog Farm and the wasabi is grown in Half Moon Bay. This also means that the menu changes frequently and certain items can sell out more quickly. If you suffer from FOMO, we insit that you go frequently and order as much as possible.

Here are some of the items you would be lucky to try:

Tedorigawa Kinka Sake - Perhaps it was because we watched The Birth of Sake on Netflix and saw the hardworking and passionate employees of Tedorigawa, but we think anyone can appreciate the smooth, delicate flavor of this drink.

Yosedofu - House-made silken tofu with scallion and katsubushi toppings. Tofu probably isn't the most enticing dish for people, but the creamy texture and mild flavor of the tofu mixed perfectly with the various toppings.

Hanetsuki Gyoza - Interesting right? My guess is that the gyozas are cooked in a cast iron skillet to achieve that thin, crispy crust. That actual dumpling skin isn't too thick, but it's still strong enough to hold all the juicy pork inside.

Chicken Oyster Yakitori - MUST GET! I know this sounds like a science experiment gone wrong, but the chicken oysters are simply the two small pieces of meat that lie on either side of the chicken's backbone. It's also the most tender, juicy piece of the chicken that I have ever eaten!

Millefeuille Miso Katsu - This pork katsu with black miso sauce is definitely a decadent dish but you have to appreciate how Izakaya Rintaro achieved the perfect combination of sweet and savory in this dish. Plus, the cabbage offered on the side makes it slightly healthy (even if you choose to smoother in the miso sauce like we did).

Chizu Tori Katsu - Chicken and cheese katsu. If that wasn't enough to convince you to try this place out, then we have nothing more to talk about!

Izakaya Rintaro
82 14th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103