The starter you didn't order

In many izakaya a small dish arrives as soon as you sit down. It's automatic, it's charged as a cover (often a few hundred yen each), and it's rarely vegan.

• It can be fish, egg, meat, or vegetables simmered in dashi. Staff may not think to mention it.
• Ask when you sit down, before it arrives: some places can make it vegan.
• Skipping it isn't always possible: it doubles as a seat charge, and some places see refusing it as rude.

Say it