Great news for craft beer enthusiasts. Just in time for the summer heat, the good folks from Shizuoka's Baird Beer have opened their latest pub in the Takadanobaba neighborhood. It's their third Taproom in Tokyo, after Nakameguro and Harajuku, and sixth in Japan. It could well be the best of the lot so far.

Rather than cloning any of the previous outlets, it has a distinct identity of its own. The white walls and wooden beams give it the feeling of a traditional Japanese farmhouse. This is reflected in the food menu, which focuses on sashimi or carpaccio, hiyayakko (chilled tofu) or light pub staples, such as kara-age (deep-fried chicken) and curry rice. But the main focus of the food menu is on Osaka-style kushiage, bite-sized morsels of meat and vegetables that are skewered, breaded and deep-fried to order.

There are 20 taps in all, plus a real ale hand pump, dispensing almost the entire range of Baird's excellent brews. Best of all, this Taproom's second-floor premises have an outdoor terrace with three tables (all nonsmoking). There's no view to speak of, but being able to down a pint al fresco is more than welcome.

Robbie Swinnerton blogs at www.tokyofoodfile.com.

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