The theme of the decor at Toranosuke is high-tech Japanese rustic - there's a video of a gushing mountain stream projected onto a metal-grill wall, for example, and a plexiglass bridge over a bed of white pebbles. The large interior space is divided into many small dining areas - some set up for privacy, with wooden blinds and bamboo trees, and others arranged to take best advantage of the view (overlooking the skyscrapers of Nishi-Shinjuku from a 29th-floor level).

In the daytime Toranosuke aims for the upper end of the market, with elaborate multi-course lunches priced at Y1500-3000, and these are actually pretty good value if you're hungry. A recent lunch included marinated roast beef salad; assorted sashimi; a tiny slice of cheesecake topped with caviar and slivered radish; fried oysters; tangy daikon salad; a creamy seafood stew with bits of pasta and water chestnuts; two or three other items, dessert and coffee - all for Y1500. Plus a great view of Tokyo City Hall thrown in for free.

At dinnertime the food is more ordinary (at least if you're ordering a la carte) - mostly average-quality permutations of izakaya standards. The menu has a few odd categories like "Primitive Power" (Madras curry, beef tongue, Korean BBQ) and "New-style Sashimi", and there are many choices of prix-fixe "omakase" meals if you want to leave things in the hands of the chef. These full-course meals are priced Y3000-8000, and they're the preferred option if you reserve in advance.

Drinks include cocktails, beers, shochu, and nine types of sake starting at Y750 per glass. These are mostly solid, well-known brands like Hakkaisan and Dewazakura, with few surprises. The crowd is mainly after-work businessmen and small social groups, with a few couples on dates staking out the very cozy two-person window booths.