Adding corn to a pot of rice with some seasonings is one of my favorite versions of takikomi gohan. Cooking ingredients with the rice is a technique called taki komi gohan. The seasoning for today was saké and dashi jōyu from Sakura Kaneyo. In the katsuobushi seasoned soy sauce bottle is a dried and smoked…
Category: Tokyo
Kissa Royal
The morning set at Kissa Royal, only 650 yen ($4.75), includes coffee, toast, an egg, and a cabbage salad. Kissa is short for kissaten – the old school coffee shops. I love having breakfast at kissaten. Sometimes it is as simple as a piece of toast, boiled egg, and coffee. The shop was quiet. On…
Kyoto Incense
Kyoto Shoyeido has been making incense since 1705. The shop has a wide variety of products including non-burning sachets, that are not lit with a fire but that can be carried in a bag or used as a bookmark. I put a small sachet in my business card holder which infuses the cards. Incense culture…
Kyoto Shuiro
Near #HeianJinguShrine is a fantastic new shop and restaurant, Shuiro @shuiro_eatandcraft. There is a nice selection of tableware and kitchenware displayed in a brightly lit space. I love that it is open for breakfast. Stop by before or after an early visit to Heian Jingu Shrine which opens at 6:00 a.m. I recommend visiting the…
Chef Michael Anthony
Always a thrill to have a conversation with chefs. This time it was with chef Michael Anthony who is in Tokyo with a special Gramercy Tavern menu at Union Square Tokyo in Roppongi Midtown. Union Square Tokyo is in the Roppongi Midtown building. It’s a popular restaurant and was busy at lunchtime with a mix…
Kaiseki Kashiwaya
Kashiwaya is a small kaiseki restaurant on the quiet back streets of Nihonbashi. Chef Yoshiyuki Kashiwabara was the chef for ambassadors at Japanese consulates overseas. He moved back to Japan and it’s exciting to see him open his own restaurant. Here are some photos from a recent dinner there. Kaiseki are seasonal small dishes. Chef…
Jingoro
Local noodle shop for handmade udon and soba. This hearty serving of thick Musashino style udon and soba is less than $6. Jingoro 甚五郎 Tōkyō-to, Kokubunji-shi, Honchō 3-12-2 http://www.jingo6.com/sp/menu.html
Ginza Tempura
Only $6.75 (¥920) for this vegetable tempura donburi rice bowl at Hageten. The menu includes ramen. Hageten is in the heart of Ginza. Ginza 5-6-7 Some of my clients like the restaurant so much they return during their stay in Tokyo. 🥰
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…
Koko Head Cafe
Chef Lee Anne Wong has brought her Hawaii Koko Head Cafe to Tokyo. In Hawaii it is a popular brunch café. What’s unique about Koko Head Cafe Tokyo is that it’s also open for dinner. In Hawaii it’s a brunch restaurant so closes in the afternoon. So stop by later in the day for a…
Bagel Breakfast
I was so excited at this cheap breakfast I spilled the coffee. Only 450 yen ($3.40) and it includes the coffee. Today’s bagel was kokutō or black sugar. The boiled egg comes with a bit of salt that is wrapped up in paper. I almost missed it at first as the paper package is so…
Tokyo Station Onigiri
The ongiri lunch I had yesterday was so good that I went back today. The onigiri is made with rice that is used for making saké, also called sakamai. The onigiri rice changed, today it was Asahimai. I selected mentaiko and tuna mayo, like a tuna salad. The other option was okaka, katsuobushi with soy…
Kyōto Pasta
While on the road in Japan I start to crave non-Japanese food. In #Kyōto we had a lovely #pasta meal using Kyōto ingredients. #Pontoiru is located in the Kyōto Station building #Porta on the 11th floor. The menu is quite big, but it was easy to go with the half-and-half sets. Two bowls of pasta…
Kyoto Daiki Suisan Sushi
When in doubt about where to eat my kid loves to request kaitenzushi, conveyor belt sushi. We ended up at Daiki Suisan @daikisuisan at the basement of the Kyoto Tower building when other restaurants in the area had super long lines. The Japanese love to eat at 12 noon. Daiki was good for kaitenzushi. A…
Osaka Lamu Supermarket
One of my favorite things to do while visiting new cities anywhere in the world is to seek out local supermarkets. Especially in Japan. Not big chains that I also have in Tokyo but local markets. In Osaka we checked out the mega discount Lamu. Outside of the supermarket this branch was selling six takoyaki…
Osaka Aloft Dojima
Aloft in the Marriott chain has a hotel in Osaka in Dojima. It’s a short walk from Osaka station. There is an underground mall that takes you about 50 steps from the front door of the hotel. It helped as it was raining on our departure day from Osaka so the underground passage was helpful….
Osaka Horai 551
One of my favorite Osaka rituals is to dine at Horai 551, a popular casual Chinese restaurant. The butaman pork buns are handmade. These are also sold to-go and are often brought back as omiyage gifts for family and friends. The menu selection is lean but includes many of the greatest hits including sweet and…
Tokyo Tips
Some articles and videos that may help you plan your time in Tokyo. Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/visiting-tokyo-heres-how-ride-train-like-local/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/japan/tokyo-local-guide/?nid=btw_navbar_cities https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/japan/nihonbashi-neighborhood-tokyo/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/japan/monzennakacho-monnaka-neighborhood-tokyo/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/japan/nishi-ogikubo-neighborhood-tokyo/ AFAR: https://www.afar.com/magazine/how-traveling-in-japan-has-changed https://www.afar.com/magazine/traditional-japanese-food Eater: https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-tokyo-japan Saveur: https://www.saveur.com/travel-guide-tokyo/ Condé Nast Traveler: https://www.cntraveler.com/sponsored/story/an-insiders-take-on-tokyos-best-foodie-finds Tokyo Weekender: https://www.tokyoweekender.com/author/yukari-sakamoto/ Metropolis for articles on restaurants, trends and tips for Tokyo: https://metropolisjapan.com/author/ysakamoto/ http://punchdrink.com/articles/this-is-what-tokyo-tastes-like/…
Easy Curry
We love curry in Japan. Most often we make it from scratch, but I do keep pre-cooked curry packs in our home for rainy days. These simply need to be cooked in the pack in hot water – usually for about 5-7 minutes. To cook in the microwave I open the pack and move the…
Food Sake Tokyo 