01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Open the menu at Syokudou Sakaba Hallelujah and you are greeted by an eclectic spread: seasonal fresh fish, vibrant Okinawan fare, and rich meat dishes centered on Shiga's renowned Omi beef. Tucked into Mibu Babacho in Kyoto's Nakagyo Ward, the izakaya is run by an owner with a background in the fishmonger trade, serving unpretentious cooking that puts the quality of the raw ingredients first.
A sensible place to start is the day's sashimi assortment or ganjang gejang-style marinated prawns (ganjang saewoo), appreciated for their plump, sweet flesh. Sourced seafood receives careful touches across the board, from sesame-dressed ikejime mackerel (goma saba) to Lake Biwa trout carpaccio. The meat selection is equally thoughtful. Plates like Omi beef heart yukhoe, thinly sliced rumen with ponzu (mino ponzu), and stir-fried beef offal fragrant with star anise make natural companions to a drink.
Reflecting the owner's time spent living in Okinawa, southern island specialties form another cornerstone of the kitchen. Thick, noodle-like mozuku seaweed appears lightly dressed in vinegar or fried into crisp tempura, while bitter melon and Spam make their way into crisp kakiage fritters. To round off the meal, diners can turn to comforting bowls of Okinawan soba topped with tender braised soki pork ribs, or veer in an unconventional direction with negitoro peperoncino pasta.
The drink list ranges from bottled Sapporo Red Star beer and tart shochu sours to regional sake, craft gins, and aromatic sweet potato shochu bearing subtle lychee or muscat notes. House specialties include coffee-steeped awamori and a bright red shiso sour. Served partly on warm Okinawan yachimun pottery, the space accommodates solo diners at the counter as easily as small groups sharing several dishes. A house-made crème brûlée with a crisp burnt-caramel crust offers a sweet final note.
