Bodai

Bodai is a creative izakaya a one-minute walk from JR Kii-Katsuura Station, in a town whose port handles more fresh, never-frozen tuna than almost anywhere else in Japan. The restaurant's signature dish is a fried cutlet cut from the medium-fatty part of the tuna, a preparation that plays against expectation by treating raw-grade tuna like a breaded cutlet rather than sashimi, and it has become the reason many visitors seek the restaurant out specifically. Alongside the cutlet, the menu features never-frozen maguro sashimi sourced directly from the Katsuura landing, and a grilled tuna collar prized for its rich, fatty meat close to the bone. The dining room has the relaxed, convivial character of a good neighborhood izakaya -- counter and table seating, moderate noise, and a menu built for sharing over drinks. Sake and shochu selections lean toward regional Wakayama producers rather than an international wine list. The restaurant closes on Wednesdays and keeps a split lunch-and-dinner schedule; dinner reservations are recommended, since its proximity to the station and reputation for the fried tuna cutlet draw a steady evening crowd.