Speaking in Tongues at Shinobu

Posted on May 8, 2007 by Melinda Joe

Life in Japan affords no shortage of opportunities to feast, both abstractly and concretely, on the strange and unusual. For now, let’s limit our discussion to the concrete - visceral even - and meditate on the topic of internal organs. Coming from North America, where the mere whisper of “innards” is likely to set off a chorus of shrill eews and percussive yucks, I find it refreshing to walk into a restaurant full of people tucking into plates of pig guts with relish. With the exception of foie gras, my ethical Achilles’ heel, I’m not overly enthusiastic about liver, but I am quite the fan of certain other bits. Kidneys? Yes, please. Stomach? Why, I don’t mind if I do. Tripe? Oooh, child! Since moving to Japan, I’ve also discovered a fondness for gyu tan, or beef tongue, and when I get a hankering for it, I head straight for Shinobu.

Once you arrive at this gyu tan specialist in Yotsuya, be prepared to wait, even if you’ve made a reservation. Don’t fret, waiting doesn’t have to delay the merry making: you can order beers and start drinking outside while they find space for your party. The atmosphere is uncompromisingly raucous, neither the best place to profess your undying love nor plumb the depths of your existential crisis, but it’s awfully easy to get swept up in the rollicking good time that everyone around you appears to be having. The décor lies somewhere between farmhouse and tree house, with a large tree trunk serving as a communal table near the door and branches running along the ceiling in place of beams. Strange though this all may sound, Shinobu manages to avoid the Disney-esque surrealism that affects the interiors of so many Tokyo restaurants while retaining the all the fun.

Every time I go, I make sure to order my favorite dish, the yu-de tan (boiled tongue), served with a thimble-sized mound of wasabi. Don’t let the unappetizing name deceive you. The meat is deeply flavorful, and tender enough to melt even the flintiest of hearts. The chewy, intensely smoky yaki-tan (grilled tongue) with pickled Chinese cabbage provides the perfect foil to the buttery boiled tongue. Some salad and a satisfying dish of niku-tofu, thin slices of beef and onions simmered together with tofu in a sweet and savory broth, make for a perfect end to the meal.

Japanese ability is helpful, but I reckon you can probably get by with a few choice words. If all else fails, just point to the dishes on the next table and smile. At Shinobu, everyone understands the international language of good food.

Shinobu: Saneicho 16, 03-3355-6338