Yooooooshta. It’s official. I have now been to all of the good sake places in Tokyo. Think you know another? Nope. Not good. This is the last one. Boo-yah! Good, I’m glad we could all agree on that. Back to work. I’ve been knowing this place for a long time. I happened by on my bike, […]
Kagurazaka
Onodera, Kagurazaka (おの寺)
There are a few places in Tokyo that I believe in enough to go back to, and a very few that I feel compelled to post more than once about. Obviously Onodera is one of them. The cooking is, if anything, better than I remembered. Onodera himself is a great guy. I offered him a glass […]
Sasaki, Kagurazaka (神楽坂 ささ木)
It is hard, my friends, to find really good kaiseki places in Tokyo that don’t break the bank. After this visit to Sasaki, I would say I know four (Onodera, Uemura, Sasahana…actually I could stretch to include Yuwaeru even though it’s absurdly cheap and high quality. And probably Fukahama. I suppose six is probably enough […]
Alpage, Kagurazaka
Have I mentioned this before? Along with Fermier (in Tokyu Food Show in Shibuya, or else the main store in Atago), these are the best cheese shops I know. (In a pinch, go to Cheese Kingdom in the basement of Matsuya Ginza, or Kita Senju or Tama Plaza or many points west. Or mail order.) […]
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 […]
San Facon, Kagurazaka
As mentioned a few days ago, here’s the lunch at this slightly higher-end place in Kagurazaka (KGRZ, to the hip kids). Koala looks very prim demonstrating how to cross the street and enter the restaurant. Walking from Iidabashi B4 is your best bet since this is in the eastern corner of KGRZ. I like to […]
Restaurant Miyahara, Iidabashi (レストランミヤハラ)
One time I read that the technique used by sumos to gain weight was to eat one massive meal per day – and only that. I’m not going to say I’m there, but with small breakfasts and dinners, a lunch course like this one feels enormous. Makes me wonder how I used to eat a […]
Méli Mélo, Iidabashi (メリメロ)
Quaint exterior? Bio-dynamic wines? Decent cooking? Good prices? Yeah, I can think of some people who would like that. It would be too pat to say “And I’m one of them!” because I’ve gotten out of the habit of drinking wine, or in fact of going to wine-oriented restaurants for dinner. The pendulum will swing […]
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 […]
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 […]