Senri

At Senri, a casual Japanese dining hall, menu slips cover an entire wall. Taking time to weigh up what to order is part of the appeal. Tables and counter seats sit near the entrance, while a spacious tatami-mat area stretches across the back. It’s a place where you can settle in for a proper meal, even when dining alone.

For a meal built around rice, the pork stamina set meal is a hearty choice. Pork is stir-fried with vegetables such as onion, carrot and garlic chives. Garlic brings an appetite-stirring aroma, and the generous serving of steamed white rice can disappear quickly. The set comes with small side dishes and miso soup, and coffee is brought out after the meal as a complimentary service—an extra touch that adds to its satisfying feel.

There’s more than meat on the menu: options range from sashimi set meals, including amberjack, grilled fish and fried dishes to ramen and tanmen served in sets with half a portion of fried rice. The selection crosses the usual boundaries between Japanese, Western and Chinese cooking. Come for lunch, sit down to a full dinner in the evening, or build a more informal meal around individual dishes with bottled beer or a highball. The menu lends itself to putting together a meal to suit your appetite that day.