It’s perhaps intentional that SFP Dining, the group that runs Bistro Isomaru, describes their various store formats as ‘blands‘. I’m not familiar with them – the Isomaru Suisan chain, a fried chicken wing place, and Kizuna Sushi seem to be the biggest ones. ‘Bland’ joking aside, it would be nice if there were more of […]
dinner
- izakaya
- ...
Ibuki, Machida (風土旬彩 伊吹)
This is the story of a long and random walk around a large and boring town. If you want to cut to the chase, my ‘key takeaway’ is “There is only one good izakaya in Machida. I found it for you. If you’re out there at dinner time, don’t waste time on any other place.” […]
Trattoria RYUDO, Roppongi (トラットリア リュウド)
My opinion of Roppongi dining isn’t great. You say ‘Roppongi’, I think ‘bad cost performance’. This place is the exception that proves the rule, as I like to say. Straight-up great cooking at great prices, only a few minutes from Nogizaka station or Roppongi crossing, at the end of a quiet street. Perfect. The maitre […]
- Italian
- ...
Coulis, Shintomi
After several lunches, I finally managed to make good on a dinner at Coulis. It turns out they really do serve you 10 courses for Y5.5k, and the vegetables are still great. I recommend setting aside a solid 3 hours for the kitchen to push out those dishes, and getting in quick since I still […]
- izakaya
- ...
Okatte Fumoto, Tama Plaza (麓)
Out and about in Tokyo, seeing stuff, taking advantage of changing elevators on the 33rd floor on the way to a meeting…Sometimes it makes me feel immature, but I’ve never lost my wonder at heights. High floors, airplane windows, you name it. I’m the only businessman who chooses the window seat on purpose. This is […]
- izakaya
- ...
Tsuchi to Ao, Chofu (居酒屋 土と青)
If you need a capsule review, let me just say “Not going to get any better than this in Chofu, and probably not any other Western suburb, and this is really as good as it gets in the genre”. But backtracking a bit, looking out the train windows at dusk makes me melancholy and nostalgic. […]
- Other treats
- ...
Kawaji, Hamacho (大衆料理 川治)
When you say ‘simple’ or ‘humble’, this is what I would think of. Not in a hundred years would it have occurred to me to go to this place if I passed it on a random walk, but through a complex chain of events, here we are. Actually the name implies “cookin’ for reggler folks”, […]
- izakaya
- ...
Konomi, Ningyocho (日本酒と肴の味見バー 嗜)
What do you like? Would you describe that as your 嗜? No, you wouldn’t because no one knows that kanji. I hope I forget it. It would only be the latest in a series of eating- and drinking-related kanji that I learned when I should have been learning…I dunno, kanji that every 3rd grader would […]
Due South, Christiansburg VA
The sun dawned orange, especially with the help of Instagram. I was in the greater Roanoke, VA area for a terribly important and completely unproductive business meeting. Actually I had been there the night before too, and I made the team go out for barbecue. That’s what I do. But BBQ in Roanoke doesn’t look […]
Whole Hog Cafe, Bentonville AR
Here we are in backwater Arkansas…I’ll let you figure out why. Certainly it was a neat experience, and one I hope to repeat as necessary (like a lather-rinse cycle, only this experience leaves you feeling a little dirty afterward). I was there with Solly and Earle, and since Earle is down with barbecue, and I […]