Grazing: First look at Miso Izakaya

I received a small but noisy flurry of emails last week from foodies who went to the opening of Miso Izakaya (619 Edgewood Ave., 678-701-0128), a Japanese gastro-pub that has seemed to be on the verge of opening for months.

But when it finally opened last week, first-timers were disappointed to find that the izakaya, which takes its name from “sakaya” for “sake shop,” didn’t yet have a license to serve alcohol and was only serving sushi. Before I visited later that week, I called the restaurant and asked if it was serving its full menu yet. I was told that it was.

When I got to the restaurant, I asked again at the front door. “Are you serving your full menu?” I was again told “yes” and so we were seated. I did indeed find that small plates, the main feature of an authentic izakaya, were being offered, along with two entrée-style dishes. But I did not find the promised grilled, skewered items – the yakitori – or any ramen dishes.