November 18, 2009: Second visit confirms that this place has warm, quirky service and great food – chicken or not. Sashimi was exemplary, I still like the moutain potato tofu, and I believe firmly in electric-grilled chicken. A funny surprise was that the master was working the fish and cooked things – there was a […]
Month: September 2009
Maisen, Tokyo (まい泉、大丸東京駅)
As a memorialist, I have little value. By this, I mean that I can’t remember things worth a damn. It used to be that I was the kind of person who could go from one room to another, then realize an hour later that I’d forgotten the thing I went for. Now, in our hyper-digitalized […]
- Otemachi
- ...
Bangkok Express, Otemachi
Raising the Boring Post indicator to Amber Alert. If we’ve ever talked about Thai food, you know how much I like the Tokyo Thai chain Tinun. Oddly, I see that I haven’t been to a branch since I started writing this blog, which is a real oversight. If you choose your branch carefully (avoid Yoyogi), […]
- Other treats
- ...
Ryutan, Tokyo (龍譚, 東京駅B1)
Okinawan food remains a mystery to me, much like the sharp twang and exotic scales of the island’s music. The food is a bit better than the music though. The music mostly sounds like it was fun to play since the musicians and audience were all completely pickled on awamori, the fiery local brew. I […]
- Other treats
- ...
Sushi Daizen (大前)
Daizen is a somewhat famous place – it’s right under the rail tracks in Yurakucho, meaning you have to push your way through thick clouds of chicken-grilling smoke to get there. It’s very small (9 seats?), cheap, and offers great cost performance. This is why you’ll need to book well in advance (seriously). Inside is […]
- Kanda
- ...
Motoishi, Kanda (もといし)
I am not a big fan of tsukemen. The basic point of the dish is that you get cold noodles and hot, extra-thick soup, and you dip the noodles in the soup to heat them up and flavor them. You’re not supposed to drink the soup. My main gripe is that the heat of the […]
- Kanda
- ...
Minatoya, Kanda (みなと屋)
You knew this week had three holidays in it, right? That’s why there haven’t been any boring lunches until this one (and presumably Friday’s also). Kanda is really a habit with me. I just like the 10-15 minute walk up there and then the feeling that I’m somewhere else in Japan. It’s kinda peaceful and […]
Rainbow Kitchen, Sendagi
It would be practically impossible to walk past the dingy exterior of the Rainbow Kitchen without giving it a second look. The rusty corrugated metal and rough bleached wood that make up the facade are a carefully designed fashion statement. This funky little spot looks like it’s been rusticating for decades, but in fact it’s […]
- bistro
- ...
Le Point Ouest, Kamakura
On the way back from Enoshima, we did the touristy thing and took the Enoden, the small, old, electric train that meanders carefully through a series of cute neighborhoods between Fujisaki and Kamakura. (Incidentally, I don’t recommend taking it to get to Enoshima. We got off the main train line at Fujisaki, as close as […]
Kimura, Enoshima (磯料理 きむら)
With the long weekend well underway, Monday seemed like good timing for a day trip. And Enoshima has been on the list for a long time – a standard place to go, hence a somewhat glaring omission from my catalog of touristy experiences. Getting down there around lunch time, we walked on to the island […]