UPDATE – Tsukiji Chūka Soba Inoue is currently closed due to a fire at Tsukiji Market. (Aug. 2017) Our favorite ramen at Tsukiji is Inoue. This tiny stall that has standing only tables for dining has been in business for fifty years. There is only one bowl that is made from (I believe) chicken…
Month: September 2016
Nagano Masumi Brewery
We love Nagano. It’s just north of Tokyo, easy to access by train, and here you’ll find delicious food and great sake. Suwa is a city that is accessible from Tokyo by train, about two hours from Tokyo on the express train, Azusa. Not the shinkansen, but it passes many stations along the way. Here…
Ginza Hageten Kushiage
Hageten is a popular tempura and kushiage restaurant in Ginza. While many are familiar with tempura, kushiage is another great dish that is deep-fried, but covered with panko (Japanese bread crumbs) instead of a flour and egg batter. Hageten’s “service lunch” starts at only 820 JPY for 6 skewers, salad, rice, miso soup, and pickles….
Talking About Drinking on Television
Today Japan welcomed a new sumo champion, Goeido. It’s most interesting as in this tournament had he not done well he was going to be demoted. Well, he rose to the challenge and went 15 days undefeated. Bravo! The television cameras were on Goeido just before the awards ceremony and the announcers filled in with…
Vegetarian in Tokyo?
It’s very tough being a true vegetarian in Tokyo. That is not my case, but it is for some of our clients and friends who come to travel, or live and work in Japan. Here are some suggestions for restaurants that are vegetable-friendly. They may not be strictly vegetarian, so be sure to inquire if…
Atami Mugitoro Doji 麦とろ童子
Atami is a seaside resort south of Tokyo. If you have access to a car, then put Mugitoro Douji on your radar. I believe you could also come by bus, but best to look into the details. Mugitoro is a dish made from rice cooked with barley (mugi) that is topped with grated yamaimo (mountain potato),…
Craft Beer – Yoyogi Watering Hole
Watering Hole near Yoyogi station is a great spot to try Japanese and imported craft beer. I felt like I was back in the US with the stickers on the wall and refrigerator. The menu is basic, fish and chips, mac n’ cheese, seasonal pickles, and rice crackers. Sadly, I believe the sweet potato chips…
Yakumo Saryo Asacha Breakfast
Yakumo Saryo is a tea lover’s paradise that is open for breakfast. It doesn’t serve coffee, so if you are like me, have an espresso before you come. The name of the meal is 朝茶 asacha, morning tea. The restaurant does not allow photos, so the best I could do was these two pictures of…
Kuoesu Breakfast
Kuoesu is the rare kaiseki restaurant that is open for breakfast. It is a long walk from Hiroo station, but worth the journey. The set morning meal starts at 900 JPY, so without the kaiseki prices. I was greeted by a female chef who guided me to the quiet counter. I was the first diner…
Risaku Onigiri Breakfast 利さく
My last monthly Japanese breakfast column for The Japan Times was on onigiri. The highlight of my research was this lovely gem, Sendagi Risaku. All of the other shops were part of a chain, but this was an independent shop that, for me, is worth having on your radar when you visit the Yanaka area….
Sweet Potato Chips
Fried as chips, sweet potatoes are a fun alternative to potato chips. The trick is to let the sliced sweet potatoes to dry a bit before deep-frying. The chips are very crispy and have a rich texture. Slightly sweet balanced with some salt call out for an ice cold beer. Wash and dry the sweet…
Bruno Menard and Don Melchor Wine Dinner at Imperial Hotel
The Imperial Hotel recently hosted a wine dinner with winemaker Enrique Tirado of Don Melchor from Concho y Toro. Don Melchor has partnered with Michelin 3-star chef Bruno Menard for a series of wine dinners in Asia. What a treat it would be to taste the wines paired with chef Bruno’s cuisine in different countries. Tokyoites were…
The Latest on the Tsukiji/Toyosu Move – Updated 2 December 2016
Our company, Food Sake Tokyo, offers guided food lectures to markets in Tokyo. We are at Tsukiji Market usually four days a week, five if Tsukiji is open that Wednesday. Our business is very much based around Tsukiji Market so we are carefully watching the news and staying up-to-date with our friends who work in the market….
Food Sake Tokyo 