It all started a little over a year ago. An email from a producer in New York City wanting to know if we would help with the filming of a new food show for PBS. The program would travel around the world with Phil Rosenthal. I was more than happy to help and was lucky…
Tag: Tokyo
PBS – I’ll Have What Phil’s Having
We are so very excited to have been included in Phil Rosenthal’s upcoming food show on PBS, I’ll Have What Phil’s Having. Here is a sneak preview of his Tokyo show: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/what-phils-having/tokyo/ It was great fun showing Phil around some of my favorite Tokyo spots, including chef Zaiyu Hasegawa’s Den. I don’t want to say…
Koganei Kakigori Cafe Cula
Tokyo has just gone through the longest heat wave on history, eight days of temperatures over 35 degrees. One way to cool down in Japanese summers is with shaved ice, kakigōri. Look for the simple kanji sign 氷, usually written in a bright red kanji on a square blue and white flag. We live out on the…
Best Cafe for Train Fans – N3331
Did you know that in the heart of Tokyo there is a cafe that sits on the train tracks? It is actually located in between the inbound and outbound lines of the Chuo line. The station is just between Ochanomizu and Kanda. It is also a short walk from Akihabara station. Here is the view…
Dominique Ansel Bakery Tokyo
Dominique Ansel Bakery Tokyo has finally opened. The local media has been leading up to this event for several months so it is no surprise that there are long lines. The first customers started lining up about 9:30 p.m. the night before, on a wet evening during rainy season. Staff brought out umbrellas for the…
Aoyama Blue Bottle Coffee
Blue Bottle has arrived to Tokyo. The first shop, in Kiyosumi, is on the other side of the city for me. So, even though I live in Tokyo it is about an hour from where I live. Blue Bottle’s second shop has opened in Aoyama. It’s a busy shop and not the best place to…
Ikinari Steak
Where to go for steak in Tokyo? If our clients ask I suggest great steakhouses like the New York Grill at the Park Hyatt Tokyo. Especially now as an Argentine executive chef, Federico Heinzmann, is overseeing the kitchen. Ukai-tei in Ginza or Omotesando also is a crowd-pleaser. These are restaurants that we save for a…
Nobu Tokyo
I remember my first visit to Nobu, in New York City, a long time ago. The restaurant was buzzing. The miso cod was better than I imagined it could be, especially after reading about the dish for so long. The table next to me was a film crew from Tokyo making a commercial for Dunkin…
Noma Japan at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
The culinary event of the century. Chef Rene Redzepi and his team in Japan. 60,000, yes, sixty-thousand people, on the waiting list. I was lucky as I was contacted by someone in New Zealand who had a lunch reservation but could not make it. I didn’t believe that I was actually going until we checked…
2015 Tokyo Michelin Guide
The 2015 Tokyo Michelin Guide is out and is available online for free: http://gm.gnavi.co.jp/home/ This is a nice reminder to what a wonderful food city Tokyo is. Michelin Tokyo by the numbers: 551 restaurants 12 3-star restaurants (one was promoted) 53 2-star restaurants 161 1-star restaurants 325 restaurants providing good value, quality food for less…
Regional Dishes at the Mandarin Bar *updated 16 Jan 2015
** Note that the Nagano Insect Platter has now been replaced by the Hokkaido Delicacies (below). 16 Jan 2015 The Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo’s historic Nihonbashi district is host to one of the hottest culinary events, NOMA Japan, in early 2015. The culinary program at Japanese hotels are quite strong, and the Mandarin Oriental is…
Sukiyabashi Jiro and Masuhiro Yamamoto
Jiro Ono, master chef and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro recently celebrated his 89th birthday. Yesterday it was announced that the Japanese government is awarding him with a special honor for his contributions and hard work as a sushi craftsman. Today there was a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan and here are…
Tsukiji Market Toritoh Bunten 鳥藤分店
Tsukiji Market Toritoh Bunten is in the Outer Market (Jōgai) and has not moved to Toyosu Market. While many people coming to Tsukiji Market are dining on raw fish for breakfast I usually beeline it to the non-sushi and donburi restaurants as I get enough of it at home. Toritoh is a chicken retail shop…
T.Y. Harbor – Oasis in Tokyo
Tokyo is a massive city and there are so many parts that I have yet to explore. One of the coolest areas, literally cool as the area is surrounded by canals, is Tennoz Isle. Until now I have only passed through on the monorail on my way to Haneda airport. Now I am kicking…
Food Sake Tokyo Update
It is the middle of the rainy season. We have been enjoying katsuo (skipjack tuna or bonito) as sashimi, much fatter than usual this time of year as the fish are swimming up north. In the fall when they return south is when they will be really rich in fat. As ume (Japanese apricots, Prunus mume) are in…
Takashimaya Patissieria Sweets Counter
If you have a sweet tooth be sure to visit Shinjuku Takashimaya’s Patissieria in the depachika. The concept is brilliant, over a hundred signature sweets from patisseries throughout Tokyo all displayed together. Carefully peruse the sweets and upon selecting one, or two if you like, take a seat at the counter and order a coffee…
Why You Should be Eating Italian in Tokyo
A good chef friend was visiting from NYC. He’s lived in Tokyo for years and knows that Italian done by Japanese chefs is one of Tokyo’s greatest culinary treats. I was thrilled to hear we were going for Italian and that a food editor was picking our lunch spot. A tiny Hiroshima virgin oyster in…
Arms Burger in Shinjuku
While I was born in Tokyo I grew up in Minnesota. Even though my husband is a fishmonger and I love sashimi, I am a meat and potatoes girl. There is just something about a juicy hamburger and a side of fries or onion rings. Finding a good burger in Tokyo is getting better, but…
Gotta Get – Chopsticks at Hashichō in Nihonbashi
We eat with our chopsticks two, sometimes three times a day. Having a pair that you really love to eat with makes each meal all the more fun. There are so many factors to consider when selecting chopsticks. The size of your hands will determine the length. The tips can be fine or thick….
Hanamaru Summer Udon Salad
It’s that time of year again. The weather is warming up and restaurants are starting their summer menu. Japanese restaurants, even fast food chain restaurants, offer menus that change throughout the year. This time of year many restaurants offer lighter fare, often featuring salad greens and generous vegetables. Each year I look forward to the…
Taste of Culture – The Tohoku Kitchen Workshop
Elizabeth Andoh’s school, Taste of Culture, is a wonder school in Tokyo for learning about Japanese cuisine and food culture. This class was on the cuisine of Tohoku. My mother is from Yamagata and I still have family there. It is always so impressive to see that the cuisine is so rich in Japan as…
The Future of Tsukiji Market – Tokyo Ichiba Station – Toyosu Market
It is no news that Tsukiji Market’s Inner Market, Tsukiji Jōnai Ichiba, will be moving in the next few years. While the government is saying 2016, our friends who work in the market are telling us it is more likely to be 2017. For sure the market must move by 2018 so that preparations for the…
Monzennakacho Monz Cafe
Monzennakacho is a very cool neighborhood that is close to the heart of Tokyo. Accessible via the Tozai or Oedo subway lines. Part of the area abuts the Sumidagawa River and there is a river that runs through it that offers boat rides under the cherry blossoms in spring. I lived here for a few…
Omotesando Koffee – closed as of Dec. 30, 2015
Note, Omotesando Koffee has closed. See note here: http://ooo-koffee.com/omotesando.html Omotesando Koffee, while known for its good coffee, it is perhaps more famous for its “ko-hi- kashi” or coffee sweet. Kunitomo-san at the shop said it is a baked purin, which is like a creme custard, but that flour is added to the mixture. It has a crispy…
Tokyo’s Best Banh Mi
Thanks to a tip from JapanEats I finally found what I believe to be the best banh mi in Tokyo at Banh Mi Sandwich. The bun has a nice crust but is chewy inside. The pate and ham banh mi (550 JPY) remind me of what I had in Chinatown in NYC and there is…
Japanese Fried Chicken at iro-kara
I have been craving Korean-style fried chicken ever since listening to Rick Bayless talk about it on The Feed Podcast. When I lived in New York City and Singapore I could get my fix. For some reason, Tokyo, which has amazing kara-agé (deep-fried, seasoned, boneless cuts of chicken) hasn’t caught on to it. And, there…
3rd Burger
3rd Burger recently opened in the Ark Hills South Tower. I thought it was a new restaurant to Tokyo until I came across a second shop in the Aoyama/Omotesando area. The clientele in Aoyama is young and hip. Diners are given a buzzer after placing their order. Not exactly fast food, but the food does…
Beacon Brunch – closed
** Updated Dec 2016 – sadly Beacon has closed. A new shop, Crista, has opened in the same space, also by the same owner and chef. Brunch at Beacon is a taste of America in Tokyo. David Chiddo works his magic at this urban chophouse located between Shibuya and Omotesando. I picked Beacon for Sunday…
Best Steak in Tokyo – Dons de la Nature
The assignment came from my boss in London, to seek out and eat the best steak in Tokyo. Tough assignment from Chowzter, but Shinji and I were up to the challenge. We were surprised when we called Dons de la Nature and got in within a few days. Seems that this restaurant is not yet…
Viron Boulangerie
My go-to lunch when on a run is a sandwich from Viron. Excellent baguettes with a chewy crumb that can stand up to the crispy exterior. The sandwiches are classic French-style including pate de campagne, rillettes, and jambon. The large window display case in the front of the store has a dizzying array of sandwiches…
Japanese Fast Food Breakfast
Most of my work is in the morning. If I can, I try to stop by a French boulangerie, like Gontran Cherrier in Shinjuku. My go-to coffee place near Tsukiji Market is Turret Coffee. Once in a while I find myself in a new neighborhood and finding a warm breakfast in Tokyo is surprisingly…
On a Mission to Find Tokyo’s Best Banh Mi
I still find it hard to believe that I can get a better banh mi sandwich in Minneapolis than I can in Tokyo. I was on a mad hunt about eight years ago in Tokyo for banh mi and then gave up after making special trips throughout the city only to be disappointed. I moved…
Could This Be Tokyo’s Best Coffee? Chatei Hatou
One of the great pleasures of giving food tours in Tokyo is meeting passionate people who introduce me to spots in Tokyo. The metropolis is so big that it is impossible to make it to every shop that you want to go to. Sometimes it takes someone to put a shop back on your radar….
Butcher Brothers in Kanda and Nihonbashi
Butcher’s Steak Plate 肉屋のステーキプレート Craving a hearty lunch after an early morning tour to Tsukiji Market and depachika, I stopped by Butcher Brothers in Kanda. I had stopped by last week but came right during the lunch hour rush, noon in Japan, and there was a line out the door. So was thrilled when I…
Ginza New Castle Curry
New Castle Curry in Ginza was a great little spot for a bowl of spicy curry topped with an over-easy egg. When I last went, while researching my book, Food Sake Tokyo, it was a second-generation shop in an old, wooden building in the glamorous Ginza district. While shiny new buildings were built up around…
Gotta Go – Utsuwa Kenshin
Asato Ikeda-san’s gorgeous pottery. I first came across these at Den in Jimbocho. Saké tastes better when served in something this beautiful. Bob Tobin and Hitoshi Ohashi of the Tobin Ohashi Gallery first introduced me to Kenshin Sato-san of Kenshin Utsuwa. When I asked chef Zaiyu Hasegawa-san of Den about these cups he too said…
Food Trends in Japan – Supermarket Trade Show
Fermented foods are an essential part of Japanese cuisine. Many staples of the Japanese pantry are made with fermented products including sake, soy sauce, mirin, miso, and vinegar. Kōji, Aspergillus oryzae, is the common ingredients in all of the products. The popularity of kōji is evident with the shio (salt) kōji and shōyu (soy sauce)…
Gyūkatsu Okada in Shinbashi 牛かつおか田
Gyū Katsu Okada is a restaurant that has been on my Go List for about a decade. It opened in 1998 and the signature dish is Australian wagyū that is breaded and deep-fried. It is a classic restaurant that has been mentioned in many food magazines over the years. The meat is cooked in 210…
Ramen-ya 69’N’ROLL ONE Akasaka – Rock’N’Roll One Ramen CLOSED
So sorry, but a kind reader of the blog has just informed me that this shop is now closed. I will update this post when I hear of news of a new shop opening in central Tokyo. Rock’N’Roll ramen is spelled out with numbers 69, or “roku” in Japanese. So, in Japanese we call…
Urban BBQ Smokehouse by TY Harbor
BBQ and sauces Chef David Chiddo of the TY Harbor group has several successful restaurants in the city including Cicada and Beacon. His most recent shop, Smokehouse, is an urban barbecue with a great list of craft beers, both domestic and from the USA, as well as one of the city’s best selection of American…
Tsurumaru Udon in Toranomon つるまる饂飩 虎ノ門店
A hot bowl of thick and chewy flour udon noodles hits the spot any time of day. Starting the day with fast food udon is something I could get used to. Good thing there is not one of these shops in my neighborhood. The standard bowl of noodles with hot broth is only 262 JPY….
2014 Tokyo Michelin Guide
Michelin has announced its updated guide for 2014 for Tokyo, Yokohama, and the Shonan area. Last year Michelin, in alliance with Gurunavi, has stopped printing the book and putting it online for free. So, here you go, the 2014 Tokyo Michelin Guide.
La Boutique de Joel Robuchon
J’adore Joel Robuchon. For special occasions we love L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Roppongi. The food is exquisite, service is professional yet friendly, and it has a great wine list. But, at the moment we don’t have the luxury of dining out for long meals. So La Boutique de Joel Robuchon offers a taste of…
Harajuku Afuri
“Regular or extra fat?” asked the guy behind the counter when I handed over my ticket from the vending machine for Afuri’s yuzu shio (yuzu and salt) ramen. No brainer. Extra fat (ōi instead of futsū for regular). A few minutes later I could smell the yuzu as he placed the bowl in front of me. You can…
Le Pain Quotidien
For one year I lived in Brussels. Just down the street from my apartment was a Le Pain Quotidien. I went about two to three times a week. Some nights for a baguette to have with wine and cheese. Mornings I could pop in and pick up a croissant. There was a small garden in…
Chef Nicolas Boujéma of Signature at Mandarin Oriental
There is a new French chef in town, Nicolas Boujéma, at Signature in the Mandarin Oriental. I was very curious to try his food as he has a very impressive resumé, most recently coming from Pierre Gagnaire in Hong Kong. I had the chance to interview him for Metropolis magazine for a Tastemaker piece. It’s…
Tokyo Food Guide
photo by Olen Peterson We can demystify Tsukiji Market, the world’s largest seafood market, and introduce you to a new sushi neta, like kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) that is pink, slightly sweet, and is succulent. Introduce you to a wide variety of Japanese pickles. Lead you to a special bar where cocktails are made with seasonal fruit and…
Tokyo Station Car Bento
I love shopping for bentō boxes. Bentō are convenient meals, be it for a picnic, while traveling on a train, or when I am too rushed to put a meal together. Japanese schools are now on their summer holidays and Tokyo station is busier than usual with travelers. Inside of Tokyo station there are several…
Blue Moon in Tokyo
A new craft beer, Blue Moon, has arrived to Tokyo. Blue Moon is something we drank from time to time when we lived in New York City. It’s refreshing, citrusy, and light on the palate. I can imagine that it will be very popular in Japan. Craft beers in Japan are very hot with many…
CLOSED – Shinjuku Gontran Cherrier
Sadly, this Shinjuku branch of Gontran Cherrier has closed. We are so spoiled in Tokyo with amazing bakeries transplanted from France. While living in Singapore one of the popular bakeries was Gontran Cherrier’s Tiong Bahru Bakery. Local Singaporeans as well as Japanese expat wives filled the seats of the shop in the afternoon. One…
Food Sake Tokyo 