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…
Category: Shibuya 渋谷
Bistro Rojiura
Bistro Rojiura is a hip bistro and wine bar that is open for breakfast/brunch. The French toast with house-cured bacon is served with a scoop of creamy burrata cheese. Brilliant. Coffee is from the esteemed Switch Coffee. Rojiura means back alley. It is on the back streets of Shibuya near the Tokyu Hands flagship store and…
Mandegan
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…
Nishihara High Street
Nishihara High Street near Hatagaya Station is filled with so many cool shops. I used to live in this neighborhood 20 years ago. It was not this hip back then. Katane Bakery Cafe. Indulged in a basket of breads, salad, and latte. 1,210 yen (only $8). All of the breads are delicious. Picked up some…
bread, espresso &
bread, espresso & is an excellent bakery with several branches including Omotesando and this café in Shibuya at Miyashita Park on the second floor. Breakfast morning set here includes cheesy toasts, including one with truffles, or this cheese omelet with salad. It was busy on a recent weekday morning open from 8:00 a.m. Popular shop…
Shibuya Woodbury Coffee
Avocado toast at Woodbury Coffee located between Shibuya and Ebisu stations. Excellent espresso. Diners choose between a light or dark roast. Busy produce shop nearby. Branches in Daikanyama, Yoga, Gakugei Daigaku, and Ogikubo. My friend tells me the salads are delicious. Grateful to my friends for putting this on my radar. They love it so…
Le Pain de Joel Robuchon
One of my favorite bakeries in Tokyo is from the famous chef Joel Robuchon, for savory breads made with excellent ingredients. Le Pain de Joel Robuchon has recently opened near Shinjuku station in the NEWoMaN mall. Imagine one of France’s top chefs creating breads and sweets using French and Japanese ingredients? I love the l’Atelier…
Sushi Chain to Put on Your Radar
Living in Tokyo it’s good to have a few sushi chain on your radar, especially if you are parents and dining out with kids. Some popular sushiya on the budget side include Midori Sushi, Sushi Zanmai, Sushiro, Choshi Maru, and Kurazushi. One to know about is Uoriki, which is not only a sushiya, but also…
Soba-ya Amongst the Love Hotels
Fukudaya is a traditional soba-ya on a narrow pedestrian street in the love hotel area on the Shibuya backstreets. The clientele is smart, ranging from fashionable youth to elderly warmly welcomed as regulars. The soba is light and the serving size is generous. Just minutes from the station on the 2nd floor above a 7-11. The…
Omusubi Gonbei
Rice balls, onigiri or omusubi, may be Japan’s greatest comfort food. I wrote about onigiri for a column on Japanese breakfast in Tokyo for The Japan Times. Omusubi Gonbei is a short walk from Shibuya station. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2016/09/02/food/onigiri-japans-perfect-morning-meal/#.WBqdxeF96Cc Omusubi Gonbei おむすび権米衛 Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 1-7-3 渋谷区渋谷1-7-3 03-3498-2556 opens 8 a.m., weekdays, 9 a.m. weekends and holidays http://www.omusubi-gonbei.com/shoplist/tokyo/shibuya/aoyama.html
Shibuya D47
D47, on top of the Shibuya Hikarie building, is a restaurant the specializes in regional dishes from throughout Japan. The menu changes monthly and is a great chance to try kyōdo ryōri, hyper-regional cuisine, in Tokyo. The above dish is sōmen from Tokushima. These summer noodles are normally very thin and served cold. These are much…
Shibuya Joto Curry
Katsu curry is a great fusion dish of two Japanese classics, tonkatsu and curry. Near Shibuya station is Jōtō Curry, originally from Osaka. When you come into the 2nd floor shop, you’ll find the vending machine for tickets just to your right. There are photos for the main dishes. The signature katsu curry button is…
Shibuya Hayashi Ramen はやし
On the back streets of Shibuya, a short walk from Mark City and the Inokashira line is Hayashi ramen. There are only 10 seats at a counter overlooking the open kitchen. The ramen at Hayashi is a rich blend of pork and seafood. Meaty and smoky aromas from the bowl are accented with a fresh green…
Shibuya Kotaro 高太郎
** Note, reservations required. Kotaro is very popular and not many spots open up each month as regulars make their next reservations on their way out. Kotaro is named after the owner and chef who prepares all of the food in an open kitchen behind a large wooden counter. I was introduced to Kotaro by…
New York Pizza at Shibuya Pizza Slice
Having lived in NYC I was spoiled with many options for pizza by the slice. My favorite was Two Boots and there was one in the West Village near my home. I would have taxi drivers bring me there if were returning home from an overseas trip. In Tokyo we have incredible pizza, like Nakameguro…
Shibuya Shunju 春秋 – Colorful Vegetable Salad Bar
** Updated Sunday, 16 April 2017. Shibuya Shunju no longer offers the vegetable salad bar. The restaurant is still a good choice for lunch in this part of Shibuya. Arigato, to David Richards for letting me know the buffet was not there when he went recently. Buffet lunches abound around the city. Some of my…
Shibuya Torikatsu Chicken とりかつチキン
Katsu refers to panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) encrusted and deep-fried goods. Tonkatsu, deep-fried pork, is the most popular, but there are many others such as torikatsu for chicken. Furai is another Japanese word that is used to describe the same preparation, and is often seen with seafood such as kaki (oysters), aji (horse mackerel), or ika (squid). Torikatsu in Shibuya is hidden on the back streets,…
Shibuya Tare Katsu Don
The signboard outside of this small shop near Shibuya station caught my eye. Vegetables and thin slices of pork dressed in panko bread crumbs, deep-fried, and dipped in a sweet and savory soy sauce over a bowl of rice. Donburi are large bowls of rice with toppings. Tare refers to the sauce that clings to the vegetables and…
Shibuya Ore no Hamba-gu Yamamoto 俺のハンバーグ山本
There is a chain of restaurants that specialize in a certain cuisine or a dish. The “Ore no” series includes French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, yakitori, kappō, soba, oden, and yakiniku. There are all in the Oreno Corporation and are casual restaurants, many of them standing only spots, that offer reasonable priced cuisine in a casual environment….
Shibuya Uobei Train Sushi
Uobei near Shibuya station is a fun spot for sushi, especially if you are dining out with your kids. This is a new trend in Japan based on the kaiten-zushi, conveyor belt sushi, model. In this new style sushi is only prepared once the customer orders it. So there is zero waste with any sushi being thrown…
Shibuya Curry House Tiri Tiri
It is hot and humid in Tokyo. A great time to have curry as the spices helps you to sweat, cooling you down. Curry House Tiri Tiri is a popular shop in Shibuya, about a five minute walk from the station along Meiji Dori. While the shop has pork, chicken, or shrimp as options for…
Shibuya Adenia
Adenia in Shibuya is home to one of my favorite burgers in Tokyo. Chef Masafumi Irie was the sous chef at the Park Hyatt Tokyo at the same time that I was the sommelier. The bistro is a short walk from Shibuya station. It is on a quiet residential street. The daily lunch menu, reasonably…
Shibuya Murgi Curry 印度料理ムルギー
Murugi has been on my Go List for about twenty-five years now. Famous for its curry, and the unusual presentation of the tall rice behind the curry. The popular dish is the tamago-iri curry, curry with a hard-boiled egg (1,050 JPY). It is served with a small portion of a fruit paste, to be mixed into the…
Aoyama Farmer’s Market
Food Sake Tokyo is delighted to host guest blogger Janice Espa. Janice is passionate about food and Japan. She is a great photographer and all of the photos here are from Janice. Janice’s most recent guest post on the Best of Japan Tour now being offered at Coredo Muromachi in Nihonbashi, is very popular and some followers…
Beacon Brunch – closed
** Updated Dec 2016 – sadly Beacon has closed. A new shop, Crista, has opened in the same space, also by the same owner and chef. Brunch at Beacon is a taste of America in Tokyo. David Chiddo works his magic at this urban chophouse located between Shibuya and Omotesando. I picked Beacon for Sunday…
Viron Boulangerie
My go-to lunch when on a run is a sandwich from Viron. Excellent baguettes with a chewy crumb that can stand up to the crispy exterior. The sandwiches are classic French-style including pate de campagne, rillettes, and jambon. The large window display case in the front of the store has a dizzying array of sandwiches…
Could This Be Tokyo’s Best Coffee? Chatei Hatou
One of the great pleasures of giving food tours in Tokyo is meeting passionate people who introduce me to spots in Tokyo. The metropolis is so big that it is impossible to make it to every shop that you want to go to. Sometimes it takes someone to put a shop back on your radar….
Gotta Go – Utsuwa Kenshin
Asato Ikeda-san’s gorgeous pottery. I first came across these at Den in Jimbocho. Saké tastes better when served in something this beautiful. Bob Tobin and Hitoshi Ohashi of the Tobin Ohashi Gallery first introduced me to Kenshin Sato-san of Kenshin Utsuwa. When I asked chef Zaiyu Hasegawa-san of Den about these cups he too said…
Art on the Table by Asato Ikeda
It was the first time in my life that I held a cup in my hand and immediately fell in love with it. The light sky blue color, the rough and smooth texture that my fingers fell into, and the taste of the saké while holding something so beautiful. I couldn’t put it down. I…
Gontran Cherrier Bakery in Tokyo
Gontran Cherrier’s Tiong Bahru Bakery in Singapore Boulanger Gontran Cherrier‘s Singapore outpost is very popular. As a baker I find his offerings very interesting. A dense red miso bread and an intense squid ink baguette (see photo below). I love his croissant with visible, crispy layers. I would show a photo but I can never…
Shibuya Hikarie
Shibuya’s newest addition to the skyline is Hikarie. The restaurants are on floors six and seven. Lots of interesting spots including Umauma Ramen from Hakata serving hitoguchi (bite-size) gyoza and skewered and grilled chicken skin alongside ramen. Kashiwa for okonomiyaki and teppanyaki. Sendai’s famous Rikyu for grilled gyutan (beef tongue), Maisen tonkatsu, and much more….
Top Ten Depachika in Tokyo 東京のデパ地下
Working at the sake section of the depachika in Nihonbashi Takashimaya was loads of fun. As a sommelier it was my job to sell wine but my responsibilities also included selling sake, shochu, and other spirits. Who wouldn’t love to be surrounded by amazing food all day long? My breaks were spent carefully perusing the floor for new items….
Roma Pizza in Tokyo
Napoletana pizza are not the only type of pizzas tempting diners in Tokyo. Roma pizzas, with a thinner and thus crispier crust, are also popular and authentic versions too are available in the city. Pizzeria Romana Gianicolo Minato-ku, Azabu Juban 2-8-8, Watanabe Bldg. B1 03-6435-2080 11:30 – 14:30; 18:00 – 22:30 closed Monday http://www.gianicolo.jp/ Pizzeria…
Five Questions for Japan’s First Master of Wine Ned Goodwin
Ned Goodwin is Japan’s first Master of Wine. Ned is also one of the most passionate sommeliers in Japan. Ned graciously took me under his wings when I moved to Tokyo to work as a sommelier. His generosity and guidance helped me tremendously. Ned has had a great impact in the wine world in Japan…
B Kyu Gourmet – Cheap Eats in Tokyo B級グルメ
Here are some of my favorite restaurants that won’t break the bank. This article first appeared in Metropolis on November 5, 2009. http://metropolis.co.jp/dining/local-flavors/the-b-list/ The most sought-after tables in recession-hit Tokyo can be found at so-called B-kyu gurume restaurants. These eateries typically specialize in a single cuisine—soba or tonkatsu, for example—served in simple settings without the lacquerware…
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