Yugafu Okinawan Izakaya in Meguro

Our counter seat at Yugafu.

Earthenware jugs of aged awamori.

Jimami dofu - tofu made from peanuts.
I also loved the illo on the chopstick enclosure saying "kanpai" - cheers.

Umi-budo - "sea grapes," pop-in-your-mouth delicious
sea vegetable served with a ponzu dipping sauce.

Goya champru - bittermelon stir-fry, and mimi-gaa in the background
- pig's ears in vinegary sweet miso sauce.

Parts of the pig used in various dishes.

Tulip - a commonly used Spam substitute in Okinawa.

Okinawa is known for its distinctive, rough-hewn pottery.

The best fake goya I've ever seen on display.

Niheidebiru means "thank you" in the Okinawan dialect -
sounds nothing like domo arigato.

Almost as soon as I arrived from the airport, Penny took me out for my first dinner. We went to a cozy and casual Okinawan restaurant in Meguro called Yugafu, which means "paradise." After traveling for half a day it really was like a delicious slice of paradise in this welcoming basement space. The place was lively with customers, friendly staff and Okinawan music.

We tried such standard dishes as goya champru and umi-budo (see pix), which was some of the best I've had - a generous portion of beautifully formed clusters. Everything was delicious, but one of the stand-out dishes was the freebie appetizer of jimami dofu - a tofu made from peanuts. This was outstanding - soft and creamy but with some density and a slightly gelatinous texture like mochi, and a mild, sweet flavor.

For drinks: we tried some shikwasaa sours (shikwasaa is an Okinawa citrus fruit used in many beverages and recipes), and of course I had to have some of my beloved Zampa awamori, crafted near my mom's hometown of Yomitan.

Yugafu is near the Meguro JR station, tel: 03.3444.6839. Highly recommended.