Restaurant Details

One star, twenty thousand of them: shirasu. The delicate whitebait, tiny, pale immature fry of fish, rarely takes center stage in Tokyo’s gourmet scene. If at all.

But at the 33-square-meter restaurant in Roppongi, Tosa Shirasu Shokudo Nimanbiki, shirasu is put on the spotlight. The venue's whimsical name ("niman") comes from its bubbly owner, Iwamoto Risa, and her even more whimsical dream: to be buried in twenty million of these whitebaits.

It might sound over-the-top, but Iwamoto, known by her customers as Risa Lisa, is on a mission to prove that shirasu deserves a place alongside other gourmet offerings in Tokyo. A native of Kochi, she previously worked at a Tokyo bistro. Missing a taste of home, she was inspired to build her own store after trying once again the kama-age shirasu her distant relative made.

For her shirasu menu, Risa focuses on obanzai-style home cooking, developing original recipes that draw out the rich, oily umami of kama-age shirasu shipped directly from Aki, Kochi Prefecture, in peak condition. If Risa serves her customers the warmth of a close friend, then her courses are even closer to home-cooked meals.

One standout is the oil-marinated whitebait, gently cooked at low temperatures in olive oil, rice oil or white sesame oili. Summer features fried summer vegetables and whitebait tempura, while winter brings the calming whitebait oden. The fluffy dashi maki tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet), crowned with even more whitebait, is another must-try. Her main dish often features a rice bowl topped with the shirasu once again, drizzled with soy sauce or with a whitebait broth.

Near the dining table, open shelves stock her whitebait jars, doubling the eatery as her brick-and-mortar shop. Charming and familiar, the store has a firm grip on the concepts behind a neighborhood local.

※ This restaurant is only available for private booking for dinner and lunch.

Tosa Shirasu Shokudo Nimanbiki Remarks

• Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies should inform the restaurant beforehand. The restaurant might not be able to accommodate guests who make same-day requests.

• The restaurant reserves the right to refuse reservations to guests who have excessive dietary restrictions, particularly those of fish or vegetables.

• The course menu content listed below is an example, and is subject to change based on seasonal availability.

• The restaurant cannot always guarantee that it can provide guests with their preferred seating options after a reservation due to availability.

• The pictures provided are for illustrative purposes.

Tosa Shirasu Shokudo Nimanbiki Business Days

Tosa Shirasu Shokudo Nimanbiki Address

Shimizu Building No.2 1F, 7-10-30 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032

Tosa Shirasu Shokudo Nimanbiki Access Info

• Tosa Shirasu Shokudo Nimanbiki is a 4-minute walk from Roppongi Station.

Tosa Shirasu Shokudo Nimanbiki Phone Number

Tosa Shirasu Shokudo Nimanbiki Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 48 hours before the dining start time to receive a full refund.