#Jamon #paella at a cool #Nihonbashi pop-up by @atrevio_jp. Cool jamon-centric menu. This lunch spot was only 1,000 yen ($6.75). There is also a retail store for jamon, olive oil, and I picked up some @lachinataoficial sweet smoked paprika. Atrevio is in the @coredo_muromachi building on the first floor. The pop-up will run through Golden Week in…
Category: Tokyo
Sembikiya
A local spot and a luxurious treat is the Sembikiya Fruit Parlor in Nihonbashi. On the second floor of the historic shop which dates back to 1834. Sit at the counter to watch as the staff cuts by hand many different types of fruit for parfaits and fruit plates. I visited Sembikiya with @gonellietravel founder…
Yakiniku Watami
Yakiniku Watami is a fun restaurant for barbecuing at your table. We went with her all you can eat which was great fun. A long list of meats and some vegetables to grill. A robot comes to your table and diners can bus empty tableware to the robot.🤖 Excellent value starting at ¥4,000 ($27). Lunch…
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…
Doutour Coffee
Doutour is a chain of coffee shops. The morning set includes a cup of coffee and a sando, here tuna salad. Busy with office workers and students studying. Throughout Tokyo, often near stations.
Zōjirushi Shokudō
Zōjirushi, the company famous for electric rice cookers and many other products, has a restaurant near Tokyo Station in the Kitte building. The concept is smart marketing with Zōjirushi rice cookers in the middle of the restaurant. Zōjirushi sesame grinders and a Zōjirushi insulated cup are on each table. The drink bar includes a variety…
Crazy Pizza
I am so excited to see Crazy Pizza opened in the new T-Market at Toranomon Hills. It was hard to decide and it’s fabulous that the shop will do half and half so the decision making isn’t as stressful as it could be. The crust is thin and light. The seasonal pizza is seri or…
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…
Tokyo Market Tours
It’s been an exciting year for market tours for Food Sake Tokyo. With the border finally open and inbound tourists at its highest numbers I’ve been very busy. Thank you so very much. I am grateful to my kind and witty clients. I learn so much from them as I share Japanese cuisine and food…
Viola
An exciting newcomer to the Tokyo food scene is Viola, serving traditional Japanese cuisine. The homestyle dishes are served kaiseki style, in courses. Dashi, the basic umami rich stock, is at the core of many of the dishes. The elegant simplicity of the dishes are a testament to the quality of the cooking. It’s no…
La Boucherie
T-Market is a new food hall has opened up in the basement of the Toranomon Hills Station Tower. I went hoping to check out Crazy Pizza but it was closed. I almost cried. But discovered La Boucherie by chef Toru Wachi. Chef Wachi is famous for a French approach to meats. The spaghetti and meatballs…
Kabuki
Kabukiza is the main kabuki theater in the heart of Ginza. Men play both male and female roles. Theater lovers will love the singing, dancing, live music, and staging of kabuki. There is a short break between two shows for guests to take lunch or dinner. Dining in the theater is allowed only during this…
Saké Bar Kinjishi
Tachigui Sakaba Kinjishi is a cool spot near Tokyo Station for nihonshu by the glass and saké-friendly small bites. An excellent selection of saké including @jikon_sake, @matsunotsukasa_official, @izumibashi_official, and @niidahonke. We loved the karaagé, and tempura of simmered daikon and cream cheese (both good), nagaimo potatoes, and tuna sashimi. The saké was poured into glasses…
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…
Bank Bakery
The Kabutocho area of Nihonbashi, long a quiet part of the city, is now a vibrant and cool spot with coffee shops, cafes, and an amazing bakery called Bank. @bank_bakery_tokyo has a colorful selection of sandwiches, tartines, breads, and some pastries. The pate de campagne sando is a thick slice and includes bacon, pickled red…
Ginza Tonki
Tonki is a local tonkatsu shop in Ginza. I love so much the ambience of the restaurant. It feels like a shop from 50 years ago. Kaki furai, fried oysters, is only from October through March. The small plate of pickles is set on the cup of hot tea. The meal is rounded out with…
Kintsugi
One of the coolest things I did this year was take a kintsugi class at Kuge Crafts. Where broken pieces of pottery or lacquerware are put back together with lacquer and then painted with metallic powder. We used gold powder. The Kuges use lacquer from cashew nut trees. The sensei for the class is the…
Kokubunji Yamagami
My father-in-law called late at night last week excited that he discovered a new tempura restaurant. He wanted to know if I would join him. I ran out the door, even though I had already had dinner. Yamagami san’s eponymous restaurant, @tenpura.yamagami, is a sleek counter. I ordered just a few pieces a la carte…
Tohto Grill
On a quiet back street of Tsukiji Market is Tohto Grill. I first went as a new hire of Uoriki seafood company. We had an early morning visit to Tsukiji to see the auctions: tuna, uni, live seafood, and processed seafood. The only thing we missed was the produce auction. Breakfast was at Tohto Grill,…
Tsubakiya
Near Tokyo Station on the Yaesu side is Tsubakiya kissaten. Siphon brewed coffee and this morning set for only ¥1,380 ($10). Service included! Tsubakiya Chūō-ku, Nihonbashi 3-4-16
Ginza Maru
Ginza Maru is a kappō restaurant that serves lovely grilled fish lunch sets in the heart of Ginza. Kappō is like a kaiseki restaurant but a bit more casual and with a counter where diners can talk to the chef preparing some of the dishes. On this day the options were miso gindara black cod…
Tsukiji Kitsuneya
The niku dōfu beef and tōfu stew with rice and sour tsukémono napa cabbage pickles (0shinko) at Kitsuneya. The shop is famous for its offal stew, which smells like a rich beef stew when one walks by the tiny stall. My favorite is the sukiyaki-like tōfu with meat in a sweet soy sauce broth. The…
Washoku
Washoku, traditional Japanese cuisine, was designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage ten years ago. To commemorate this there is a fabulous exhibit at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo in Ueno. The exhibit covers a wide variety of topics including seafood and sea vegetables, produce, regional cuisine, fermented foods, the history…
Ginza Sweets
If you have a sweet tooth think about spending an afternoon in the Ginza area carefully perusing sweets shops – both Western and Japanese. Here is a list of boutiques and shops featuring cakes, gelato, roasted sweet potatoes, cookies, and more. If you have limited time I would spend most of my time at Ginza…
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…
Wagashi Kunpu
I am enamored with namagashi Japanese confectionaries often served with matcha tea. These handmade sweets change with the seasons, often reflecting nature – maple leaves in autumn or hydrangeas in early summer. Sachiko Tsuda of Wagashi Kunpu offers hands on classes out of her retail space in the historic Yanaka district of Tokyo. My friends…
Shinbashi Isehiro
I have long been a customer at Isehiro yakitori in Kyōbashi since my days working as a sommelier at Takashimaya depachika. The original shop dates to 1921. Only recently did I discover that Isehiro has a branch in the basement of the Shinbashi Daiichi Hotel. I stopped by and the third-generation son said that his…
est
Contemporary French cuisine made in Japan is always fascinating as I love to see how the chef incorporates local ingredients. The menu at est at the Four Seasons Tokyo at Otemachi includes a map of Japan referencing where produce, meat, milk, cheese, honey, and more come from. Even the tableware artisans are included on the…
Anzu Tonkatsu
Excellent tonkatsu at Anzu in the Ginza Mitsukoshi department store. Department store restaurants often have English menus and are kid-friendly. All-you-can-eat salad and refills on rice. The katsu curry here is a dark spicy curry. Ginza Mitsukoshi restaurant floor 11th floor Anzu Chūō-ku, Ginza 4-6-16 https://anzu-brand.com
Fukui Lacquerware
Lacquerware is a beautiful way to present dishes. This gorgeous red lacquer bowl is from Shitsurindō. In Tōkyō the lovely Fukui antenna shop in Ginza sells this Shitsurindō bowl. This bowl feels silky soft and is big enough to use as a donburi rice bowl, but also for noodles, miso soup, or for snacks. As…
Parklet
Parklet Bakery has so many delicious baked goods. I love the cheese scones and the avocado toast. It’s all good here. It’s no surprise as the baker comes from Tartine in San Francisco. Breakfast is the best time to come as hopefully you can get a seat. I’ve stopped by in the afternoon and it’s…
Nihonbashi Yukari
Nihonbashi Yukari is a third-generation kaiseki restaurant near Tokyo Station. Iron Chef Kimio Nonaga was a champion of the original popular cooking competition. The first photo is the Yukari Shōkadō Bentō lunch. It is packed with a variety of traditional Japanese dishes including tempura, sashimi, simmered pork belly, and many other small bites. The bentō…
Tsukiji Breakfast
My first meal at Tsukiji Market when I worked for a Japanese seafood company was at Toto Grill @totogurill. The busy shop was filled with fishmongers. It’s very quiet now that the wholesale market has moved to Toyosu. A local spot for breakfast away from the chaotic crowds of Tsukiji. The daily specials are always a…
Lotus
A gorgeous start to the day at #Nihonbashi #Coffee #Lotus. A luxurious bowl of fruit with almost a dozen different types of fruit including persimmons, nashi Asian pears, muskmelon, and papaya. I love the variety of fruits uncle squeezes into the fruit bowl. The Lotus Special comes with toast, juice, a boiled egg, and yogurt….
World Breakfast All Day
Moroccan breakfast at World Breakfast All Day in Ginza. Msemmen crepe is served with an egg cooked in berbere-spiced tomatoes, like a Turkish shakshuka. A fresh salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and parsley. The breakfast is rounded out with bachrir pancakes. I was in Morocco about 30 years ago and the flavors did transport…
Gargantua
One of the best bites I have had in a while is this seasonal vegetable tart at the #ImperialHotel bakery #Gargantua. Perfectly sliced squashes in gorgeous circles over an herbaceous base. The ham and cheese bun was also amazing. There is a small eat-in area in the popular bakery. The Imperial Hotel is near Yurakucho…
Ginza Breakfast
The morning set at the old school kissaten Furansuya in Ginza. The egg and toast set is only 750 yen ($5.00) includes coffee, with one free refill! Classic music plays in the background. The waitress wears a black dress with a white apron. I love these coffee shops and morning sets – even better when…
Wafu Pasta
We are big fans of Japanese-style pasta, or wafū pasta. It’s sometimes called Itameshi, but that is an old term that dates back to the 80s. Simply onions and garlic sautéed in olive oil, then eggplant, eringi mushrooms and sauteed until the vegetables are cooked through. Remove from the pan and sauté thin slices of…
Maitake Tempura Soba
Happened upon a busy soba and udon shop in the basement of the Shinbashi Eki Mae Building #1. The kissaten that I wanted to go to wasn’t open. This shop was busy with salarymen headed to work slurping noodles while standing for breakfast. I ordered a bowl of cold soba buckwheat noodles topped with maitake…
Shinjuku Soba
I was walking in a new part of Shinjuku and happened upon a nice soba restaurant. On the menu was a black soba made from black beans, black rice, black sesame seeds, and buckwheat. It is a seasonal menu item. Tip: always inquire if there is a seasonal soba. Fumotoya is in the basement of…
Yuzusco
One of my favorite condiments is Yuzusco. Like a Tabasco but made with #yuzu. I use it with pasta, pizza, and omelette.
Rice Bran Fish
Sanma Pacific saury is marinated in nuka rice bran and salt for four days before grilling. This local lunch spot in #Kurobe,#Toyama is at Hokuyo no Yakata. The café is charming. There is also a shop with local products including kombu kelp, pantry items, and seafood. Hokuyo no Yakata is on the Sea of Japan….
Beef Tongue Breakfast
Rikyū servers gyūtan, beef tongue, with rice, beef tail soup, and tororo grated mountain potato. Agree the tongue is grilled. #Gyūtan is a specialty of #Tohoku and particularly #Sendai in #Miyagi prefecture. Perfect breakfast at #TokyoStation for a long day of travel and exploring. Rikyū is located in the basement inside Tokyo Station in the…
Toraya Shave Ice
Toraya Japanese confectionary wagashi shop’s rich history can be traced back to the 1600s. While it is a traditional sweets shop I love the modern café serving matcha latté and in summertime kakigōri 氷 shave ice. Here is natsu mikan 夏みかん, a tart and sweet summer citrus and renyū 練乳 sweetened condensed milk. There is…
Hand Roll Sushi Party
Sushi party for dear friends in Minnesota. In the past we made maki zushi rolls but I much prefer the Japanese homestyle version of temaki zushi hand rolls. No rolling or slicing so hand rolls are so much easier to make. Simply put some vinegared rice on the nori, add your fillings, and roll up…
Tenka
Tenka Zushi is a kaitenzushi, conveyor-belt sushi, chain with a branch near Kichijoji Station. What makes this different from the other big chains is that the sushi is made by hand, not by a sushi robot machine. That means the rice is still warm. My girlfriend has been telling me for years how she loves…
Fukuro Juku
On a quiet street behind Itoya is Fukuro Juku, a sliver of a shop popular for its #kakigori #shavedice. Fukuro Juku also serves tai chazuke, sea bream sashimi in a creamy sesame dressing with rice and an umami rich dashi. The sea bream has a lovely rich texture. Enjoy a few pieces as sashimi with…
Acacia
Shinjuku Acacia is a famous yōshoku restaurant serving Western-style dishes since 1963. Acacia serves classic dishes like omuraisu – omelet over ketchup rice, curry rice, croquettes, and more. The signature dish is rolled cabbage which is delicious and made without milk, yet is creamy. The hayashi rice made with beef and a dark stew was…
Inari Zushi
Inari zushi is sushi made with deep-fried tōfu. Often these are packets that are stuffed with vinegared rice. There is a new style at #Ginza #Matsuya #depachika called at a shop called @tsukijitenko that makes inari zushi from @matsuyama_age. Matsuyama agé is fried tōfu that is dried so it is shelf stable. The fried tōfu…
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