On the back streets of Kagurazaka in the basement of a modern building is Tempura Arai. The entrance to the restaurant is a small door that one must bend over to enter. Tempura Arai is the sister shop to the famous Tenko that opened recently and should be put on your Go List. The contrast…
Tag: Kagurazaka
What to Eat in Tokyo Now
Tokyo summers are hot, humid, and in my opinion, horrible. I don’t know about you, but my appetite wanes and some days it can be hard to get motivated to eat. Here are some things that I look forward to eating this time of year. In this list I am including some dishes or…
Focacceria Altamura
A gift from my cousin, some focaccia from a shop in her neighborhood. These are as focaccia should be, light, airy, with a crispy crust and moist crumb. Very simple flavors of rosemary, zucchini, and tomatoes. Tokyo is filled with great bakeries, and this is a good one to know about if you find yourself…
Martiniburger in Kagurazaka
Once while private cheffing for a Japanese executive, my client asked me to make him a “hamba-gu”. I heard “hamba-ga-” an American-style hamburger. I went to Whole Foods and picked up some ground beef and buns. Later that evening when I presented the hamburger he laughed, in a good way. He said (in Japanese), “Yukari-san,…
Digging into an Ice Cold Kakigori
On summer visits to Japan as a child my favorite sweets were kakigori topped with milk. Only when I grew up did I realize that it wasn’t milk but it was sweetened condensed milk. No better way to cool down in the Tokyo heat than a bowl of shaved ice topped with a sweet syrup….
Kintokiya in Kagurazaka 神楽坂のきんときや
Kintokiya きんときや Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 2-10 新宿区神楽坂2-10 Phone: 03-3260-4151 10:00 – 20:00 (Sundays and holidays until 19:00) no holidays http://www.kintokiya.com (Japanese) This tiny wagashi sweets shop has items based on with imo (sweet potatoes) and kuri (chestnuts). There are also some classic sweets including yokan and dango. In the summertime pick up a purple sweet potato…
Kinozen in Kagurazaka 神楽坂の紀の善
Kinozen 紀の善 Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 1-12 新宿区神楽坂1-12 Tel. 03-3269-2920 11:00 – 21:00, Monday – Saturday 12:00 – 18:00, Sunday & holidays Closed the 3rd Sunday of each month no website Kinozen is one of the cities popular kanmidokoro. Located just next door to Fujiya, Kinozen too often has a line out the front door. Their…
Fujiya in Kagurazaka
Fujiya 不二家 Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 1-12 新宿区神楽坂1-12 Tel. 03-3269-1526 10:00 – 22:00, Monday – Friday 11:30 – 19:00, weekend and holidays http://www.fujiya-peko.co.jp (Japanese) Fujiya is a chain famous for affordable Western-style sweets. Normally nothing to line up for, however, this Kagurazaka branch is the only shop in Japan where you can purchase Pekochan-yaki. Pekochan is the darling…
Shotengai Shopping Arcades – Walking Food Tours of Tokyo
I love the shotengai, Japanese shopping arcades. Filled with ma and pa shops selling tofu, fresh produce, rice, pickles, miso, and other basics of the Japanese pantry. This article recently appeared in Metropolis magazine and features five of my favorite shotengai in Tokyo. http://metropolis.co.jp/dining/local-flavors/street-eats/ (text follows) While the one-stop food shopping at Tokyo’s depachika is an amazing…
Food & Wine Magazine’s 2009 Tokyo Go List
My contribution to Food & Wine magazine’s 2009 Go List for Tokyo: Japanese chefs are dictating the world’s dining trends with their fierce devotion to seasonality and respect for aesthetics. GINZA HARUTAKA Chef Harutaka Takahashi may have a Michelin-starred resume, but he isn’t showy. He turns exceptional seafood into perfect sashimi and sushi in a simple space…
Kagurazaka – 50ban for Stuffed Buns 神楽坂５０ban
Kagurazaka 50ban 神楽坂五十番 Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 3-2 03-3260-0066 9:00 – 23:00, Sundays & holidays until 22:00 http://www.50ban.com (Japanese) The lines at the top of the hill are for the chukaman savory and sweet steamed buns at the popular 50ban. With over two-dozen types to select from including shrimp, pork, kaibashira (scallops), cheese, curry and sweet ones…
Food & Wine Go List 2009 for Tokyo
I am often asked for my recommendations for my favorite restaurants in the city. Here is my contribution to Food & Wine’s 2009 Go List for Tokyo. Japanese chefs are dictating the world’s dining trends with their fierce devotion to seasonality and respect for aesthetics. For more great restaurants, check out our guide to the…
Food Sake Tokyo 