Be prepared to wait for Sushi Dai, one of the two acclaimed sushi restaurants at the Tsukiji fish market. By wait, I don’t mean 1-2 hours. I mean over FOUR hours. You have to be committed, or just wake up super early to be first in line. I got to Sushi Dai around 5 am and was immediately told it will be a four hour wait. So I waited….and waited….and waited 4.5 hours for:
Fresh and smooth toro
One of the best meals you’ll ever have. Make reservations in advance. If you go in a group, I suggest you share everything so you can taste it all.
goat carpaccio, smoked trout roe, olive-maple vinaigrette
goat liver mousse, blueberry mostarda, pickled rhubarb- the crumpets were delicious!
escargot ravioli, bacon, tamarind-miso sauce
duck tongues, tuna and black bean poke, crispy wontons, piri piri
crisp braised pork shank, buttermilk dressing, grilled spring onion kimchee, naan- highly recommend this. It’s tender and falls apart easily.
wood oven roasted pig face, sunny side egg, tamarind, cilantro, red wine-maple, potato stix
Maisen Tonkatsu, owned by the Suntory group, is an upscale dining version of tonkatsu. Is it worth it? Yes! Never had I had pork so tender and juicy that it reminded of filet mignon. The pigs they use comes from different regions of Japan and are raised with special conditions i.e. being fed a special diet of green tea or yams or raised for seven years. The menu goes into detail about each pig. Be sure to ask for an English menu to truly know what you are selecting.
Above on the left is the Chamiton fillet with curry. It was the only curry option they had. They probably frown upon dousing the rich meat in curry but I was really craving curry that day. The Chamiton pig is raised with a diet of green tea. I wanted to try their specialty Kurobuta black pig so I ordered a small fillet on the side. It is juicer and meatier than the Chamiton. They also offer a special apple flavored sauce for the Kurobuta. If you want their Kurobuta meal set, go early as they only sell five sets a day. The Chamiton was about 1950 yen while the Kurobuta was about 3950 yen.
Like all good things in Japan, Maisen is a chain and can be found all around Tokyo even in the food halls in the basements of department stores.
The location I went to was Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 4-8-5.
Strawberry Red Bean Mochi
Who knew such a concoction exists but man am I glad it does. While waiting in line for Sushi Dai, I had spotted the kid in front of me eating this. Out of hunger, I went and purchased one. It was everything I love in one bite. The Japanese strawberry has a tart yet sweet flavor to it. Overall the mochi wasn’t too sweet. It was so good that I went and bought two more.
You can find them in the first stall in the row behind Sushi Dai at the Tsukiji Fish Market. The little old man hand makes them along with characters made out of kidney and red bean paste.
(Chuo, Tokyo, Japan)
Located in Shibuya right before Shibuya crossing is Hachikō square which houses a statue of an Akita Inue name Hachikō. If you don’t know the story, Hachikō is known for his tremendous loyalty to his owner Professor Hidesaburō Ueno. At the end of each day, Hachikō would greet Professor Ueno everyday at the train station when he arrived. One day the Professor never made it back. He had died of a cerebral hemorrhage. Not knowing where his owner was, Hachikō continued to wait everyday at the station for the professor’s return for the next nine years until his death.
Served at Ippudo is the Akamaru Modern (pictured above). It has a tonkotsu pork broth with handmade thin noodles with a splash black garlic oil. It’s topped with three slices of pork, scallions, fungi, and bean sprouts.
The broth was intensely rich in flavor. The noodles were firm and the chasu was delicious!!!
They serve a strong barley tea to compliment the ramen. On the table are pickled bean sprouts, veggies, and ginger to snack on while waiting. They also have garlic and a garlic mincer at the table if you want your soup to be more garlicky.
Ippudo is a chain restaurant and can be found all over Japan. However, the stores are discreetly hidden and hard to recognize. Be on the lookout! You don’t want to miss out on their decadent broth.
Below is a map of Ippudos in Japan and New York.
Built in 1958, it represents Tokyo’s new rebirth as a major economical power. At 333 meters tall, it is 13 m taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower.
For ¥900, you can go up to the main observatory for a 360 view of Tokyo. There is also a special observatory at 250 m, however, it was closed when I went.
Pierre Herme Is in Japan! Pierre Herme is in Japan!
Never would I have thought it would have made it out here but I’m glad it did. It is located at the food hall at the lowest level of Isetan. Look for the pastry section and all the way in the back wall is Pierre Herme.
From front to back: earl grey, passion fruit chocolate x2, citrus, and rose.
The earl grey was decadent and very flavorful. I’ll update on the rest as I taste them.
The location I went to was 〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿3-14-1 本館B1F, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, but there are plenty of locations throughout Japan especially in the lower food court level of malls.
Bento box filled with all types of tuna- tataki, seared, and chu-toro- makes this is a tuna lover’s delight. The fish was fresh. The chu-toro was smooth.
You can find this at one of the stands in the food hall at the lowest level of Isetan. Only cost ¥1447.
An oasis of lush greenery, tea houses, former residences, koi, and bridges within the city. A perfect place to picnic or take wedding photos. No need to bring food for the picnic. They sell bento boxes and drinks through out the park.
Teahouse
Picnicking on the grounds. You can buy bento box lunches at the house in the back.
Admission is generally 200 yen but it was free when I went because it was Greenery Day (May 4).
YUMTRAVELS 