The Shimokitazawa food diaries

Vi-Sand (Vietnamese), Shimokitazawa

2011-03-11T11:30:00.000+09:00

My wife and I spent ten days in Vietnam last year and somehow never got to eat the popular baguette sandwich "Banh Mi" (here's your wiki article on the dish). It's really quite a shame as it's probably one of the very few good things French left in Indochina, and I had quite fantasized about the legendary baguette dish before leaving for Saigon.
We have never had the chance to try some of those places yet, so how happy were we when we realized that a Banh Mi joint had just opened in Shimokitazawa less than a month ago.

Vi-sand, which is an abbreviation of "Vietnamese Sandwich", is quite far your cliche asian joint and looks more like one of those relatively stylish new cafes popping out by the dozens in Tokyo right now. The place is managed by a friendly foreigner (he told me he's a restaurant producer) who is more than willing to help you: when I told him that this was our first Banh Mi ever, he kindly explained me what the dish was all about and what the recommendations were.

Definitely not looking like your average Vietnamese

There is a a choice of 4 Banh Mi: Beef & Lemongrass, Chicken & Ginger, Fish & Tomato and Tofu & Vegetables. My wife and I opted for the most popular "Beef & Lemongrass". By the way, each sandwich comes with a drink and a potato salad.

This is what the Lunch set looks like

I had always imagined Bahn Mi being made of crunchy French Baguette bread but the one we got served after 5 minutes following our order was definitely on the softer side. It has the obvious merit of not hurting your palate, but I would have preferred it crunchier.

The veggies

Once the surprise of the soft bread is left behind, the second impression is of a nice lemongrass aroma, which gives the dish a pleasant and refreshing taste. The freshness is accentuated by plenty of fresh coriander and mint leaves, some thinly-cut pickled radish and carrot, and some sweet and sour Nuoc Mam fish sauce.

The choice on the menu is mint or coriander but you can add either one for ¥50.

The meat hidden under the vegetables

The little strips of beef are stirred with minced ginger and what seemed to be on a blend of Nam Pla fish sauce and Shoyu soy sauce. They also add some pink-colored liver paste on the bread.

As mentioned earlier, the sandwich comes with a regular potato salad, but you can change that to a soup. The soup might actually be a better choice if you want to keep some sort of Vietnamese vibe to your food.

The not-so Vietnamese potato salad

It's overall a nice lunch though the pricing at ¥750 with a drink and a soup/salad might be very slightly high.

Once again, I have never tried any Bahn Mi before so I have no way of comparing it with other places, but if you have, your comments are welcome.

So there are no surprises when you come here, you should know that they don't serve Bahn Mis for dinner, if not for a Ham Bahm Mi (and some stews, curries and pots)

Vi-Sand is open everyday from 11:00am to 16:00pm for lunch and 18:00pm to 23:00pm for dinner.

2-12-13 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku

03-6805-4624

Click here for a map

Nakamuraya @ WeST PArK CaFE (Ramen and Burger), Shimokitazawa

2011-02-27T10:43:00.014+09:00

East Meets West

This has to be one of the weirdest combination of food I've seen in a while: Ramens and Burgers served in the same establishment. Then again, if these were served in a random restaurant, I'd be VERY suspicious about the outcome, but we're talking about a famous Ramen joint "Nakamuraya" and an expat favorite West Coast style restaurant "WeST PArK CaFE" collaborating, so it got my taste buds rather excited.

By the way, you should know that the owner of "Nakamuraya" (famous for its salt-based broth), Shigetoshi Nakamura, has spent some time in the US as a teenager and also opened in 2009 a Ramen joint in Los Angeles called "Ramen California". It should therefore come as no surprise if he has been interested in mixing genres and cultures again.

The stylish shop opened beginning of January and I can't say it's been drawing crowds yet. Does it need more word-of-mouth or is it just potential customers being dubious about the combination of cuisine served there? I'm not sure yet. All I can say is that the burger I ordered was pretty good, so chances are the bowl of Ramen is worth it too. But that'll be for another occasion.

Stylish interior

There are two chefs in the kitchen: one seems to be in charge of the Burger menu and the other one looks at the Ramen noodles. Though I've been to WeST PArk CaFE countless times, I've never tried their burgers, so I decided to have the former cook get to work by ordering the Bacon Cheese Burger. (For your information, every burger comes with some fries)

The Bacon Cheese Burger

In about ten minutes came a rather tall burger with a promising look. The pictures don't do the burger justice in terms of size and color, but I can guarantee you that from the fresh tomatoes, lettuce and grilled onions to the juice-dripping beef pate and melted cheddar cheese, everything was pretty mouth-watering. The white sesame-topped buns are quickly toasted over the grill and (if I remember well) a hint sweet. Good bread. As far as I know, WeST PArk CaFE bakes its own bread so I would assume the bread here is homemade as well.

The buns soaked in meat juice

The charcoal-grilled pate is made of 100% Australian beef and there are no eggs, bread crumbs neither onion mixed in the meat : just plain meat so you can appreciate its taste. The beef was good and juicy, seasoned with salt and pepper only. There was a little bit of mayo-like sauce on top of the lettuce, but that's the only seasoning I could find besides what I mentioned. If you're the type of person who likes his/her burger simple with as little sauce as possible, this place should suit your taste.

The long and sweet French fries

There were not a lot of French fries on the side, but the few ones on the plate were thick and a good 4 to 5 inches in length. They tasted a little bit like Japanese sweet potatoes, so it was slightly surprising at the beginning. Good nonetheless.

The Bacon Cheese Burger costs ¥1,400 so it's not the cheapest burger around but it was a satisfying dish, both size-wise and taste-wise. Will try to review the famous Ramen next time!

In the meantime, Bon Appetit!

Nakamuraya @ WeST PArK CaFE is open everyday from 11:30am to 23:00pm (L.O. 22:00pm)

03-3410-1120

Setagaya-ku, Daizawa 5-32-13

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Shimokita Chaen Ooyama (Green tea room), Shimokitazawa

2011-02-09T11:00:00.003+09:00

Did you know that the hectic Shimokitazawa and the surrounding area was covered with tea plantations until only about a century ago? As incredible as it is, Shimokitazawa seems to have been a moderate player in tea production (for the Edo market) until the completion of the Tokaido railway made the transportation of better and more renowned tea from Uji (near Kyoto) easier at the end of the 19th century.

Today's post is about the green tea room "Shimokita Chaen Ooyama", which is far from being your average tea room: the two resident tea "sommeliers" both rank at 10 dan (a dan is a Japanese rank system used in martial arts and fine arts) which is to my limited knowledge, the highest level you can attain in the art of judging teas. For your reference, there are only four 10 dan "sommeliers" in Japan and two of them (they're brothers by the way) work in this place...

The ground floor is a tea shop, from where sometimes comes a pungent smell of roasted green tea, and they have a "tea room" on the second floor which gets flooded in the summer with customers wanting to cool out on the house-specialty Maccha (green powdered tea) or Hojicha (roasted green tea) flavored shaved ice. The tea room, which you think might look traditional, is actually rather plain looking, making the incredible display of dozens of golden trophies won at tea contests sort of odd.

Until we get to try their famed shaved ice next summer, my wife and I settled for their Maccha Zenzai. A winter favorite dish "Zenzai" is a warm and sweetened red bean soup topped with boiled or grilled Mochi rice cake.

Flavorful Hoji-Cha

We were first offered a cup of very rich in flavor Hoji-Cha, which we slowly enjoyed before being brought the main dish. You will be amazed by the inspiring roast aroma of this tea.

The Maccha Zenzai at this tea-room consists of said red bean soup, a small quantity of thinly watered Maccha and some salty snack Ume-Kombu (salty plum flavored kelp)

The pretty Maccha Zenzai

The red bean soup is surprisingly low in sugar, allowing a better tasting of the delicately cooked Azuki beans. Zenzai sometimes comes in an almost puree form, but here at OoyamaChaen, the beans are simmered to perfection, thus letting you easily pick each bean with your chopsticks and really enjoy their texture and taste. The grilled mochi cakes are how you expect them to be: crunchy on the outside and glutinous inside.

The watered Maccha is served as a topping, so you can change the taste of your soup to your liking. The almost neon-like vibrant green and the dark azuki red combines perfectly, so the visual result of the topping is also worth it. Maccha essentially being just powered green tea (thus quite biter at times), I thought adding it on top of the dish would pretty much alter the taste of the dessert, but it happened to blend really nicely. Slightly surprised by this outcome, I tasted the green liquid separately with the tip of my fingers: the maccha in this tea room is very delicate in taste, leaving only a subtle bitter aroma of green tea in your mouth.

Beautiful green

Japan has an interesting custom of mixing sweet and salty, from adding salt on watermelon to eating sweet rice cake covered with a pickled sakura leaf (Sakura-Mochi), and the Zenzai dish is the perfect example: you will find a lot of places offering you the Konbu salty snack with the sweet soup and Ooyama-Chaen is one of them.

Their really good Ume-Kombu is covered with a very delicate Ume (dried salty plum) powder, but you may find the kelp a little "difficult" to eat if you're not used to it. It is a little bit of an acquired taste, and some people have a problem with its 磯の香り (Iso no kaori, literally "Smell of the ocea"). I strongly suggest you try theirs though, as it's a great one.

They also served us during the course of the meal a cup of nice green tea Guri-Cha (“Guricha or Guri-tea” is named from its shape similar to “guri” which represents the pattern of elaborately-coated red lacquer ware, or the whirlpool-like arabesque design. The official name of the product is steamed rounded green tea. (taken from this website)), so the slightly high price of ¥800 for the whole thing is to my opinion pretty much justified (I am not sure they always serve those different cups of tea though).

Be sure to always check their website as the menu changes according to the season (the Zenzai is served until the end of February so hurry up!) and they are often closed due to tea-harvesting. Looks like everyone is gone the whole months of April and May!!!

The caracter 休 means "off" so now you know how to look at their calendar.

Shimokitazawa Chaen is closed on Mondays, harvesting seasons and national holidays (make sure to check their website!)

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa2-30-2 2F

03-3466-5588

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Varie (Yoshoku), Shimokitazawa

2010-09-27T11:00:00.000+09:00

After hearing that the uber-popular Japanese comedian Gekidan Hitori（劇団ひとり） would go to this Yoshoku joint "Varie" when he wants to treat himself, my wife and I got curious and decided to try it. If you don't know what Yoshoku is, here's a little explanation I wrote on a previous post:

A quick recap for anyone not familiar with Yoshoku. This Japanese remix of so-called western cuisine is said to have appeared during the Meiji Period, when Japan opened to and started to embrace the European civilization as a mean to develop the country. Though most of the dishes are European recipes adapted to the Japanese palate and available local ingredients, some dishes like Omu-Raisu (ketchup flavored rice stuffed omelette) or Chicken Rice (not to mix up with the Hainanese Chicken Rice or the Arroz Con Pollo in Latin America) are somehow "originals".

What Gekidan Hitori craves for is the Katsu Kare (curry and rice with a piece of deep-fried pork cutlet), but I went for the chef's recommendation Beef Stew to start with, while my wife opted for the "Yoshoku classic" Hanbagu Suteki (Hamburger steak).

We were quickly given a rather lukewarm onion soup and a little salad as part of the lunch set. Both dishes are nothing to remember of, so I'll pass on the details.

The star of the day came to me a little lukewarm too, but that may have to do with me spending too much time trying several setting for the best pictures. As you can see, the stew comes with your typical "English" style boiled vegetables, though I think the carrots were buttered and the potatoes quickly sauteed. Same as the salad and the soup, the supporting roles did not change my life.

The beef is very well stewed while leaving a little resistance to the teeth : not quite the literally melting-in-your mouth, disintegrating one, but almost there. The meet is not annoyingly fibrous as it can sometimes be so it's definitely a pleasant eat. The sauce is the typical red-wine based glaze, a hint dense but pretty good, and doing wonders with the rice (served on a different place). There seems to be, as you can see from both pictures, quite some fresh cream added before serving.

Not bad overall, but it costs ¥1,500, and when the hamburger steak my wife ordered cost only ¥800, it suddenly felt quite expensive for what it is. According to her, the steak was good but nothing extraordinary.

Which brings me to an early conclusion: maybe we should have gone with Gekidan Hitori's recommendation in the first place, the Katsu Kare. For your reference, I have featured two of the said dish in the past so please have a look should you be curious: the curry shop Pannya and the old-school Yoshoku eatery Kitchen Nankai

Varie is closed on Thursdays and opened the rest of the week from 11:00am to 14:30pm for lunch and 17:00pm to 22:00pm for dinner.
03-3419-0865
2-29-12 Daizawa, Setagaya-ku
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Dashin Soan (Soba), Shimokitazawa

2010-09-17T15:00:00.001+09:00

the charming entrance

Finally some time to add a new entry!

This new post in a while features Dashin-Soan, an establishment serving a typically Japanese item: the cold "Soba" (noodles made of buckwheat flour) . But not your average soba you'll find for ¥300 at cheap eateries in stations or chains... The "superior" quality one.

the "waiting" space with the garden in the back

To be honest, I don't care that much about sobas as I am much more of an Udon guy (thicker noodles made of regular wheat flour), but I definitely like this place. I haven't been there a lot as it is a little out of the way (a good 15mn walk from the station), but the traditional decor and garden around the restaurant creates a soothing Japanesque ambiance and the noodles have been excellent every time we've visited the place. Not to mention the Shinganji temple right across the street with its giant gingko tree and a locally very popular shrine, the Kitazawa Hachimangu a block away, so the post-lunch/dinner promenade is worth it.

Dashin Soan is very popular, so you might have to wait a little bit before being seated, but the wait is on a bench outside by the garden, so it's not stressful at all.

everything is nice and classy

We waited about 10mn before being welcomed in the elegant restaurant: everything from the furniture to the dishes is chosen with taste.

In order to fully enjoy the noodles' flavor, my wife and I both ordered their recommended Akisoba (Autumn Soba) noodles, freshly boiled then washed and chilled in cold water, and eaten dipped in a cold dark brown Tsuyu broth (a mix of dashi, mirin and shoyu).

Akisoba designates the Sobas made of buckwheat planted between early June and mid-September and harvested between late August and late December.

Dashin Soan's noodles are totally homemade, from shelling and grounding the wheat, to making the dough and thinly slicing it into fresh noodles.

the supersized noodles

The noodles come in a large plate with two holes in the middle (that you don't see on the picture) that act as drainers for the excess water. Freshly grounded Wasabi and thinly-cut Negi (Spring onion) are served on the side for your liking. Japanese usually add both in the broth.

The grey noodles are square, about 2mm in width and a hint brown because of the tiny bits of grounded buckwheat shell mixed in the flour. The Koshi (firmness) is quite strong and the bite al dente. We ordered the supersize, which did not seem to be a lot at first but it's actually filling: you'll see... just don't slurp and swallow. Chew and savor those, and you'll find yourself really full. Plus, that will let you fully enjoy the taste of the buckwheat, slightly reminiscent of the wonderful aroma of a rustic Pain De Campagne country bread.

the freshly boiled and then cold water chilled noodles

At ¥1,300, it is not a very cheap lunch, but everything from the decor to the noodles is upscale, and you should thoroughly enjoy the experience.

Last but not the least, if you want to eat the noodles the real Japanese way, you should order one or two little entrees to munch on with some nice sake and finish your nice meal with a plate of noodles.

Dashin Soan is closed on Tuesdays, open the rest of the weekdays from 11:30am to 15:00pm and 17:30pm to 21:30pm; from 11:30am to 21:30pm on weekends and notional holidays

03-5431-0141

3-7-14 Daizawa, Setagaya-Ku

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Gyoza Senmonten Genbu (Gyoza/Noodles), Shimokitazawa

2010-08-12T11:32:00.002+09:00

Chinese dumpling "Gyoza"s are often side dishes in Japan. People order them in Chinese joint as part of a bigger menu, paired with Ramen noodles or Chahan (Fried rice) for example, and rarely as a solo item. The trend has recently changed though, and restaurants specialized in Gyozas have lately increased. Gyoza Senmonten Genbu (Specialized Gyoza restaurant "Genbu") which opened in the summer of 2007 is one of them, and though seemingly going through high and lows in terms of occupancy, has established itself as a moderate player within the Shimokitazawa food business.

If you're wondering what Japanese-style fried Gyoza are, please click this wiki article on the dish. Should you want to skip on it, you just need to know that it's ground meat (most of the time pork) mixed with finely chopped vegetables (generally garlic, chinese cabbage and Nira garlic chives) wrapped and sealed in thin dough before being fried. I have also talked a little bit about the history of the dumpling in Japan and the not-so famous reason why Japanese added garlic in the Chinese recipe, in this post.

Genbu doesn't really look like a normal "Chinese" restaurants: most of the apparent infrastructures are in metal (even the stools are what seem like kegs with a cushion on top) and a big tv monitor near the kitchen plays MTVish R&B music, therefore giving the place a rather cluby look, uncommon in this neighborhood. However, don't let that modern western feel deceive you on the food quality: they do serve very decent dumplings and (less memorable) noodles.

I went for the house-speciality "TonToro Gyoza", which adds some gourmet pork cheek meat in its regular pate. The cheek is supposed to be one of the most tender part in the animal and butchers can only get a little amount from each pig so it is a "limited" menu, slightly more expensive than the more standard dumplings they also offer.

The gyozas were very well fried, the dough being nicely crunchy (but not hard) and golden-brown on one side whereas the other "rawer" faces offered more doughy resistance. Some bad places will sometimes offer you fried dumplings that have the same texture all around and that can be such a turn-off... The ground meat felt very tender indeed and the first bite freed a bit of some nice juice from the sealed dumpling. The amount of garlic felt just fine and balanced and the overall taste pleasant. The shop takes pride in recommending you to eat its Gyoza with lemon juice, salt and paper, and not with the orthodox soy-sauce/vinegar/chili oil mix, so you can enjoy the taste of the meat better. I can definitely recommend you to follow their advice. Good stuff.

A plate of Gyoza not being enough to fill my belly, I also ordered a Nira Ramen (Ramen topped with chopped Nira garlic chives), a dish that I have learned to appreciate at the excellent Chinese restaurant "Fuumin" in Omotesando. The waiter warned me that it is a hot and spicy noodle dish, but I ignored his tip and still went with it as the one I was used to in Fuumin is a delicate one based on a low-salt bouillon.

Well, stupid me: it was hot! Not the unbearable hot, but still enough to cleanse your system the next day...If you don't like hot, don't even think about trying this. The soup was so red-hot with Rayu (Chinese style chili-infused vegetable oil) and thus so chili spicy that I couldn't really tell what the broth was based on. There was a moderate topping of what I thought to be a mix of pork ground meat with a sesame oil based sauce, that smoothed the taste when mixed with the soup, but it still was not enough to clear the hotness.

The noodles used were interesting as they had the very characteristically firm texture, almost the color, the size and the taste (not too sure about the taste as it was lost in the chili aroma) of the noodles used in the Korean-style cold Reimen noodles. It is rather rare to have these used in hot noodles recipe so that's worth the experience.

At ¥500 the beer, ¥450 the Gyoza and ¥750 the noodle dish, this simple dinner amounted to ¥1,700, which is affordable. Their beer is nice and cool, so if you feel like munching on heaps of Gyozas while downing some draught beer, Genbu is definitely an affordable option. The waiters are polite and very professional.

By the way, it's next door to the uber-famous old-school Chinese eatery "Mintei".

And if you're into J-Pop, it's worth noting that the restaurant is owned by someone very close to the multi-platinum selling duo "Kobukuro". Who knows, they might come one day for a plate of Gyoza?

Genbu is open everyday from 11:30am to 04:00am

03-3481-5655

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-8-8

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Chabuzen (Soup Curry), Shimokitazawa

2010-08-04T15:00:00.001+09:00

I have recently started this weird thing of shooting manhole cover and feature them in a photoblog. It's nothing new; there are plenty of incredible blogs about those covers, if not even art books about them. I am not sure why I started this, but I just love the designs (obviously) and there is in finding new designs a ludic aspect to it that is quite exciting for the geek in me. The past few years I have spent looking around and up for unusual or pretty things to immortalize with my camera, now I am constantly looking down.

Anyway, looking for new round iron treasures, I was walking on the north side of Shimokitazawa when I came across a Soup Curry restaurant in the middle of almost nowhere. It was noon, hot and I was hungry so I entered the tiny place to discover an almost funnily small counter with three seats, and two little Chabudai (traditional short-legged table) in the back. The owner wearing a traditional brown outfit looked almost surprised when I got in, making me a hint worried that I was the only customer in days. It's also worth noting that I was the only customer during the whole lunch so it's still fair to say that it's not the most happening joint in Shimokitazawa... But my worries were vain as the food he offered me was good.

I ordered the Tappuri Yasai No Soup Kare (soup curry with "bunch" of vegies) and since I had to order how hot I wanted my dish (like Magic Spice but without the tripy names), I went for the house-recommended hotness "ChabuKara".

While waiting for my curry, I had time to chat with the owner, from which I recall 1) he opened the shop a couple of years ago 2) he chose that place because it's far from the station, enabling him to keep menu prices low as the rent is cheaper 3) he loves soup curries and has even spent some time in Sapporo, the "soup curry world capital", to study and improve his own recipe 4) he's originally from Hiroshima and on and on and on...

Just like Magic Spice, this eatery's specialty is definitely more like a hot Pot-Au-Feu (chicken bouillon with vegetables) than a regular curry. The SUPER low-on-salt clear soup looked like it'd been given a lot of care and attention. Little or almost no fat was floating on the transparent liquid and though the place is supposed to be a Yakuzen Soup Curry joint, the bouillon didn't taste (at least to me) like the pungent Kampo spices I usually assimilate to be Yakuzen-style. Yakuzen is a cuisine based on traditional Chinese medecine and this article might help you clarify things a little bit if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

One thing the soup did taste like (and increasingly as I was getting towards the end) is the south-east asian fish sauce Nam Pla. When I asked him whether there was fish sauce in it, the reply was positive.

The house-recommended hotness, which I think was third from the smoothest, was within reasonable for me, but probably too hot for anyone with chili issues.

The restaurant's webpage says the curry contains an impressive 14 vegetables, which I'd love to descrive to you, but most of them were so stewed and had lost so much of their original look, that it makes the listing almost impossible. I'm not a total debutant in food but I'm afraid I could name you only few ingredients so I'll leave it all up to you to try it and find out for yourself! One thing for sure is that numerous different textures were present, from slightly crunchy to melting, so it did not feel like a whole messy puree. One of the non-vegetable very interesting item was the Okara No Gnocchi, literally gnocchis made out of Okara, a substance left when soybeans have been pressed to make soy milk (which in turn is used to make Tofu and Tonyu). I have talked about this uber-healthy product in this doughnut shop post as well. It had the look of mochi (glutinous rice cake) but was mealier inside. A weird texture to be honest, and definitely not a bomb of flavor either but it was a new discovery for sure.

The rice plate I was served was full of flavorful Hatsuga Genmai (germinated brown rice) which is even richer in nutrient factor than the already pretty healthy regular brown rice, due to the work of the enzymes present during germination. I felt the slightly bigger grains went very well with the very liquid soup.

It's out of the way at a good 15mn walk from the station, but the owner/cook is quite funky, the tiny shop is kind of cute and the meal is at a very affordable ¥600, so if you're feeling slightly adventurous and want to try something off the tourist trail, do walk the extra few hundred meters to visit this place.

Chabuzen is closed on Mondays and open the rest of the week (including national holidays) from noon to 15:30pm and 17:30pm to 23:00pm (L.O. at 22:30pm)
Setagaya-ku, Daita 6-16-20
080-6603-8587 (that's a cell phone number so the phone bill will be slightly more expensive than a fixed line call...)
Click here for a MAP

Ramen Yajirushi (Ramen), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-30T12:54:00.010+09:00

There are a few spots quite tough to find or get to in Shimokitazawa, like the infamously hard to spot "Frisco" (which unfortunately closed last week as the old building it was in will be destroyed), and this Ramen joint "Yajirushi" that I am featuring today is one of them. I am not sure how long it's been there but I have NEVER noticed it.

True, I've seen its red flag saying らーめん (Ramen) on the side of the street probably a good several hundred times, but never seeing the actual joint close-by (or at least at the end of the alley where the flag is) made me not pay attention to the place at all.

Just as a search result not on your Google top page is unfortunately almost irrelevant, a restaurant which is not close by its billboard or sign has a chance of remaining largely unnoticed. Or, like "Nasu Oyaji" which is slightly away from the main street, opt for a fun sign such as "we are 64 steps from this sign" and you know that some people will end up in front of your shop just for the sake of trying the little challenge.

Alright, enough digressing.

Ramen Yajirushi (Yajirushi means "arrow", and I must have completely missed it...) occupies one of the ground floor rooms (furthest from the street) of a really average looking apartment, and can probably sit 10 people at the counter. The owner/cook is mute as a fish and I had to wonder whether the meal ticket distributor at the entrance was another way for him to avoid communicating with customers.

There were few press clippings outside the restaurant recommending the Shio Ramen (salty Ramen) so that's what ordered with a topping of Moyashi (soy sprout) and an Aji-Tama (simmered egg).

The said bowl of noodles got to me in less than five minutes and I have to say that the initial tasting of the transparent soup was a pleasant surprise. The broth is a simmered blend of Genkotsu (the succulent pork knee joint bone which resembles the human knuckle, thus dubbed the equivalent in Japanese), Torigara (Chicken carcass), vegetables, Niboshi (dry baby sardines) as well as Sababushi (dry mackerel shavings), and manages to keep a delicious balance between the meat and fish aromas (the later is stronger). I would not recommend that you down it though, as there was a relatively consequent amount of fat floating on top the soup, capable of boosting your calorie intake for the day before you know it.

The homemade white-colored square noodles are about 1.5mm thick and have a nice firmness. A sign on the counter says that the dough contains some alkaline water, which explains the consistency, as such water is usually added to give the noodles a harder bite. I loved it, as they somehow had a hint of jelly texture to them.

The toppings were all good with a special mention for the very tender and melting in your mouth Chashu (Chinese style pork bbq), once again homemade, stewed six hours before being marinated in a special Shoyu-based glaze for an hour.

I also loved the perfectly simmered egg, which unfortunately I would have preferred more half-boiled. Mine was tasting perfectly but was 90% boiled when I love them runnier.

Don't go to this place thinking you'll be able to practice your Japanese as you will most probably end up not exchanging a single word with the cook (not that he seemed like a bad guy). However, I can recommend the Shio-Ramen. The place seems famous for its Tsukemen (dipping noodles in a separate bowl of hot broth) as well, so please give it a try if you feel like it.

Ramen Yajirushi is closed on Tuesdays and open the rest of the week from 11:30am to 21:00pm

Setagaya-Ku, Kitazawa 2-28-7

03-3468-1538

Click here for a MAP

Pannya (Curry), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-29T11:00:00.000+09:00

I am not sure whether it's the horrendous humidity that makes me crave for spices, but I have found myself going to curry joints a lot lately. Our latest currying spree brought us to Pannya, a specialized curry restaurant which opened a year and a half ago, ten minutes or so from the station. The owner is well-known actor Takashi Matsuo, a notorious curry fan.

The shop is a clean, small twelve-seater with movies and theater posters on the white walls.

We got there around nine in the evening and the place was full, so it does seem to be quite popular.

Though the menu said that one should try their specialty Chicken Curry, I opted for the "Tokubetsu Na KatsuKare" (the "very special" curry with topped deep-fried pork cutlet) which I ordered from the charming smily little lady in the kitchen. For your reference, I have featured another Katsu-Kare in this post about the old-school Yoshoku eatery "Kitchen Nankai".

It took her ten minutes or so to cook three other curries on wait and ours so that's really not bad of a performance.

As you can see from the picture, the plate is quite large and the light-colored curry relatively soupy. This is one of the characteristic of this place: the recipe doesn't include any flour which is usually rather common in Japanese curries and gives it its thickness. The curry in itself is rather low in salt (so does the cutlet), not too spicy (would prefer it with more spices) and full of stewed onion. There is a strong emphasis on cardamom flavor so if you don't like that specific spice, you will probably not like this dish.

The very tender rice is a blend of regular white rice and whole grain one and its very boiled texture combines very well with the soup, the grains almost sucking the juice.

The pork comes from Nakasei, a specialized aged-meat shop located in the very chic and residential area Denen-Chofu, which might explain why this curry costs a whopping ¥1,500 when the Chicken one is charged ¥800. The "expensive"meat is almost pink, so if you're the worrying kind when it comes to how your pork is cooked, you might get a little concerned here. However, given the tight hygiene standard put by the Japanese government, I wouldn't be too paranoid about this; I guess you can always ask to have your meat well-done (Telling the cook "Katsuretsu O Yoku Yaite Kudasai" will probably do) if you want to.

Though slightly too low on salt, I found the thin-breaded meat tender and delicious, greatly pairing with the curry sauce.

Once again, I found the whole dish to lack spices and therefore characteristics (or maybe that is the characteristic) , but it was definitely tasting good so I'll go back. Next time I guess I will try their Keema and Chicken half and half curry: our neighbor was eating it and it did look quite good.

Pannya is closed on Mondays and open the rest of the week from 11:30am to 16:00pm and 17:00pm to 22:00pm (L.O.)

03-3485-4548

Setagaya-Ku, Kitazawa 3-23-23

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Hara Donuts (Doughnuts), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-26T11:00:00.000+09:00

The cute little doughnut shop with its white walls

Today's feature is not about a restaurant but about a doughnut shop that has become a must visit while in Shimokitazawa (locals come here a lot as well). Things have definitely slowed down a little bit, but when they opened over a year ago, people were lining up like crazy: definitely a better time to try their specialty now. By the way, this is a chain with 13 shops as of today, so you don't necessarily need to try it here. However, they are right across my favorite espresso joint "Bear Pond Espresso", so if you want something to munch on with your coffee, you can always buy some doughnuts at the shop and bring them in the cafe.

I am sure doughnuts ask for no explanations for you, but it's always nice to have a little glimpse at the ever-educational wiki articles (where you can learn among other things that Canada has the most doughnuts stores per capita), so here it is for you. By the way, have you ever wondered why some people starting to make doughnuts in a ring shape? (the not so mind-blowing answer at the end of the post!)

The red-tinted Tomato doughnut

Hara Donuts (spelt like that) started a couple of years ago in the town of Kobe (near Osaka), when someone had the great idea of combining in the batter some of that great Tofu (soy milk cheese) by-product Okara (the substance left when soybeans are pressed to make soy milk) and Tonyu (soy milk) from the Hara Tofu Shop in business since 1968 in that same town.

The doughnuts here are quite dry (at least more than the Krispy Kreme's Original Glaze ones, for example) and you may feel like you would need a drink to finish one, but you will quickly realize that the initial dryness quickly disappears to give way to a nice chew and taste. I am not sure how the Okara affects the texture, but the doughnuts here feel interestingly more and more "doughy" as you chew. Also, though they look oily, they don't really feel that way in your mouth.

The Satokibi doughnut

The Okara added in the batter is full of vitamins and minerals, so if you don't eat three at a time, it is quite safe to say that they're "healthy". They have several different tastes, from which I would recommend the Satokibi (regular doughnut sprinkled with sugar-cane powdered sugar) and Tomato (doughnut which batter is mixed with fresh tomato).

The slightly pinkish, red Tomato Doughnut

The "Satokibi" ones are sweetened just perfectly and may go extremely with some fresh milk or some nice coffee. The "Tomato" are stranger in the way that they don't taste that much like tomato first, but as you keep on chewing, you can feel the nice aroma of the fruit getting stronger and stronger. And it actually tastes pretty good so definitely give it a try!

Once again, this did not necessarily have to be on this Shimokitazawa blog, but it has somehow become a little bit of a landmark in the neighborhood, and I find their specialty good, so I posted it!

In case you are still reading, the reason why someone started to make doughnuts in a ring shape is to avoid them being raw in the center...

Hara Donuts is open everyday from 10am to 19:00pm though they'll close when they're out of batter
03-6416-8280
Setaga-Ku, Kitazawa 3-27-2
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Magic Spice (Soup Curry), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-23T11:00:00.001+09:00

I am featuring today probably one of the most famous soup curry restaurant in Tokyo, "Magic Spice". For those of you not familiar with this tasty and spicy dish, let me copy and paste that little paragraph I wrote before in this other soup curry joint "Kokoro" feature post:

The Soup Curry was born in Sapporo, in the Northern Island of Hokkaido, where it's become as popular as the Ramen, with more than 200 restaurants all competing for the best of its genre. The trend has gone southward and you can find Soup Curry restaurant all over Japan now.
This Japanese remix of the Indian curry is exactly like its name describes it, that is a soupy one. Each restaurant takes pride in cooking the perfect bouillon in which they'll add the spices and the ingredients that they will slowly stew, for the perfect soupy curry.

Bollywood on steroids interior

Magic Spice actually happens to be slightly misunderstood as they're serving more of an Indonesian chicken soup "Soto Ayan" with strong curry flavor rather than a standard soup curry. The mistake by customers is easily understandable though, as the decor inside and outside is of a completely pseudo-Indian psychedelic taste, and even the waitresses dress like they could be working for Air India. The top page of the "English" website is probably the only place with a little bit of Indonesian graphics.

The extravagant look aside, the menu ordering system works a little bit like the "Kokoro" one, meaning you first need to choose the soup dish you want (chicken, pork, beef, seafood, vegi and so forth) and then you ask for how spicy you want it to be. All you need to know is that even the smoothest one is relatively hot, so you shouldn't challenge yourself unless you really can stand it, and the spicier it is the more expensive it is, so it is generally a wise choice to keep it edible at a smooth level.

There are 7 levels of hotness, all named after pseudo-buddhism references, which are (in smoothest +¥60 to hottest order +¥250) :

覚醒 (Kakusei or awakening) > 瞑想 (Meisou or Meditation) > 悶絶 (Monzetsu or Faint in agony) > 涅槃（Nehan or Nirvana) > 極楽（Gokuraku or Heaven) > 天空（Tenkuu or Vault of heaven) >虚空（Kokuu or Void)

There is also an astronomical level of hotness which is not on the menu but which you can ask for, called アクエリアス (Aquarius). You have to sign a waver (I'm serious...) when eating this so do it at your own risks!

Talking about pseudo-buddhism references, you will see that this place is full of weird buddhist and hindi graphics, very strange texts all over the place (from your table to the walls) about how eating curry and enjoying strong spices will make you trip etc...

I ordered the "World's best, tender and juicy" Chicken leg soup curry, and cautiously went for Meditation (Level 2) to start with.

After 10 minutes came a plate of safran rice (with a slice of pineapple) and a pretty big soup with a big chicken leg in it. The other ingredients were some cut carrots, Daikon radish, cauliflowers, onions and chinese cabbage.

Chicken curry and a ray of light

As I told you before, the soup curry here tastes more like a soup with curry flavor. To be more precise, it tastes like a good Pot-Au-Feu, that is a stewed bouillon of chicken and vegetables, with some added "indian" spices like garam masala and some more pepper. The first spoon is surprising as although you know you ordered Level 2 hotness, the spice kick is rather impressive. That's where the safran rice comes in timely and handy as it helps you escape from the peppery feeling.

The mouth-saving safran rice

In case you'd like to smooth or spice-up your soup, there are some red-hot chili powder, some galam masara like yellow curry powder and a transparent liquid made of lemon, lime juice diluted in water. I tried the citrus water which does wonder in smoothing the broth.

Chili powder, curry powder and the magic water

The chicken is well stewed and you really don't need to work hard on it to detach the tasty flesh from the bone. I also prefer the skin roasted than boiled, but it is cooked here long enough to feel unobnoxious. The size of the specimen is quite big so if you're a chicken eater, that one leg should be enough to please you.

As you can see, it looks more like a Pot-au-feu than a curry...

Once again, this is not what I would call a soup curry, but Magic Spice is very very popular in its own right (you will probably have to wait before getting to a table), so should you be curious about the decor, the various mystical levels of hotness and the reason why its cuisine is so famous, please give it a try yourself!

Magic Spice is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, open from 11:30am to 15:00pm and 17:30pm to 23:00pm the rest of the weekdays, and from 11:30am to 23:00pm on weekends and national holidays

03-5454-8801

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 1-40-15

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Marusan Foods (Japanese style cafe/restaurant), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-21T11:04:00.009+09:00

Today's feature is one of those "I've lost track because there are too many of them" funky eateries of cool Shimokitazawa. Marusan Foods (the restaurant logo is a circle or "Maru" with number 3 inside or "San", hence the name) serves lunch, acts like a cafe in the afternoon, and from what I heard provides aficionados with good and healthy dinner fares in the evening.

the several jars of fruits marinating in vinegar

I climbed up the stairs to the third floor, got there at noon sharp for the opening and there was no customer around until I was finished, so lucky me for the relaxing lunching experience. The only problem was that their A/C wasn't working, so on a 35C heat day, that may explain why I was the only fool sweating in there.

The music playing was a series of Walter Wanderlay-ish loungy keyboard music so the heat and the music made for an out-of-place Copacabana atmosphere.

The food is far from being Brazilian though, if not for the green and yellow color of their specialty dish Omu-Raisu (stirred rice stuffed omelette), reminiscent of the Brazilian flag.

Yes, you heard me right: their Omu-Raisu is green and yellow, when it should be and has always been yellow and red, that is the color of the omelette and the ketchup-based sauce on top. This is the first time I have EVER seen such anomaly and I believe Marusan is the only place in Japan which serves a green Omu-Raisu.

Jako-Sansho-Gohan Omu-Raisu

The green sauce is actually a green peas sauce that is flavorful enough to remind me of those peas potages they serve in French cuisine. Very good stuff, but it unfortunately blends so well with the rest of the dish that you don't really feel the peas at all.

The quickly sauteed rice beneath the excellent and runny omelette is very low on salt, mixed with fried Jako (very small dried baby sardines) and very aromatic wholegrain Chinese pepper "Sansho". The bomb of flavor and the numbness to the tongue that this spice brings continues to amaze me. So it's actually maybe without surprise that the peas seem so reserved when the rest of the ingredients are so flavorful.

A Sansho pepper on the left and a white Jako (can you see it? It looks like a long rice grain)

Overall a well-balanced and excellent dish. I still doubt the efficiency in taste of the peas, but the color they bring is WAY WORTH IT!

My ¥890 set came with an excellent and pungent Aka-Dashi Miso Soup (made of regular "Mame-Miso" fermented bean paste and "Kome-Miso" fermented rice and bean paste; you will often come across this soup in Sushi restaurants), some Tsukemono marinated pickles and the delicious grey-brown paste on the above picture which tasted like a Goma-Dofu (Sesame Tofu). If it was indeed what I reckoned it was, then it is a dish consisting of black sesame seeds, water and Kudzu powder. If not for the very little Katsuo-Bushi (dry bonito shavings) that was topped on the paste, it would have been the perfect Buddhist vegan Shojin recipe.

After a satisfying meal (despite the brutal heat), I had to have something refreshing so I chose from one of the many curiosity-enhancing "vinegar-marinated fruits drinks" they offer the "Marinated fig in milk" drink (for an additional ¥300). As you can see from the very top picture of this post, they have a dozen of different fruits marinated in vinegar which you can mix with Soda, Milk, Soy milk or some final liquid I can't remember anymore.

I thought the combination would be too weird, surely undrinkable or at least way too sour, but my mix actually tasted like a very nice slightly sour Fig Lassi (if that can give you an idea). I'm not sure I would drink gulps of it, but I thought it acted as a perfect dessert to finish the overall very satisfying lunch.

I definitely recommend this place for lunch (I haven't tried the dinner yet). The staff is nice, the food is good and affordable, the location is charming; so provided the A/C is back by the time you visit the place, you should thoroughly enjoy it.

Marusan Foods is open everyday from noon to midnight, and until 02am on Saturday nights
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-8-5, 3F
03-3485-3838
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Cicoute (bakery, cafe), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-20T13:28:00.011+09:00

I tried to enter this very popular cafe bakery (with glowing reviews on the net) a couple of times before, but in vain as people were lining-up on both occasions and I very much dislike queuing for food. However, since I was in a bread mood the other day, I took "Socialnomics" (which by the way my friends at Orinoco just translated in Japanese) with me just in case, and got to the joint at 11:50, that is ten minutes before opening.

I thought the line would be as terrible as a Non-Docomo phone in Fuji Rock but only six people were waiting when I got there, and thus managed to get in as soon as the shop opened. I got assigned a little table with a Pixar-like lamp at the end of the cafe.

The interior is rather dark, making it slightly unsuitable for reading (unless you get the table I got), and tastily undecorated with not much but white walls and wood furniture. The background music was a Blossom Dairie album playing so it gives you an idea on the airy and "classy" atmosphere of the cafe. Let's say another typical Shimokitazawa relaxing shop.

Since it was my first time eating there, I asked for the recommendation which was the Cicoute Set, with a wholewheat muffin toasted with cheese and ham, a cup of ceylon tea and a serving of cold Ratatouille (stewed vegetables). In case you're not a ham&cheese person, they also have a honey&butter on plain muffin, and if the stewed vegies are not your cup of tea (if I may say), then you can choose a Japanese style "Salade Nicoise" (fresh salad with canned tuna).

The toasted rye muffin was slightly crunchy on the outside and quite doughy on the inside. The grain's aroma is quite strong, the bread quite sweet and it makes for a delicious treat. Like a good old pain de campagne, you can see some unbaked flour on top which gives that nice and crafty touch to the muffin.

The ham and melted cheese are both not too salty, allowing you to really enjoy the combination of the ingredients with the bread. There is an obvious taste of pepper which I like, but you might want to let them know in advance if you don't like that condiment.

My mother being from south of France, I tend to be pretty tough on mediocre Ratatouille, but this cold one is good, though lacking in tomato sauce (but that's just one different way of cooking the dish, I guess). The ingredients (eggplants, onions, celeries and pumpkins) are well stewed, tender and really melting in your mouth. A refreshing pleasure in this brutal heat. A special mention to the stewed pumpkins which feel almost pasty when below your palate.

The ceylon tea was very fragrant and good but I would have loved a little more of it, as it only comes in one cup. Which brings me to the major issue facing this bakery: the above set comes at a whooping ¥1,360...so unless you're loaded, this is not going to be your lunch canteen.

True, this place is charming, relaxing, miles away from the lethal heat, offering good food made with what looks like a lot of care, but you have to be ready to pay the price, which I might be though only few times a year... But that's your choice. And remember, if you're not there before opening, you will have to wait...

Chicoute is closed on Wednesdays and open the rest of the week from noon to 21:00pm
Setagaya-ku, Daita 5-1-20 (5mn or so from Shimokitazawa's station West Exit)
03-3421-3330
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Kuumba Du Falafel (Falafel and Hummus), Shinsen

2010-07-15T11:15:00.007+09:00

I know I shouldn't blog about eateries outside of Shimokitazawa, but there are few occasions when you get excited and want to talk about it. "Kuumba Du Falafel" provided me with such opportunity, so please bear with me on this post.

"Kuumba Du Falafel" is a 5mn walk or so from the "Shinsen" station on the Inokashira-Line, that is two stops from Shimokitazawa (or a good 30mn+ walk) or Shibuya. I have passed by the year-old restaurant so many times, it's hard to believe I never saw it. Sometimes it's really just about always walking on the "wrong" side of the street.

some dried fruit in glass jars on the nice "marble" counter

According to the Japanese owner, Kuumba means "to create" in Swahili, so "Kuumba Du Falafel" is an East African x French x Middle Eastern words to designate what simply is a Falafel joint. By the way, the shop manager I talked to is also the proud owner of "Kuumba International", a company specialized in the manufacture, import/export of essential oil and incense (an "olfactory", should you let me make this pun...), so the guy knows what he's talking about when it comes to smell and aromas.

The shop is clean, classy, light-filled thanks to big windows, with limited furniture, a single big marble counter for eating in and a kitchen in the back. The menu revolves around its specialty dish, the Falafel, served either in a HUGE pita sandwich or on a wrap all the ingredients yourself plate. They also have a Hummus plate that has to be good.

Should you not be versed in the Falafel, here's your Wiki article on the wonderful dish.

For your reference, the owner is a big Falafel fan who devoured the said dish in the four corners of the world, then tried all the Falafels he could find in Japan until he decided to cook them himself as he couldn't find his ideal version of the balls anywhere else here.

The plate, which is not cheap at ¥1,260 but oh so worth it, comes with two halves of Pita bread, a serving of hummus (chickpeas paste), a Tahini-based sesame sauce, five falafels, (what I assume to be) pickled Daikon radish, some marinated red cabbage, a HUGE salad composed of several herbs as well as cubed fresh tomato and cucumber, and last but not the least quickly fried eggplant slices. The picture doesn't give you any idea on the size of the dish, but believe me, it's quite big. If that doesn't fill you for the rest of the afternoon or the entire evening, well... there's a famous tonkotsu (pork carcass based broth) Ramen joint across...

the "balls"

The Falafels are an Israeli version (according to the boss), supposedly meaning that they are crunchier outside than say the more tender Egyptian version. The texture aside, the balls are aroma bombs of parsley, onion, garlic and god knows what and if you're into anything middle-eastern, you will LOVE them. The salad is fresh, BIG (too big), varied and topped with a spoonful of pleasant Genovese basilic paste.

the hummus

There is a generous portion of delicate and not too garlicky hummus on the side which I put into my pita bread under the Falafels. On that same note, there are so many ingredients to fill your pitas with that it's almost like a puzzle when trying to do it correctly. You will most certainly end up finishing your salad on the plate, and not in the Pita.

By the way, should you not be into the idea of wrapping this whole thing by yourself or just don't want to eat everything separately, the gargantuan brick-like sandwich is the easy solution for you.

You can also see on the lower righthand side of the above picture some Tahini-based sauce that you can add onto your stuffed Pita. The sauce is rather liquid and probably thinned with water but still rich enough with sesame flavor, letting you enjoy some of its aroma without conflicting with the numerous other complex tastes. The pink dots you see are fantastic pink peppers.

the homemade pita

Lastly, a quick mention of the ocre tinted wholewheat Pita (and not the usual plain white ones) which the owner proudly presented me as homemade. What can I say, they're tasty, and though very thin are great in the literally supporting (the other ingredients) role.

Which reminds me that all the sauces, from a fantastic chili hot red one, the beige Tahini one or the basilic green paste are homemade.

It's not the easiest access that I have featured in this blog but it's really worth it. They also do take-out.

By the way, if you're into middle-Eastern fares, don't forget the cheap and good eatery Uchimura which also has Falafel, hummus and other delicious fares!

Kuumba Du Falafel is open everyday (for now, though they were saying it was time for them to take at least one day off per week, so please call them in the future to make sure they're open. They speak English) from 11:30am to 14:30 for lunch and 17:30pm to 22:00pm for dinner (close at 19:00pm on Sundays)

03-6416-8396

Shibuya-ku, Shinsencho 23-1

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Nasu Oyaji (Curry), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-14T11:00:00.004+09:00

sign

I was walking the other day on the south side of Shimokitazawa when a tiny sign at the entrance of a little street caught my eyes, advertizing a restaurant located "63 steps" from there. Pushed by curiosity and hunger, I started walking towards the mysterious joint carefully counting my steps until I got there after 59 steps (have you ever wondered why your steps seem to become suddenly smaller when you count them?).

The cute shop I got to is "Nasu Oyaji" (probably best translated as "Uncle Eggplant"), a curry shop that's been exactly 20 years in business, with a very limited menu of about four different curries. The interior is wood based, rather charming and looks like one of those numerous cafes in Shimokitazawa, simple and arranged with good and humble taste. You can see on the righthand side of the picture a rack with a hundred or so vinyl records which the Eggplant Man plays as a nice background music. Some old american pop was playing when I was there and it does seem like music is one of the boss' passion. It looks like the place is patronized by a lot of musicians as well as music industry people, and there were two guys sitting at a table that clearly were from the biz.

interior

As I said earlier, the food choice being limited, it wasn't too hard to make a decision between the Chicken, Beef, Vegetable or All-mix curries: loving vegies for their taste and for the inner peace they give me when confronted to the gargantuan amount of food I usually ingest, I quickly opted for the Yasai Kare (vegetable curry).

After my order, I started reading a couple of news items on my phone and stepped outside the building to check-in on Foursquare when the waitress got out to tell me the dish was ready. That's how fast I was served.

Vegetable Curry

The regular serving of curry and rice is larger than an average portion somewhere else and should be enough provided you're not starving. The ingredients topped were cuts of boiled eggplants, carrots, broccolis, mushrooms and a quarter of fresh tomato. The boiled egg you see in the middle is a topping I added for ¥50.

I have recently been eating a lot of eggplants that were quickly fried before being additionally cooked so the simply boiled eggplant felt a little "British" and watery but that's basically my only complain.

The curry was hotter than I thought, and probably too spicy for anyone disliking hot stuff. It tastes like a crossbreed of old-school Japanese Kare and authentic Indian curry, with the former one being dominant. The not-too-pasty sauce has this undeniable sweet aroma characteristic of the curries your Japanese mum cooks but with a hot accent of pepper.

The boiled egg was a good idea as the yolk smoothens the curry to a really nice degree when and where mixed. Recommended.

I am attaching for your information a paragraph about addiction from the Wiki article on Curry which I found interesting as I had no clue there were talks of dependance on it.

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Curry addiction

A number of studies have claimed that the reaction of pain receptors to the hotter ingredients in curries, even korma, leads to the body's release of endorphins and, with the complex sensory reaction to the variety of spices and flavours, a natural high is achieved that causes subsequent cravings, often followed by a desire to move on to hotter curries. Some refer to this as addiction, but other researchers contest the use of the word "addiction" in this instance.^[28]

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Nasu Oyaji offers rather basic curries but I somehow understand that some people get addicted to the place and its dishes. A simple menu with good food that's not too expensive in a nice cafe-like atmosphere, that's probably the secret to two decades of successful business in an ever changing and competitive environment that is Shimokitazawa.

They're also serving curries all afternoon, so if you feel a little hungry around 4pm, it is definitely an option!

Nasu Oyaji is closed on Thursdays and serving curries the rest of the week from noon to 22:00pm (L.O. 21:30). They do close when out of sauce, so good luck!
03-3411-7035
Setagaya-ku, Daizawa 5-36-8
Click here for a MAP

Com Pho (Vietnamese), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-13T09:40:00.006+09:00

I'd like to feature today this Vietnamese restaurant which we used to patronize quite frequently five years ago or so, "Com Pho". We stopped going there when we felt like somehow the great food quality had gone down (and I believe the cooks had changed) and because of an appetite inhibiting bathroom odor that used to float in the air and which was getting stronger and stronger at the time.

So we hadn't been paying much attention to the restaurant for years until we recently saw a sign outside the restaurant advertising its "Tom Yam Kung Pho". I am a HUGE FAN of the Tom Yam Kung Ramen at Tinun Shibuya so I got tempted, knowing how exciting it would be to discover closer to home the Vietnamese remix of the dish.

You can imagine how quickly I gave my nostrils the odor test when entering the classy restaurant. This is by the way one thing that has not changed from the beginning: the decoration has always been quite upscale for a Vietnamese in Shimokitazawa. There still subsists a suspect smell but I couldn't tell whether it came from the condiments used in the kitchen or from you know where...

We sat down and (in spite of all the prior fantasy over the Tom Yam Kung noodle) ended up ordering the Pho Ga (Chicken Pho) which we thought was a better approach to knowing whether they had a decent cook or not, just like you should always order the Tamago (sweet egg omelette) in a Sushi joint to have a better idea on the house abilities.

In case you're not aware of what Pho is, here's your wiki article for a basic notion.

Quickly after ordering, the waitress put a dish of Moyashi (bean sprout) in front of us, which you can help yourself from as a free topping on your Pho. Too bad Com Pho doesn't also bring you all those herbs and leaves you can top on your dish, like they do in Vietnam.

The bowl that got to us was rather large and smelling good. I have to say that the first aroma didn't come close to what we had in Vietnam, but it was still a good reminder of what we had in that incredible country (should you be interested, here is a photo collection of our trip there).

The preset toppings were boiled chicken, chopped leek, long cuts of Nira garlic chives and bean sprouts.

The soup was pretty basic and tasted a bit too strong in what I think was chicken bouillon so I added lemon juice to smoothen it and a lot of hot chili sauce to add a kick to it.

As you can see, the rice noodles Pho are flat and their tenderness (I probably let them in the soup too long, busy that I was taking pictures) combined well with the soup. I supersized them for ¥100 and it was just enough for my hungry stomach so please do so if you think you can handle it no problem.

So, it's definitely not like what we ate in south-east Asia, but for ¥830 (when supersized) I think this makes for a very decent lunch when you're tired of eating Japanese food or simply want something slightly exotic.

They also have a rather extensive menu for dinner that's not expensive, so please give it a try and let me know how it was! In the meantime, I will definitely try the Tom Yam Kung Pho...

Com Pho is open everyday from noon to midnight (L.O. at 22:30)

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-13-4

03-5481-0564

Click here for a MAP

Hachibunme (Izakaya), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-12T09:52:00.011+09:00

This Japanese restaurant, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in April is probably the most closely associated to our lives in Shimokitazawa, as we started going there around their opening right before we moved to this neighborhood, and continued using it almost like a canteen way after we settled in.

Hachibunme is owned by Jackpot, a catering company I mentioned before in the posts about "Tom's Kitchen" and "La Befana", managing about 15 restaurants in Tokyo, mostly in Shimokitazawa. You will recognize its restaurants by the wooden board outside saying "やってます" (We're open). Except for an improbable exception, you are almost guaranteed great service and good cost performance if you ever visit one of their businesses.

Hachibunme's manager since the opening is Shoji-San, an always smily, happy-going man who's always 120% about what he does, mainly trying to make you feel as welcome as possible. He is a football aficionado who will be very happy if you start talking about the Beautiful Game in general and probably stoked if you mention the Joga Bonito.

Hachibunme's characteristic resides in the fact that although they're a pretty basic Izakaya (Japanese style food serving pub), they have a very decent wheat-flour noodle Udon menu to choose from. I suggest that whenever you visit them, you leave yourself a little space for a bowl of noodle at the end. By the way Hachibunme means 80%, and is often used as part of the very wise expression ~Hara-Hachibunme (eat until you're 80% full)~ .

On our last visit, we started by ordering the "Taberu Rayu" (the "solid" Chinese-style chili infused vegetable oil), a condiment that has been one of the biggest food hits nationwide in 2010. This seasoning or appetizer (depending on what you want to do with it) is Rayu mixed with chopped garlic and crushed almonds. You can add that on pretty much anything, tofu, rice, noodles for an easy Chinese Sichuan-style dish. We just nibbled on it with our beers, though I do not recommend it for non Japanese beers. We had Bass Pale Ale and it did NOT go well with the it. "Saltier" Japanese beers should be good.

Next came our favorite Okinawa dish "Goya Champuru" (stirred bitter Gourd). Goya is a vegetable indigenous to the sub-tropical southern islands of Okinawa and is known for its very bitter taste and crunchy texture. The Okinawa people cook the gourd by saute it with tofu, pork, scrambled eggs before topping generous amounts of KatsuoBushi (dry Bonito shavings) and it's always a great recipe difficult to screw up. The one in Hachibunme is slightly salty but plentily satisfying.

Before attacking the noodles, we had the tasty calorie bomb "Sasami no Cheese Age Wasabi-Iri" (deep-fried chicken breast with cheese and wasabi). As you can see from the picture, it's big pieces of juicy white chicken breast meat stuffed with cheese and chopped fresh wasabi leaves, battered and then deep-fried. The cheese gets to you completely melted, and the combination with the batter is a complete sin. The cuts are relatively lower on salt than what you might expect or imagine so feel free to add a little salt that's served on the side of the dish.

My last dish was a large serving of nice KamaAge Udon, wholewheat noodles served in a hotpot with steaming hot water and hot Tsuyu dipping sauce. The noodles are served in a traditional large wooden box from which you help yourself, before dipping them in the dark brown Tsuyu broth in which you can add chopped leek or grated ginger to your likings.

As per the below movie, the noodles come to you quite hot and it's a pleasure to see the steam coming out of the miniature Hinoki bathtub like box. However, the hot water keeps on cooking the noodles so just quickly devour them, as they lose their Koshi (firmness) fast. Be cautious when helping yourself, as the Udon are slippery and you might splash everyone at your table when they escape from your chopsticks.

My wife had a really good bowl of GomaKara Reimen (cold noodles in a sesame and chili sauce), which is definitely an option if you want something more chewy and less Japanese than the Udon. The slightly spicy sauce is a Korean style one which you will probably like if you're into that cuisine. The cold noodles are VERY al dente so if you ever order them, you are on for an extensive jaw exercise.

Those four mains and a couple of British beers cost us ¥4,580 so it's quite nice at little over ¥2,000 per head, isn't it?

The restaurant is pretty big and even has a large tatami room at the back so they can handle quite some people. Even if they are full when you get there, which might happen sometimes as they're pretty popular, you shouldn't have to wait too long.

Hachibunme is open everyday from 17:00pm to midnight (L.O. at 23:00pm) and start from 16:00pm on Sundays and National holidays
03-3467-7412 ( or free dial 0066-9673-28949 for reservations only)
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-4-10
Click here for a MAP

Waffle Cafe Orang (Waffles), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-08T10:14:00.010+09:00

I can't remember when this cafe opened but it seems to me like this waffle shop "Waffle Cafe Orang" has been here forever. I've been countless times to the excellent vegetable restaurant "Yasai Sakaba" across the street but it curiously never crossed my mind to taste those sweets even for a dessert. I know it may sound dumb, but the thought of eating belgium waffles in Shimokitazawa seemed a little strange and out of place to me.

But once again, the merit of writing a food blog is that you get pushed to try new places, so that's what I did yesterday.
The cafe is charming, airy, with nice furnitures and mexican-like light pastel colored walls but I chose to sit at the wooden terrasse facing the main street, as the French in me never can resist the desire to sit outside and watch people pass by.

The first thing that caught my attention was the sign in the cafe that says "we are specialized in Brussels type American waffle". I am not an expert in waffles but I know my geography so it was definitely some food for thoughts...

I have very fond childhood memories of the plain waffles sprinkled with powder sugar I ate with my grandmother in Paris, so that is what I ordered without hesitation. Not to mention that Japanese have an annoying habit of topping too much stuff on their crepes and waffles (mostly deterring amount of fresh creme), so I knew I had to keep my order as simple as it could be.

Cinnamon and sugar waffle

The only conservative challenge I made was to add some cinnamon as I thought it would be good with the hot tea I ordered with the sweet. The rule in this cafe is that whenever you order a waffle you have to choose a drink with it (coffee, tea, juice), though not vice-versa. This is a major inconvenience as you will be charged at least around ¥1,000 for a mere plate of "gaufre".

What got to me was two squared waffles, each sides around 12cm in length. They are very light in texture, relatively crunchy first and quickly dissolving in your mouth, leaving a delicate and pleasant taste of butter.

The tea, which I think was a Ceylon one, went really well with the waffle so this is an option I would recommend if you are hesitating between tea and coffee. The reason being that the combination of powdered cinnamon and powdered sugar is slightly choking, so I think tea is better suited to wash it down. An another alternative is to add some maple syrup, which I did. Nice match.

The gaufres are so light, you will be done with them in no time. I think they're perfect for a quick snack in the afternoon (the terrasse is breezy and relaxing) though you will need to be ready to pay ¥1,000 for them. Good but expensive. The decision is yours.

Waffle Cafe Orang is open from 12:30pm to 20:30pm through Monday to Friday; 11:30am to 20:30pm on Saturdays and 11:00am to 20:00pm on Sundays

03-5738-5320

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-26-21

Click here for a MAP

Usaya (Izakaya), Shimokitazawa

2010-07-06T11:30:00.001+09:00

First of all, sorry for the late update...Today's feature is "Usaya", a very cute looking restaurant that looks like it's going to crumble anytime, as does the surrounding near-to-collapse neighborhood.

The cute upgrade shack-like "Usaya"

The izakaya (food serving Japanese-style pub) "Usaya" uses the premises of an old 1923 candy store of the same name, located in the "Kita-Guchi-EkiMae-Ichiba", the North Exit Market. This old market, whose businesses are slowly but surely closing one by one, is also dubbed "Yamiichi" (Black Market) as it used to be, with the still immensely popular American Market "Ameyoko" in Ueno, one of the main locations in Tokyo to go buy stuff more or less illegally obtained from the American bases in Japan.

how to get to Usaya from the station North Exit

Though it is very tiny in size compared to Ameyoko, Yamiichi still has that corrugated iron feel as well as some strange odors (mostly of cat piss...) peculiar to Asian markets and you should absolutely go visit it when in Shimokitazawa. Unfortunately, almost all the shops are closed so don't go there thinking you'll find some butchers, grocers or fishmongers frantically at work. There still are quite some Kodak moments worth the walk, not to mention the pleasure of feeling like you've lost yourself in a little movie set.

There also have been talks for years of destroying the slum-like market, so hurry up before the Setagaya ward decides to flatten the place once for all.

The big surprise at "Usaya" is that THERE IS NO FOOD MENU... "We don't have any menu" was the response of the smily lady when we naturally asked for it. Wow, Ok...We must have looked like deers in the headlight, so she quickly began to explain to us that we should just tell her

1) what is our budget

2) whether we are hungry or just want few things to munch on with some booze

3) if we are hungry, how many dishes we'd want

4) anything we wouldn't want in the recipes

Not knowing whether the place was expensive, there was not much we could say, but we decided to go for "give us three dishes and we'll take it from there"

The first thing that was brought to us was the classic summer appetizer boiled soybean "Edamame" to munch on with our Asahi draughts. Do you see the hairs on the beans? That's usually a good sign that the beans have been picked by hands and not with big machines, which prevents the vegetables from being hurt during the harvesting process, thus keeping it fresh.

What was nice during the whole dinner was the surprise factor. Not knowing what's coming to you is actually quite some fun.

The first main was a fresh and delicately seasoned Katsuo No Tataki Salada (lightly broiled Bonito Salad). As you can see, it was charmingly presented, with a real attention to not only the taste, but the colors involved. Japanese put a special emphasis on trying to make in the summer a cuisine that is cool and refreshing to the palate and to the eyes, and this recipe was a success in that regards. The simple but tasty sauce seemed like a mix of sesame and olive oil plus a hint sour ingredient that I couldn't recognize. The red pepper, the asparagus, the green beans, the zucchinis, the red cabbage and the surprisingly-not-bitter bitter gourd Goya were very nicely boiled, offering nice textures and aromas to go through.

The fish was well cooked and not smelly at all, which combined very well with the overall light dressing.

Next came the Yasai To Ebi No Itamemono (stirred vegetables and prawn), in a pretty red-lacquered antique plate. The ingredients were quickly oil-fried (Su-Age) before being stirred in Oyster sauce. Good stuff. The Indochinese-meets-Japanese recipe contained big chunks of delicately sheared eggplants, asparagus, yellow pepper, carrots, haricot verts and medium-sized prawns. Simple but effective. We loved it.

The "oh my god no menu and no price!?" scare to the "hey, this place is actually really nice!" happy surprise reached almost the summit with the third dish, another summer classic, the Inaniwa Udon (Udon inaniwa style). The Inaniwa Udon is a recipe from the southern part of the Akita prefecture in Northern Japan. The flat-shaped wholewheat noodles are smaller than regular Udon and are usually served cold, to be dipped in Tsuyu (a mix of dashi, mirin and shoyu) sauce. There are condiments on the side, often grated ginger, thinly chopped dry seaweed Nori and chopped leek, which you can add to your likings. Below is my little bowl of noodles floating in the Tsuyu broth with everything topped. The main bowl of noodles in iced-cold water from which you help yourself is not on the picture, but I can assure you that it was big. Probably enough portions for three in an expensive restaurant.

Though the noodles could have had more firmness or "Koshi", it still was a very refreshing dish. The perfect closer.

The steadily climbing level of satisfaction reached its pinacle when we asked for the check. With the appetizers, the three well-cooked dishes, two beers and a glass of Masamune sake, we were charged ¥4,100! It's not jaw-dropping cheap, but the atmosphere was excellent (Try to go during the summer so to enjoy the tables outside), the service impecable and the food good, so...ABSLOUTELY no complains!

You might be lost when ordering, but if you want three dishes (which was enough food as they bring everything as slowly as a classy French restaurant), just say "ORYORI MITTSU ONEGAI SHIMASU". Good luck!

The place is at just over a minute walk from the station. Please refer to the video above for directions. It's easy!

Usaya is closed on Sundays and open the rest of the week for dinner from 18:00pm to 01:00am

080-3158-4613 (that's a cell phone number so the phone bill will be slightly more expensive than a fixed line call...)
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-24-14
Click here for a MAP

Rishin (Ramen), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-29T11:00:00.000+09:00

I tried the other day this new ramen joint which opened last March next to the nice Izakaya (food serving japanese style pub) "Zakoya". "Rishin" is the offspring of the Ramen shop "Kunishin" in the northern Nagano prefecture, and the name of the restaurant comes from the owner's daughter name (which contains the chinese character 莉 "ri").
The place looks nice, japonesque, and rather classy for a noodle joint with its black wood structure inside and outside the building. They do serve drinks as well, making it a ramen meets izakaya hybrid eatery.

I went for their recommendation "Negi Chashu Men" (ramen topped with leek and chinese-style bbq pork) which I supersized for free, as they let you

a) supersize the noodles or

b) have a bowl of rice or

c) have a bowl of rice topped with Tororo (grated Japanese Yam potato)

with no charge.

The big bowl that got to me was rather impressive in size and the first thought was that they're quite generous on both the white leek and the pork.

The soup is light brown, quite dense and salty with a thin layer of lard floating on the surface (not as much but a little bit like the famous chain Kazuki). I assume it is a Shoyu and Torigara (chicken carcass) based broth: not bad, except that the pork is very salty, so if you don't have a glass of water to wash it down, you're on for an intense NaCl experience.

The pork, though too pungent, has a very nice texture, keeping a good balance between the firmer flesh and the tender fat. Really too bad it felt so salty.

The mountain of thinly chopped white leek is seasoned with Rayu (chili infused Chinese style vegetable oil), the whole thing combining really well with the noodles and the soup. Just make sure you don't have any meeting or date on the same day as you're guaranteed to knock out your precious interlocutor with your breath.

The squiggly noodles are about 3mm wide, slightly flat and with a medium firmness. I think they go well with the dish, but a hint more koshi (firmness) might add a little more character to the dish. I'll be fair to the shop though: I did spend some time tasting the pork and the leek before I attacked the noodles, so maybe they got softer during that time.

They do have other recommended noodle dishes as well, so if you're interested, please give it a try. The ramen I had was so-so: I found the whole thing too salty and dense, but might be good if you're into pungent broths!

Rishin is open everyday from 11:30am to 15:00pm and 19:00pm to 01:00am
03-3466-0398
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-9-21
Click here for a MAP

Chi Chin Pui Pui (Yakitori), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-28T09:14:00.010+09:00

The Yajitori joint I'm featuring today is in the north side of Shimokitazawa, in this almost Yasujiro Ozu-esque street with its kodak-moment neons, billboards and a dozen of nice little eateries and bars.

"Chi Chin Pui Pui" doesn't really stand out from the other restaurants around and chances are you may not choose to enter it. However, the owner has the guts of putting at the entrance of the alley a little billboard stating "they think they have the best Yakitori in the world", so one day we got curious and decided to give him a chance of not just seeming like a big mouth.

Well, after few tries, I can say that though it might not be the best grilled chicken in the world, it's always good and reasonably priced. With the funkier "Waraku Goson", these two are the best Yakitori-Yas in Shimokitazawa so far (there are still a few I haven't tried though)

The place is rather trivial, with three tables, a counter and an unusual jazz music playing in the background. The Yakitoris (grilled chicken on a skewer) are charcoal grilled but the manager succeeds in keeping the place rather odor-free despite the smoke.

If you're wondering what the cute Chi Chin Pui Pui expression means, it's a spell used with kids when they hurt themselves, just like the healing incantation "Abracadabra".

As far as the Kushi (skewers) are concerned, we went for the "Sasami" with wasabi, a firm and fibrous breast fillet topped with bits of grated wasabi. If you're into fat-free white meat, this is what you will want to order. I find it a hint overcooked and dry but that may just be personal taste.

The sasami with wasabi

We also went for the Kubi (neck) kushi, a firm, chewy, juicy and tasty part of the chicken. This is a region of the bird that you should definitely try as it's a pleasure to chew on: the combination of fat and muscle is perfect.

The Kubi

The next one is a must if you're into liver. It's called "Han Nama Jo Reba" (half-cooked gourmet liver) and it's a melting in your mouth beauty. It's like eating some nice foie-gras but for a cheap ¥230. The menu says the master uses the best part of a chicken killed on that day...so if that's true, well, it's fresh! All I can say is that it's like butter on your tongue. It's a precious part of the chicken and they don't have tons of it so order quick!

The Liver

The next ingredient is a part of the chicken I don't recall seeing much when I was a kid, but that is on the way of becoming a regular on Yakitori menus. It's the "Bonjiri", the fatty triangular region around the tail bone (the butt if you will), which can be delicious if properly grilled. Credits go to Chi Chin Pui Pui for knowing how to prepare it, that is keeping it crunchily roasted outside and tender inside. Some people may find this block full of collagen a bit too fatty, but I love it. Once again, just like the "Kawa" (chicken skin), it's all about knowing how to keep it nicely roasted without burning it, and the master seems to know the right timing.

The butt or Bonjiri

The non meat menu's nice too:

I recommend the Nasu Yaki (Grilled egg-plant), which is just some grilled cuts of fresh eggplant topped with Katsuo-Bushi (shavings of dry bonito). As simple as the recipe is, it is still pretty good, and the eggplant is buttery smooth.

From Chi Chin Pui Pui

You can also order the Yamaimo No Asazuke ( Quickly pickled Japanese yam potato), with its slightly slimy but overall crunchy texture and nice sour aroma. Add a little wasabi for a kick. It should go nicely with a beer.

From Chi Chin Pui Pui

This one is interesting: the Abokado No Aburiyaki (barbecued avocado). It is brought to you with some soy sauce and mayo in the middle, which you mix with the grilled fruit flesh. I think it tastes like grilled potato but I may be wrong. Try it for yourself!

From Chi Chin Pui Pui

And last but not the least, the Tori No Soup Bukkake Meshi (bowl of rice topped with chicken broth). This one is really nice so you should definitely order it should your appetite allow it. The chicken broth tastes like...well, chicken bouillon. Like the one you buy in dices at grocery stores. It's unusually dense in taste but not too salty and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The rice used is some organic "aigamo mai", a special rice harvested in fields where Aigamo ducks are released few weeks after the seed. The happy ducks eat the bugs and weeds, allowing farmers not to rely on pesticides. Great!

From Chi Chin Pui Pui

Two beers, a glass of plum sake Umeshu and all that food amounted to ¥5,000. Reasonable isn't it?

Chi Chin Pui Pui is open everyday from 18:00pm to 03:00am
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-33-12
03-6240-4259
Click here for a MAP

Part2: Ya-Yu (Japanese), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-24T11:28:00.007+09:00

It is the first time I cover one place twice but I really think Ya-Yu deserves it. The cost performance is incredible, and for me, that's a good enough reason.

The first time we went there, we opted for the traditional "Ika No Shiokara" (squid marinated in its own guts) to match our beers, so this time we selected the "Cheese No Miso-Zuke" (cream cheese marinated in fermented bean Miso sauce). It wasn't mind-blowing, but it definitely did its job as the perfect appetizer.
You like cream cheese? You like it even slightly saltier? There you go, order it. The miso aroma is almost inexistant, just enough to add that salty kick to the cream, whereas the finely chopped shiso leaves bring freshness to the recipe for a perfect taste balance.

Since we loved the vegetables they served us on our first visit, we tried their "Hatake No Sashimi" plate (cuts of raw vegetables). The different veggies are served with two small portions of low-salt Miso paste and a Japanese-style cold Bagna Cauda sauce (vegetable oil with hints of anchovy and garlic). Man, those ingredients were good!

The beautiful dish contained some cucumber, Goboh (Burdock root), red radish, chicory, chinese cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, cauliflower and all sort of delicious stuff among which a newbie in the veggie-world and still very rare yellow crunchy ingredient called コリンキー (the Japanese word sounds like the English "Colin Key"), a pumpkin that has been modified to suit raw eating. It doesn't really taste like pumpkin when you chew on it, but the after-taste is quite like it.

Anyway, all the stuff was fresh and a pleasure to eat. The textures were great so were the color of each roots, leaves and fruit. I think it's better to eat them without sauce to further enjoy the experience.

When you sit at the counter, you get to see the chef preparing all the dishes. Not only you have the opportunity of being able to witness the care and attention with which he cooks his cuisine, but you get to have a good look at potential future orders. I couldn't forget the "Tori No Karaage" (fried chicken) I had seen him cook on the first visit, so we went for it.

It's a simple but very well done KaraAge. The skin was hard and crunchy, the meat was firm and juicy but tender inside. It was once again low on salt (which tendency I like, as you might have noticed by now) and I liked it. This guy doesn't make any flashy stuff. Just like the menu, it's all basic recipes, but beautifully done and at a cheap price.

By the way, I had ordered in the meantime a recommended by the chef glass of Sake called "Suminoe" from the northern Miyagi prefecture. I think it was a tint yellow (couldn't tell whether the glass was that color or the alcohol), and it tasted smooth, slightly on the dry side and probably great with any food.

Our final dish was the Kakuni Chahan (fried rice with simmered pork) which was a grandiose way of finishing this satisfying meal. The portion was big, so be sure that you're still a little hungry when you order it, as its size might exceed your expectation. The taste of the cuisine did exceed my expectations for sure: the rice was fried just the way I love it, that is dry and not sticky; the egg as well as the fibrous bits of simmered pork and the generous topping of chopped leek combined really well in a sober yet delicious fried rice.

So, another recap: two beers, a glass of nice cold sake, a small appetizer, three dishes for a total of ¥4,400. Not bad?

Yu-Ya is closed on Mondays and open the rest of the week from 18:00pm to 24:00pm (L.O. 23:00pm). They will be open until 02:00am (L.O. 01:00am) in July

03-3411-5036

Setagaya-ku, Daizawa 5-33-5

Click here for a MAP

Enotria Diana (Italian), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-22T10:43:00.011+09:00

After visiting "Daniela" over the weekend, we felt somehow like we needed to profound our knowledge of Italian restaurants in the area. We therefore chose to try the popular "Enotria Diana", an Italian pub with an airy open terrace and big oak barrel tables outside. The place definitely has a welcoming and unpretentious vibe to it that I like.

As it was our first time in this place, we went for what looked like the recommendations on the menu: "Olive Farcite e Fritte all'Ascolana" (deep-fried stuffed olives), "Insalata Dil Campo Alla Toscana" (mixed vegetables salad), "Prosciutto Di San Daniele" (cured ham from San Daniele), "Pancetta Alla Casalinga" (roasted marinated pork)

This joint has an extensive wine list, but not being acknowledged at all in the vino of the boot-shaped country (not that I know much about French wine either to be honest), we just went for the decent house white wine "Trebbiano d'Abruzzo".

All that really remains from eating there is how small the portions are. We went there for food, to realize at the end, that this is really more a pub than an eatery. Well, we sort of knew it, so we can only blame ourselves. At least, you will be warned: only go to this place if you're into a wine drinking mood with little dishes to munch on.

Should you be willing to stuff yourself, you will most probably have to spend a good ¥3,000-¥4,000 per head.

Anyway, here's a quick recap on the food!

The cured ham prosciutto wasn't bad, but I always tend to look at the amount served rather than the quality. You can't expect much at ¥530, but still, a little more slices can't kill. It's a medium salted one, quite flavorful, aged for 14 months.

Their Pancetta was probably the best stuff we had, though a hint too salty. But remember: NaCl is a leitmotiv here. At the end of the day, this is a pub so everything they serve you is supposed to help you drink some more. Thus the overall saltiness.
The thin slices of pork back ribs are marinated in aromatic herbs and salt, then brought to you roasted. The meat is juicy and chewy, and a nice "mediterranean " aroma floats from it. I could definitely have eaten some more of it, but once again, at ¥490, you can't ask for the moon I suppose.

The 8 (!) little olives stuffed with minced meat and then deep-fried weren't the highlight of this meal. I guess it has the potential of a great recipe but I found the fried batter plain and "tired", and the olives so-so. I probably won't go for an encore on this one if I go back.

The salad was good. Simple vinegar, salt, black pepper and oil dressing. The vegetables were fresh.

We paid ¥3,000 for two, which I find slightly expensive considering the wine was just ok and the food served in minimal proportions. The lady serving us was smily and helpful though.

Enotria Diana is open 7 days a week. 15:00pm to 03:00am Monday to Friday; 11:30am to 03:00am on Saturday; 11:30am to 23:00pm on Sunday

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-14-14.
03-5779-8733
Click here for a MAP

Daniela (Italian), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-21T09:49:00.006+09:00

Further to a tip from a friend, we went to Daniela, a nice-looking Italian restaurant. He had told us it was a great dining experience combined with a good selection of wine, but we decided to go for lunch to have a little idea first.
The place is simple, well decorated, with a nice little collection of foreign recipe books and Taschen-ish photo albums on the walls. If you're not willing to eat there, they also sell some cheese and delicatessen, as well as all sort of mouth-watering breads, letting you do some take out if necessary.

We opted for the cheaper lunch at ¥1,050 (the other ones which let you choose an hors-d'oeuvre, a main, a dessert etc... are charged at ¥2,100 and ¥3,150 if you want to add a plate of pasta), which comes with a serving of home-baked bread and a choice of tea/coffee.

Ravioli Di Patate

I chose their Ravioli Di Patate (potato stuffed Ravioli) topped with what I think were sauteed Porcini mushrooms. The ingredients were generally quite soft, making the dish almost feel like a ragout. The Ravioli were good, though I would have liked them more Al dente given the potatoes inside were surprisingly puree-like (when I was expecting a firmer texture). The olive oil and grated cheese made for an excellent sauce to scoop with the bread, and the cooked Porcini combined wonderfully with the sauce and the pasti. Once again, I would have preferred my mushrooms firmer as the recipe generally lacked consistent texture but they were tasty nonetheless.

The excellent bread

A special mention to the excellent bread they served us: two cuts each of a plain "Country bread" and some Onion Focaccia.

The lasagna

I had a bite at the Lasagna my wife had ordered: plain, not too flashy and low on salt. Good stuff. The dough did seem a little bit soft again, but maybe that's how the chef cooks his pasti here. By the way, the pasti are all homemade here.

Fresh Herbs Granita

Just as when we thought we were done, they brought us a delicious fresh herbs Granita Siciliana. Too bad it was a miniature portion as I could have downed a pound of that semi-frozen dolce. It was just sweet enough and delivering a refreshing anis-like soft aroma. Beauty.

I shall definitely go back for dinner to explore the chef's abilities furthermore. Next time with you, A. R. (you know who you are!)
By the way, it is pricy in the evening, so keep that for special occasions!

Daniela is closed on Thursdays and open the rest of the week from 11:30am to 23:00pm (closed from 15:00 to 17:30pm on weekdays)
Setagaya-ku, Daizawa 5-16-23
03-3487-6086
Click here for a MAP

Ya-Yu (Japanese), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-16T21:33:00.008+09:00

We went yesterday evening to this new restaurant getting very positive reviews on the internet. I wasn't too sure whether that choice was a good one as the restaurant looks quite nice and classy, and that's just so NOT Shimokitazawa. Like if something wasn't right.
But oh boy, was I wrong... This turned out to be a very pleasant surprise and a nice dinner.

The classy looking Ya-Yu

Ya-Yu just opened in last December and is still looking brand new. It's so unusual to see classy places in this neighborhood that you feel you might be in trendy Aoyama for a second.

We felt a little intimated at first when entering the elegant (for Shimokitazawa) restaurant but much better as soon as the chef and the other two staffs gave us a smily welcome and a very polite and genuine "Irasshaimase" (The welcome formula you get when entering any Japanese restaurant).

Ika No Shiokara

Not really knowing what to order, we went for our favorite appetizers "Ika No Shiokara" (raw squid marinated in its own guts) to accompany our opening beers, the Horenso To Bekon No Salada (Spinach and bacon salad), another one of our beloved dish the "Nasu No Dengaku" (roasted eggplant topped with Miso) and the delicious when well cooked "Wakasagi To Takenoko No Tenpura" (Japanese smelt and bamboo sprout tenpura)

The Shiokara was good, not too salty, with fresh and firm slices of squid in it. I preferred the smoother and sweeter "Shiokara" we were served at "Gohan Gohan", but it was worth it nonetheless. A bowl of steamy white rice would have been welcome.

The copious spinach and bacon salad

By the time we had eaten half of the marinated squid came the very big salad. At a cheap ¥680 and in such a refined decor, I was expecting a small dish; but my predictions turned out to be largely erroneous. The big plate of tasty spinach made in local Setagaya topped with excellent sauteed bacon and fresh tomato is more than enough to fill a little appetite so be warned (click here for a picture of some of the relatively unknown but numerous crofts existing in still quite rural Setagaya). It is a simple salad only seasoned with vinegar but the ingredients being very fresh, it's really worth it.

This restaurant seems very attentive to details and they were definitely checking out how we were doing with our fares: they clearly made sure to bring us the eggplant dish after we were done with the green fiesta.

The savory Nasu No Dengaku

The cooked eggplant that was brought to us was a rather large piece of beautifully purple BeiNasu. Beinasu, literally eggplant from the USA, is a Japanese modification from the original American species "Black Beauty". It is famous for keeping its form pretty much intact even after baking or stewing and is largely used in Japan for Dengaku purposes. The Dengaku recipe consists in adding a layer of Miso (fermented bean paste) on top of the main ingredient before quickly french-frying and/or roasting it.

"Yu-ya" asks you to choose the type of Miso you want on top of your eggplant: we opted for the smoother and sweeter Saikyo Miso, which you will often come across in southern Kansai region. The said paste is pale colored (it is also called Shiro Miso, or white Miso, in comparison to the red and brown tinted regular Miso) and less salty: regular Miso contains an average of 12% salt when the Saikyo one is at 5%.

I think it was the right choice as the mellower fermented bean glaze on top allowed you to enjoy more the tasty, fleshy and juicy vegetables. It also went very well with the generous topping of chopped Negi leek. Good stuff, go for it!

Wakasagi To Takenoko No Tempura

The last dish was delicious as well: (another) big portion of deep-fried bamboo sprout and Japanese smelt "Wakasagi". Wakasagi, often angled in lakes around Japan, is a very tender fish which is excellent in Tempura. It was no exception yesterday, as the easy to bite flesh and slightly crunchy Tempura batter provided a harmonious texture collaboration. Add just a hint of salt and go nuts. Eat the head as well.

The deep-fried bamboo sprout was definitely worth it too. The thick and crunchy cuts were sweet in taste and provided a lovely aroma.

let's sum it up: one appetizer, three above-average size mains, two beers and "Grapefruit Sour" in an upgrade atmosphere = ¥4,100. Unbelievable. Talk about cost performance.

This place is going to be doing very well, I can promise you. We already couldn't get in the other day as we had no reservation. Booking is a must if you want to make sure you'll have a seat.

Yu-Ya is closed on Mondays and open the rest of the week from 18:00pm to 24:00pm (L.O. 23:00pm). They will be open until 02:00am (L.O. 01:00am) in July

03-3411-5036

Setagaya-ku, Daizawa 5-33-5

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Nishinba (izakaya), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-16T10:15:00.006+09:00

We tried yesterday this Izakaya (food serving Japanese-style pub) "Nishinba" for the first time. We've always passed by and seen bunch of people in there so we had been interested in trying their food for a while now.

The kitchen and the busy cooks

Nothing really special about this place. The atmosphere's good, with a healthy variety of customers ranging from young college kids to older businessmen and even dining families. The kitchen has four cooks, which seems like a lot, but I am not going to complain if that means your food getting to you faster. The young lady (everybody's young here) waiting is efficient and smily, and the music quite good: for a couple of hours, they were playing an eclectic mix of good Japanese rock. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people working here are playing in a band. That's actually what I really like about Shimokitazawa: if you throw a stone, you're almost guaranteed to hit an artist.

The place is popular for its fish menu so that's what we went for: two of the daily recommendations "Katsuo To Tamanegi No Karapaccho" (Bonito spicy carpaccio with onion) and "Maguro No Kama Shioyaki" (oven roasted Tuna with salt), as well as the "Daikon To Kaibashira No Salada" (Japanese radish and eye of scallop salad) which we found on the regular menu.

"Daikon To Kaibashira No Salada"

The salad is simple, with thinly cut crunchy Daikon radish, fibrous but yet tender scallop, slices of fresh tomatoes and a lot of mayonnaise. It tasted too much like mayo for me at the beginning but it got amazingly addicting at the end. Not bad at all. Nice combination of textures. Loved how chewy and tasty the scallop was.

"Katsuo To Tamanegi No Karapaccho"

The bonito salad was very good too as well as being well presented. The fish was fresh and nicely seasoned. Actually, the name of the recipe "Karapaccho" is an easy pun on Karupaccho (Japanese way of saying Carpaccio), Kara being an adjective meaning hot.

The seasoning was a mix of white sesame vinaigrette with a generous adding of Rayu (chili-infused Chinese style vegetable oil), which spiciness went very well with the bonito and the big topping of fresh onion. Don't forget to dip the onion slices in the sauce and devour the whole thing!

The two chunks of Tuna

The final dish was a great end to this overall good dinner. Two BIG pieces of oven-grilled tuna. A block of meat from the fish's cheek (piece on top in the picture) and a chunk from the flank, closer to the fins. The cheek was just a big tasty piece of firm flesh that would satisfy any white-meat lover. They manage to cook it with the right amount of salt, and it goes incredibly well with a glass of slightly sweet sake: we ordered the "Kikuyoi" (sake from the Shizuoka prefecture) as it was the cheapest but it definitely did its job.

The big flank part (with its fin attached!) was a blend of firm flesh and juicier fat all attached to a large bone, which we scraped until it got fully striped. Nice stuff!

Add a little Daikon-Oroshi (grated Daikon radish) and Shoyu if you feel like it is too fishy and the meat too dry.

We ended up paying ¥2,500 per head, which is average considering we had three dishes, two beers and a big glass of sake.
The food is good, the portions relatively large, and the service satisfactory. I can recommend this place.

Nishinba is open everyday from 18:00pm to 02:00am, and 17:00pm to 01:00am on Sundays and National Holidays
Setagaya-Ku, Kitazawa 2-9-20
03-3465-0251
Click here for a MAP

Takoyaki Senmonten Osakaya (Takoyaki), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-15T10:30:00.001+09:00

The boss, his wife (?) and some Takoyaki baking in the special oven

I have posted something like 50 restaurants up to now, and this is, if I remember right, the first take out place to be featured on this blog.

The hall-in-the-wall I have chosen today is a Takoyaki joint, open since July 1986 and celebrating its 24th birthday next month. It looks so dilapidated, it is a true mystery it's still doing business. What's hard to believe is that not only they still stand strong, but they manage to sell loads of their popular Takoyakis. It is managed by a smily man in his fifties and a lady (maybe his wife?) who looks a little younger. The professional Takoyaki baker is from Osaka, the second biggest town in Japan, and the center of southern Japan, if not the center for anything Takoyaki.

For anyone not familiar with this uber-famous little ball-like cuisine which literally translates into "Baked Octopus", please have a look at this wiki article for some clarifications.

I am attaching a close-up of the fan by the little window in the wall so you have an idea of how "dirty" this "bakery" is. Obviously, baking Takoyakis for 20 something years in such a tiny space has to be tough on your ventilation, but you really have to see it to believe it. Osakaya is really amazing in the way it has the power to remind you of the shabbiness of south-east asian markets and eateries, while you're standing in the middle of Shimokitazawa.

The amazingly oily walls

However, no matter how crumbling and greasy the place looks, the food is good! It is definitely not gourmet food but if you're into munching something a little junk-ish, this should definitely satisfy you. You have a choice between 8 balls (¥280) or 15 balls (¥500), but they're so popular, you can only order one of the two sizes and that's it. So, be wise in your choice! If you're very hungry or with friends, the bigger size is a no-brainer. If not, the 8-ball is sufficient for a quick snack or even a light lunch/dinner.

The 15 takoyakis in their take out box

You will also be asked by the man in the kitchen whether you want some mayonnaise (Mayoneezu Irimasuka?), if you'll bring the whole thing home (Omochikaeri desuka?) or eat it in front of the shop. Be specific on your choice as the box in which he puts the food is different whether you'll eat it right away or not.

The balls taken out of their box for the photo shoot...

We opted for the take out home option as a World Cup game was on TV, and started eating the Takoyakis probably 15mn after we bought them, while South Korea was punishing Greece.

The balls had become a little soft because of their own heat and steam, but they still managed to be satisfyingly hard on the outside. I assume they are almost crunchy if you eat them right from the oven. What is amazing with these Takoyaki is the way the baker succeeds in keeping the batter almost runny inside. Almost like if you were eating a half-boiled egg. A lot of Takoyaki adepts from the Kansai area complain about how over-baked Takoyaki can be in Tokyo, but I can guarantee you there are no matter of complains here.

The recipe is very simple and rather Amakuchi (low on salt), which I like. Sometimes the Octopus Balls (as some foreigners like to call them) can be overly pungent in flavor because of a very strong and sweet Sosu (Japanese style Worcestershire sauce) that's topped on them, but I think it's attaining a nice balance at Osakaya, where the sauce is less powerful.

The chunks of octopus are small, contrary to the newer trend consisting of inserting huge pieces in the batter. There are no Beni-Shoga (thin slices of ginger pickled in red plum vinegar), just the usual Katsuobushi (dry Bonito shavings) and chopped green onion.

Authentic. Good. Cheap. Try it!

You might have to wait in line sometimes for up to 20mn, but the wait is worth it!

Takoyaki Senmonten Osakaya is closed on Wednesdays and open the rest of the week from 16:30pm to 22:00pm (though they will close the shop as soon as they run out of batter)
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-33-2
Click here for a MAP

Mintei (Chinese), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-10T08:23:00.005+09:00

"Mintei", the epitome of a cheap eatery in rocking Shimokitazawa, is one of the, if not the most famous joint in the neighborhood. It is not the oldest establishment (if you're looking for an old one, check out the Japanese-Chinese "Rairaiken"), but it has been open for more than 40 years, which is quite old for Japanese standards.

the worn-down old menu plates on the wall

I first went to "Mintei" when I was a teenager, which is a LONG time ago, and the place has not changed at all since. The only thing that has changed is probably the color of the several celebrity autographs on the walls, that have yellowed over the decades. One autograph that is worth mentioning is the one on top of the counter by the entrance, signed in 1989 by the vocalist from legendary punk rock band "The Blue Hearts", Hiroto Komoto.
Shimokitazawa being the THE indie/rock town of Japan, a lot of kids aspiring to be future stars, work part-time in some of the restaurants in the area before or after rehearsing at studios. Hiroto Komoto, one of them, used to work in Mintei in the 80s. The tradition is still holding strong, and if you ever visit this joint, you will probably see musician-looking-kids in the kitchen.

The customers are a mix of young couples, students, musicians, and middle-aged people from the neighborhood looking for a cheap meal.

the old autographs above the counter

Another thing worth noting is the rather "punk" catch-phrase outside the restaurant amusingly citing the joint as "serving the 3rd best food in the world". The reason why it's not the best or second best is, according to Mintei, because:

1. the best food in the world is the "Ofukuro No Aji", that is your mum's cooking (check out 2nd paragraph of this post for a little explanation)

2. the second best is your dad's shin taste when you bite on it (a Japanese expression saying "bite on your parent's shin" means to sponge off one's parents)

3, the third best food in the world is their Ramen

As you can see, one thing they do not lack is a good sense of humor. Now, is the food as good as the humor?

Well, I'd have to say it's not as great as what the joint's reputation would make you believe. I have never tried anything other than the "Edokko Ramen" (Edokko, literally kid from Edo, relates to a person born in Edo, the old Tokyo; such person is often perceived as being cheerful, in your face and straightforward), which consists of a big bowl of Shoyu Ramen with homemade Kimchi (Korean-style fermented cabbage with chili) on top and the "Wantan Men" (ramen with Chinese dumplings Won Ton), making it difficult to give you a constructive review of the place, but the house specialty "Edokko Ramen" is rather mediocre.

Edokko Ramen

The soup tastes like a lightly salted Torigara (chicken bones) and shoyu-based broth. It is relatively clear and not too oily. The soup tastes actually much better than the rest of the ingredients: the boiled Aona greens are very plain in taste and a bit too flabby, the large pieces of Chashu (Chinese style bbq pork) are fibrous and too low in salt.

The Kimchi is a little too strong in garlic for me, when I would have loved it slightly more sour and chilihot. It seems by the way quite unusual to name a Ramen "Edokko" when its particularity is the topped Korean item.

Last but not the least: the noodles, though ok in taste, are way lacking in Koshi, or firmness. I usually don't put much emphasis on the Koshi, but when the rest is average, you want at least your noodles to have some sort of character.

The Wantan Men's broth is on the other hand quite salty (even too salty I think), so only order it if you're ready for it.

As you can see, I'm not a big fan of their food. Once again, I've only tried a couple of Ramen dish, so that's not enough to give you a fair review, but so far, it's been mediocre. It will definitely give you an idea of what a lot of Ramen used to taste like all over Japan back in the good ol' days...

What's more interesting is definitely the Showa-era feel that the place resonates.

"Mintei" is closed on Mondays, and open the rest of the week from 11:30am to 23:20pm.
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-8-8
03-3466-7355
Click here for a MAP

City Country City (Cafe Restaurant), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-08T09:40:00.010+09:00

I made a quick reference about "City Country City" in a previous post about the South Indian restaurant "Spice Kitchen Moona" as both joints hold business in the same building. Moona is on the 5th and "CCC" is one floor below.

This cafe/restaurant is owned and managed by Keiichi Sokabe, the leader of the 90s cult indie rock band "Sunny Day Service". The band broke up in 2000 and Keiichi has had a good solo career since, while simultaneously heading the label Rose Records and being a key figure in the indie scene.

His cafe is a hang-out place for his fans, indie kids roaming the streets of Shimokitazawa and people just wanting to chill out.

As per any musician-owned place, few signatures adorn the walls of the cafe (among which my very good buddy Alex From Tokyo's) as well as several hundred used vinyl records from Chicago House to indie Rock, which you can select from the racks and listen to before buying.

The place is overall very charming and clean, with a nice and relaxing feel. They do not blast the music, which is comforting, and a nice smell of incense floats in the air. I love the old upright piano by the window.

You can obviously go there for a cafe, but I went there for lunch the other day. The menu is very simple, with a set comprising of a limited choices of pasta, hot or cold coffee/jasmine tea or apple juice, all for little south of ¥1,000.

I chose the popular Spaghetti Carbonara (egg, grated cheese, bacon and black pepper). If you feel like it, have a quick look at the wiki article on this dish: it seems to be dating from the later half of the 20th century, making it a surprisingly very contemporary recipe. It is interesting to see that "It was first recorded after the war as a Roman dish, when many Italians were eating eggs and bacon supplied by troops from the United States".

The fettuccine used as pasti are quite firm, not to the al dente point though, and are good to chew on. The very delicately crispy bacon and the relatively thick sauce are well balanced in terms of saltiness and combine very well with the pasta.

it might be just a cafe, as well as a used record store, but they do know how to cook a good Carbonara. With a complimentary piece of quickly toasted sliced baguette bread (which I'm not sure is necessary with a plate of noodles), the whole meal cost me ¥950. Not too bad considering the nice service, the chill-out atmosphere and the taste of the food.

City Country City is open everyday from noon to 01:00am. Lunch is served from noon to 16:00pm

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-12-13, 4F

Click here for a MAP

03-3410-6080

Little Saigon (Vietnamese), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-07T10:30:00.004+09:00

UPDATE: the restaurant has closed during the summer 2010. The chef is now working at the tiny Vietnamese restaurant Karate Chop

We went to Vietnam on vacations the past March and we overall loved it (click the below photo if you're interested in plenty of pictures from daily life there), though we were slightly disappointed at the pace with which the country is turning into a huge construction site for resorts and exponential-growth-rate-supporting manufactories.

Vietnam - March 2010

What did not let us down though was the food, which we sampled everyday from morning to late in the evening (mention for best food goes to the underdog provincial town of Hoi An). Besides the unavoidable bowl of Pho and the numerous dishes I had researched on various blogs before leaving for Vietnam, I was very much looking forward to eat the real "Cha Ca", a specialty served in Hanoi, which I first got introduced to in this Shimokitazawa Vietnamese restaurant "Little Saigon".

"Little Saigon" is managed by two friendly Vietnamese food fanatic. The cuisine is good, affordable and relatively authentic. The restaurant is in a basement but they keep it from feeling claustrophobic with a pseudo bamboo hut south-east asian decor. If you're interested in Uncle Ho's country, they have bunch of photo albums that they will be more than pleased to show you, so don't hesitate to ask for them.
I strongly recommend the "Com Chien Xa" (lemongrass fried rice), "Ca Kho To" (fish simmered in coconut caramel sauce) and the "Rau Muong Xao Cam" (stirred morning glory).

What we went for the other night were the "Banh Beo" (savory rice pancake), the "Cha Ca" (literally Grilled Fish in Vietnamese) and some Stirred Eggplant.

The stirred eggplant was simple and fresh, with a nice touch of garlic. It is quickly sauteed, leaving the eggplants fleshy and juicy. Excellent appetizers for sure.

Then came Vietnam's old capital Hue specialty "Banh Beo", which, for some reason we did not eat while in Hue.

The Banh Beo are sticky, almost jelly-like rice cakes which you scoop with a spoon. They are topped with leek, dry shrimp and crispy fried shallot. You can add some fish sauce Nuoc Mam, which supplies a nice sour flavor to the otherwise rather plain dish (despite the topped condiments). The look of the dish was exotic and pretty, the texture fun, as well as the scooping process, but it did not provide the aroma explosion that you always expect from Vietnamese fares.

When we finished the rice cakes, the young lady in the kitchen brought us all the stuff needed for their Cha Ca: some Pho noodles in the red plate, some Nuoc Mam in the larger blue bowl, a bit of Mam Tom (very strong fermented shrimp sauce with a pungent smell that reminded me of markets in Vietnam), a large plate of copped dill, spring onion (some fresh, some quickly marinated in vinegar) and some peanuts. The large pan put over some red-hot charcoal contains some vegetable oil and cuts of fleshy white meat fish powdered with turmeric.

Once everything is brought to you, just put everything on the pan, and stir until the greens start to diminish in size (shouldn't take more than 3-4mn). Once you've got to that stage, have some Pho ready in a bowl and top it with some of that excellent sauteed food. Add some Nuoc Mam and a little bit of that shrimp sauce and go nuts! It's a really good dish, and it's fun to make.

The dish costs ¥1,800 but the taste and fun factor do make for the price. It's not as "exotic" and powerful as it was in Hanoi, but it's a must if you ever visit "Little Saigon".

Attaching below for your reference what the "Cha Ca" looked like at the famous restaurant "Cha Ca La Vong" in Hanoi. It was good, but WAY TOO EXPENSIVE so keep that money for some other joint that will not rip you off.

From Vietnam - March 2010

"Little Saigon" is open everyday from noon to midnight, last order at 23:00pm

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-19-17

03-3414-0076

Click here for a MAP

Chigusa (Teishokuya), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-04T11:00:00.001+09:00

"Tonsui" and "Chigusa" are two of the oldest Teishokuya (restaurant specialized in cheap set menus of Japanese fares) in Shimokitazawa. Chigusa, now a true institution in the area, probably attracts more clients as it's a stone throw from the station, but I have a preference for "Tonsui" which is smaller and more convivial.

Chigusa with its numerous celebrities autographs on the walls

Still, conviviality and hospitability is the catch-phrase in "Chigusa". A big wooden sign outside the eatery that says "Shizen-Shoku No Teishokuya" (literally Natural Food teishokuya), which I always assumed to be an allusion to the organic ingredients they use, actually refers to the cuisine you can eat here in a natural and unpretentious atmosphere, just like at your mum's. Japanese man (more than woman) put a lot of emphasis on the "Ofukuro No Aji" (the taste of mum's home cooking) and this eatery takes pride in satisfying such needs with its female staff all comprised of tired-workers-and-hungry-students understanding and cuddling mothers.

If you visit this place which has been in business for 30 years, you should probably opt for their popular Ninniku-Joyu No Age Buta (fried pork with garlic and shoyu sauce) from among their rather extended menu.
The Teishoku (affordable ¥900) consists of a big bowl of rice, a miso soup (which you can refill as many times as you want), a Hiya-Yakko (fresh cut of Tofu with grated ginger and shavings of dry bonito Katsuo-Bushi), some Takuan Daikon radish pickles and the main pork dish.

Ninniku-Joyu No Age Buta Teishoku

The pork they use here is a SPF (specific pathogen free) one from the Iwate prefecture in northern Japan, region known for its good pork farming environment. For your information, SPF pork are known for their tenderness and lack of smell.
The meat is two slices of fillet quickly deep-fried with a thin batter, then seasoned with an appetite-stimulating garlic and soy sauce glaze. It has some fatty parts, but it doesn't have the heaviness in taste and the greasiness that beef fat can have.

The topped sauce has the quality of slightly soaking the fried batter, making it even more tender to the teeth. The garlic flavor is delicate and the salty and little bit sweet soy sauce is perfect with the white rice. This dish has a definite Chinese recipe feel to it.

It doesn't look like a lot of food at first, but you will see that you actually get quite full.
It's far from haute-cuisine but if you want some good, quick, relatively filling Japanese food that's available a minute away from the station, this is an option.

Chigusa is closed on Thursdays and open the rest of the week from 11:30am to 22:00pm
03-3419-0908
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-11-4
Click here for a MAP

Shinsetsuen (Pekinese), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-03T11:30:00.001+09:00

Further to a tip from my very good friend and great photographer Mitch Ikeda, I went to the very popular among artists Pekinese restaurant "Shinsetsuen". I am not a big fan of the place as I've always found their food average and rather expensive for what it is (a lot of people LOVE this place so my opinion might be the one of a minority), but I couldn't ignore a friend's recommendation!

Since Mitch told me to go for the "Ebi Tanmen" and no other dish (he seems to share my opinion that the rest of the menu is not worth it), I ordered it right away when I got seated. The Tanmen (Japanese style Chinese "Tang Mian", or noodles in soup) with Emi (shrimp) is rather expensive at ¥1,100 so at least you've been warned.

After less than ten minutes, a beautiful pallet of colors comprising some orange, pink, green, shades of brown and yellow arrived at my table: good first impression. Quickly excited, I immediately plunged the spoon in the very clear Tori-dashi (chicken stock) based broth: umm, quite plain to be honest. I have to say that with all the heavy Ramens I've had the past weeks, my taste buds have been getting accustomed to pretty dense stuff so I might not be able to enjoy a low-salt soup to its full extent. Still, it felt so Assari (plain) that I decided to add a spoon full of vinegar: much much better!

How about the topped ingredients? The quickly boiled vegetables were tasty and provided a nice array of textures to munch through, from the firm baby-corn and Ninjin (carrots), the soft and chewy mushrooms (Shiitake, Fukurotake (Chinese straw mushroom) to the crunchy Kuro-Kuwai (arrowhead). The shrimp were tender and boiled just perfectly.

What was the most surprising was probably the white 3mm noodles with almost no Koshi (firmness) and no taste, as if some Somen (very thin wheat noodles usually served cold and dipped in Tsuyu broth when slurped) had suddenly grown way too big and found their way in that soup. Considering the broth was already quite plain, I would have liked it better should the noodles were tastier...
Anyway, one thing for sure: you can down the whole soup as there is no worries on the calories with that Ramen...

Please note that they are open everyday until 5am! And some TV celebrities are spotted once in a while, so try your luck!

Shinsetsuen is open everyday from 11am to 5am
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-9-24
03-3465-0040
Click here for a MAP

Gohan Gohan (Kappo), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-02T11:00:00.000+09:00

After 10 years in Shimokitazawa, despite the fact that we love to eat and try as many places as we can, there are still a LOT of restaurants we haven't been to: that's how many joints there are in this neighborhood. What is more surprising is that we still find some places that we've NEVER seen, neither heard of, though they've been there for a while, and which happen to be delicious.

Tonight, we were looking to eat in a Japanese restaurant in front of the bookstore/gadget vending "Village Vanguard", to find out that it was unfortunately (or fortunately) closed. As we were standing bummed in front of the closed restaurant, a very nice smell of dashi caught our nose (soup stock made of boiling Kombu (kemp) and Katsuo-Bushi (dry Bonito shavings)). The aroma was coming from this place we never really paid attention to (though it's right across my favorite Village Vanguard) called “ごはんごはん” (Gohan Gohan, literally Rice Rice), which we decided to go to after checking out the menu outside, full of relatively cheap dinner fares.

I can not say that we first felt welcome in this place. As we entered, the yakuza-looking cook wearing traditional clothes with a dragon motif on it (how more mafia-like could you get?) first stared at me for a good 3 seconds without a single smile or nod, which doesn't happen a lot in Japan believe me. The kind of introduction that makes you regret you even entered the joint. I'm not even sure he even eventually said hi when we sat in front of him at the counter.

The menu in the restaurant is written by hand and pretty much unreadable if you're not used to read manuscript Kanjis (here again, you wonder whether they actually want to sell anything to customers) so just remember that the place is specialized in "Kama-Meshi" (traditional japanese rice dish cooked in a Kama iron pot. Click here for the wiki article). Wanting to try something else, I asked the slightly more welcoming lady for some recommendations, to which she proposed the "Ni-Zakana" (fish simmered in a water-mirin-sake-shoyu sauce).

While waiting for the food, the lady brought us a pretty good "Ika No Shiokara" (squid fermeted in its own guts) that we munched on with the help of a bottle of beer. We found out at check that the Ika No Shiokara is charged around ¥350 per head, as a table charge fee...Shio-Kara can be very fishy, but this one is delicately flavored. It's still an acquired taste so eat at your own risks.

Ika No Shio-Kara

After 10mn or so, the dishes got to us. While leaving the Ni-Zakana in front of me, the lady told me that it was simmered Shake (salmon) and that I could eat everything besides the white part around the eyes, even the bones. The plate came with a big bowl of rice, some good pickled Chinese lettuce and an EXCELLENT Aka-Dashi miso-soup (made of regular "Mame-Miso" fermented bean paste and "Kome-Miso" fermented rice and bean paste) which was amazingly pungent. I know it sounds weird but the flavorful and dense soup almost remind me of a hot-chocolate.

The first impression I had was that the dish looked very dark in color. Ni-Zakana usually look slightly lighter than the one they offer here. Although it is typical of the northern half of Japan to offer recipes that are generally saltier and densier in taste and darker in color than the southern part cuisine, this Ni-Zakana was still very brown in color and powerful in shoyu and sugar aroma.

The first bite was surprising. It was DELICIOUS. So good that I actually forgot about the lack of hospitality. I even had to tell the cook that I loved his fish. That's probably when the ice broke: from then, he became smily and managed to talk a little bit.

Not only the sauce was good, but the fish parts all kept their characteristics even after a long simmering. A fleshier, drier and fibrous flank, and a fattier and more cartilaginous head. Not the messy puree some restaurant sometimes serve you...

Just like what the lady had told me, the bones were unbelievably soft and eating them was a walk in the park. Seriously, I have NEVER eaten bones stewed to such texture. It's hard to explain, but it would be close to a meringue feel: just a little hard at first and quickly disintegrating in your mouth as the melting process goes on. No fears of choking in this place. A revelation.

I asked the less-scary-by-now chef how he did that, to which he replied with a smile "I let it simmer for 8 hours". The below picture is what was left after 20mn: nothing. Bones, skin, flesh, eyes, name it. Gone. Unbelievable. Good stuff.

I have already rumbled for too long (sorry to anyone still reading up to here), so I'll be quick from hereon.

The Tai Kama-Meshi (sea bream Kama-Meshi) was pretty, as you can see, and good. The fish was deliciously tender and excellent in taste, as well as the rice which was well impregnated with the aroma of all the present ingredients (fish, bamboo shoots, carrots). My wife very much enjoyed the dish.

We ended up paying ¥3,500 for both dishes and a bottle of beer. Given the amount of rice and the quality of the cooking, I think it's a very decent pricing.

Don't expect to get a hug here. You might not even get a single smile, but if you want to eat some good Japanese-style fish dish, I strongly recommend this place. Order what we had if you can't read the menu and you will hopefully like it.

Forgot to ask when they are closed. They also have a lunch. (Shall Update asap!)

Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-9-2

03-5453-4832

Click here for a MAP

Kitchen Nankai (Yoshoku), Shimokitazawa

2010-06-01T09:12:00.014+09:00

"Kitchen Nankai" green nameboard in the middle of the picture...

In my recent quest for Yoshokuya (Japanese-style Western food restaurant. For a very quick recap, read this or the wiki article), I realised today that I had totally forgotten about this hall-in-the-wall (far from beating Frisco in terms of search difficulty) in the main street of Shimokitazawa, the old-school "Kitchen Nankai". This 7 seater (at most), serving Yoshoku fares for the past 32 years is patronized by a predominantly male clientele largely in its 50s and 60s, looking for cheap and filling food. The decor is particularly humble and the walls pretty much worn down. It is worth noting that the die-hard Giants fan chef works in a restaurant with the same name (Nankai) as the team from Osaka which used to be Giants' arch-enemy in the 60s. A little bit like if this "Chelsea" loving guy was working for an eatery called "Manchester U". Not that the master chose to name this place like that: "Kitchen Nankai" is a chain of Yoshoku restaurant that started in downtown Jimbocho and now serves food in several locations within the larger Tokyo area.

a rather "roots" atmosphere...

This eatery is mostly famous for its Omu-Raisu (ketchup-sauteed-rice-filled omelete) and Katsu-Kare (rice topped with curry and deep-fried pork cutlet), and though I thought the Omu-Raise would provide a nice and vivid picture for this post, I went for the quite filling Katsu-Kare instead.

The ¥600 Katsu-Kare

As soon as I ordered it, the lady in the back provided the master with a slice of pork fillet. He dipped it in the egg-flour-water batter before covering the whole thing in fresh breadcrumbs, and finally dropped the meat in the frying oil. That's a good thing: a lot of cheap places have their items already fried and quickly warmed in the oil right before serving.
As soon as the cutlet was ready, he cut it in thin pieces, topped it on the rice, and covered the whole thing with the curry sauce simmering in a large silver pot.

Their curry is the traditional, sweet and not too spicy neither hot, Kare you will taste at Japanese homes or in any old school eatery in Japan. It tastes miles away from what an Indian curry offers in terms of flavor and spices, but it's good nonetheless. I was raised eating this thing so I'm used to it: don't be surprised if you've never tasted it before as it doesn't taste like a Butter Chicken...
The curry in this joint is probably darker in color and stronger and saltier in flavor than the average Japanese one. As you can see from the picture, it is slightly soupy, probably in order to let the breadcrumbs soak up the sauce more easily.
The meat was tender, with very little fat, and the batter well done, if not a little greasy...It definitely combined well with the curry.

I am not going to complain though at ¥600. There's enough rice (which is well cooked) to satisfy anyone and it tasted good overall. It is probably not ranking among the best B-Kyu Gurume (B-list gourmet) fares in Tokyo, but if you're looking for an authentic Yoshoku restaurant, cheap with some good old atmosphere, this place will definitely do.
None of their fares on the menu exceed ¥800 (even for combination plates) so it's a good place to remember if you're on a tight budget. They also have all sorts of deep-fried items, the Yoshoku-must Hanbaagu (hamburger steak) and a Shoga-Yaki (pork sauteed with ginger) that looks pretty good.

As you can see, the place is tiny. Not even 2m wide...

Kitchen Nankai is open everyday except Thursdays and the 3rd Wednesday of the month.
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-13-5
03-3413-5928
Click here for a MAP

Senrigan (Ramen), Higashikitazawa

2010-05-31T11:00:00.002+09:00

If you're a Ramen eater, I strongly recommend you go to this place: it's good, filling and fun. OK, it's a little out of the way and you will have to walk a little bit, but that resulting exercise might actually be necessary and beneficiary when looking at the amount of calories and food involved in that one bowl of noodles.

It took me a while to first enter this place, as the orange and yellow nameboard outside saying "Ramen Senrigan Ninniku" (Ninniku meaning garlic) made me think that there would be too much of that Dracula-killer in the soup. I still decided to give it a try one day, as I kept seeing people flocking in the place. Since then, I've been a fan. It's cheap (regular Ramen at ¥680), it's filling with its 300g worth of noodles and it's fun with all the mountain like toppings you can add for free.

You first buy your meal ticket at the vending machine. The choice is simple and limited: "Ramen" (¥680), "Ramen" supersized (¥780), "Buta Ramen" (Ramen with added Chinese-Style pork bbq Chashu at ¥850), "Buta Ramen" supersized (¥950), "Buta Dabulu Ramen" (even more Chashu! at ¥980) and finally the gigantic "Buta Dabulu Ramen" supersized (¥1080).
To make it easier for you, I'd recommend you go for the regular Ramen which will most probably largely satisfy your hunger.

The mountain of Moyashi

The regular Ramen's toppings consist of boiled Moyashi (bean sprout), Kyabetsu (Chinese cabbage) and Chashu. However, when the dish is almost prepared, the cook will call out your seat number (written in front of you on the counter) and ask you if you want some garlic in it.

Seat #3 waiting for the call

Check out the following video to see how that works and the impressive topping of Moyashi:

To which you can reply Nashi (for no thanks), Sukuname (for a little) and Onegaishimasu (for yes please)
You also have a choice of free toppings:
Yasai Mashi (literally More Vegies)
Abura (more fat)
Karame (stronger broth)
Kara-age (deep-fried Tempura batter Tenkatsu with hot chili powder)
Just ask for what you want, and they will add that on your bowl.

Regulars seem to go for Zenbu Kudasai (please top everything), but I tend to like my noodles simple, so I always only ask for Yasai-Mashi and Ninniku Sukuname to make myself feel better knowing that I did order "healthier" vegetables...
The result is colossal, as you can see it from the pictures.

The rather thick, almost milky-textured Tonkotsu(pork bone) and Shoyu based broth is very rich and surprisingly not garlic flavored. Add some garlic only if you like it and you want a little kick, as the soup is well good enough without. I have seen some customers down the whole artery-clogging soup, but I don't have the courage to imitate them as it's already tough enough to finish the ingredients...
The noodles are brown-colored (just like Sobas), quite thick at 3-4mm (not different from the Moyashi width) and with a good koshi (firmness). As you have to fight through 300g of them, you're pretty much full when you've finished chewing them.

The three thick slices of Chashu are wonderfully tender and melt in your mouth, if they haven't already disintegrated while sitting in the soup. They are a bit salty but the combination with the boiled Moyashi and Kyabetsu is good.

No explanations will come close to actually trying it, so if you're into Ramen, the detour is definitely worth it. For your information, "Okame" and "Ramen Yamate" are in the same street.

Senrigan is closed on Mondays and open the rest of the week
from 11:00am to 14:30pm, 17:00pm to 22:00pm Tuesday through to Saturday
from 11:00am to 14:30pm, 17:00 pm to 21:00pm Sunday and on National Holidays
Meguro-Ku, Komaba 4-6-8
03-3481-5773
It's about 500m from Higashi-Kitazawa (Odakyu Line) and Ikenoue (Inokashira Line), or 15-20mn walk from Shimokitazawa
Click here for a MAP

Village Vanguard Diner (Burgers), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-28T10:00:00.002+09:00

There is in Shimokitazawa a true "institution" that anyone ought to visit when in the area. "Village Vanguard", which started 25 years in Nagoya as a "bookstore where you can have fun" has now over 350 stores in Japan and continues to rapidly expand its business. The stuff they sell may slightly vary depending on the location, but the one in Shimokitazawa is a labyrinthine bazaar that will satisfy anyone interested in pop culture, mangas, gadgets, candies, records, books, name it you'll find it. It is very difficult to get out of the store without buying anything, so may the force be with you should you be on a prison cell tight budget. Even if you're not into consumerism nor pop culture, go catch a glimpse at what the store has to offer, as the place is an explosion of sound and color and it's full of Kodak moments. (Click here for a MAP)

I love "Village Vanguard" and burgers as much, so it was a no-brainer for me when they opened a burger joint 5mn away few years ago. Though I find the food and most of the all the beers expensive, I recommend this place to anyone craving for a burger. Don't forget "Frisco", which offers a more authentic delicious charcoal grilled version.

Village Vanguard Diner

If you visit the texmex looking restaurant, you will probably be amazed at the service the kids working there offer you. It is the BEST service I know in Japan among any kind of casual western-style eateries. They are so attentive to details and so eager to make you enjoy your fare, sometimes it might even feel like it's too much. But too much is better than too less, so no complains on that side, and my hats-off to the director of personnel.

They also have a very decent list of popular to less know American local beers (by the bottle) that should make for a nice break if you've got a little tired of the Japanese beers. Only problem: the bottles all cost around ¥800, so it's not like you can order one after an other.

Avocado laver burger

Now, the food: they have a menu essentially comprised of Taco Rice or Nachos-like texmex fares but the stars of the joint are definitely the ten or so burgers they offer, ranging from the "Mushroom and garlic cheeseburger" to the "Avocado laver burger (with Nori dry seaweed)" or the "Pepper∧ cheddar melt (with a fat piece of bacon!) "ones. All come with french fries on the side, which you will want to ask them not to salt if you're low on that condiment. I think they tend to over-salt them, so don't hesitate to let them know in advance if you want to keep it eatable.

Authentic Burger with Cheddar cheese

You can obviously order the "regular" burgers, but I usually go for what they call the "Authentic Burger", which simply consists of a 200g beef pate, cheddar cheese, fresh tomato, grilled onion, all sandwiched with two big loaves of Graham bread.

The salt and peppered meat is unbelievably juicy. Good stuff. There is 200g of it on your plate so you should be happy if you're a meat eater.

As you can see from the picture, they're quite generous on the cheese and manage to melt it just the way you want it. The perfect definition and example of "guilty pleasure".

There are big slices of tender grilled onion hidden under the meat, which provide a timely sweetness to the otherwise salty dish. Same goes for the slightly sweet bread, which I think goes very well with the beef pate and the vegetables, though I wish it could be a hint more toasted.

An overall very satisfying and filling dish, but at a cost: ¥1,580. Given the size of the beast, you can't be too demanding, but if you order a beer the bill adds up to over ¥2,300 so I still think it could and should be cheaper.

Village Vanguard Diner is open everyday from 11:30am to midnight
03-3481-5620
Setagaya-ku, Daita 6-3-1 B1
click here for a MAP

Kitchen West (Yoshoku), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-27T10:30:00.004+09:00

After eating at "Roxanne", we got in the mood for some more authentic Yoshoku (shortened from Seiyoshoku, literally Western cuisine) and therefore decided to visit the next day the Yoshokuya (Yoshoku restaurant) "Kitchen West" in business since 1962, that is a little bit before the Tokyo Olympics. It is located next to the wonderful Ramen joint "Ichiryu", so in case you'd still be a little hungry after your lunch or dinner there, you know where to go...

A quick recap for anyone not familiar with Yoshoku. This Japanese remix of so-called western cuisine is said to have appeared during the Meiji Period, when Japan opened to and started to embrace the European civilization as a mean to develop the country. Though most of the dishes are European recipes adapted to the Japanese palate and available local ingredients, some dishes like Omu-Raisu (ketchup flavored rice stuffed omelette) or Chicken Rice (not to mix up with the Hainanese Chicken Rice or the Arroz Con Pollo in Latin America) are somehow "originals".

I have been a big fan of Yoshoku since I was a kid, and everytime I think about that cuisine, I can not but help thinking with amusement about the fake plastic food samples in the displays, most notably the gravity-defying"fork and spaghetti".

The relativelay small "Kitchen West" doesn't have any of those amazing displays but on the otherhand, its dyed-blond chef and the old lady serving customers have a pretty nice menu to sample from. I actually recommend their ¥700 A Set which comprises a Soseiji, a Kisu Furai and a Hanbaagu (sausage, deep-fried sillago and Japanese-style hamburger steak) or the ¥850 B set with its Hanbaagu, Pooku Katsuletsu and Ebi Furai (hamburger, deep-fried pork cutlet and deep-fried prawn) as those combos allow you to try several of the most popular Yoshoku items in one go. Both set come with a plate of rice.

B Set

The flavorful demi-glace glaze covered hamburger steak is super tender and makes you want to order a refill for your plate of rice. God, those two combine marvelously.
The pork cutlet is a fat-free piece of fillet that is thinly breaded and goes very well with the Worcestershire-style sauce they add on top. Another killer with the rice.
The prawn is good, but not as memorable as the hamburger or the pork. I just wished the breadcrumbs were crunchier and that they did not taste so much like oil. It's actually probably better to eat the shrimp first while it's still freshly fried as it prevents it from feeling a little "tired" and humid from its own heat.

Close-Up of A Set (Salligo and Sausage)

The salligo is not fishy at all, perfectly deep-fried, allowing you to enjoy the nicely cooked batter and the tender and fresh savory white meat. A Yoshoku classic that you shouldn't miss. Add some sauce on top for an added taste kick.
The sausage actually tastes like what a pork sausage should taste like, which is a good thing, as you will often be served some weird fish or mixed meat sausages that after so many years in Japan I still haven't got accustomed to.

It would be a sin if I did not hit the spotlight on the supporting role played by the spaghetti on the side, so let me allocate one or two sentences about them. They are probably boiled and then quickly sauteed with curry powder, and though it may taste and seem a little strange at first, they somehow get more and more addictive as you work on them. One other thing I like about them, and I know it's not how pastas should be, but spaghetti at Yoshokuya are often doughy and lukewarm and that's great: the perfect supporting role. Too bad they're only second-bananas in "Kitchen West" as I could actually devour a whole plate of them.

The great curry flavored spaghetti

One other usual favorite is the Kani Kuriimu Korokke (Japanese-style crab flavored savory croquettes), a real calorie bomb. We ordered this one to complete our dinner though frankly you can get pretty full with the set only. Alike the deep-fried prawn, be sure to attack it while it's still burning hot as it will allow you to fully enjoy the "umami" of the savory bechamel sauce, and the brown glaze on top won't have enough time to soften up the crumbs. The crab flavor is delicate and probably less strong than the average. Beware though: it's really hot.

Kani Kuriimu Korokke

I recommend this place to anyone interested in Yoshoku. It's tiny and you might get out of the joint smelling like food from a mile away, but the food is cheap and good, and the service satisfactory.

Kitchen West is closed on Fridays, and open the rest of the week from noon to 21:30pm.
03-3485-3693
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-13-11
Click here for a MAP

Roxanne (Yoshoku), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-25T11:00:00.001+09:00

Though we unfortunately see less and less of them, Japan used to be filled with Yoshokuya, those restaurants serving Western-style food with a strong Japanese touch and interpretation. Those older and older joints specialized in Omuraisu (omelette stuffed with chicken rice), Kare Raise (curry rice), Napolitan (ketchup based sauce pasta) or Korokke (Japanese savory croquettes) among a myriad of other great recipes, have slowly but surely given way to the now way more popular, classier and obviously more authentic Italians, French or Indian.

Same goes for the good-old smoky Kissaten (Japanese-style cafe) with their drip brew, Piza Tosuto (pizza style toast) or Morning Service (breakfast with butter/margarine/strawberry jam toast, eggs, ham/bacon, salad and tea/coffee) and their charmingly demode decor and feel. They have gradually lost the battle against the big and cheap coffee shop chain like "Doutor" or more recently "Starbucks", and are now on the way to sadly becoming an extincting species.

It looks "old" even in color...

What's great about "Roxanne" is that you can enjoy both what make the qualities of Yoshokuyas and Kissatens in one establishment, basically the (slightly "upscale") b-list menu from the former and the out-of-fashion look from the latter.
By the way, the name of the restaurant, which owners are neither Cyrano de Bergerac nor The Police fan, comes from the first name of the manager's now defunct father Rokusaburo, whose family and friends used to fondly call Roku-san.

From among the Napolitan, Bongole (spaghetti alle vongole, with clams in white sauce) or Lasagna in the Pasta department, the different salads, the Gyu-Tan Shichu (beef tongue stew), the Guratan (gratin) or the Piza etc, we opted for the first and last one. I went for the very popular Pizza while my wife chose the Napolitan Spaghetti.

When ordering a pizza, you need to choose between Medium (23cm and ¥750) or Large (way bigger at ¥1,300), to which you can add from about twenty toppings each at ¥80 (salami, green pepper, anchovy, corn, tuna, sausage, meatball, onion, shrimp, squid, clam, oil sardine etc...).
I went for the most uncreative Salami and Green Pepper. It was good, but nothing to really scream out loud for. It has obviously nothing to do with the Neapolitan pizza they serve you in all those classy pizzerias with wood-fired brick ovens, and is way closer to what you eat in the US. The crust is bread-like in taste and firmness, and the yellowish and little bit greasy cheese is quite salty and flavorful. It's well baked and satisfying. The brings-back-memories kind of pizza I used to eat when I was a kid.
Just remember, it is no gourmet cuisine.

As I said earlier, my wife went for the Napolitan, which contrary to our belief of what that dish looks (red-orange ish) and tastes like (ketchup based with sauteed sausages and onion), was rather soupy, lightly-tomato flavored, pale in color and oregano-spiced. Once again, nothing extraordinary. An OK dish.

During lunch, you can get a middle-sized pizza with two free toppings, a green salad and a cup of tea/coffee for ¥900. Not bad.
For your information, the "Mentaiko Supageti" ( pasta seasoned with butter, fresh cream and marinated pollock (not the painter...) roe) the two old ladies next to us were devouring looked pretty good!

Roxanne is in this quite little street, just 20 meters away from the bustling main shopping street. The trees in front of the restaurant gives an intimate hide-away quality to the place and add a nostalgic atmosphere to the whole.You might not want to try this place if you're looking to jaw-dropping delicious fares, but you will probably enjoy it if you want to experience a little bit of history...

"Roxanne" is closed on Wednesday, and opened the rest of the week from 11:30am to 16:00pm and 17:30pm to 23:00pm
03-3419-69-48
Click here for a MAP

Warakugoson (Yakitori), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-24T10:15:00.000+09:00

If you're into Yakitori (grilled skewered chicken), the Hakata style "Warakugoson" is a place that you should definitely visit, as it's just very simply good and you'll witness there a jovial and typical Shimokitazawa atmosphere.

Warakugoson, which is now located across the popular and labyrinthine bookstore/bazaar "Village Vanguard", used to be in this microscopic place behind the big Ozeki grocery store. Patronized by actors and musicians living or working in Shimokitazawa, they upgraded 20 years ago to the bigger joint that it is now.

The very humble and smily couple serves you a Yakitori recipe typical to Hakata, the bustling heart of southern island Kyushu's main town Fukuoka. The big characteristics of the said style are:
1) ingredients are grilled with salt (no Tare bbq sauce)
2) the meat is skewered with bits of onion (and not long green onion Naga-Negi)
3) you are being served a free plate of fresh chopped Chinese cabbage seasoned with vinegar, on which they put the grilled skewers
4) though it is a Yakitori-Ya, they also offer fish, pork and all sorts of vegetables.

I don't think it has anything to do with Hakata, but the Warakugoson staff in the kitchen hit a Taiko drum twice when customers come in and leave. You can check that fun custom out for yourself or click that video:

The first skewers we ordered were the Reba (chicken liver), the Shoniku (chicken white meat) and Nasu (eggplant).

Shoniku (left), Reba (upper left), Nasa (right)

The Reba is always slightly red inside, letting you enjoy the harder and pastier cooked outside and the creamier almost raw inside. Go for it if you like liver.
The Shoniku is regular Yakitori with nice chunks of firm white meat and bits of onion for added flavor and freshness. A must.
The Nasu is two big grilled pieces of eggplant rolled with sliced bacons. The juicy and tender eggplant and the almost crunchy thin bacon are a perfect match.

One thing you need to remember here is that the master is very generous with his salt. You see the perfectly mount Fuji shaped white thing on the left of the grill? That's all salt, and he erodes that mountain in about a week to ten days... So, if you're into a low-salt diet, you've been warned.

We then went for what is (I think) the only skewer that is not salt based here, the excellent and uncommon on a stick "Gyu-Suji" (simmered beef tendon). The Gyu-Suji, usually served in its Shoyu and Mirin base broth with other simmered ingredients such as Daikon (Japanese radish) is VERY rarely on a skewer, but Warakugoson makes wonders with this unusual recipe. The beforehand simmered meat is grilled until it gets almost crispy and is served on a sweet Tare sauce. The flavorful meat is firm and little fibrous, with bits of gelatinous and soft but chewy tendon here and there. Strongly recommended dish for its taste, texture and rarity.

Gyu-Suji

Warakugoson has enough vegetables on its menu to please anyone Vegi (eggplant, Enoki mushroom, garlic, okura, Shiitake mushroom, potatoes and so on) and all are pretty good. We always order the delicious and pretty looking "Tomato", wrapped in tiny slices of bacon. The baby tomatoes are juice bombs and work perfectly with the dry bits of grilled bacon. Beware when you eat that Kushi (skewer) though, as the tomatoes are often super hot and you can easily burn your palate when popping them in your mouth.

Getting quite full by then, we finished our orders with the firm and dense "Kashira" (the muscly region between the pork's cheek and temple), always satisfying "Jagaimo" (grilled potato topped with butter) and the excellent Yaki-Onigiri (grilled rice ball).

The rice ball, which is served with a little plate of excellent pickled eggplants, is grilled with a shoyu sauce that gives the dish a strong Senbei (rice cookie) flavor and an appetizing brown color. The ball has the texture of a Rice Crispy Treats outside (with grains of rice getting stuck in your teeth!) but is nicely glutinous and steamy inside. This is a very typical Japanese recipe, so you should definitely order it as for some reason, it seems like you come less and less across it in restaurants.

If you like sake to accompany your meal, you should order their dry "Warakugoson" which suits their salty cuisine.

A very decent meal with a beer and a sake will cost you around ¥3,000 per head. Worth it!

Warakugoson is closed on Sundays, and open the rest of the week from 17:00pm to 24:00pm
Setagaya-ku, Daizawa 2-9-1 2F
03-3468-7688
Click here for a MAP

Ojaga (Japanese Eatery), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-21T11:00:00.002+09:00

The other day, I went with three former colleagues to this Izakaya (food serving pub) in Shibuya I recommend to anyone with a traveller's budget, called "Butchigiri Sakaba" where we ended up having quite a decent amount of food and LOTS of drinks (all drinks at ¥280). It's definitely nothing more than average food but if you're into drinking, you can't go wrong here. So after moderately orgying, how flabbergasted was I when we got the check: ¥6,500, that is not even ¥1,700 per person... I mean, where is this deflation in Japan going to? "How low can you go?" like Chuck D was saying...

Deflation (though tough for business) is good in that it keeps my wallet healthy, and for a big eater like me who writes a daily food blog, it can actually be quite crucial.

So in that saving state of mind, I decided the next day to visit this new eatery in the neighborhood which serves a dirt-cheap ¥500 lunch. Only problem: when I looked at the pictures on the menu outside the restaurant, it just did not look that appetizing. So instead of going for it, I opted at the last minute for a "more expensive" Japanese restaurant "Ojaga", as this whole walk had gotten me into a local cuisine mood.

Ojaga is a Teishokuya (restaurant serving fixed menus, usually comprising a main dish, a bowl of rice, a soup and one or two little side dishes) for lunch and an Izakaya in the evening. The lady in her seventies standing in the kitchen has been cooking typical meals for half a century (simmered potatoes and meat "Niku-Jaga", mixed deep-fried seafood "Mikkusu Furai" or Japanese croquettes "Korokke" and so on) so if you're looking for authentic lunch plates, this is definitely an option.

By the way, Ojaga is a cute and rather original way of talking about the "Jagaimo", the most common potato in Japan. It is interesting to point out that the term "Jagaimo" is the abbreviation of Jagatara-Imo (Jagatara potato), where Jagatara designates the Indonesian capital Jakarta from where Dutch galleons imported the vegetable at the end of the 16th century. It is furthermore worth noting that what is today a regular in Japanese diet used to be initially grown for ornamental purposes.

Sorry, this post is going all over the place today...so back to the food review: once again, since the restaurant's name is an obvious reference to the tuberous crop and probably also to their popular simmered potatoes recipe "Niku-Jaga", one might want to try it, but I rather went for one of my childhood favorite, potatoes and meat croquette "Korokke".

As you can see, the Teishoku set came with a quite big bowl of rice, an excellent and very pungent Miso soup which tasted like an Akadashi soup (made of regular "Mame-Miso" fermented bean paste and "Kome-Miso" fermented rice and bean paste; you will often come across this soup in Sushi restaurants), a tiny Yakko (fresh tofu with grated ginger and leek) and a rather insipid Asazuke (quickly marinated pickled vegetables). Given the amount of rice, you should be full when done with this affordable ¥895 lunch.

You also get two cups a person of coffee at the self-service above, so it's a deal overall. The coffee is definitely not what you'll get at "Bear Pond Expresso" so beware if you can't stand the typical "jus de chaussettes" (socks juice) they serve you everywhere in Japan.

The croquette was a good 10cm wide and 3cm thick, making for a densely flavored satisfying crunchy dish. The potato puree inside was sweet and combining very well with the tiny bits of ground beef and onion, and they managed to cook it almost creamy like. Definitely add some Sosu (Japanese style Worcestershire sauce) on top of the croquette, as it's a condiment that goes unbelievably well with the deep-fried breadcrumbs, and because the puree inside is quite low on salt.

Ojaga is open everyday from 11:30am to 23:00pm.
It's easy to find: take the North exit, go down the stairs, take a right, follow the street until you hit the end and it's on your right, on the second floor of a multi-tenant building.
03-3460-4188
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-35-15 2F
Click here for a MAP

Tsukimasa (Japanese Tea Room), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-19T09:25:00.011+09:00

As it is said that drinking some tea which has been picked 88 days after the February 4th spring equinox will bring you longevity, green tea loving people tend to particularly flock to local tea retailers around beginning of May, when such green tea first harvest of the year (Shincha, or New Tea) arrives to the store. Click here for some more information on Shincha

I am neither the superstitious kind nor too concerned about living more than I should, but I love keeping with local tradition, so I went to "Tsukimasa" the other day, a green tea shop and cafe that has been in business since 1978. The place is famous in the neighborhood for being a haven of peace in the sometimes overwhelmingly bustling Shimokitazawa, so it was a little unfortunate to find out when we sat at our table that the rather cheap sound system was playing some weird and unfitting bossanova music. I would definitely have preferred this kind:

Despite the fact we initially went in for an attempt at living longer, we actually set our eyes on the beautifully green colored powdered tea "Matcha" jelly, served with a glass of cold Mugicha (Roasted barley tea) (set at ¥580).

The Matcha powder they use at Tsukimasa comes from the long-established tea retailer "Yamamasa-Koyamaen" in the region of Uji (Kyoto prefecture), and it makes for a wonderful jelly. The color of the dish is vivid and the fresh creme they add on top of it right before serving makes the "dessert" look like a nice piece of abstract art. As I said it in another post, after so many years in this country, I still keep being amazed by the aestheticism of Japanese cuisine.

Besides its aesthetic virtue, the fresh creme also works as smoothing the rather sweet jelly. And since the white liquid adheres well to its partner, it makes it easy to enjoy the combination. One interesting thing about this dish is that Tsukimasa manages to keep the powdery aspect of the Matcha, even in this jelly form. Try it: you will feel more and more powder in your mouth as you get to the bottom of the cup.

The glass of Mugicha was VERY good, with a very pungent roast flavor, almost tasting like a cup of iced coffee. I definitely recommend it.

Tsukimasa also has an array of Japanese teas which you can all try in the shop. Nothing is cheap here, but it's good. I just wish you have a different music when you visit the store.

They surprisingly have a smoking section at the end of the store, but they succeed in keeping the smoke-free section's air "clean" so no worries to you non-smokers.
They also sell all sort of teas, and tea-related crafts, like the pretty tea boxes at the top of the post, so if you need to do some of your last-minute shopping, that's an option.

Tsukimasa is open everyday from noon to 21:00pm Monday to Saturday, and 11:00am to 21:00pm on Sundays and National holidays
Setagaya-ku, Daizawa 5-28-16
03-3410-5943
Click here for a MAP

Ichiryu (Ramen), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-18T09:03:00.005+09:00

After having spent more or less my entire life in Japan and slurped countless bowls of Ramen, I don't get carried away easily anymore over that dish. However, my encounter with the "Chuka Ramen" (Chinese Ramen) at "Ichiryu" has been one of these rare occasions when I got all excited.

As you can see, besides the topped Beni Shoga (thinly cut pickled ginger) , nothing seems extraordinary about this bowl, with the very usual Chasu (Chinese-style bbq pork), Menma (Japanese style Sungan), Moyashi (soy bean sprout) and Negi (leek) decorating the noodles.

The restaurant too is normal looking: the very reminiscent of Showa Era red long counter, the red round stools, the cheap metal Hashi (chopsticks) holders, the ever present condiments, the old analog TV towards the entrance. It's clean, neat, with the old man and his white worker hat cooking in his tiny kitchen while the lady takes care of all the service; really nothing outstanding in this typical old school noodles joint. Until you have a closer look at the soup...
And then, you can not but exclaim"Wow, the soup is gold!" And I'm talking about a beautiful gold, shiny and warm, which the pictures can unfortunately not translate. A gold color which I have never encountered in any of all those joints I have visited. Zipang, I found you!

OK, you heard me about the color...Now, how does it taste? Well, it tastes REALLY good, though a hint too salty maybe. It's a slightly thick Tonkotsu (pork bones), Torigara (chicken carcass) and shoyu mixed broth which you would happily down if you did not mind exploding your calories intake limit for the week. Oh, boy, what a guilty pleasure that would be!
For your information, the master learned this recipe from his brother, who in turn acquired it from a locally famous joint "Ichiriki" in the Fukui prefecture. Too bad Fukui is more famous for its numerous nuclear plants than its rather unknown noodles...

The four slices of Chashu are also worth the mention, slightly dry and fibrous at first but quickly dissolving in your mouth as you work on them. Like all the other toppings, they're very humble, rather low in salt but well done. A nice and harmonious team work between all the ingredients to give you the best possible Ramen experience.

The moyashi (sprout) could personally be a little less boiled in order to give you a hint more of crunchiness but as I told you, they're being low-profile so you can probably enjoy the pungent and dense broth to the fullest.

You will often find Beni-Shoga in a Kyushu Tonkotsu ramen, but I think it's quite rare in northern Japan recipes. It is after the golden soup, the next nice surprise appearance in this Ramen as it gives you that additional freshness and sourness that smoothes the broth in an amazingly very delicate way, not to mention the pleasant to the eyes color combination with the green chopped leeks.

Last but not the least, the squiggly noodles: medium firmness and diameter with a nice pale yellow color. They taste good and combine well with the soup when slurped on. One thing: go only for the Oomori large size (¥800) if you're hungry as the supersized bowl comes with quite a lot of these noodles.

Ichiryu is open everyday from 11:30am to 22:00pm
03-3466-1671
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-30-11
Click here for a MAP

Spice Kitchen Moona (Indian), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-17T10:00:00.003+09:00

We visited five or six years ago this Indian restaurant that ended up not leaving any memorable impressions on us, if not that it was managed by what seemed to be people from the sub-continent. Without knowing that the restaurant's name and owners had changed in the meantime, I since kept on passing by the sign "Spice Kitchen Moona" thinking how bizarre such an average restaurant could stay alive in the fierce competition that face all the businesses in Shimokitazawa.

Looking on the internet for a place to have lunch the other day, how surprised was I to find out that not only the south-Indian cuisine restaurant "Spice Kitchen Moona" was getting rather glowing reviews, but that it was now managed by a Japanese family.

Loving Indian food, we quickly headed for the joint that is located on the top fifth floor of a multi-tenant building, the fourth floor being occupied by the famous musician Keiichi Sokabe's cafe-restaurant-record store "City Country City". The elevator stopping at the fourth floor, we got out and climbed the few remaining stairs to reach the colorful entrance.

Once in, we were first quite amazed at the view from the windows. It is no world heritage landscape for sure, but you don't often get to see the center of Shimokitazawa from such heights. The surrounding is crammed and rather ugly to be honest but it's got that metropolis "Enter The Void" feel to it that I like about busy Tokyo neighborhoods.
The second surprise came from that funny "Ghostbusters" rip-off notice on the table (with a Nan replacing the ghost) which says they don't serve "Nan" (Indian bread) but would rather have you eat their curries with Kaori-Mai (Jasmine rice or Thai fragrant rice). Typical of south-India cuisine where rice is staple food. They serve flat Indian bread "Roti" from 16:00 though.

There is only two lunch menus at noon, a one-curry set (¥980 if I remember well) and a three-curries set (¥1,100). We opted for the little expensive latter to sample a little bit of everything. Each set comes with a large plate of rice topped with what I think was Daikon (Japanese radish) and eggplant pickles and a little bit of non-sweetened home-made yoghurt (not in the picture)

I started by attacking the fish curry first. The fish seems to change time to time and the one we got on that day was one of my favorite "Sawara" (with the amusing English name "Japanese Spanish Mackerel"). Wow, it was cooked to perfection! Sawara can be the most tender fish if nicely prepared and boy they knew how to stew it! The curry was sweet tasting though quite chili hot, with an obvious coconut flavor, almost like a Thai curry. South Indian cuisine uses a lot of coconuts in its recipe, and "Spice Kitchen Moon" does the same. It definitely does wonders with that "Sawara" curry as it prevents the sauce from being too fishy. Good good stuff.

Fish Curry

I then plunged my spoon in the pale-colored vegetable chowder "Sambar", a traditional and typical south Indian dish. I know it is usually based on Toor Dal (pigeon pea), but I have NO idea whatsoever if they used it in their recipe, so feel free to ask if you visit this place.

Sambar

I have to say I was not blown away by that dish. Not that it was bad, but just that it was rather dull. This may be due to the fact that I ate the hot fish curry first, so I would strongly recommend that you start with the Sambar first to really be able to taste it fully.
As crumbled as the vegetables were, I still managed to recognize some onions, green beans and probably potatoes in the broth. The fresh coriander leaves you see on the picture are a leitmotiv in this restaurant, so tell them beforehand if you don't like these, as you'll probably spot them on every single curries.

The curry I kept for last was the good "Chicken Curry" which tasted pretty much like the fish curry. Coconut flavored, spicy, hot and more soupy than pasty (Please remember to check out the Sag Mutton Curry at "Spicia" if you're into pasty curries). Just like the fish which was very nicely stewed, the chicken detached itself from the bone with no particular teeth effort, but still managed to offer some resistance and flavor when chewed to.

I can not end this post without a little comment on the delicately flavored long grain rice. I am unfortunately not gourmet enough to tell you whether there is a chance it might actually be an Indian Basmati rice (though they would probably mention it somewhere if it was), but the presumed to be Jasmine rice was just dry enough to go along very well with the overall quite soupy curries. And the Nan freak that I am did not long for the bread so I guess it says it all.

I am definitely going back to this place. The family running it seemed very friendly, the little expensive lunch was still way worth it and they have few inexpensive items in the menu that definitely got me VERY curious: "Chinese pepper seasoned tomato salad", "Mushroom and fig salad", "Rice-Duck pate with Roti", "Deep fried mutton Keema pie and cheese, stewed in tomato sauce", "Cold shrimp marinated in seven spices"...

Spice Kitchen Moona is closed on Mondays
11:45am to 15:00pm and 17:00pm to 23:00pm (L.O. 22:30pm) from Tuesday to Friday
Noon to 23:00pm (L.O. 22:30pm) on weekends and National Holidays

03-3411-0607
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-12-13 5F
Click here for a MAP

Zakoya (Izakaya), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-14T10:13:00.008+09:00

"Zakoya" is a restaurant we've been passing by for quite some time now always thinking it looked really good with its bricks and black wood structure, but without ever visiting. We finally entered the izakaya (food serving pub) yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Osozai on the counter

The restaurant consists of a big counter circling the kitchen, some tables at the end, and a second floor where you can fit 20 people. We sat at the only two seats available at the counter (the place is popular) and after ordering two beers (quite cheap at ¥450), the man in the counter started explaining to us in a perfect English what the recommendations of the day were. As it turned out, pursuing his passion for rock guitar, he had spent 10 years in California when he was 18, hence the perfect English. He also happened to be the eatery's boss as well as the son of the lady who brought us the beers, and he is now back to Shimokitazawa where he was born and raised. Local family business.

Nasu No Agedashi

There was an amazing choice of what looked like excellent Osozai (Japanese "deli") on the counter, but we rather opted for some of the recommended stuff as well as some of our favorite dishes, starting with the cold "Nasu No Agedashi" (deep-fried eggplant). Though dubbed "deep-fried", it is cooked without batter and seasoned with a dashi broth (mix of bonito sauce, soy sauce and mirin), thus the rather boiled or simmered look of the vegetable (or fruit, whichever you want...). The beautifully purple eggplant topped with sesame and grated ginger was nicely tender and the dashi well done. Good stuff.

Reba-Katsu

Then came the "Reba-Katsu" (deep-fried liver), one of the strongly recommended dish. The liver was slightly too creamy for my liking but it did work well with the crunchy breadcrumbs, letting you enjoy two opposite consistencies at the same time. The mayonnaise and the Japanese style Worcestershire sauce added on top of the fries were the perfect seasoning, the sauce adding some kick to the rather low-salt liver, and the light mayonnaise sort of smoothing the oiliness. I do not need to tell you that the beer disappeared quickly with that recipe. Which led me to try a glass of sake "Inokashira" (¥450). Good drink but I would choose something else if you're into dry sake, as this one is pretty sweet.

By that time, they were done cooking the "Kabestu No Obun Yaki" (oven grilled Cabbage), which was brought to us very hot in a small casserole. The half-cabbage was topped with sliced carrots, bits of beacon, powdered cheese and parsley. The cabbage was juicy and sitting in a broth which reminded me of a pot-au-feu bouillon. The sauce is surprisingly peppered so beware if you're not into spicy stuff.

Aburi Shime-Saba

Wanting something more appropriate for my sake, we ordered a plate of "Aburi Shime-Saba" (quickly roasted marinated mackerel) which I jumped on for its relatively cheap price at ¥580. I had been tempted for already a good fifteen minutes as our neighbors had ordered it and it looked quite good, not to mention that I always love the mise en scene often put by chefs of quickly spot-roasting the fish in front of you with a kitchen torch. After once again witnessing the boss' burner abilities on our fish, I quickly tried a slice as I like it when the flesh is still slightly warm from the fire. Very glad I chose this item as the fish was fatty (melting like butter...) and nicely sour from the vinegar. Not bad at ¥580: by the way, there were more slices of fish than on the above photo, when it was brought to us. With the sake working on me, I had neglected my journalistic duties and forgotten to immediately shoot the plate when it reached us. Apologies.

More pushed by curiosity than appetite, we finally ordered the Nazo No Corokke (the mysterious croquettes) at ¥100 a piece. You just need to know that in Japan, Korokke are usually stuffed with mashed potatoes and bits of beef. I will let you try these without telling you what's in it to keep the mystery alive. Don't worry, they were good and there was no weird ingredients in it.

Once again, we overall enjoyed the meal and the place looks good with its authentic Izakaya decor, hand-written menus hanging from the roof and osozai displayed on the counter. Do ask the boss what the deli items are, as they all seemed excellent, and you sure won't be lost in translation there.
Couple of minor complains would be 1) the ¥300 per head seating charge (probably for the Edamame appetizer they gave us) and 2) the slightly small size of the drinks (but probably compensated by their cheap price)

Before I forget, the boss was wearing a Judas Priest T-shirt, so who knows, you might get a free dish if you're from Birmingham or a metal fan...

Zakoya is closed on Tuesdays and open the rest of the week from 17:30pm to 24:00pm.
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-9-21
03-3465-0537
Click here for a MAP

Karate Chop (Vietnamese), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-13T09:57:00.006+09:00

We just visited Vietnam in March, and having overdosed on the local food at the time, we since hadn't been too much in a mood for that cuisine. However, after a couple of months, the crave for exoticism finally got the upperhand, and the weather being nice, we visited the cute "Karate Chop", a tiny and airy Vietnamese restaurant with a nice little semi-terrasse.

After getting a seat in the small but charming shop, I ordered what seemed the most filling Buta To Tamago No Nitsuke Don (¥840) which I oversized (+¥100). I am not sure what the most appropriate translation would be but let me go with Simmered Pork Bowl with a soft boiled egg.
After about 10 to 15mn, the chef brought us with our orders, the aforementioned bowl and the Zenbu-Iri Curry (curry with bunch of ingredients) (¥1,200).

The simmered pork was quite fibrous but managed to be very juicy when chewed on. It tasted like it had been simmered in a mix of Shoyu and Vietnamese fish sauce Nuoc Mam but Mea Culpa if I'm wrong on this. It was a shame it was not soft enough though to be easily mixed with the rice as it would have made a nice mix.
The egg was nicely half-boiled, which I love, with a nice flavor to it. The juicy and sour thin-tripped pickles added a nice consistence and aroma to the whole.
My only problem was the rice: it's my fault I oversized the bowl, but I got really bored towards the end as it's an unseasoned rice and there clearly was too much of it. I had to add quite a lot of Nuoc Mam to finish the dish. I strongly recommend that you order the regular size of this dish.
The bowl also came with a very good milk pudding that really nicely melted in my mouth and a cup of slightly too light cold lotus tea.

My wife seemed to enjoy the more Thai-tasting Zenbu-Iri Curry but it seemed to me a little expensive for lunch, even with that paper peacock on top...

They also had bunch of other Vietnamese fares such as the baguette sandwhiches "Bahn Mi" or a variety of Pho, so I will definitely try it again to have a better idea of the place...

Karate Chop is open everyday from noon to 23:00pm.
03-3468-0481
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-7-3
Click here for a MAP

Sanuki Udon Sawa (Udon), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-12T11:00:00.001+09:00

After slurping some Tempura Udon at "Hoteiya" for dinner two days ago, downing a large size of Tom Yam Kung Ramen at "Tinun" for lunch and a bowl of Tonkotsu-Shoyu Ramen at "Tsukumo Ramen" in Ebisu yesterday after clubbing hard, I ate my fourth noodle dish in 36 hours at "Sanuki Udon Sawa" yesterday.
For your information, UDONs are wheat flour noodles usually eaten in a hot broth, or served cold and dipped in a Tsuyu sauce before slurped.
Sanuki is the old name for what is the actual Kagawa prefecture in the southern island of Shikoku, and the Sanuki Udon designates a particular way of serving the Udon in Kagawa. I still don't know exactly what a Sanuki Udon is, except that when served in a broth, it is a clear one (whereas the Kanto, northern-central region of the main Honshu Island, one is darker and saltier), and it is considered good manner to swallow the whole broth.

"Sanuki Udon Sawa" seems to take this Udon business quite seriously and manufacture its own Udons in the shop. A wooden placard in the shop says "一日一麺" (Ichinichi Ichichimen, meaning Eat a bowl of noodles everyday) which is an obvious pun on the famous expression "一日一善" (Ichinichi Ichizen, signifying Do a good deed everyday), so it still manages to do that with humor.

When we got in, we were welcomed by a smily tall chef in his 50s who seated us at the counter. After being told that the items with a red dot on the menu were the recommendations, I went for the Curry Udon which was one of them. A Curry Udon is boiled Udon served in a bowl of thick and hot curry soup. I'm not an adept of that dish as I usually find the curry taste to be a little boring at the end, but I got curious.

The curry, a typical Japanese sweet-flavored one, was thick and rather spicy. Some people might even find it too hot, but I quite liked it as the spice allowed to fight off the sweetness and give a kick to the whole. As in a lot of Sanuki Udon recipe, the chef uses some Iriko-Dashi (dry little sardines broth) in its bouillon which adds that typical southern Japan Udon flavor to the sauce.

It is a little difficult for me give you a review on how the noodles tasted because of the strong curry aroma, but they had what I would assume is low to medium firmness. They were easy to swallow, though maybe a little too tender. Despite the menu saying it may take up to 15 to 20mn to serve the Udon which they boil from order, I think they got to us in less time, so maybe the chef just heated some pre-boiled Udon? Which would explain the tenderness, but these are just assumptions...

The bowl was topped with very good Atsuage (deep-fried Tofu), chopped leek, sesame and a raw egg. I recommend that you mix the yolk as soon as you get the noodles as it will smoothen the spicy broth. I ended up drinking the whole soup, so I guess I liked it.

At ¥800, it's neither cheap nor expensive. By the way, supersizing the bowl is free so definitely do it as it's not that big anyway.
Last but not the least, if you're not into an Indian remix of the Udon, they do have more traditional Udon dishes as well.
And at dinner time, you can also order some food from the Okinawa restaurant on the 2nd floor.

Sanuki Udon Sawa is open everyday from 11:30am to 23:00pm, but close for an hour from 16:00pm.
03-3413-8805
Setagaya-ku, Daizawa 5-32-7
Click here for a MAP

Hoteiya (Soba), Taishido

2010-05-11T11:00:00.009+09:00

I wasn't sure whether I should feature "Hoteiya" as it's one of my best well-kept secret and it's a little out of the way from Shimokitazawa, but what's the use of keeping a blog for visitors if not to divulge the best stuff?

Hoteiya is a family-run Sobaya (Soba noodles restaurant) located in the residential Taishido area, between Shimokitazawa and cool Sangenjaya, though way closer to the latter. The restaurant is the oldest Sobaya in business in the huge Setagaya ward (as big as Manhattan NY), and has been open since 1925. This local's favorite is kept vibrant and lively by an incredibly friendly old couple, their three daughters and an always smily charming grand-daughter.
It is a little difficult to find, but if you're willing to enjoy potentially getting lost before reaching the place (or even not get there....), soak up in an authentic local atmosphere, eat good food at VERY reasonable price, try real Japanese hospitality and get comfortably numb with the very rare and excellent Sobayu-Wari (distilled barley alcohol mixed with boiled water diluted buckwheat flour), then go for it!

Though Hoteiya is a Soba restaurant, the sisters will be the first ones to laugh that they've become over the years more of an izakaya (food serving pub) than a noodle eatery. The best thing to do when you get there is definitely sampling some of their extensive non soba/udon food menu before finally attacking the specialties.
That's exactly what we did the other day when we ordered some Itawasa (fresh slices of fish cake Kamaboko eaten with wasabi and shoyu) to accompany our opening beers, before working on the chewy Konyaku (block of boiled konjak) Miso-Dengaku style (seasoned with hot sweet miso sauce). Both dishes are healthy low-calories typical Japanese appetizers and very pleasant to munch on to while your appetite grows, so try them if you can.

Miso Dengaku

We then moved on to the amazing and even healthier Yon-Shoku-Mori (literally Mixed Four Colors) which is a combination of four gooey ingredients, Nato (fermented beans), Tororo (grated Japanese yam potato), Mekabu (Wakame seaweed root) and Okura. You add a little soy sauce, mix the whole thing until it becomes slimy and eat it. Though it's rather poor in taste, but interesting in consistence, it has become one of my favorite dish at Hoteiya because of the rather big portion they give you and its affordable ¥500.

Yon-Shoku Mori

In the meantime, we ordered the incredibly rare (I have NEVER seen this anywhere else) SOBAYU-WARI to follow our empty beers. SOBAYU is the (once again very healthy) water in which the soba noodles have been boiled. Soba shops usually bring you the translucid and whitish liquid at the end of your meal, so you may add it in your Tsuyu dipping broth and drink the delicious solution. That's how Sobayu is used in Japan 99,99% of the time but not in Hoteiya. They go through the process of mixing buckwheat flour with boiled water to make a thick (and obviously much more flavored than the usual Sobayu, which is after all just remaining cooking water) soup that you mix with Mugi-Shochu (distilled barley alcohol which tastes like vodka) to make an interesting drink. It's got that undeniable Sobayu taste but it's a quite lethal one! You'll see a lot of repeaters ordering this for its good taste, its rarity and for the nice buzz that follows....

Soba-Yu Wari

It's unfortunate I have a limit of 5 pictures per thread because we also ordered a "Tako-Butsu" (raw octopus cut in chunks) which comes in rather big proportions. By the way, you will quickly find out that this family always seems to be in a mission of stuffing you until you give up. That's a least how it's been every single time for us, though we are increasingly careful about the amount we order each time. Whether it's due to the fact that they sometimes bring repeaters a little "extra" dish to thank you for patronizing them or because everything is so cheap, I'm not sure yet but we still haven't managed to order less than we should.
So it almost came as no surprise (if not for our belly) when they brought us a free Ume (marinated salty plum) seasoned Tofu salad, after we had already ordered a final Udon dish each.

I chose the "TenZaru Udon" (cold udon with a separate plate of Tempura). After so much to eat and one too many cup of Sobayu-Wari, it's difficult to keep track of what you're gobbling, but if I remember well, the good Tempura consisted of deep-fried Carrot, Shiso leaf, whole Shrimp, Eggplant, Green Pepper, Zenmai fern and Okura. And yes, I haven't forgotten Hoteiya is a noddle restaurant: well, their cold udon (thick wheat flour noodles) had a nice Koshi (firmness) and were the perfect finish to this orgy.

Udon (with Nori seaweed on top)

If you're wondering how much we paid for all that food and drinks, it cost less than ¥5,000 for the two of us. Not bad huh?

Hoteiya is (unfortunately) closed on Tuesdays and open the rest of the week from 11:45am to 15:00pm and from 17:30pm to 20:30pm in the evening
Setagaya-ku, Taishido 2-32-3
03-3413-5701
Click here for a much needed MAP

Frisco (Burgers), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-10T09:00:00.002+09:00

UPDATE: Frisco just closed end of July 2010 as the building it was in will be destroyed. It will reopen one day, so stay tuned!

The hole-in-the-wall...

I chose today another wonderful place that I have unfortunately neglected far too long, which I visited the other day for the first time in probably five years.
The first time I ate at "Frisco" (which was right after it opened), literally a burger hole-in-the-wall, the chatty English-speaking owner gave me a brief and honest introduction on why he got to open this joint. I remember being rather surprised as he did not seem too sure whether that even was a good idea or not, being new in the business and new in Japan after spending a great part of his life in the US. He did not know Shimokitazawa very well either (except that potential-burger-eating youths hang around a lot in the area), so you will appreciate why I got a little worried for the guy. The burger was good, that's for sure, but the place is so VERY hard to find that I thought word-of-mouth would not be enough to sustain decent business. Thus, fearing the disappointment and the bad feeling of visiting an ever empty store, I simply never went there again. As usual, too bad for me, and I hope I can catch up as soon as possible with the lost time. Please try it for yourself if you like nicely barbecued burgers. You won't be disappointed.

When we got in the shop, I was first impressed by the several quality press clips on the wall, all praising the state-of-the-art burger. Also, five minutes after we got there, few regulars-looking customers got in, clearly meaning I had been wrong all the way on selfishly predicting the future of this burger business.

The charcoal, the grill and the buns toasting

The reason this shop got so much word-of-mouth certainly relies on the charcoal grill that gives the meat and the buns such distinctive smoky aroma. Not sure whether that was a way to avoid heating the grill to a temperature too high, but the owner placed the metal grid over the red charcoal after we placed our order. We opted for the filling Cheeseburger set (¥1,200), that comes with a drink and some french fries.

Owner bbqing the patty

The cheese burger consists of the grill-toasted hard-on-the-outside but soft-on-the-inside buns, a well-done and wonderfully smoky 150g beef patty, the guilty-pleasuresque slice of cheddar cheese with its undefinable umami, some VERY fresh onion, tomato, lettuce and a little pickle. You guessed it right: it's a simple and classic burger like you'll see barbecued everywhere in the US.

The Cheeseburger

The crinkle-cut french fries are heavenly crispy and salted enough to match the salt-and-pepper-only-seasoned patty. I think there was a very thin layer of mustard and mayonnaise on the buns, but nothing else that came in the way. In other words, the cooking is really designed to make you enjoy the flavor of the juicy beef and the smoke aroma.
The vegetables are super fresh and provide a very nice crunchiness and freshness to the whole.

The Cheeseburger set

I am sure there are plenty of good places among those new burger joints popping out in Tokyo, but I would assume that "Frisco" has to be ranking among the best ones, especially in the "authentic", "sunday barbecue style" category.
It is expensive at ¥1,200, but if you're ready to pay the price, you will most probably enjoy it, with the additional fun of actually having to find this incredibly tiny joint in the Shimokitazawa maze.

"Frisco" is closed on Tuesdays, and open the rest of the week everyday from 11:30am to 21:00pm
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-34-11
03-3468-5744
click here for a very needed MAP

Ramen Yamate (Ramen), Komaba Todaimae

2010-05-07T08:19:00.000+09:00

This place is a little far from Shimokitazawa, as you will need to walk for about half an hour, but it's quite worth the walk if you are a Ramen addict. Actually, "Ramen Yamate" being located by the Tokyo University Campus, the promenade can be quite pleasant as you could cut through the verdant school grounds to get there. The mix of old brick academic buildings and modern structures looks quite nice on photos, so if you're an adept of that particular visual art, that's another reason for you to wander through the premises.
If you have no interest in walking or photography, that's still OK, as the bowl of Ramen is interesting and good enough to go all the way there. It is also a big favorite among the college's students and you will see many of them in there.

"Ramen Yamate" kitchen

What's so special about this place is the noodles, and most of the people will agree with me in saying that they are pasta-like: they have the egg-yellow color, more or less the taste and definitely the firmness of slightly al dente Italian pasti. I think that's quite original but I know for a fact that some hardcore Ramen-eaters find that a blasphemy. Well, that's too bad for them, as the "Togarashi Ramen" (chili ramen) I had yesterday was excellent.

"Togarashi Ramen"

The broth in Ramen Yamate is Tonkotsu-based (pork bone), to which they add some Tori-Gara (chicken carcass), Konbu (tangle), garlic, ginger and Shiitake mushroom, all of which they simmer for 24 hours. This makes a light-flavored Tonkotsu soup that I find very appetizing.
Friends from college who are readins this blog (thank you) might remember our favorite "Akashiroya" in Yoyogi-Uehara (the place is gone now). Well, "Ramen Yamate" is the mother shop and tastes quite the same.

Yamate's most popular dish is the "Yuki (snow) Ramen" which consists of that basic broth with toppings of roasted garlic and onion, and a final thin layer of lard on top of the soup. That light blanket of fat, which supposedly adds smoothness to the broth, looks like snow, hence the name of the dish.
As mouth-watering as that sounds, as I said earlier, I went for the "Togarashi Ramen" which is a hot version of the basic broth, with added chili in it. The soup looks hellishly red and spicy, but that's really on the surface, and they manage to keep it very eatable. The soup actually tasted so good that I even thought for a while of downing it, but fought such calorie mega-intake with courage.

Togarashi Ramen Soup

The ramen comes with Menma (Japanese style Sungan) and a slice of Chashu (Chinese-style bbq pork) that somehow tastes a little bit and has the fibrous texture of canned tuna. Both toppings are a little too low on salt for my liking, which is a shame as they definitely need more flavor to compete with the rich spicy soup

The pasta-like noodles are freshly made on site (the "noodle factory" is next door) by the manager and were originally studied and designed as to give the best Nogo-Doshi possible (literally Passing the Throat), an important notion in Japan where firmness of food can be a matter of lengthy heated discussion. Nodo-Goshi can designate anything from firmness, smoothness or fluidity, but is really basically about how easily and enjoyably you'll down the stuff.
Even after more than 30 years in Japan, Nodo-Goshi is still a slightly difficult notion to grasp for me, so let me just say that their noodles provide a nice resistance, are tasty and are a pleasure to swallow with a little bit of soup. Once again, Ramen purist might tell you that they do not mingle well with the broth, but that's the least of my concerns.

Whether it has something to do with the fact that the noodles do seem a little "Italian", I don't know, but Yamate also offers a "Tomato Ramen" (left on the picture above), with Italian tomatoes, wine, aromatic herbs and chili-infused Olive oil, which might be a wonderful match for the "pasta". If you're in a challenging mode, go crazy...

"Ramen Yamate" (mid to far right) and the "Noodle Factory" (left)

Ramen Yamate is open everyday from 11:30am to 02:45am
You can walk there from Shimokitazawa (30mn), Higashi-Kitazawa (20mn) on the Odakyu Line or 10mn from Komaba-Todaimae (2 stations from Shimokitazawa on the Inokashira Line)
Shibuya-ku, Tomigaya 2-21-7

03-5453-7290
Click here for a MAP

Nikunchu (Yakiniku), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-06T09:53:00.008+09:00

In Japan, people love to grill meat and devour offal at Yakiniku joints. This tradition, derived from the Korean-style barbecue, is perpetuated nationwide through cheap chains and eateries or expensive specialized restaurants.
I have been a big Yakiniku lover in the twenties, gradually eating less of it over the years (as I find the fat more and more difficult to digest with the age...) and finally reducing it to something like twice a year since the encounter with "Jumbo", a restaurant in the outskirts of Tokyo managed by a man from Osaka who serves you the MOST amazing meat you will find. I have since almost stopped eating Yakiniku elsewhere, as I know it will most probably not come close in quality and satisfaction to what this wonderful place offers.
So when the Bear Pond barista told me the other day he heard "you can get the equivalent of a ¥10,000 dinner for a cheap ¥3,000 at this place called "Nikunchu", you will understand I felt obviously a little blasé... but at the same time curious about that price difference.
I decided to give it a chance, since it would still give me something to write about on this blog even if did not live up to the expectations.

Well, let's say I was pleasantly surprised by the quality-price ratio of this place.

Since it was the last day of the week-long Golden Week holidays, they were out of almost all their usually recommended "Horumon" (from the English term Hormone, designating the offal by extension) stuff like Reba-Sashi (cow liver sashimi), Shio-Teppo (the salted intestine region close to the pork rectum) or the Harami (lean-meat-looking-but-in-fact-entrail around the cow's diaphragm), so we went with some of the other interesting guts and "regular" muscle meat.

I have to apologize for the terrible quality of the pictures, as I happened to forget my camera yesterday. Please bear with me...

We grilled some salted Tanshita to start with (the part of the cow tongue closest to the throat) and were later offered some Tansaki for free (the tip of the tongue) as an apology for being out of a lot of stuff: that's what I call good service.
The Tansaki was probably the closest to what Yakiniku places usually serve, that is slightly fibrous, whereas the Tansaki was more chewy. Both were a bit salty for my taste but the cheap ¥400 beer did its job in killing the thirst.

Kutsubera (left) and Tanshita (Right)

We then cooked some pork adam's apple "Kutsubera" (literally Shoe-Horn), a plastic-like white organ resembling a little shoe-horn, which is a quite rare body part at a Yakiniku restaurant . It was cartilaginous and fatty at the same time and simply seasoned with sesame oil and salt. Good stuff.

In keeping with the "weird" stuff, we opted for the pork Oppai (literally Boobs) which I assume has something to do with the "breast" part of the pork...but I'm a little lost here. It was very gelatinous and the bits looked like chunks of fat when they brought them fresh to us. Once grilled, they had the firmness of a stirred liver. It was seasoned beforehand with a Miso-based sauce that gave the Oppai a nice sweet flavor.

We also went for my favorite Marucho (cow's small intestine), which is basically a big chunk of melting-in-your-mouth fat around a little very chewy part. This always goes incredible in pair with your beer. Their Marucho is good and worth the price, as you spend quite some time chewing on the flavorful and rubbery thing!

Marucho

We couldn't leave without trying their lean meat, so we chose some Kainomi and some Jo-Karubi. Both were salted beforehand.
The Kainomi, the meat around the cow ribs closer to the shoulders is a very precious part and usually costs quite a bit, though Nikunchu offers it at an affordable ¥1,000. The meat has the juiciness and fatness of the short ribs, but manages to be firm as well, so it's almost like the best of both world. Fat and fibrous at the same time: a Yakiniku lover's dream.

Kainomi

The Jo-Karubi, a fatter short ribs, almost like a Toro tuna, was juicy and not annoyingly fat, like it can sometimes be in expensive places where they seem to unfortunately associate FAT=GOOD.

We ended up paying approximately ¥3,000 per person, just as what the Barista told us, which definitely was a deal (though we need to remember that we mainly went with the cheaper Horumon. Might have been more expensive should we have ordered more meat). The meat and Horumon were fresh and tasty, the beers and other alcohol cheap and the service good overall. We had to wait close to half-an-hour before we got in, so you might want to make a reservation or be ready to wait a little bit.

I think it is an over-statement to say that it equals what you would get for ¥10,000 elsewhere, but the quality you get for the money is truly impressive. Try it, it's worth it.

Nikunchu has no fixed closing days and is basically open everyday from 18:00pm to 03:00am though they will close as soon as they sell out of most of their ingredients.

03-3465-5557
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-9-3
click here for a MAP

Yasai Sakaba (Izakaya), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-05T22:42:00.002+09:00

On this last day of the Japanese Golden Week, I would like to introduce "Yasai Sakaba", literally the Vegetable Tavern, to anyone in need of a healthy regime or looking for a cheap lunch or both.
I've had a strange love and hate relationship with this restaurant as I tried it probably five or six years ago, disliked it and ignored it for a mediocre food and hospitality, then gave it another chance a couple years later to discover that it actually tasted good and that the affordable price could justify the sometimes Soviet-like service.

Yasai-Sakaba serves a relatively cheap but good dinner that I have shared with a lot of friends in the past, so it is definitely an option should you be looking for a menu offering a cuisine revolving around vegetables dishes. The forte of this eatery is the vegetables brought from the old capital "Kyoto", and I would actually recommend you have a look at this very comprehensive article on the history and importance of the Kyo-Yasai (Capital Vegetables).

I will focus on their satisfying lunch though, which offers several little dishes, a bowl of rice and a miso soup for an inexpensive ¥700~¥1000 (depending on the main dish you order)

Among what was brought to us yesterday less than 10mn after we ordered (but remember, the content of the lunch changes daily) were 2 slices of Ao-Ingen Tamagoyaki (green haricot filled omelette). The green haricot inside were Ohitashi style (boiled and then seasoned with a shoyu and dashi stock sauce) and provided a nice additional juiciness to the eggs.
The plate also contained a sauteed dish of Menma (Japanese style Sungan), Chinese Cabbage and chicken that wasn't bad all. The ingredients were stirred with vegetable oil and shoyu, and I have always found it to be a killing way of cooking things.

In a possible attempt to clear out the chicken they had not sold out the day before, we were served another chicken recipe that consisted of boiled chicken, Sichuan-style pickeled Mustard plant stems "Zaasai" (or Zha Cai in chinese) and cucumber slices all marinated in sesame oil and soy sauce. The seasoning that can NOT go wrong. The zaasai and the cucumber add crunchiness to the fibrous chicken and that all added up to a tasty dish.

The main I ordered, and that you can see on the top picture, was a nicely fried old-school Niku Corokke (Beef and Potato croquette), with the slightly sweet potato puree inside doing wonders with the little bits of minced beef.

If you're thinking "chicken, beef, oil...this doesn't sound too healthy to me", well rest assured, as the rice they serve you is a Gokoku (five grains) blend, a mix of rice, wheat, bean, kibi and awa millet, which is supposed to be an extremely healthy diet. It tastes good and its pinkish/purplish color looks nice so what could you ask for more?

As I told you, when you're used to the Japanese politeness, the staff here can seem a little on the blunt side, but having to pay the very affordable ¥750 for the above quality lunch largely offsets the sometimes lacking of hospitality.
It is also a little disappointing that they tend to serve you more meat than they used to for lunch, but once again, they are largely forgiven with the quality of the cuisine they serve.

Yasai Sakaba is closed on Wednesdays and open the rest of the week from 11:30am to 15:00pm and 17:00pm to 24:00pm (they can be pretty packed for dinner)
03-5454-0005
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-25-10
Click here for a MAP

Yasube (Tsukemen), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-04T09:44:00.007+09:00

In Japan, it is a very popular custom to go slurp some noodles late at night after a drinking/clubbing session. I am not sure why people do that, as you are usually 1) very drunk or 2) already too full to appreciate the dish, not to say that it sure does not help your hangover the next day either, but I do follow the tradition myself as well time to time.
That is exactly what I did yesterday after a whole day of total gastronomic debauchery at a good friend's house. As I suddenly felt like downing a bowl of noodles, I walked towards the Tsukemen shop "Yasube" which I had promised to cover in a previous post about "Mitsuyado Seimen".
The tiny place was full (as always) when I got there and had to queue for about 10mn, during which I bought my ticket from the vending machine. I opted for the regular 220g Namimori Tsukemen which was served to me few minutes after I sat at the 7 seats counter.

The first impression I had is that the shoyu-based broth you dip the noodles in is surprisingly fishy. They are probably simmering a lot of Ni-Boshi (dry baby sardines) and Katsuo-Boshi (dry bonito) to bring that much flavor. I got worried that it might be too fishy for me, but repeatedly dipping the wet noodles in the soup quickly waters and smoothes the broth to a very nice balanced flavor. The broth is also quite hot, as they add a decent amount of chili powder in it, but it is just enough to stimulate your appetite. For those of you who like it pretty hot, you can order their Karami-Tsukemen, which features a rayu (chili infused vegetable oil) added soup.

The bouillon comes with bits of nice and soft Chashu (Chinese-style bbq pork), some very good Menma (Japanese style Sungan) that adds a pleasant saltiness to the whole, a lot of leek and a big sheet of dry seaweed Nori.
Though I haven't tried them, they also offer some Katsuo-Bushi powder for added fishiness and some fresh onion for those who want extra freshness.

Now, let's get onto the belly filler. I am not sure what it means, but a notice on the menu says that they add water to the dough so that the noodles keep a nice firmness until the end. What I did feel on the other hand is that they seem quite fluid in your mouth, and that definitely made them easier to chew and swallow. Whether that was due to the extra H2O, I don't know, but despite the enormous amount of food I had ingested during the day, I had NO problem whatsoever in devouring them. If you are hungry, the middle size Chu-Mori (320g) and big size Oo-Mori (420g) are all priced the same as the regular one I ordered, at ¥720. I would assume that the Chu-Mori is within the reach of anyone's stomach so don't be scared and go crazy.

In retrospective, I found the tsukemen at Yasube easier to eat, and the broth more delicate or less salty than at Mitsuyado Seimen. Of course, this is a more classic Tsukemen, whereas Mitsuyado is focused on the original Yuzu flavor of its soup. You could actually try and compare both restaurants should you spend your whole day wandering the streets of Shimokitazawa...

Yasube is open everyday from 11am to 02am, though they will close as soon as they're out of noodles. They also offer Ramen in case you're more into having your noodles in the broth from the start.

03-3422-2711
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-12-15
Click here for a MAP

Rairaiken (Chinese), Shimokitazawa

2010-05-03T09:53:00.001+09:00

When you live in Shimokitazawa, you tend to become blind to the existence of a LOT of restaurants just simply because there are so many of them to choose from. And a lot of them are so good that it is human nature to go safe and keeping going to the same ones.
That's where comes the advantage of writing a blog. You do have to fuel it with new places and try some of those restaurants that have fallen out of your scope or you have simply ignored.
The Chinese eatery "Rairaiken" I chose today is not only one of those places I unfortunately overlooked for too many years, but it seems to be into everyone's oblivion, leading a life of its own in a different time pocket.
"Rairaiken", which is as typical of a name for an old Chinese restaurant in Japan as "Taj Mahal" would be for an Indian joint, was opened in 1945 by the father of the present owner, who according to what the "Tonsui" lady told me before, used to provide free food to starving people in the aftermath of the war. So it is an understatement to say that this eatery is hold in high-esteem among old folks in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, being respected by the older generation doesn't mean you will be flooded with customers, and accordingly, Rairaiken never seems to have anyone to serve food to...I'll be honest by telling you that the main reason I never entered this place is because I have rarely seen anyone in there since I moved here and that was obviously not a good sign... But boy was I wrong. It is no Michelin food, but I can assure you that they deserve WAY more customers!

The old-movie-set looking place was empty (as usual) when we got there. We were welcome by the restaurant lady who is 77 years old now, while her husband, who inherited of the place when his father passed away in early 1950, stayed in the kitchen. Upon Tonsui's lady recommendation, we ordered the "famous" Niku-Dango (Chinese-style meat balls), and otherwise opted for the Chahan (Chinese-style fried rice), a dish which is supposed to give you an idea of how good the joint is (as a lot of Japanese will tell you) and some Gomoku-Yakisoba (mixed Chao Mian)

Niku-Dango
The meat balls, which took a good twenty minutes to get to our table as they were unbelievably made from scratch, are the perfect bite-size at three to four centimers in diameter and seem to be a mix of pork and beef. They are slightly hard on the outside, giving a nice resistance to the teeth, and the syrupy Ankake glaze just sweet enough. They are a bit expensive at ¥1,100 but they are handmade from order, and I can imagine them going perfectly hand in hand with a good bowl of white rice.

Chahan
The "Chahan" fried rice was definitely a proof of the owner's cooking skills and experience. Nothing extravagant, just a really nice and simple not sticky Chahan, sufficiently al dente to make you work on it and enjoy the taste of the Eggs, Chashu (chinese-style bbq pork) and Naruto (sliced fish cake). The rice was kept smooth from the lard used as cooking fat, which was very pleasant as I hate it when you end up choking on a Chahan that is too dry.

Gomoku Yakisoba
The last dish we went for is the Gomoku-Yakisoba, or sauteed noodles topped with vegetables and seafood cooked in thick glaze: another plate that did not disappoint at all. I don't know whether the noodles were quickly steamed before being sauteed but they had a nice consistency, not to mention that the low-salt thick shoyu-based sauce went greatly with the noodles and the numerous stirred ingredients (carrot, sprout, Chinese cabbage, pork, shrimp, bamboo shoot, jew's ear, naruto and mushroom)

Given the advanced age of the adorable folks managing this place, I really have no idea how long they will keep the place alive, so please do try and eat there if you have a chance as it will keep the restaurant from being (what I believe to be) unjustly empty, definitely give you a great idea of what an old local Chinese restaurant in Japan tastes like and last but not the least convince them what we have not forgotten them.
So let yourself welcomed by the white Beckoning Cat "Maneki-Neko" in the window and enjoy the time trip as well as the good food!

I forgot to check when they are closed, so I shall update the info as soon as I can.
Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 3-26-3
Click here for a MAP