Even from a seasoned walker-around and inveterate observer, Tokyo manages to hide things. For instance, through this little doorway and down the stairs must be one of the best acoustic guitar shops I’ve ever seen, and it’s right around the corner from Woodman (which is possibly better, and includes banjers and mannolins and steel gitars […]
Month: January 2011
- Kanda
- ...
Eiki sushi, Kanda (えい輝)
It’s a measure of both the popularity and, I like to think, the inferiority of sushi in foreign countries. Waddap asked if we could go to a ‘sushi-type place’ today on his last day of visiting from London, and was suitably amazed by Eiki. Nothing wrong with that – it was one of the best sushi […]
- Chinese
- ...
Yunrin, Awajicho (神田 雲林)
In a funny little corner between Kanda, Akiba and Ochanomizu is this triangle holding a bunch of preserved buildings (like the famous Yabu and Matsuya sobas, but also an inscrutable chicken sukiyaki specialist, monkfish stew house Isegen, and a lovely sweets cafe), but also a good Italian, and even a well-rated Chinese. It’s a good lunch meeting point for […]
- izakaya
- ...
Mifune, Kanda (三船)
Mmmmm, so appetizing. Why ever did I pass on this place? No, I was having one of those indecisive days where I just walk around by myself for exercise, and eventually pick a place for a quick lunch before getting back to the office. The dining landscape has shifted a bit in Kanda; in fact […]
- Ginza
- ...
Konokara, Ginza ( こなから 銀座店)
As soon as I saw the hyotan, I said “Aw hell, it’s Konakara.” Not that this was a bad thing; there are only a few branches, and in fact the one I’ve been to (Shin Maru) is a branch as well, while the original store is small and popular – full when I’ve called, enforced […]
Hantejiya, Yurakucho (韓豚屋 有楽町店)
Y’know, ages ago I stopped in to another branch of this Korean pork-BBQ specialist chain for lunch (where I had cold vegetarian noodles, but hey). I regretted not being able to bring you a picture of the sign, a big internally-lit cartoon pig head that shoots steam from its nostrils. I don’t regret that any […]
- Kanda
- ...
Unasho, Kanda (うな正)
I know, I know, I swore off places worthy of the ‘sad’ tag last year. This was an accident. It was really late, and I was discombobulated by a bit of stomach distress, and it must have become mental distress, because I started thinking that eel on rice would settle things down. Not so much. […]
French Dining, Kagurazaka
It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a whole community of Tokyo-based friends and casual acquaintances to provide a steady supply of places for me to try for lunch… Today’s pick comes as possibly the last installment in the recent Kagurazaka bistro series (there are only a few candidates left, and they’re […]
Murakamiya, Sendai (村上屋餅店)
Japanese regional specialties are fraught – so many, so dull. I’m not even sure if zunda mochi are much of a specialty. Maybe we just thought they were famous because they occupied two whole pages in the travel magazine we bought in advance? Even if it was just a monthly promotion, it’s a good regional […]
- Other treats
- ...
Shuan ramen, Sendai (宗庵)
Oh hell, I felt all clever picking out this ramen place from the massive covered shopping streets west of Sendai Station (In various segments, the street is called ‘Clis Road’ or ‘Happina Road’ or something else.). Turns out that: 1. It’s tsukemen. 2. It’s from Chiba. Oopsie. Well, I picked it because it looked tasty, […]