Recently the exploring bug hits every few days, leading to bouts of random bike-riding in medium-close neighborhoods. Last week was Kinshicho (weird, uncomfortable, some good places), tonight was Kameido (quiet, dull, not recommended. And I’m not just saying that to hide the good places.). Eric Clapton’s followup to the awesome 461 Ocean Boulevard (This is great, […]
Month: November 2010
- Chinese
- ...
Zuien, Kanda (四川厨房 髄苑)
While friendships and taxes may be forever, value is fleeting. Yesterday while walking deeply northward into Kanda to revisit Yamaichi, I passed this place and was impressed by the spread of gaudy crap outside. I resolved to visit. At 35% the price and probably 50% more calories, Zuien is never going to be as exciting […]
Tonkou ramen, Kiyosumi Shirakawa (焼き豚ラーメン 東煌)
In retrospect, not the brightest thing, an early lunch of ramen before Thanksgiving dinner. But it was early enough, and I didn’t even eat it all. Which is not a good sign, no. Most times when I jog, I’ll go through Kiyosumi Shirakawa one way or another. I always see this place, and the wooden […]
- bar
- ...
Sakura, Shibuya (円山茶家 さくら)
First, a little train-themed digression. What’s funny about this photo? The cloth coat? The sensible shoes? The heavy stockings? No! The $1000 handbag! I’m being generous – they have $2k and $3k versions also, and this could be one of them. I hope I didn’t accidentally and unfairly underestimate this woman’s status. Without meaning to […]
- Italian
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Manuel, Shibuya
Hola. Manuel Towers. Looks like a Portugese cottage in the middle of Shibuya, doesn’t it? First time I’ve had Portugese food, I think. If you can manage to plan ahead, you’ll want to go to the other Portugese restaurant in Shibuya, Bacari da Porta – it’s a cheap outpost of Yokohama’s fabulously popular Salone 2007. […]
Line curry, Nihonbashi (らいん)
Fresh fish! Arriving tonight! Caught off the coast of Tokyo! Eat raw kawagahi, with sauce made from its liver! There are a few puzzling signs like this outside Line, which is famous in my company as ‘that curry place where the waitress used to work in our main branch’. I’m guessing the name is Line […]
Poisson, Kagurazaka (シーフードレストラン ポワソン)
After a series of mediocre Kagurazaka bistro experiences, here’s a pretty good one. It’s an Organic Seafood Italian though, so maybe not in line with the steak frites you were expecting. Let’s get oriented first – it’s on the 5th floor of the Rakuzan (Mountain of Fun!!!!) building, on your right as you crest Kagurazaka […]
Le Clos Montmartre, Kagurazaka
This Kagurazaka bistro project has me regretting one thing: that Brasserie Gus wasn’t last on the list. All of these other lunches would have been much more enjoyable if I didn’t know there was better food available at half the price down the street. Le Clos Montmartre is of course named for the only vineyard […]
La Lettera, Kagurazaka (ラ レッテラ)
Another Monday, another trip to Kagurazaka. This time it was a place you’ve all seen before – if you leave Exit 1 and double back to the left, toward Akagi Jinja, it’ll be just down the hill to the left when you get to the crossing. Wedged onto the corner like this, it’s awkward getting […]
Tuna
This is the first time I’ve thawed and served my own tuna, and since I got such precise directions from Hikuzo, who works at Tsukiji, I thought I might as well share them. Unwrap the several layers of paper. The vertical lines might be artifacts of band-sawing, which I think is how frozen tuna is […]