A tuna sushi meal that is made with farmed tuna from Kinki University. The fatty tuna is lean with a soft texture. There are only two restaurants in Japan that the whole menu is based on farmed seafood from Kinki University. Not just tuna, but also sea bream, yellowtail, and a hybrid of yellowtail and…
Tag: Ginza
Vegetable Bentō
Met a girlfriend for lunch after eight years. We picked up noriben, nori bentō, from the basement of the Ginza Six department store and headed to the roof. I was so excited to try the vegetable version. Maitaké (hen of the wood mushrooms) tempura, yamaimo (mountain potato) and renkon (lotus root) is grated to a…
Renoir Kissaten
Renoir is a kissaten chain with branches throughout Tokyo. The morning set starts at only 60 yen (45 cents) on top of the price of a drink for a thick slice of toast, soup, and a hard boiled egg. Coffee starts at 730 yen ($5.50). The special sando morning set includes a teriyaki chicken sandwich…
Mai Mai Onigiri
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…
City Bakery
The deli plate at @citybakeryjapan. Only 990 yen ($7). There is also selection of breads, both sweet and savory. Many of my clients say that they feel like they are not getting enough vegetables when visiting Japan. So this is one option to get one’s fill of vegetables. Sadly City Bakery has closed in New York…
Sakura Mochi
This time of year we are starting to see the early blossoming sakura cherry blossoms. The wagashi confectionary shops are starting to offer sakura mochi. There are many variations. Ginza Akebono’s sakura mochi is a sweet azuki red bean paste surrounded by a thin cherry colored pancake wrapped in an edible salted cherry tree leaf…
Tsukiji Hoshino Coffee
My go-to Tsukiji coffee shop is Turret Coffee. Recently had a client who drinks tea so went instead to Hoshino Coffee. The morning service options includes coffee with a ham and cheese #toast for ¥730 ($5.40). The kissaten overlooks the main Tsukiji intersection. https://www.hoshinocoffee.com Tsukiji 4-7-5 Hoshino Coffee is located next to the Tokyo Sushi…
Ginza Vomero Pizza
The lunch set at Ginza Vomero is a selection of pastas and pizzas, appetizer plate, and coffee. A great value at ¥1430 ($10.50). Vomero is located behind the Kabukiza theater. It is between Tsukiji and the main Ginza shopping street. Vomero is a popular restaurant so avoid the main noon dining time. Several vegetarian options….
Ercole Moretti
There are some tableware that I come across at restaurants that are so beautiful that it’s fun to add them to my home collection. I first came across Ercole Moretti while dining at Tsuru to Kame restaurant. However the restaurant was unable to tell me the name of who made the colorful glassware. They did…
Shinbashi Oniyanma Udon
Bowl of cold handmade udon noodles topped with tempura of chicken and chikuwa grilled fish cake at Shinbashi Oniyanma. Oniyanma is from Shikoku known for udon noodles. We’re lucky to have this in Tokyo. This casual tachigui stand-and-eat shop is near Shinbashi station. There is a vending machine in front of the shop. This is…
Avocado Udon at a Produce Shop
The avocado 🥑 udon 🍜 at Higashi-Ginza Daitsune. Daitsune is a produce shop, so expectations are high for good quality vegetables at this noodle shop on a quiet back street in Higashi-Ginza. Popular with local office workers it can get busy. There is a table out in front of the shop (or there was when…
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…
Tsukiji Gyūdon at Kitsuneya
Kitsuneya at #Tsukiji Market is famous for offal (horumon in Japanese). The sliver of a shop also has a delicious #gyūdon, #beef #donburi #rice bowl. Napa cabbage #tsukemono pickles rounds out the meal. The leaves are squeezed into a tight bundle. Sprinkle with shichimi seven spice. Peel away the cabbage in layers. Kitsuneya is super…
The Origins of Katsu Curry
Katsu curry, tonkatsu pork cutlet with curry rice, originated at Grill Swiss in Ginza. Lunch starts with a small salad and an asari clam and bacon soup. The dark brown curry is made with minced pork and beef is rich with spices and is topped with tonkatsu (1,540 JPY or about $12). On this day…
Tonki Tonkatsu
Old school #tonkatsu in a #Ginza basement. Grated daikon and ponzu is recommended by the shop and was delicious. #Tonjiru #miso soup of pork and vegetables. とん㐂 #Tonki Chūō-just, Ginza 6-5-15
Ginza Kikunoya
Kikunoya in Ginza came up with the idea of dry confectionaries for tea time and this colorful fukiyose was developed. Presented in colorful tins the sweets have a long shelf life and are a fun omiyage gift for friends. Opened in 1890 Kikunoya is a busy shop in the heart of Ginza (Ginza 5-9-17). The…
Parlour Kimuraya Kissaten
The morning coffee set at Kimuraya kissaten in the Shinbashi Building near Shinbashi station. Thick toast, boiled egg, and coffee for 490 yen ($3.50). I added a salad and was tickled. Fun presentation – and pineapples! I love these retro coffee shops. The music playing was from when I lived in Japan in the 80s…
Food Sake Tokyo
Three years ago today I had the pleasure of taking Alton Brown on a tour in Tokyo. We did a book exchange at the end, he gave me a copy of this newest cookbook and I gave him Food Sake Tokyo. It was such a pleasure to meet him and help him find knives at…
Keisuke Fugu Ramen
Fugu, a fish that has many names: torafugu, pufferfish, tiger blowfish, blowfish, porcupine fish, or globefish. Regardless of what you call it, you probably know that it is the fish that one could die from if it is not handled properly. Nowadays fugu farmers in Japan have figured out how to raise poison-free fugu. As for…
Nagato Cheese – Nagano
There are a handful of Japanese cheese producers that I am a big fan of and one of them is Nagato from Nagano. It’s on the top of the mountains, the air is clean and crisp and there are cows. For this Minnesota girl, it was like visiting a friend’s home growing up, but with…
Food Sake Tokyo 