Senkoen Kabukicho

Looking for something delicious to numb the ol' palate in the Kabukicho area? Senkoen is your destination. The atmosphere is laid back to say the least; staff have been known to sit down in the customer area and eat dishes they've prepared for themselves. The reception is similarly warm and friendly, so you'll be well taken care of while you're there, and the spice level would have a native of Sichuan nodding in approval. The à la carte menu features a range of seafood and meat selections, along with several appetisers that ally themselves nicely with shaoxingjiu rice wine. Particular stand-outs are the crispy 'Chili Pig's Ears and Chicken Feet Marinade', and the 'Salt-Egg and Nagaimo (Chinese yam) Stir-fry', the latter of which is seasoned with shendan, a salt-pickled duck egg. The classic tantanmen is also worth a shot: the noodles here are flattened and come without broth, but contain enough pepper to remove any and all feeling from your mouth. You should be able to eat your fill for somewhere in the ¥3,000-4,000 range, and the fact that this haven is open until 3am also makes it a reliable standby.