Affordable Japanese Fare at Hakkenden Izakaya
During Beijing's drawn out winters, what could be better than indulging in an evening at a snug Japanese izakaya, gobbling up delicious food and sipping on hot sake with friends. If you're not looking to head as far out as to try one of the many Japanese restaurants at First Avenue Food Court (一番街 Yī fān jiē) near Maizidian, we can recommend you stop by Sanlitun's Hakkenden for an equally authentic izakaya experience.
Located on the second floor of Sanlitun Soho, Hakkenden is a humble Japanese chain that originates from Japan's second largest city of Osaka, where it has more than 30 restaurants. The cozy venue is decorated with plenty of Japanese-style trinkets, such as koinobori (carp-shaped wind socks), posters, and pictures to transport you to its original city of birth.
Sukiyaki (Japanese hot pot, RMB 58)
We dove straight into a hearty sukiyaki (Japanese hot pot, RMB 58) to warm us up, and unlike a fancier version, found at, say, Ito Restaurant, the price tag will not burn a hole through your wallet. The pot contained several slices of beef, tofu, needle and shiitake mushrooms, and several other types of vegetables. It wasn’t the best sukiyaki we’ve gobbled up this winter, but it was probably one of the best value renditions we've tried.
Chicken meatballs with cheese (RMB 32)
They also offer several dozen types of teriyaki (RMB 6-8 per chuan'r), a selection that is hard to choose from, including over a dozen type of chicken options alone. The chicken meatballs with cheese (RMB 32) were outstanding; the thick-cut and delicious cheese fulfilling all of my cheesy needs. The fried dumplings (RMB 32) were also a winner and make for a great bar snack.
The avocado sushi we ordered was reasonably cheap (approximately RMB 30 for eight pieces), but are certainly not going to win any awards for flavor. However, at half the price of the rolls found at Shousijia on Chunxiu Lu and other nearby restaurants, we can't really complain.
If you work in the area and are looking for even better value, the lunch sets include noodles, grilled eel with rice, and roasted chicken with rice options (prices range between RMB 35 and RMB 52).
Plum wine (RMB 30 a glass)
Apart from these bites, Hakkenden might be the cheapest place around Sanlitun for Japanese drinks too: A pint of Asahi is RMB 16, a small bottle of Shochikubai sake is RMB 30 while a large bottle is RMB 50, and shōchū (a Japanese distilled beverage) and plum wine are priced around RMB 30-45 a glass.
Just like its chain restaurants back in Japan, Hakkenden is not anything remarkable, but instead aims to welcome you with its reliable Japanese izakaya staples and some good-value Japanese drinks after a long day of work.
Hakkenden
Daily 11.30am-2pm, 5-10.30pm. 2-212, Bldg 1, Sanlitun Soho, 9 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District (5785 3488)
八剑传:朝阳区工体北路8号三里屯SOHO 1号商场2层212
Photos: Tracy Wang