Once housed inside a huge tent, this restaurant has reopened in a more modern setting but one with a similar atmosphere - customers perch on carpet-covered platforms around tiny tables, and enjoy semi-authentic Mongolian-style dishes like karahi, a spicy stew that goes well with their yogurt sauce and garlic rice. There's also a choice of kebabs and other items brought out on skewers. [feedback]

Higashi-Nakano 2-25-6. Open 6pm-midnight (LO 10:45). Closed Mondays.

This rather serious liquor store carries lots of limited-edition premium sakes from around the country, including a big selection of premium one-cup sake. They also handle shochu and awamori. [feedback]

Kami-Takada 1-49-12. Open 10am-6:30pm. Closed Tuesdays.

A casual, inexpensive izakaya that also serves as an informal Ainu cultural center. (The name means "Wind House" in Ainu.) Ainu food is a lot like Hokkaido cooking (lots of salmon dishes, potato dumplings, etc.) but with more garlic and ginger. The soups are definitely worth a try. [feedback]

Arai 1-37-12. Open 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

(Pronounced "Zanc") A friendly neighborhood bar with a good assortment of Belgian beers, an electronic dartboard, and simple Japanese/Korean snacks. [feedback]

Arai 2-30-11. Open 5pm-5am daily.

This is the kind of vegetarian Chinese that specializes in crafty "imitation meat" dishes alongside the more recognizable tofu and vegetable items. The results are quite tasty and varied in flavor - it's amazing just what you can do with mushrooms, wheat gluten, nuts, lotus root and other vegetables. It's just a tiny counter with nine stools, a TV set on the wall, a friendly mama-san, and shockingly cheap prices. [feedback]

Nakano 5-52-15, Nakano Broadway 2F. Open 11:30am-3:30, 5-8pm. Closed Sundays.

Excellent grilled fish and meat cooked over an open hearth, robata-style. There's also sashimi and plenty of standard izakaya fare. The charmingly rustic two-story building is reminiscent of a country farmhouse. [feedback]

Nakano 5-59-3. Open 11:30am-1, 4-9:20pm (LO) daily.

It's worth coming here for the music alone - a fantastically eclectic mix from all over Asia and the rest of the world. The drinks menu includes coffee, tea, chai, Balinese rice wine, Thai soy milk, exotic cocktails and organic fruit juices. Food includes a nice selection of home-made desserts (all day long) and dishes like Tibetan dumplings (highly recommended) and tofu salad. The tiny chairs and tables don't encourage too much lingering, but this is an essential stop on a Nakano tour. [feedback]

Nakano 5-32-9. Open 7:30-11:30am, noon-10pm (LO). Closed Mondays.

Terrific Turkish, Tunisian, and Lebanese specialties, great music, and a very comfortable atmosphere. The wine list covers the Mediterranean from Spain to Algeria to Morocco, with some nice Spanish choices. The couscous and tajine dishes are especially good, as are the lamb kebabs and the mixed appetizer platters. [feedback]

Nakano 3-34-3. Open 6-10pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.

A large, lively izakaya that occasionally hosts performances of Okinawan musicians. There's a long counter and big tatami mat area - both usually packed. The staff wear Okinawan costumes, there's non-stop Okinawan music in the air, and the counter is decorated with cans of Spam, taco sauce, and other Okinawan delicacies. The food is wonderful and fairly cheap - highlights include their goya champuru, goat soup, and the papaya pickled in miso. The drinks menu includes original awamori cocktails and Okinawan microbrew beer. [feedback]

Koenji-Kita 3-2-13. (located along the shopping street on the north side of the station) Open 5pm-5am daily.

Make yourself comfortable at Koenji's Cafe Apartment, where you are given a pair of slippers at the door. The floor plan is that of a 1DK apartment, strikingly similar to the domiciles of many Tokyoites. Low tables and soft cushions line the walls; green plants inhabit the corners. Picture books and magazines await perusal, while crayons and white paper placemats are provided for more creative moments. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Koenji-Kita 3-2-15 2F. Open 3-11:30pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.

A trendy bar/restaurant run by Mugendo, a cute ethnic trinket shop. The food is Vietnamese, Indian, Thai and Okinawan; the music and decor are similarly eclectic. Small dishes start at around Y500. [feedback]

Koenji-Minami 4-22-5-B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 6pm-1am (Fri.,Sat. all night). Closed first Wednesday.

The entryway is plastered with sake labels (usually a good sign), and the sake selection is from all over Japan, with well-chosen seasonal brews that change every month. The yakitori is outstanding, served with a nice bowl of home-made chicken broth to start your meal. A 9-skewer yakitori assortment is Y2000. [feedback]

Koenji-Minami 4-6-1, Asahi Bldg. B1F. (walk 3 or 4 minutes south along the PAL shopping street from the station; it's just off that street on the left) Open 5-11:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

A neighborhood izakaya with a focus on regional premium sakes. There's a hand-written list of limited-edition sake that changes every month. [feedback]

Asagaya-Kita 2-15-4. Open 6-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

A small neighborhood joint (it would be hard to find if you didn't stumble across it) with about a dozen seats and authentic Thai food. They serve good curries and some unusual regional Thai dishes; they also offer Thai cooking classes. [feedback]

Asagaya-Kita 2-9-5. Open 11am-3, 5-10pm (LO). Closed Tuesdays.

Another branch of the "yakitori university", serving very good chicken at good prices. [feedback]

Kami-Ogi 1-10-9. (from the JR west exit go out the north side and turn left; it's a block past the bowling alley) Open 5-11:30pm (Sundays 10). Closed Mondays.

Post-shopping sushi at affordable prices; set meals range from Y1500-3800, and lunch starts at Y1000. [feedback]

Kami-Ogi 1-7-1, Lumine 5F. Open 11am-10pm daily.

Above-average budget Chinese in a spiffed-up dining room; the specialties are dim sum (including soup-filled shoronpo dumplings), Chinese desserts (featuring their home-made sweet tofu), and noodles, plus a dozen varieties of Chinese tea. Almost the entire menu is available for take-out. [feedback]

Kami-Ogi 1-7-1, Lumine 5F. Open 11am-10pm daily.

Fresh, not-too-expensive tempura in a pleasant department-store setting from this Shinjuku-based chain. [feedback]

Kami-Ogi 1-7-1, Lumine 5F. Open 11am-10pm daily.

Traditional French cuisine at friendly prices, although they have some upmarket wines if you're in the mood to splurge. [feedback]

Ogikubo 5-14-4. (down near the end of the Suzuran-dori shopping street) Open 11:30am-2 (LO), 6-10pm (LO). Closed Mondays.

They have a nice selection of California wines by the glass, along with a food menu. [feedback]

Ogikubo 5-16-23, B1F. (from the south-west exit walk west along the tracks a few blocks, then go down the Suzuran-dori shopping street - it's on the right) Open 11:30am-2, 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

European-style Japanese curries and beef stews are the specialty at this highly rated little shop. The beef tongue stew is Y4830, and the veal milk curry is Y1575. [feedback]

Ogikubo 5-20-7. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-9pm. Closed Tuesdays, 3rd Monday.

Various Japanese-style vegetarian and health-food-oriented dishes. There's a fairly large organic fruit and vegetable shop downstairs. No smoking. [feedback]

Ogikubo 5-27-5. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-9:30pm. Closed Sundays.

Standard izakaya fare, but prepared very well. [feedback]

Ogikubo 5-30-8. Open 11:30am-1:45, 5:30pm-midnight (LO) daily.

A comfortable smoke-free cafe that serves good Singapore-style chicken rice, although unfortunately they only serve it with fragrant jasmine rice on the 10th, 20th and 30th of each month; you get regular rice the rest of the time. Other dishes include very good Malaysian curries with excellent fried roti (bread), and other Malaysian/Singaporean specialties. There's a tiny art gallery located right next door. [feedback]

Nishi-Ogi-Kita 3-21-2. Open 11am-9:30pm. Closed Tuesdays.

A bohemian-style cafe with music and food from Southeast Asia and the rest of the world. The menu at lunchtime is mostly Vietnamese, but there's a wider selection in the evening, including pastas. [feedback]

Nishi-Ogi-Kita 3-31-5, 1F. Open 11:30am-2am (4am Fri,Sat) daily.