Always in the mood for Japanese food, I walked into Izakaya Issé on the rue de Richelieu, hoping for a quick, flavorful, inexpensive and light lunch. And that’s just what I got, in the name of domburi, the Japanese bowl of rice covered with a diverse assortment of fish, shellfish, meat or poultry. The salmon and avocado domburi (photo) was just what I had in mind: strips of bright-flavored salmon, chunks of avocado with a personality, delicious well-cooked rice topped with just a touch of soy. The sprinkling of crunchy nori strips was as welcome as the frosting on a cake. Equally worthy was the domburi topped with carefully grilled eel and fine strips of omelet. At lunch, the tiny 20-seat diner offers four different domburi, priced at just 12 to 15 euros, with a small selection of desserts. The dinner menu features an assortment of brochettes, salads, vegetables, and sashimi. Wash it all down with sips of sake, choosing from a selection of more than 50 offerings.
IZAKAYA ISSE, 45, rue de Richelieu, Paris 1. Tel: +33 1 42 96 26 60. Métro: Palais-Royale ; Pyramides. Closed Sunday and holidays.
12 to 15 euro lunch; Dinner a la carte, about 35 euros, not including beverages. www.isse-et-cie.fr