March 14, 2013
The art of perfection is everywhere in Japan. In its laquerware, electronics and especially in its food. Dessert Le Comptoir in Fukasawa, Tokyo is an example of food perfection. A 10 minute bus-ride from Jiyugaoka, it’s a bit of a challenge to make it out here if you are not given specific directions, but when […]
February 27, 2013
On a dull, drizzling day in Tokyo I set out for my second-ever bowl of tsukemen (ramen dipping noodles). After its introduction in the early 2000’s, tsukemen has boomed in popularity, rising to a crescendo a few years ago and still going strong. Many, many shops in Tokyo offer both standard ramen and tsukemen, and the consensus […]
February 14, 2013
Yakitori at a cramped stall in Omoide-yokocho (Memory Lane) in Shinjuku. The skewer came in a weird soup. Master called it “henna soup”. It was tonkotsu-ish.
January 31, 2013
Ramen has always been big in Japan, and since the mid-2000’s it has exponentially grown in popularity and trendiness, with younger entrepenuers trying their hand at making the nation’s most beloved B-kyu (B-Class) food. B-kyu foods are defined as “comfort foods” like curry, ramen, gyudon (beef bowl) and yakisoba. In contrast, A-kyu (A-Class) foods are […]
January 16, 2013
If I gave you several options for dinner and you knew nothing about the restaurants other than their names, and one was called “Junk Garageâ€, you’re eating there, right? I’m going with Junk Garage every single time. I heard about this shop through the usual ramen fanatic-suspects and was fascinated by their namesake ‘junk’ ramen, […]
January 9, 2013
Cream anmitsu at Nakamuraya on the 9th floor of Tokyu department store (west wing) in Shibuya.
December 27, 2012
Sakura-ebi kakiage at Nunotsunesarashina in Tsukiji, my favorite soba spot when I lived in Tokyo.
November 7, 2012
My second day in Japan was inauspicious. The sky was dreary, overcast, drizzling all day and on into the night, and I woke up with a full-blown cold to boot. So in other words, the perfect day for a bowl of ramen. After spending the day at the National Museum in Ueno Park, where my […]
October 24, 2012
This one was a long time coming. Since I first started reading about ramen over at Ramenate I’ve been fascinated by Jiro-kei (Jiro-style) ramen. What is Jiro you ask? Jiro is an institution. It has spawned several official offshoots and many more imitators. Jiro is to ramen as suicide sauce is to wings. It’s the […]