by Eve Hulbert

Don’t let the name fool you, TY Harbor Brewery isn’t all about beer. With over 50 different wines to choose from, not to mention the vast array of cocktails avail­able, the jewel of Tennoz Isle is bound to satisfy, and oh yeah, the beer is pretty special too.

TY Harbor is famous for it’s al-fresco dining, and the cold weather was no deterrent as we shielded our­selves from the elements behind glass screens, and un­der ceiling heaters and blankets as we enjoyed the crisp breeze while sampling our first drinks of the night.

Being a sucker for chocolate, I chose the newest member of the Tennoz family, the Marron Chocolate Ale, which is a fresh pale ale delicately flavored with organic chestnuts and Van Houten cocoa powder. The unlikely mix was of lovely chocolate and chestnut flavors complimenting a medium bodied beer with just the right amount of bitterness. My companion chose from the wine list, which has many options by the glass as well as the bottle, a Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (¥1,100/glass, ¥5,500/bottle).

After a couple of drinks outside, we moved back to the bar area where you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the gigantic aluminum beer tank which dominates the room. If you are lucky enough, you can sit at the bar and watch the beer being finished, and sample the brew.

From the bar menu we shared a Caesar salad (¥800), then sampled the jumbo shrimp cocktail (¥1,500) which was washed down nicely with a couple of the very easy-to-drink, European-style amber ale, which is one of the three ales permanently on tap. We also shared a deli­cious Puttanesca pizza with tomato olives, capers, an­chovies and garlic (¥1,600), which had us singing the chef’s praises and vowing never to order chain-store dial-a-pizza again. Although our hunger pangs were now at bay, we indulged in the cheese plate, and as everyone knows, no cheese plate would be complete without a fine red to go with it! We chose the Butterfly Ridge Shiraz (¥3,500/bottle) and settled in for a night of warmth, comfort and tranquility out on the Isle.

TY Harbor Brewery, located in Tennoz Isle, acces­sible by either the monorail (Tennoz Isle station) or a short walk from Shinagawa station. For more informa­tion please see: www.tyharborbrewing.co.jp