Monthly Archives: March 2012

{  Lion no iru Circus  }

Lion no iru Circus
Lion no iru Circus
Lion no iru Circus

This hidden cafe is called “ライオンのいるサーカス” which translates to, “a circus with a lion”. I know it doesn’t really make much sense, but that’s Japan for you :) If you look carefully, you’ll find some lion’s hidden throughout the cafe. The ambiance is very cute and cozy, but their chairs are pretty uncomfortable to actually sit in.

This place is famous for their tsukemen pasta. Instead of the sauce being on the pasta, you dip the pasta into the sauce. It’s actually pretty tasty and I purchased the add-on spice for 50yen which was worth it. The holiday brunch set includes a main dish, drink, and dessert for 1280yen. If you’re hungry, you can pay 200yen to get more noodles, which I wish I had done because it wasn’t enough food for me. Their “Lion salad” was 900yen and it was good but not great.

Overall a really cute place to hang out and chill with your friends or loved ones.

Address // 2-3-1, EbisuMinami, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-6452-3657
Website // http://tabisurucafe.com/ebisu/index.html

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{  Taiyaki Hiiragi  }

Taiyaki Hiiragi
Taiyaki Hiiragi

Taiyaki is an authentic and very distinct Japanese fish-shaped dessert. The most common filling is red bean paste that is made from sweetened azuki beans. Hiiragi is a small shop located in Ebisu that has Taiyaki with a subtle level of sweetness. If you eat it right when it’s freshly made, it’s perfectly crisp on the outside and the combination of the hot redbean filling with the cake surrounding it tastes so good. But remember, the key is to eat it when it’s freshly made since it’s crucial to have the beans be hot on the inside.

If you want to give Taiyaki a try, check this place out.

Address // 1-4-1, Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3473-7050
Website // www.taiyakihiiragi.com

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{  Pizzeria e Trattoria DA ISA  }

Pizzeria e Trattoria DA ISA
Pizzeria e Trattoria DA ISA

Pizzeria e trattoria da ISA is a very authentic Italian style pizza place in Nakameguro. Their pizza is delicious. They make it fresh to order and we enjoyed both the margherita (their most popular pizza) for 1650yen and the 4 Formaggi (quatro cheese pizza) for 2350yen. This place is famous amongst foodies in Japan because the owner, Hisanori Yamamoto, has won the world pizza championship in Naples Italy for 3 consecutive years in a row — Yamamoto was the first-ever to win this championship 3 times in a row.

The restaurant is constantly crowded. We got there right when the restaurant opened at 5:30pm and we barely got one of the last few walk-in seats. Even though it wasn’t necessarily a comfortable and relaxing dinner, we enjoyed the quality and style of Yamamoto’s pizza. If you are ever in Nakameguro, definitely make a reservation and give it a try.

Address // 1-28-9, Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5768-3739
Website // www.da-isa.jp

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{  Hacienda Del Cielo  }

Hacienda Del Cielo
Hacienda Del Cielo
Hacienda Del Cielo

Hacienda Del Cielo is located on the 9th floor of a building in Daikanyama that overlooks Tokyo. The place is beautifully put together with vaulted ceilings, gorgeous colorful furniture, and a sexy outdoor terrace. The food is not too shabby either. Who knew you could get decent Mexican food in Tokyo?

We went on the weekend and got the lunch course that included an appetizer, salad, main dish, dessert, and drink for 1500yen. What a deal. The portions are generous too so we were very full afterwards. The place was packed around 12:30pm and people were lining up waiting for seats. I definitely want to come back when it’s warmer so I can enjoy the terrace seating. It looks like a great place for dinner dates too.

Address // 9F, 10-1, Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5457-1521
Website // http://modern-mexicano.jp/hacienda/

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{  Muji Cafe  }

Muji Cafe
Muji Cafe

If you haven’t checked out Muji, you definitely should. It’s a great store that has everything from stationary and clothing to furniture and food. Some of the larger Muji stores also have a cafe attached, called Muji Cafe. The store that’s located in Yurakucho/Ginza is one of the largest Muji stores in Tokyo and it also contains the largest Cafe Muji i’ve ever seen. It’s a great place to have a light lunch or a tea/coffee break if you’re doing a shopping session in Ginza.

As you can see from the photos above, the cafe also includes a bakery section with a variety of delicious baked goods. If you’re going to buy something from the bakery, I would recommend their number 1 seller, the pretzel croissant with red bean.

Address // 3-8-3, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5208-8241
Website // www.muji.net/shop/cafemeal.html

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