Mandegan is cool and casual sake/wine bar in Shibuya. It is by the brilliant Kotaro Hayashi san of the eponymous izakaya Kotaro, which just celebrated its 13th-anniversary. Mandegan opens at 4 p.m. and is a great spot to stop by for a few small bites and glasses of sake or wine. The menu includes some…
Park Hyatt Tokyo
The Park Hyatt Tokyo Appreciation Night was an evening for friends of the hotel to gather before it closes for refurbishments. A fabulous and luxurious fete including champagne, caviar, Japanese whisky, sushi, wagyu beef, and so much more. As a sommelier at the New York Grill and Bar I was humbled to see some former…
Park Hyatt Tokyo
Bidding farewell to the iconic @parkhyatttokyo. All the more famous since Lost in Translation was filmed here. I am hoping the penthouse New York Grill and Bar won’t change too much. Remember there was a big brouhaha about the lobby of the Okura Hotel? In the end after the refurbishment the lobby hadn’t changed too…
Naruko Onsen Yumoto Kissho
Naruko Onsen’s rich history dates back over 1,000 years. The hot springs was first discovered in 837. It is one of the larger hot springs areas in Japan. There are many onsen ryokan inns with hot springs in Naruko Onsen, Miyagi. We stayed at Naruko Onsen Yumoto Kissho which is up a small hill from…
Naruko Onsen
Naruko Onsen in Yamagata is a quiet hot springs resort famous for kokeshi wooden dolls. The history can be dated back over 1,000 years and it’s said to be one of the largest onsen villages in Japan. But as with most onsen stays one checks into the ryokan inn and maybe spend some time in…
Tsuruokaya
Tsuruokaya miso ramen with horumon simmered offal and gyōza. Yamagata prefecture is one of the top consumers of ramen in Japan. We loved the ramen here. Rich in umami. Chewy noodles. 🍜 Oishii. Tsuruokaya #鶴岡家Yamagata-ken, Tsuruoka-shi, Koyodokawa, Yachida 5-1https://turuokaya.jp
Akaibunko
In Akita we discovered a spacious and hip kissaten, Cafe Akaibunko. It is located next door to the Akita Public Market, also called Citizen’s Market. After picking a table a server pushed a cart and parked it table side. She then queried if we would like water with or without fresh lemon. I love this thoughtful…
Sato Yosuke
One of my go-to tips for finding restaurants in a new city in Japan is to go to the local department stores. In Akita city Seibu department store has one of my favorite udon restaurants, Sato Yosuke. The 8th-generation restaurant serves Inaniwa udon that is stretched out by hand. The noodles are silky and easy…
Morioka Jajamen
Morioka #jajamen is noodle dish topped with a meaty miso, cucumbers 🥒, and grated ginger 🫚. On the table is a chili sauce for adding heat and vinegar to brighten it up. To finish we tried the chiitantan soup. A raw egg is cracked into the bowl with the last of the noodles. The server…
Bankamu
Pizza toast kissaten morning in Aomori at Bankamu Sato Kissaten. Opens at 7 a.m. on weekdays. Coffee ground and brewed after your order is taken. There is a selection of toast. Satō Kissaten Bankamu Aomori-ken, Aomori-shi, Chūō 1-26-1 Aomori is in the northern part of Japan.🇯🇵 I am a big fan of the Tohoku region….
Yoku Moku
My go-to omiyage gift for friends is Yoku Moku cigares packed in its signature tin boxes. Starting today through June 14th Yoku Moku has a limited edition matcha cigare with matcha chocolate inside. The sweets are sold in every department store and I believe at both Haneda and Narita airports (last time I checked). The…
New York Grill
The infamous Park Hyatt Tokyo will be closing temporarily starting May 7th, 2024. The hotel will undergo a full refurbishment. The hotel is 30 years old. I went for one last lunch at the timeless New York Grill and Bar. It is one of Tokyo’s top steakhouses. The lunch is a luxurious buffet for appetizers…
Aomori Joppari
Spring break in Tohoku. We started in Aomori. Dinner at this very cool izakaya called Joppari. One wall is lined with sake. Diners sit around a c-shaped counter. The menu has lots of photos and features local Tohoku dishes including harako meshi of salmon and ikura over rice, tsukemono pickles, kara agé fried chicken, scallops…
Negishi
Gyūtan grilled beef tongue is a local dish from #Sendai in the northern #Tohoku area. #Negishi is a chain here in #Tokyo. This one in the subterranean halls of #Kanda Station. Only ¥1,300 ($8.50). The rice is mugimeshi, rice cooked with barley. Tororo, grated mountain potato with raw egg, is a slippery topping for the…
Train Travel Tips
Train travel in Japan is a fun part of holidays. We enjoy eating and drinking while on the shinkansen. We did our routine of picking a bentō at #EkibenyaMatsuri. One of Tokyo’s famous coffee ☕️ shops, Sarutahiko Coffee, has a branch near one of the shinkansen entrances. It’s a popular shop and may have a…
Eggg Café
@eggg_kokubunji is famous for fluffy pancakes but we also love the omuraisu. This one with tender beef cheeks and a demi-glace sauce. The knife 🔪 is full so it’s hard to cut into the omelette on top of the ketchup rice. If you’re curious to try the pancakes this is a great spot. The café…
Natsuno
My favorite shop for #chopsticks in #Tokyo. @ginzanatsuno has a colorful selection of chopsticks🥢, chopstick rests, and some tableware in the heart of #Ginza. I have collected several pieces from here over the years and they all brighten up each meal. Ginza NatsunoChūō-ku, Ginza 6-7-4
Kunio
Shio ramen and a tsukemen with a wonton dipping sauce. Plus a side order of chashu gohan, rice topped simply with sliced chashu pork with a splash of a sweet soy sauce. We have tried to dine here but there is always a line. As it’s raining today my brilliant child said, we should go…
Fuji Lunch
Our local yōshoku restaurant, Fuji Lunch, has Western-style dishes like karaagé fried chicken, croquettes, hamba-gu (more like meatloaf than a hamburger), and fried cutlets. Behind the counter an elderly couple are choreographed in their movements depending on which orders they were filling. Auntie kept busy topping a large plate with julienned cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, and…
Salon Sabou
My favorite #karaage #friedchicken lunch in #Ginza. The boneless fried chicken is dressed with a light sweet soy sauce. Diners select three side dishes and white rice or a heartier hatsuga genmai rice (🌾 supplemental ¥220). The line is often long at noon but on Monday it was short. Staff said Mondays tend to have…
Food Sake Tokyo 