Eating and Drinking
If you're going to be in Niigata for some time, get hold of the English-language booklet Out & About in Niigata City , available free from the tourist office or the International Exchange Foundation . Not surprisingly, the city is famous for its fresh fish and fragrant rice, which means excellent sushi. Glutinous rice is used to make sasa-dango , a sweet snack of bean paste and rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, while in wintertime noppe combines taro root, gingko nuts, salmon roe and vegetables in a colourful stew. There are numerous restaurants and bars in the streets near the station and around Furumachi. Aiueo , 4F, Bandai Cine Mall, 1-3-1 Bandai. Popular, rustic izakaya where English speakers are usually on hand to help out with the menu. Reasonable prices. Daily 4.30pm-midnight. Choen (also know as Harbin ), 1-6-2 Higashi-odori. Cheap and cheerful Chinese restaurant serving good-value lunch sets from Y700 and menus from Y2000. Open 11am-3pm & 5-11pm; closed third Mon of the month. Genki-zushi , Hanazono. This spick-and-span sushi bar has a picture menu and prices from Y105 per plate (two pieces). Look for the scowling-face logo. Daily 11.30am-9.30pm. Ginza Lion , NTT Plaza, 7-1017 Higashibori-dori. A branch of the famous Tokyo beer hall serving standard bar food, including sausages, fries and salads. Daily 11.30am-10pm. Hon-cho Lunch Centre , 5-248 Honcho-dori. In the midst of Hon-cho street market, this friendly little cafeteria offers a huge range of staple dishes, including sushi, curry-rice, ramen and soba dishes. Some English spoken. Mon-Fri 7.30am-8pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun & hols 11am-4pm. Inaka-ya , 1457 9-chome, Komachi-dori. Wappa-meshi (steamed rice with various toppings) is the order of the day at this unpretentious locals' restaurant. From Y600, or Y1100 for set meals. Daily 11.30am-2.30pm & 5-11.30pm. Kirin Bandaibashi Hall , 2-4-28 Bandai. Be prepared to queue at this big imaginatively designed beer hall overlooking the Bandai Bridge. Eclectic menu. Daily 5-10/11pm. La Barcarola , 7-920 Nishiborimae-dori. It's hard to resist the smell of pizzas cooking at this relaxed Italian in the Furumachi district. Excellent lunchtime deals (Mon-Sat 11.30am-1.30pm) with a choice of pasta, pizza or paella, salad and free coffee refills for Y720. Open daily except Wed 10am-9/10pm.
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