Masamichi is the kind of place you want to show off to friends from out of town - a modern izakaya with an excitingly wide drink menu and great food. Located just one minute east of JR Tamatsukuri station, Masamichi gathers the best of Japan's libations under one roof.

The interior of this modern, minimalist izakaya is immaculately clean - you might get the impression that any crumb that fell on the floor would be immediately swept up. There are two rows of neatly lined-up wooden tables, but if possible you should grab one of the seven seats at the counter, where you can admire the awesome selection of alcohol and chat with the owner, Mr. Hashimoto. He may be unassuming in demeanor, Hishimoto-san is more than ready to help you navigate the depths of the drinks menu, and perhaps introduce your taste buds to a new experience.

Although Masamichi serves food - quite good and reliatively inexpensive - the real focus here is on drink, and the selection is extensive. Seven beers are served on tap, of which six are Japanese microbrews that rotate on a regular basis. Then there are 20-30 craft sakes from all over Japan, over 100 kinds of shochu, and 8 kinds of umeshu (plum wine).

Don't worry if you are not familiar with these products, as Mr. Hashimoto will guide you through what he thinks you will like based on what you tell him. He recently introduced us to a potato-based genshu called Banreki that had the complexity of a good single malt scotch. We have never been disappointed with any of his recommendations on our three visits here. The limited food menu mainly focuses on hot appetizers - items like free-range chicken with a creamy basil sauce.

Masamichi was the site for the first and second Osaka Real Ale Festivals, which hopefully is a sign of things to come in the future. One of the best things about Masamichi is that because of its location in Tamatsukuri, the prices are lower than you would pay in central Osaka. Expect a bill of 3000-4000 yen/person with several drinks and a moderately sized meal.

by Tim Eustace