Bar Smoke Salt

It's a bit cramped but all the better for it. This six-seater counter bar in Higashi-Nakano is betting big on the large variety of snacks and nibbles on offer – a rarity at Tokyo bars these days. And the otsumami selection is not only diverse: all of these treats are also diligently hand-smoked by the resident maestro. The resulting taste is earthy, deep and thoroughly satisfying, with that characteristic smokey flavour penetrating throughout. The menu changes daily, but always includes luxurious items such as smoked ham topped with marinated and smoked oysters, smoked steak with smoked and soy sauce-pickled ikura, and smoked vanilla ice cream – all of which go particularly well with an Islay highball.