side dish to encourage drinking (kaiseki)
In kaiseki cuisine, a strongly flavored side dish served to stimulate the appetite for alcohol. The term is specific to traditional multi-course dining.
See also: 懐石料理
In kaiseki cuisine, strongly flavored side dishes like salted fish guts or pickles are sometimes served as 強い肴.
強い肴 is a dish intended to encourage drinking.
Compound of 強い (strong, intense) and 肴 (side dish for alcohol). The term is specific to kaiseki cuisine, where a strongly flavored dish is served to stimulate the appetite for sake.