Bakushuan Nihonbashi is keen to make sure you know what to expect. "We're a craft beer and sake place," they tell you when you call to reserve. It's not so much a warning as an invitation: Come prepared to explore both beverages in considerable depth.

In fact, the beer part is already clear from the name, bakushu being an older Japanese term for the brew. Nor is the sake component unexpected, at least for anyone who has visited Bakushuan's sister branches in Otsuka and Ebisu.

But what should really be mentioned when you phone is that, besides the 11 taps of craft beer (plus one of generic Sapporo) and the considerable cellar of artisan nihonshu — 80-plus types, many of them limited edition or otherwise rarely available in the city — this branch of Bakushuan has a very reliable kitchen. And, while the menu is not extensive, the quality is a considerable cut above the standard of an average izakaya tavern.