Hey hey, it’s the first year-end party of the year-end. I would have just called it a party, but Journey was in the holiday spirit already, and we all have plenty to forget, so it was billed as a year-ender (which is traditionally and literally ‘forget-the-year-meeting’). With Jimmy Dean, Carter of Mars and Woodrow also […]
Author: Jon
Kanako Hannosuke, Nihonbashi (金子半の助)
Full disclosure: Our assistant somehow picked up free lunch tickets for this place that opened mid-November. You may have noticed that I like trying new places? I like free things too. A lot. So do other folks. When You and I assayed this place last week, we found a good 20 of them in line, some of them […]
Bistro Le Midi, Kagurazaka
It’s truly a shame that I went to the best bistro first when I started this little Kagurazaka project; Le Midi might have seemed pleasant or even good-quality a few weeks ago. At this point, it’s just OK. The Provencal flourishes and wood on the exterior are cool though. And the sushi cooler on the […]
Moromiya, Nihonbashi (もろみ家)
The two masters here at Moromiya are working on their collection of sake labels. It doesn’t really need more work, does it? Actually, nothing about this place needs more work. It’s just about right, across the board. You’ll love it even as you leave lighter in the purse (or not, if you can get your […]
- izakaya
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Toyokichi, Kameido (亀戸 豊吉)
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, […]
- Chinese
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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
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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 […]