Ages ago, You came back from lunch, gave me a card, and said “This curry place is really spicy! It hurt!” I didn’t believe him, because Japanese people can’t handle spicy food. But I remembered the place, because it’s in a weird location where there isn’t much else (north side of Eitai Dori between Nihonbashi […]
upper-mid-price
- bar
- ...
Bar Children, Jiyugaoka
Pat said it best. Walk around Japan for a while, especially quiet suburbs like the outer reaches of Jiyugaoka, and you’ll see confusing places like this. In the picture it looks like a house, as it must have been just over a year ago before becoming a bar. It wouldn’t be surprising to find the […]
Restaurant Miyahara, Iidabashi (レストランミヤハラ)
One time I read that the technique used by sumos to gain weight was to eat one massive meal per day – and only that. I’m not going to say I’m there, but with small breakfasts and dinners, a lunch course like this one feels enormous. Makes me wonder how I used to eat a […]
- bar
- ...
Sakura, Shibuya (円山茶家 さくら)
First, a little train-themed digression. What’s funny about this photo? The cloth coat? The sensible shoes? The heavy stockings? No! The $1000 handbag! I’m being generous – they have $2k and $3k versions also, and this could be one of them. I hope I didn’t accidentally and unfairly underestimate this woman’s status. Without meaning to […]
Poisson, Kagurazaka (シーフードレストラン ポワソン)
After a series of mediocre Kagurazaka bistro experiences, here’s a pretty good one. It’s an Organic Seafood Italian though, so maybe not in line with the steak frites you were expecting. Let’s get oriented first – it’s on the 5th floor of the Rakuzan (Mountain of Fun!!!!) building, on your right as you crest Kagurazaka […]
Le Clos Montmartre, Kagurazaka
This Kagurazaka bistro project has me regretting one thing: that Brasserie Gus wasn’t last on the list. All of these other lunches would have been much more enjoyable if I didn’t know there was better food available at half the price down the street. Le Clos Montmartre is of course named for the only vineyard […]
- izakaya
- ...
Kitayama, Otsuka (きたやま)
Recently I wrote something about how my friends and I have been to all the good places. I’m not going to link to that post. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. That was a really stupid thing to say, and I’m very embareassed. It won’t happen again. Here’s another good place. Actually a whole […]
- bar
- ...
Jizake Bar Zen, Kyoto (地酒ＢＡＲ 膳)
I almost missed Zen, several times. First, the location on the googlemapz is wrong – the owner has moved it four times since it opened, and one of those was recently (from Gion, as shown on the map, to Oike; he said something like he’s ‘following the foot traffic’). Second, the building is obscure. I knew […]
Blacows, Ebisu
Arrrr, beef, blah blah blah. Grade A5 wagyu, yadda yadda. Was it really worth trucking out to Ebisu after work to meet Roofie and have a burger? It’s actually closer than I always think, so it was pretty good value, time-wise. In addition to the animals being served at Blacows, the other wildlife in Ebisu is […]
Tsunahachi, Shinjuku
Here we have a whole flock of peafowl scratching about in the yard, looking for seeds and worms. Actually we don’t. Only two of them are peafowl. But all of them are about to enter this tempura restaurant that I’ve read about a couple times, Tsunahachi. Let me just get it out there – I’m […]