La Cometa, Azabu Juban

La Cometa, 2nd-floor Italian gustatory haven of no little repute…wait,that’s a different place. This one is slightly hidden on the secondfloor of a building near Azabu-juban crossing, up a curving staircase.Next to the door there’s a huge and confronting poster of an Italianpig, which should be a very good sign. But…Having now been 2 times […]

Sumiyakiya, Roppongi

Frankly, a Korean restaurant in Japan staffed by Sri Lankans sounds too good to resist, doesn’t it? It’s only some of the staff, and I’m not really sure if they’re Sri Lankan, but it does feel good to say. I love diversity. For me, the two draws at this concrete-floor, bare-wood table-kind place are 1) […]

Spice Garden, Roppongi

There’s an Indian place in my neighborhood that promises ‘One Coin Curry’. It’s pretty good, especially the fresh ‘n’ hot naan. Spice Garden is a little more expensive, the naan is just as big ‘n’ hot ‘n’ fresh, the curry is a little sweeter and less spicy (“more Japanese”, some would say), and less than […]

Azabu-ue, Roppongi

Looks like this could be snazzy for dinner, but in keeping with my policy (“I’m done working, can I please leave Roppongi as soon as possible?”) I’m unlikely to go. For lunch, there are surprisingly tidy and tasty teishoku (either normal sakana stuff done pretty well or else rotating specials – when I went, hambagu; […]

Tontokoton, Roppongi

Oooh, you can’t beat a place that has sides of meat hanging in a cooler in the entryway. Too bad they’re pork and not beef, but you know the meat’s gotta be fresh and they’re serious enough about it to buy ‘in bulk’ as it were. For lunch you’ll find a small set of yakibuta […]

Monya, Roppongi

With 4 shops, does this qualify as a chain? Inside is pretty much the antithesis of ‘chain’ to me (and I guess most other foreigners), but I used to think that about all the ‘country-style’ places too (think Nishi-Azabu Gonpachi!). Anyway, if this is a chain, I love chain restaurants. Twice for dinner, once for […]

Sushitokoro Nao, Roppongi

Definitely among the best sushi I’ve had, but far, far from the cheapest. Sort of a nice atmosphere (counter, salarymen, hostesses), convenient to Roppongi Crossing on the Akasaka side (if such things are convenient to you), and very good fish in generous (if a bit thick) slices. The one drawback is unfortunately Nao himself, who […]