UPDATE: Per YM’s comment below, we did indeed go back, and can now confirm that the Y2800 lunch course is more or less like the Y6000 dinner course at some restaurants. Her main was two ankou medallions in separate sauces (one the signature Americaine, the other I can’t remember), my main was two thick-ish lamb […]
Month: October 2008
- Italian
- ...
Beccaccia, Minami Aoyama
I still remember the first time I felt really abused at a restaurant in Tokyo. It was at Stefano’s in Kagurazaka, a few years ago. I loved the food – hearty, delicious Northern Italian from the Veneto region – but hated the bread charge, service charge, non-included tax, and the fact that we were refused […]
- Indian
- ...
Mantra, Ueno
Newsflash: The Ameyoko Center Building in Ueno (long, thin triangular one behond the Doraemon statue) has a big ethnic market in the basement. Fresh ethnic spices like lemongrass and cilantro, ‘ethnic’-looking cuts of meet like pigs feet and fish heads, big bags of lentils, imported pre-mixed seasonings (e.g., rendang mix, just add beef). I’ve been […]
Aux Amis Tokyo, Marunouchi
Continuing with our series on overpriced Marunouchi top-floor restaurants, here’s Aux Amis. Unquestionably terrific views combine with an unquestioned 10% service charge to produce a slight feeling of discomfort at payment time. Nuts. Why does this happen every time I go to the Marubiru upper floors? In this case, Aux Amis came about because Lauburu […]
- bar
- ...
Shochu House Ando (あんど), Ginza
How do people find places like this? Ando is tucked away in a medium-size Ginza side-street building that’s otherwise crammed to the gills with hostess clubs. In fact, judging from the size, layout, and tacky, tacky furniture…there’s no way it was not previously a hostess club. They stay open late, have only young, male staff, […]
Rick’s Spain Bar, Kayabacho
I’ll do my best to resist all urges to make stupid jokes. Rick’s is a Spain Bar (what is it with Spain Bars in the last year or two? Why can’t we have Italian Bars or French Bars?) mildly tucked away in Kayabacho (but near Miyakawa, and near Talo the Belgian beer place, oh and […]
- Other treats
- ...
Miyakawa (宮川), Kayabacho
Miyakawa is fantastically located – central to the happening nightspots Kayabacho, Hatchobori and Nihonbashi! This explains why it was almost fully-packed when we wandered in at 8 on a Friday, as well as why they were taking last orders at 9 and kicking us out at 9:30. Glasses of beer. Sours in any flavor you […]
4eme, Nihonbashi
It’s not every day that you get to have lunch in a strange city (just Nihonbashi in this case, so actually closer to home for me, but not Roppongi). Might as well make the most of it! In this case we were accidentally released early from obligations, and found ourselves on the street barely after […]
Sushigin (すし銀), Roppongi (Azabu Juban)
Tokyo will surprise you every time – there’s always something hidden away, even without resorting to secluded areas or invitation-only restaurants. We went to Juban specifically looking for something new, and since the really delicious-smelling giraffe curry place is takeout only, we had to keep looking. Much faffing around with French and Italian places later, […]
Azabu Choko (麻布長江), Roppongi (Nishi Azabu)
Hmmm, Chinese lunch. Not something that usually floats my boat, but something I’ve mentioned wanting to learn a bit more about recently. In this case we came to Azabu Choko quite by accident – wandering down the backstreet hills from Roppongi to Nishi Azabu, not settling on anything, finally getting to Gaien Nishi Dori and […]