In a funny little corner between Kanda, Akiba and Ochanomizu is this triangle holding a bunch of preserved buildings (like the famous Yabu and Matsuya sobas, but also an inscrutable chicken sukiyaki specialist, monkfish stew house Isegen, and a lovely sweets cafe), but also a good Italian, and even a well-rated Chinese. It’s a good lunch meeting point for […]
lunch
- izakaya
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Mifune, Kanda (三船)
Mmmmm, so appetizing. Why ever did I pass on this place? No, I was having one of those indecisive days where I just walk around by myself for exercise, and eventually pick a place for a quick lunch before getting back to the office. The dining landscape has shifted a bit in Kanda; in fact […]
- Kanda
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Unasho, Kanda (うな正)
I know, I know, I swore off places worthy of the ‘sad’ tag last year. This was an accident. It was really late, and I was discombobulated by a bit of stomach distress, and it must have become mental distress, because I started thinking that eel on rice would settle things down. Not so much. […]
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 […]
- Other treats
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Shuan ramen, Sendai (宗庵)
Oh hell, I felt all clever picking out this ramen place from the massive covered shopping streets west of Sendai Station (In various segments, the street is called ‘Clis Road’ or ‘Happina Road’ or something else.). Turns out that: 1. It’s tsukemen. 2. It’s from Chiba. Oopsie. Well, I picked it because it looked tasty, […]
Yamabukitei, Shiroishi (やまぶき亭)
Once I heard an expression in Japanese that translated as “1,000 regional specialties, none of them good.” I’ve mentioned to a lot of people since then, and no one has ever heard it before. I mention it (again) now in the hope that some will verify it. If you’re at all a regular reader here, […]
Nakasato, Matsushima (磯焼 なかさと)
We’ll start this trip with a cave, I think. Zuiganji is a nice enough temple, and really a must if you’re in Matsushima – there aren’t that many things to do other than cruise the bay. Unfortunately the harsh climate means it needs a lot of renovation, and right now it’s in one of those […]
Asahiken tonkatsu, Kanda (旭軒)
A couple people have said to me recently, they said, “Jon, how’d you get so funky?” and I had to say “I don’t think that’s what you mean to ask. I think you’re really asking a deeper question about why I go to different restaurants all the damn time, and why I sometimes go to […]
- izakaya
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Dottanba, Kanda (どったんば)
Came across this place while looking for targets for those big sake dinners with colleagues…and have actually been turned away trying to go for lunch. It’s decent. I like the rustic exterior, the way they’ve fitted this to look like you’re going into a cave in the woods. Down the stairs it gets darker, and […]
Y’villa:ge, Kanda (ワイ・ヴィラージュ)
Hmmm, this is shaping up to be a New Year’s celebration week of mediocre lunches. At least it matches the excitement we all feel to be back at work. A diligent reader and good friend mentioned this place a long time ago, and today I finally tried it while doing some other errands in Kanda. […]