Onigiri meals are the most comforting. The onigiri at Mai Mai are made with zakkokumai rice rich with grains, beans, seeds, and millets. Nutritious. Rich texture. There was a variety of about two dozen fillings. All tempting. I went with cream cheese and shio kombu which I will start making at home. We often make…
Tag: depachika
TKG Raw Egg 🥚 Over Rice
Raw eggs over a bowl of rice is a popular breakfast in Japan. TKG (tamago kake gohan) is the nickname for raw egg over rice. At Ginza Matsuya there was a pop-up of gourmet eggs for TKG. Japan Tamago Kake Gohan Lab has a selection with tasting notes for each egg. Six eggs for 900…
Depachika Fruit Sweets
The muskmelons that go for hundreds of dollars exists in Japan. If you go to a fancy restaurant, like Sukiyabashi Jiro, you may get it for dessert. I should say, if you are lucky and have a nice friend who treats you to dinner at Sukiyabashi Jiro. The muskmelon is amazing. Aromatic, juicy, and tender,…
Hanami 101
Each spring cherry trees around Tokyo blossom while friends, families, and co-workers gather under the blossoms to enjoy the ritual of hanami. If you are lucky to be in Tokyo this week, it is the quintessential Japanese experience. A few tips on how to best enjoy hanami. Most essential is to pick up a bentō. The best place…
Amour du Chocolat at Takashimaya
Kyushu Shochu Chocolates Junmai Ginjo Saké and Uméshu Chocolates Tengumai Saké with Tsujiguchi’s Nama Chocolate * all photos are from the Takashimaya website If you are traveling to Tokyo between now and February 14th, be sure to stop by a department store to check out all of the chocolates that are for sale. Valentine’s Day…
Popular Omiyage – Baumkuchen
This photo of baumkuchen comes from the Juchheim website. Baumkuchen is a very popular omiyage, or gift, in Japan. It can be found at all depachika. This German cake is made of thin layers of cake that are baked onto a spool. At first sight the cake is a delight on the eyes as the…
Osechi Ryori at Depachika おせち料理
Osechi ryori is food made to eat the first days of the New Year. The photo above is of osechi ryori I made two years ago (I made most of it, I am still not confident to make kuromame). Here is a list of just some of the popular items in osechi ryori: Kazunoko (herring roe)…
Hokkaido Food Festival at Nihonbashi Takashimaya
Now through Monday, October 10th, at Nihonbashi Takashimaya on the 8th floor, is a great Hokkaido Food Festival. Highlights include pop-up restaurants serving sushi from Hokkaido seafood like ikura, uni, and crab, local ramen, and grilled pork over rice. Lots of sweets, seafood, and cheese. Check out this promotional flyer for photos of some of…
Tuscan Food Fair at Shinjuku Isetan
Now through Monday, October 10th, at Shinjuku Isetan on the 6th floor, is a food festival promoting the great food and wine of Tuscany. From pizza to gelato to wine, there is a wide variety of products available. Note that the event ends at 6 p.m. on Monday.
August Seasonal Japanese Vegetables
August is when the gardens are overflowing. Look for these vegetables when dining out. Edamame at beer gardens, vegetables in bento at depachika, and in the supermarket. One of my favorite shops at depachika for inspiration on Japanese vegetables is RF1. It is located in most depachika and is a deli with a wide variety…
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….
Where do Tokyoites Shop for Food?
So where do Tokyoites do their grocery shopping? There are large supermarkets, like Ito Yokado, Daiei, or Seiyu (a subsidiary of Walmart) but these require a lot of space so are usually found a bit out of the city. There is an Ito Yokado a few stops from Tokyo station on the Tozai line at…
Tokyo Sweet Trends
Chef David Myers from Los Angeles has created a buzz with his square-shaped chiffon cake in flavors such as yuzu and mattcha or Earl Grey and raspberry. His patisseries can be found at SOLA in Ginza Mitsukoshi’s depachika. SOLA Chuo-ku, Ginza 4-6-16, Mitsukoshi B2 03-3562-1111 http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13115875/
Hanami Bento for Sakura Viewing 花見弁当
If you are planning on viewing cherry blossoms don’t go without a spring bento box and a drink. Working at Takashimaya it was an education to see the seasonal food prepared in bento boxes. The above box is from Minokichi, a historic Kyoto kaiseki restaurant. The current chef is the tenth generation. The restaurant dates…
Hokkaido Food Fair at Keio in Shinjuku
An insider’s tip when visiting department stores is not to limit yourself to the basement’s depachika. Inquire at the concierge if there is a special food event on the event floor, usually the top floor. Today through April 12th at Keio in Shinjuku the food of Hokkaido is featured on the 7th floor. Hokkaido is…
Tokyo Do’s and Don’t’s
Do visit a depachika, the epicurean food floors in the basement of major department stores. My favorites are Takashimaya (both in Nihonbashi and Shinjuku), Isetan in Shinjuku, Mitsukoshi in Ginza, Tokyu Toyokoten in Shibuya, and Tobu in Ikebukuro. An incredible variety of food is exquisitely presented. In particular, be sure to check out the wagashi…
New Depachika at Ginza Mitsukoshi
Ginza Mitsukoshi has a new depachika, the renewal completed in September, 2010. Several restaurants as well have been updated so be sure to also go to the 11th and 12th floors. The rooftop has also has a grassy terrace so be sure to head up to the top floor if the weather is good. Located…
Dining at Depachika
Depachika, the amazing epicurean basement food halls of department stores have small eat-in counters. These are perfect for solo diners or for customers with limited time. This article originally appeared in Metropolis magazine and highlights some of the best dining options in depachika. http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/648/localflavors.asp (text follows) We all have our fantasies, and mine involves food….
An Insider’s Guide to Depachika
This is the first article I wrote for Metropolis magazine and it is one of my favorites to this day. It is based on my experience working at Takashimaya’s depachika in Nihonbashi. http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/535/dining.asp (text follows) It goes without saying that Japan is a paradise for any foodie. This is the country where cows are indulged…
Indagare – My Tokyo Picks
Some of my favorite spots in Tokyo in an interview with Indagare – a great travel website. http://www.indagare.com/passions/4/departments/173/8165 (text follows) Born in Japan and raised in the United States, Yukari Pratt Sakamoto, the author of the soon-to-be-released Food Sake Tokyo(Little Bookroom, $29.95), is a true Tokyo food insider. Trained as a chef at the French Culinary…
Food Sake Tokyo 