When it comes to dining out in Yokohama, few visitors venture beyond the bustling blocks of Chinatown or the bland, sanitized architecture of the Minato Mirai 21 ("Port Future") district on Tokyo Bay. But to really feel the pulse of the city, to get a taste of how the locals like to eat, you need to venture deeper.
Turn your back on the waterfront and instead direct your feet into the low-rise backstreets of Noge and the adjoining neighborhoods of Fukutomicho and Yoshidamachi. Certainly you'll find plenty that's gaudy and tawdry, and more than a few establishments devoted to the joys of the "water trade." But, in among them, there's some excellent eating to be found, especially at Ribatei.
Dating from the years immediately after World War II — the name is a play on the word "liberty" — this unprepossessing yakitori specialist is approaching 70 years old. The interior is as plain as the facade. But none of this deters the folks who make their way all the way from Tokyo for a spot at the restaurant's four small tables or at the modest counter by the open kitchen.