In Japanese, tanto means plenty, and that generous spirit runs through this izakaya on Manukau Road in Epsom. An izakaya is a casual Japanese dining bar, so instead of a fixed starter and main, guests order a spread of small dishes for the table and keep adding more as the evening unfolds. Sushi and sashimi are prepared by Chef Makoto, a traditional itamae with more than 30 years behind the counter, and his craft reaches beyond the menu: the restaurant also sells Japanese kitchen knives he has selected and sharpened. The team caters for homes, offices and parties too, and even prepares okuizome sets for a baby’s 100 day celebration.
Small plates are where most evenings here begin. Edamame, takoyaki octopus balls, salt and pepper squid with tartare sauce and crispy prawn twisters with miso mayonnaise make easy openers, while the bites section moves on to fresh tuna tartare, seared Ora King salmon and slices of Angus beef tataki with ponzu citrus sauce. Karaage chicken thigh is marinated and fried, gyoza come filled with pork and vegetables or with vegetables alone, and agedashi tofu arrives with vegetables in a soupy sauce. Salads include tofu with sesame cream sauce and kaisou, a seaweed salad, and vegetarian options are marked throughout the menu.
Bigger dishes cover the classics. Tempura comes as a mix of vegetables, prawns and fish, as seasonal vegetables alone or as prawns, and teriyaki is offered with chicken thigh, salmon or pan fried tofu, alongside panko crumbed chicken katsu. Sashimi showcases the day’s fish in entree or main portions, nigiri is on the menu, and a separate list of sushi rolls is available on request. Noodle lovers can choose udon soup or cold soba with assorted tempura, while rice bowls include katsudon and teriyaki eel. On its sushi nights the restaurant turns into a traditional sushi shop, serving more than 40 kinds of seafood such as bluefin tuna toro, snapper and scallops.
Drinks get the same care. Sake is poured by the carafe, from an Otokoyama kimoto junmai that can be served hot to Kubota Senju and a Nihonsakari shiboritate, and small bottles take in sparkling Mio, a cloudy nigori and a nama draft sake from Kyoto. Sapporo flows on tap beside Asahi and Kirin Ichiban, Hallertau beers add a local craft option, and umeshu plum wines, barley and kumara shochu and fruity chuhai offer lighter choices. New Zealand wines from Marlborough, Central Otago, Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne fill out the list, and a meal can close with genmai tea, matcha or siphon coffee beside desserts that have included baked apple and sesame pannacotta.
Address: 250 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland 1023
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