Excited to have been tapped by Travel + Leisure Asia to pen a piece on eating in Japan. Great working with my editor, Veronica Inveen, to share with readers insider tips, having worked at both the Park Hyatt Tokyo and Takashimaya, and as the author of Food Sake Tokyo on dining out in Nippon. I hope you can…
Category: Kagurazaka
Akomeya
Akomeya is a fabulous shop to stock up on pantry staples, rice, condiments, and tableware. There are a few branches at Nihonbashi Takashimaya, Shibuya, and Shinjuku. The main shop in Kagurazaka is organized over two floors and includes a restaurant. The beautiful space was designed by architect Kengo Kuma. Bookmark @akomeya_tokyo if you love cooking…
abats Charcuterie
Mind blown by the impressive line up of charcuterie at Kagurazaka abats charcuterie. Worth the journey across town. Pate de Campagne, duck and almond saucisson, truffle liver mousse, and pork rillettes. I will recreate a French bistro at home with Bricolage dinkel bread of spelt, pumpkin and sesame seeds. Bon appetit! abats Shinjuku-ku, Yamabukicho 332 …
Tempura-ya That Should Be on Your Radar
On the back streets of Kagurazaka in the basement of a modern building is Tempura Arai. The entrance to the restaurant is a small door that one must bend over to enter. Tempura Arai is the sister shop to the famous Tenko that opened recently and should be put on your Go List. The contrast…
What to Eat in Tokyo Now
Tokyo summers are hot, humid, and in my opinion, horrible. I don’t know about you, but my appetite wanes and some days it can be hard to get motivated to eat. Here are some things that I look forward to eating this time of year. In this list I am including some dishes or…
Kagurazaka Kuzuryu Soba 神楽坂 九頭龍蕎麦
Just minutes from Iidabashi stations (both JR and the Metro) is a lovely spot for handmade soba, Kuzuryu Soba. The lunch set includes both soba and a donburi, rice bowl. The donburi options include curry rice, oyakodon (chicken and soft-scrambled eggs), and their recommendation – sōsu katsu, thin-slices of pork deep-fried and then covered with just the right amount of…
Focacceria Altamura
A gift from my cousin, some focaccia from a shop in her neighborhood. These are as focaccia should be, light, airy, with a crispy crust and moist crumb. Very simple flavors of rosemary, zucchini, and tomatoes. Tokyo is filled with great bakeries, and this is a good one to know about if you find yourself…
Martiniburger in Kagurazaka
Once while private cheffing for a Japanese executive, my client asked me to make him a “hamba-gu”. I heard “hamba-ga-” an American-style hamburger. I went to Whole Foods and picked up some ground beef and buns. Later that evening when I presented the hamburger he laughed, in a good way. He said (in Japanese), “Yukari-san,…
Food Gifts – Omiyage from Tokyo 東京のお土産
Omiyage most often describes gifts that you pick up while traveling that you bring back to your family, friends, and colleagues. For example, on a trip to Kyoto I may select some local jizake or wagashi for friends. For my colleagues at work I may pick up a box of yatsuhashi, a popular confectionary that Kyoto is known for….
What and Where to Eat in Tokyo
Updated May, 2016 I often am asked for restaurant suggestions in Tokyo. Wow. Where does one begin? The food is amazing, from the high end kaiseki restaurants and sushi counters to the neighborhood ramen shop or izakaya. Even on a budget it is very easy to eat well in Tokyo. Let me put here just…
Digging into an Ice Cold Kakigori
On summer visits to Japan as a child my favorite sweets were kakigori topped with milk. Only when I grew up did I realize that it wasn’t milk but it was sweetened condensed milk. No better way to cool down in the Tokyo heat than a bowl of shaved ice topped with a sweet syrup….
Kintokiya in Kagurazaka 神楽坂のきんときや
Kintokiya きんときや Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 2-10 新宿区神楽坂2-10 Phone: 03-3260-4151 10:00 – 20:00 (Sundays and holidays until 19:00) no holidays http://www.kintokiya.com (Japanese) This tiny wagashi sweets shop has items based on with imo (sweet potatoes) and kuri (chestnuts). There are also some classic sweets including yokan and dango. In the summertime pick up a purple sweet potato…
Kinozen in Kagurazaka 神楽坂の紀の善
Kinozen 紀の善 Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 1-12 新宿区神楽坂1-12 Tel. 03-3269-2920 11:00 – 21:00, Monday – Saturday 12:00 – 18:00, Sunday & holidays Closed the 3rd Sunday of each month no website Kinozen is one of the cities popular kanmidokoro. Located just next door to Fujiya, Kinozen too often has a line out the front door. Their…
Fujiya in Kagurazaka
Fujiya 不二家 Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 1-12 新宿区神楽坂1-12 Tel. 03-3269-1526 10:00 – 22:00, Monday – Friday 11:30 – 19:00, weekend and holidays http://www.fujiya-peko.co.jp (Japanese) Fujiya is a chain famous for affordable Western-style sweets. Normally nothing to line up for, however, this Kagurazaka branch is the only shop in Japan where you can purchase Pekochan-yaki. Pekochan is the darling…
Shotengai Shopping Arcades – Walking Food Tours of Tokyo
I love the shotengai, Japanese shopping arcades. Filled with ma and pa shops selling tofu, fresh produce, rice, pickles, miso, and other basics of the Japanese pantry. This article recently appeared in Metropolis magazine and features five of my favorite shotengai in Tokyo. http://metropolis.co.jp/dining/local-flavors/street-eats/ (text follows) While the one-stop food shopping at Tokyo’s depachika is an amazing…
Kagurazaka – 50ban for Stuffed Buns 神楽坂５０ban
Kagurazaka 50ban 神楽坂五十番 Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 3-2 03-3260-0066 9:00 – 23:00, Sundays & holidays until 22:00 http://www.50ban.com (Japanese) The lines at the top of the hill are for the chukaman savory and sweet steamed buns at the popular 50ban. With over two-dozen types to select from including shrimp, pork, kaibashira (scallops), cheese, curry and sweet ones…
Food Sake Tokyo 