With a name like this, and a web site featuring lots of pictures of gassho-zukuri houses (think Shirakawa-go, the huge thatched-roof farmhouses) you’d expect some kind of Hida theme. You’d be wrong. But if you went expecting some kind of sake theme, you’d be right – 100 varieties. Only a few weeks into the year and […]
recommended
- Ginza
- ...
Vinoteca Wagon, Ginza
Ginza is hard. If you’re at all price-sensitive, you’re likely to be disappointed by the quality level of places. Italian is the same way for me. But The Wagon is largely a winner, and it has an associated restaurant in Azabu Juban that’s open just as late as the Ginza branch (well after midnight). My […]
- izakaya
- ...
Kappore, Kamata (加帆礼,蒲田)
When Blondie was starting to get big, the band had a press campaing under the heading “Blondie is a group!” This was meant to combat the no-doubt common perception that Debbie Harry was named Blondie, and that the guys in the band were just there to back her up. I mention this only because I […]
- izakaya
- ...
Machiya, Takasaki (待家)
So I was wandering around Takasaki in the afternoon, and I saw this quaint old store with a big (unreadable) banner outside, but it looked like it wasn’t really selling anything. Then I noticed the sign over the banner that said “Malt’s beer sold here” and I thought, hot damn, this place has beer! That […]
Momijigawa, Nihonbashi (紅葉川)
For a solid year of workdays, I’ve visited a different restaurant every day (except two times when I had bentos, and a third time when I didn’t eat). And on those nights when I went out after work, I generally managed to get to new places also. Minus vacations and holidays, that means better than […]
- izakaya
- ...
Koyu, Nezu (呼友)
This being part two of my Nezu Night-time Tour with Woodie, we wandered only a block or two from Jinpachi before seeing this place. He recognized it as appearing in one of his vast library of Tokyo drinking spot-related books (seriously), and I thought it looked very promising, if a bit modern. It seems they’ve […]
Hanabishi, Monzennakacho (花菱)
I do so hate to double up on posts about a place even when I visit more than once, but in this case I think the inclusion of pictures justifies it. Here’s the original post from early this year. I actually liked Hanabishi better than the first time and would recommend it to you – […]
- Kyoto
- ...
Yuubi, Kyoto (遊美)
Really outstanding food from a modern kappou in the deep south of Gion – on the street with all the chayas, if that helps. While the atmosphere was a little cold, this was some of the best Japanese food I’ve ever had. But first, stone-paved streets with rickshaws! Quel queint! No pictures were really possible (master’s policy, […]
- izakaya
- ...
Umi, Kayabacho (海)
Three things right off: 1. The delights of Kayabacho seem dubious and limited, but I keep finding places that I think are quite good. 2. This is one of them. 3. Kayabacho is under-served by Tabelog; even the good places have relatively few respondents, and the scores are unnaturally low. Ignore them. Right, so after […]
Xian, Kanda （西安刀削麺 酒楼）
Well, if you can read those kanji you’ll know that I had toushoumen for lunch today. I was pretty happy about it too – I thought this place was good. Toushoumen are a sort of performance-art food, a little like the picci that were on the menu at Il Pacioccone last Friday night. By this […]