Kaisen Uoriki @uoriki1930 is a seafood izakaya 🏮 at @tobu_ikebukuro department store. Seasonal seafood dishes including isaki sashimi, hamo eel, and sushi. Popular side dishes for pairing with #sake and #shochu like Satsuma age fish cakes, dashimaki tamago, and menchi katsu made from tuna. We booked a koshitsu private room so it would be easier…
Category: bargain eats
Jangara Vegan Ramen
I have tried a few vegetarian ramen but have found the bowls lacking any depth. I was delighted by the vegan ramen at Kyushu Jangara. The soup stock is rich in umami and seasoned with soy sauce. Cool vegetable toppings of cabbage, sauteed Napa cabbage, wood ear mushrooms, green onions, nori and soy meat. Jangara’s…
Suba VS
Slurping buckwheat noodles while standing is called tachigui soba. Suba Soba from Kyoto has opened its first branch in Tokyo, called Suba VS, serving up the same signature hot bowls of noodles. About a dozen of menu options ranging from a simple enoki mushroom tempura fried into a thin fan bringing out its meaty notes…
Uokyu
I love the shitamachi area, old part of Tokyo, in particular Nihonbashi and Ningyocho. There are many historic shops – including many food shops that go back many generations. Uokyu in Ningyocho specializes in kasuzuke – fish filets marinated in sake lees and then charcoal grilled. There was already a queue before the store opened…
Nishi-Ogikubo Manoma
Delighted to discover Manoma in Nishi-Ogikubo for a recent working lunch. The simple menu consists of a variety of curry with rice, drinks, and a few sweets. My favorite was the vegan dal curry, but all were oishii delicious. The caramel pudding was rich in texture. Notably the brightly lit cafe has comfortable seating, both…
Kyoto Ki
Ki 汽 in Kyoto serves Lebanese cuisine in a charming space on Kiyamichi Dōri street near the Kamogawa River. Natural sunlight fills part of the space. The communal table is topped with dried nuts, squash, and a delicate green that divides the table. Outside of the restaurant smoke from the grilled meats fill the air….
Kyoto Kintame
Long ago I lived in Monzennakacho in Tokyo. A short walk from my home was the most charming tsukemono pickle shop from Kyoto called Kintame 近為. Kintame sits just in front of Fukagawa Fudodo temple. I often went to Kintame for the bubucha-zuke lunch. More than a dozen pickles is served with a grilled fish,…
Tsukishima Monjayaki
One of my favorite local neighborhoods in Tokyo for local eats is Tsukishima. There is one street lined with restaurants, many of them serving monjayaki, the Tokyo version of the more famous Osaka okonomiyaki. Diners sit at a teppan iron plate/table where food is cooked and you eat directly from the grill using chopsticks or…
Tsurutontan
Tsurutontan in Ginza is an udon specialty restaurant on the 10th floor of the Tokyu Plaza Ginza mall. The udon is served in enormous bowls that are dramatic, especially if you pick up the bowl to drink the broth. It’s a lovely restaurant for both solo diners and groups. Check out the cool table I…
Yamaharu
Yamaharu is one of the famous companies specializing in seasonal seafood at Toyosu Market. The company opened its first sushi shop at Toranomon Hills. The sushiya is a tachigui, stand and eat, style. I love these casual type of restaurants or drinking spots. Easy spots for solo diners or for small groups of friends. There…
Yamagataya Noriten
Yamagataya Noriten’s lunch set serves nori seven ways. A fabulous way to experience the many expressions of the sea vegetable including in soup, a salad dressing, and wrapped around #onigiri.🍙 The rice balls are made and served with two different crispy nori. Fascinating to see the differences. The first from Ariake Sea in Kyūshū has…
Mugi to Tamago
Love these wafu pasta cafes. Quick meals. All the spaghetti dishes are tempting. Mugi to Tomato noodles are made with Hokkaido flour and the noodles are fresh, not dried. This salad and pasta is a bargain ¥1480 ($10). At Tokyo Station in the Yaesu Kita Shokudo area before entering the station gates. Near Daimaru department…
Kitakata Shokudo
Kitakata Shokudo in Kanda Jimbocho serves up Fukushima style ramen. The noodles are on the thicker side and are hand massaged to be a bit wavy. The flour for the noodles is Hokkaido Yume Chikara which is high gluten. The soy sauce ramen is made with niboshi dried sardines. We got two bowls, the niku…
Marunouchi Moheji
Finally managed to get a seat at Moheji monjayaki shop near Tokyo Station at the Shin Marunouchi Building, called Shinmaru Biru for short. Big fan of their shops at Tsukishima, the ground zero area of monjayaki. Monjayaki is a local dish to Tokyo cooked on an iron plate and eaten with a small metal spatula….
Ebisu Shodai
The white curry udon is topped with potatoes and cream whipped up to a fluffy cloud. Underneath the creamy topping is a spicy (for Japanese) curry. Shodai is also a lovely spot for sipping #sake so there is a nice list of sake-friendly small bites including dashimaki tamago omelet and soba gaki buckwheat dumpling. I…
Maruichi Bagel
Big fan of @maruichi_bagel. Miho Inagi moved her #bagel shop from Shirogane to the Shinbashi and Toranomon area four months ago. Maruichi is about ten minutes from Shinbashi Station and it’s been too hot 🥵 and humid for me to make the trek. Maruichi opens at 7 a.m. with sandwiches starting at 8 a.m. It…
Tsukishima Monjayaki
Most people are familiar with okonomiyaki, the savory cabbage pancake from Osaka. Tokyo’s version is called monjayaki, which is similar that it is also cooked on an iron plate. Monjayaki has much more liquid and I prefer this one as it can be cooked into thin and crispy bits. The Tsukishima neighborhood is ground central…
Shabusen
Cool spot in the heart of Ginza for shabu-shabu or sukiyaki. My heart skipped a beat when I first saw Shabusen. Such a cool concept. Diners seated at a counter. Staff behind the counter bringing refills of rice and green onions or topping up my tea cup. Lunch starts at 2,200 yen ($15) for the…
Tamai
Chirashizushi, scattered sushi, at Tamai in Nihonbashi. This is an old school version that is on the sweet side. Sweet black beans, candied chestnut 🌰, and sweet kampyo gourd. Mine, the tokujo, had tobiko flying fish roe. My friend ordered the tokutoku with ikura. Reminder to self to order more chirashizushi. The main store is…
Muromachi Toriya
Muromachi Toriya yakitori set lunch. This tiny shop in Nihonbashi has a handful of counter seats and a few table. Right squeeze at the counter. My neighbor kept elbowing me when she picked up her chopsticks. 🥢🤣 Excellent value for ¥1,200 ($8.50). Tsukune meatballs, quail eggs, liver, and more. Popular dishes include #donburi of yakitori…
Izakaya 🏮 Mimasuya
Mimasuya izakaya in Kanda opened in 1905. The fourth-generation shop is one of Tokyo’s oldest izakaya pubs. Long on my radar and have only finally just made it there. On a quiet backstreet in Kanda. Popular shop. We went at 6 p.m. and got some of the last seats. The menu is filled with sake-friendly…
Ginza Torigin
Ginza, in the heart of Tokyo, is filled with fabulous restaurants. There are also narrow paths squeezed in between buildings that pedestrians can use as shortcuts to other streets. There are also restaurants hidden away in these pockets. Torigin specializes in kama meshi, rice cooked with ingredients, and yakitori. I have tried going to Torigin…
Toyosu Nakaei Curry
One of the meals I miss from the old Tsukiji Market is Indo Curry Nakaei. Was lucky to do some work at Toyosu Market this week. There is an area with several restaurants, many serving sushi and seafood dishes. I was excited to have the double curry – Indian and beef curry along with a…
Pizzeria il Tamburello
Fabulous truffle and Gorgonzola #pizza at Puzzeria il Tamburello in the Nihonbashi area. Served with toasted hazelnuts, pine nuts, and honey. Three croquettes to start the meal. Aonori, potato, and pasta croquettes. All fabulous. Italian music in the background.☺️ Il Tamburello is celebrating its 14th anniversary! Delighted to finally make it. Popular shop with only…
Nagoya Tori Gotetsu
Miso katsu is a local dish to Nagoya. Fried cutlets topped with a sweet miso dressing. The local style of miso in Nagoya is called Hatchō and is a dark and intense miso. The katsu here is made with Nagoya Kochin chicken. But there are many restaurants also serving miso katsu with pork. The other…
Wako
Wako is our neighborhood #tonkatsu shop. Lunch for three for only ¥4,000 ($28). Check out the lunch specials on the board. Many at only ¥1,000 ($7). Wako also provides complimentary refills of cabbage, rice, and miso soup. Many tonkatsu shops offer this so don’t be shy. Ask. Just be sure to try and not leave…
Une Labo
Three curry plate at @une_labo. Une is the name of the small mound of dirt at farms where seeds are grown. The turmeric rice on the dish symbolizes the une at farms. The vegetables on top are all local vegetables fried, pickled, sauteed, and simmered. Charming cafe near Kokubunji Station for curry using #Kokuvege, local Kokubunji…
Kaneko Hannosuke
Fun lunch with udon and tempura at Kaneko Hannosuke, a popular tempura shop with several branches in Tokyo. My kid picked this lunch spot because he was excited for the condiments on the table: onsen super soft boiled egg wakamé tenkasu tempura bits tororo kombu shaved kelp mountain vegetables gobo burdock root and ginger pickles…
Katsukuchi Tonkatsu
One of my favorite #tonkatsu restaurants in #Tokyo is @katsukichi_official. My first time to visit the #Marunouchi branch in the Shin Marunouchi building on the 5th floor. The Hiyashi Katsu Don is a large bowl of rice topped with a warm fried pork cutlet topped with a slippery grated mountain vegetables, okra, myōga, cucumbers, shiso,…
Reading Labels – Ramen
Tips on reading Japanese recipes on packages. Here are four different packages of #ramen. The pack comes with straight dried noodles, a dried soup package, and a small seasoned oil packet. Two key points:Look for 分 (fun) how many minutes to boil the noodles. Look for ml for how many milliliters of water to boil…
Tsurutontan
Carbonara udon at Tsurutontan at Haneda Airport, Terminal Three. Creamy soup topped with eggplant, fried lotus root, snap peas, scrambled eggs, egg yolk, chunks of bacon, and a generous shower of Parmesan cheese. Tsurutontan has branches in Tokyo including #Ginza. Diners can select from thick or thin (hosoi) handmade udon noodles. This massive bowl is…
Honmura An
Honmura An is a charming soba shop with handmade buckwheat noodles and a tempting menu of side dishes. It’s all good. Today was a fabulous avocado salad (900 yen) thinly sliced onions, smoky katsuobushi flakes, and a shiso and tart ume dressing. Nukazuke rice bran pickles (850 yen) that are pleasantly sour and crunchy. Soba…
Umezono Kakigōri
Kakigōri shaved ice is one way to make Tokyo summers bearable. Matcha and azuki is a classic combination. Some sweetened condensed milk to make it richer. Umezono is a famous traditional sweets shop in Asakusa. This branch is in the Nihonbashi Takashimaya department store, on the 7th floor, in the kimono department. I was surprised…
Ueno Yabu Soba
Natto soba and tamagoyaki at Yabu Soba. The 130-year old shop makes the buckwheat noodles from scratch in the first floor atelier. The soba had a rich texture. Loved it with grated mountain potato, natto, nori, shiso, and green onions. The tamagoyaki is made with cream. 🥰 Yabu Soba is near the boisterous Ameya Yokochō…
Milk Stand
Milk stand inside #Akihabara Station. Dozens of #milk options from producers throughout #Japan. Even flavored milks like coffee, strawberry, and vanilla. Some days my commute into the city goes through this station and it’s a fun ritual to take a break. Feeling the rush of passing commuters and the breeze from trains on the nearby…
Hajime Hanare
Hajime tonkatsu in #Nihonbashi. This is the hanare second shop. Excellent value for ¥1580 ($10). I added the ¥200 menchi katsu made with chopped bits of pork, which I recommend. There are three types of pork to choose from. Also a selection of donburi rice bowls.The kanji for Hajime is 一, which can also be…
Ballon d’Essai
Fluffy shaved ice over vanilla ice cream and coffee jelly. The soft shards are dressed with sweetened condensed milk and topped with an intense espresso. At Shimokitazawa Ballon d’Essai Latte Art. Only ¥850 ($5.50). Coffee jelly is my go to order at a new cafe. It was hot today and the kakigōri caught my eye….
Shichiroca
Onigiri Shichiroca is a quiet sliver of a shop for onigiri. 🍙 Open for #japanesebreakfast from 7:30 a.m. 🥰 Only two seats if you’re interested in the morning set. Today the daily rice ball was tori soboro ground chicken in a sweet soy sauce. I added a simmered anago sea eel for the second #omusubi….
Shikajika
Onigiri breakfast at Shikajika inside of Tachikawa Station. The rice is cooked in a donabe pot. The restaurant specializes in set meals based around rice including karaage fried chicken, grilled salmon, or simmered pork belly. There is an intriguing wagyū hitsuma bushi of thin slices of marbled wagyū beef over a bed of hot rice….
Yomoda Soba
Yomoda Soba is a casual stand-and-slurp soba shop with branches in Tokyo. A bowl of noodles topped with tempura is only about 620 yen ($4). There are a variety of tempura toppings including shrimp, squid, or julienned onions. What Yomoda Soba is also famous for is the Indian curry. A spicy curry with a small…
Minmin Gyoza
Utsunomiya in Tochigi prefecture, just north of Tokyo, is famous for #gyoza #potstickers 🥟 . It is an easy day trip from Tokyo. We were visiting #Tohoku in the north of Japan for spring break and included a long stay in Utsunomiya so that we could have gyoza for dinner. Minmin is a popular shop…
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…
Ginza Hangetsu
Ginza Hangetsu double curry 🍛 of coffee pork and ginger chicken with turmeric rice. Perfumed with fresh spices. Sliver of a shop on a quiet Ginza backstreet. Friendly staff and an English menu. Excellent value at ¥1,200 ($8). Ginza HangetsuChūō-ku, Ginza 6-4-15
Chichibu Udon
We love day trips to Chichibu, Saitama. For the fresh air, walking through the historic part of town, and ending our day at the onsen hot springs at the station building. One of the main attractions is one of Japan’s oldest shrines, Chichibu Jinja, which is over 2,100 years old. Across the street from the…
Kissa Streamer
Kissa Streamer is on a quiet back street of Nihonbashi. The kissaten coffee shop dates back 50 years. It has been brought back to life by the famous Streamer coffee company. I love the vibe here. The interior is a traditional kissaten. Low-backed wooden chairs, tables closer to the floor, and warm lighting. But the…
Mitsuyado Tsukemen
Mitsuyado tsukemen ramen are thick noodles served cold with a warm dipping tonkotsu pork bone, seafood, and vegetable sauce in a separate bowl. The noodles are dipped into the thick sauce. There is a dashi broth in a thermos for thinning out the dipping sauce towards the end of the meal. The noodles are made…
Kanazawa Kissaten
Kissaten are old school coffee shops. The morning service sets are often sandwiches or toast with coffee. I picked it because it was open early in the morning. New Katorea is not far from Ohmicho Market in Kanazawa. The newspaper had news on the local sumo wrestler Enho and local specialties crab and kanburi winter…
Kamakura Pasta
Wafu Italian, Italian cuisine made with Japanese ingredients, is trending in the US and has long been popular in Japan. We often make spaghetti at home using Japanese seafood or vegetables. It’s the perfect fusion cuisine. While we are on the road and eating mostly Japanese food we often will take a break from rice…
Kanazawa Chikuwa
There are many local foods we try to enjoy while in Kanazawa. One of the dishes is oden, a hotpot of mostly fishcakes, but also daikon, eggs, fu wheat gluten, and more. Chikuwa is a casual stand inside of Kanazawa Station that diners can enjoy craft beer and oden. We grabbed just a few items…
Hamanoya Parlour
The tamago sando at kissaten Hamanoya Parlour is a savory warm omelet with a schmear of mayonnaise and karashi mustard on white bread. The fruits sando includes peaches and pineapple with whipped cream, a luxurious start to the day. Tunes hum from a record player near the kitchen is a nod back to the 60s…
Food Sake Tokyo 