Nagoya’s style of miso paste is rich, salty, and extra-umami, so miso soup and miso katsu  (deep-fried pork cutlets served with earthy miso sauce) are must-tries. Chow down on hitsumbushi, a local delicacy of grilled eel, or try on-the-go tenmusu – chewy rice balls with a dollop of tasty shrimp tempura in the center. At one of the city’s cozy, wood-built izakayas, you could sample small plates of takoyaki – fried octopus balls under a blanket of unfurling bonito flakes – or test an old Nagoya trick: ask the chef for “today’s best”, and that’s what you’ll get! And don’t miss grilled cochin – a local breed of chicken so superb, locals will tell you to set aside your sake and drink the eggs raw with a pinch of salt!