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 […]
Kagurazaka
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 […]
Brasserie Saint Martin, Kagurazaka
Today’s trip to Kagurazaka with You let us inspect this ‘American beef’ themed subway train. Every one of the posters hanging down the center aisle showed an ‘American steak’. This is the ‘New York steak’ – looks to me like a piece of seared wagyu with chopped tomatoes and onions. This has nothing to do with New […]
A Ma Terrasse, Kagurazaka (ア マ テラス)
Many times I’ve lied and many times I’ve listened, many times I’ve wandered around Kagurazaka’s bistros. This included a lot of mid-to-late-night rambles, and it’s hard to find places that are open. One that’s reliably so is Hap, and one that’s reliably closed is organic vegetable-specialist A Ma Terrasse. Today I ate lunch there. It was […]
Brasserie Gus, Kagurazaka
If you can’t handle some self-satisfaction in a post, now’s a good time to stop reading. Today’s lunch, both format and destination, is so amusing that there’s sure to be smugness in the offing. After last Friday’s disastrous lunch in Iidabashi followed by a tantalizing walk in Kagurazaka, my longstanding regret at not being an […]
Seikanin, Kagurazaka (清閑院)
After a truly terrible lunch that I won’t link to because I want to forget it happened and wouldn’t like any of you to repeat my mistakes, Mayu and I walked around Kagurazaka. It’s a mellow neighborhood – apart from the homey, shitamachi feel; abundant french bistros; and high-end antiques and art shops, you can find […]
Popolare, Iidabashi
I like to admit when I make mistakes. I don’t like people who don’t admit when they made mistakes. I made a horrible mistake today, I feel a complete boob, and I want to apologize deeply and sincerely to Mayu, who suffered with me in this mistake. Sorry dude. For Japanese readers wondering about Mayu’s […]
Hide Margherita, Kagurazaka
When I was in college, we used to play this game called ‘Hide the Salami’. Well, sort of. Anyway, every time I see this place I think of this phrase. And then I think of this Australian guy I knew in business school. His name was Haydn, and if you say that in the quaint […]
El Pulpo, Kagurazaka
I have a complex relationship with Spanish restaurants in Japan – or more properly with ‘Spain Bars’ as they’re called. Usually I find them fiddly and overpriced. The concept should be similar to an izakaya, with small plates and drinks at reasonable prices. I’ve learned to like the izakaya style – the ordering pattern, the […]
Doromitei, Kagurazaka (泥味亭)
Tokyo is sprawling. Tokyo is compact. If you have a meeting in the office at 8 PM, and can sneak out before that, 90 minutes will be enough to run for the train to Kagurazaka (Dad, I told you I was into Kagurazaka before it was cool, didn’t I?), enjoy a little mid-Summer dusk air, have […]