Naotan

If choosing just one beef tongue dish feels difficult, Naotan’s three-variety platter offers a chance to compare. Diners have praised the different cooking styles and flavours, and the menu also offers a two-variety platter. Grilled options include the flavourful beef tongue, made with thinly sliced lean meat, and beef tongue marinated in Sendai miso, as well as thick-cut tongue and Sendai-style grilled beef tongue. You could start with a selection, then order more of the one you like best.

Beyond the grill, there is beef tongue stew braised in red wine and a limited-quantity Japanese-style boiled beef tongue. One diner’s review singled out the boiled tongue; it is worth considering if you would like to try the same cut prepared in a different way. For a more substantial meal, the beef tongue stew omelette rice comes with a baguette. A rice set and rice balls with a choice of pickled plum, salmon, or chirimen and bonito flakes offer other ways to round out your meal, beyond an evening focused on drinking and small plates.

The menu also features Sendai-style imoni, a taro and meat stew, and Ishinomaki fried oysters served with house-made tartar sauce. Seasonal sake and beer are available, too, making it easy to build an evening around beef tongue, drinks, and a few small plates. Naotan in Hatagaya is a bar and grill with dine-in service and table service. It is described as suitable for solo diners and is an option for enjoying beef tongue and drinks in the neighbourhood.