alala

Enjoy wine alongside a few small plates, then finish with dessert and coffee. alala in Ryōgoku is a standing bar where you can shape the meal to suit your appetite and take things at your own pace.

For a first bite, the appetizer assortment, served with focaccia, makes an easy starting point. The menu also includes ricotta cheese and egg baked in a cocotte, which is suggested with focaccia, and potato salad generously topped with mushrooms. One diner enjoyed the carrot râpée with white wine. It is also available on its own, making it an option when you are after a light bite with a drink.

If you want something more substantial, green curry and tomato curry both come with focaccia. Each is listed at ¥800, offering a more meal-like choice alongside the wine-friendly small plates. The wine list features several options, including white wines by the glass, and one visitor reported enjoying a bottle served in a decanter. The format works well whether you are ordering a little on your own or adding more dishes to share between two.

There is room for something sweet, too. A diner who tried the rich chocolate cake singled out its intense flavour. The menu also lists cake for ¥400, panna cotta, affogato and an assortment of desserts. Coffee is made with beans sourced from Chiang Mai, Thailand, and is described as having bright acidity and a satisfying body; the café latte is also recommended. Whether you are stopping for a single glass of wine or ending the evening with dessert and coffee, you can make the visit your own.