Shock and surprise filled my mind when I figured out that this was a Russian restaurant. It’s a branch of a place in Jimbocho, but who looks for Russian restaurants? Russians, I suppose. Incidentally, the only Russian I currently know in Tokyo strongly recommends this place in Shinjuku as tasting just like Mom used to […]
mid-price
Bikini Picar, Nihonbashi (ビキニ ピカール)
Mmmmm hmmmmm, Coredo Muromachi is definitely the new project. There’s more on the way. For now, content yourself with the pleasant view of cheese and tapas at the counter of Bikini Picar, the pleasantly open and airy Spanish contender on the main restaurant floor of the building. The black-and-red decor outside is pretty enticing, as […]
Bashi no Setagaya ramen, Nihonbashi (バシのせたが屋)
Setaga-ya is a pretty famous ramen shop, but not one I’d go to – it’s all the way out in Setagaya-ku after all. Thus I was excited to see they’ve opened a branch in the new Coredo building (and you’re probably thinking I’m not ‘plugged in’ to ‘the scene’ since I didn’t even know the […]
- izakaya
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Kaeru, Kitasenju (居酒屋 かえる)
‘Puerile’ is the word you’re looking for here. No, in fact, while we were eyeing this spot, the master of the shop was taking out some trash, saw us, and said “Oh, go ahead and park there.” As usual in Japan, flexible enforcement. After stumbling (rolling?) upon an entire kilometer of previously unexplored shotengai, it was an […]
Lautrec, Nihonbashi (ロートレック)
From somewhere I conceived the idea that this vaguely French-bistro themed restaurant would be vaguely European and perhaps good. The windows are filled with various Francophile trinkets, and even the interior gives you some idea that they’re trying to be Euro. Incidentally, note the almost-open cherry blossoms artfully included in the shot. Perhaps it’s more […]
- Kanda
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Grill Gonnosuke, Kanda (権の助)
I’d like to hit you with a counterintuitive and valuable lesson about picking restaurants in Japan – ‘grill’ doesn’t mean what you think. While Gonnosuke has some neat ambience (murals, surfboards), it is firmly in the ‘grill’ category (I mean, the name really gives it away, right?). That means it’s going to be serving what? […]
Fukagawahama, Monzennakacho (深川浜)
Fukagawahama. It’s not Fukahama, although that’s not far away (and very worthwhile; in fact,if you just came back from Kyoto I think you’ll agree the cost performance at Fukahama is amazing). Fukagawahama is just a normal izakaya in a normal back alley of Monzennakacho. It’s always been there, at least within the approaching-7-years that I’ve been there. […]
- Other treats
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Otokoyama ramen, Hongo (縄麺 男山)
Have you noticed recently that it’s all about Hongo? Probably not since this is only the third post from there, but I’ve already been to 6 places that you’ll see in good course. I just started thinking, if I’m willing to go to Kagurazaka for lunch, what else is in range? Hongo – 6 minutes […]
Darumatei ramen, Monzennakacho (だるま亭)
Recognize this place? It’s near the 7-11, on Kiyosumi Dori just north of the crossing. Used to be a different ramen place, and since they reopened with the new brandingway I’ve been thinking it looked kinda good. Also it says stuff about ‘umai sake’ on the outside, and I’m always fooled by that sort of […]
Orihara Shoten, Monzen Nakacho (折原商店)
The ‘renewal’ of stores in Monnaka continues. You’d swear this was economic vitality, but I still insist it’s the opposite – economic vitality means existing stores stay in business. The number of new shops opening in the last year is more than the sum of the preceding 5 years. Orihara Shoten, run by Ikebukuro’s Orihara […]