{ Yoshizawa }

2013, Apr 1

Ginza Yoshizawa is known for their high quality wagyu-beef. A food journalist recommended this place on TV saying that you won’t find a restaurant that serves this level of high quality meat for this price in Tokyo. Since it looked delicious on tv… we decided to check it out.

We got the limited edition hamburg set that they only serve 10 plates per day (barely got it even though we got there 5min after the restaurant opened) + the Sukiyaki lunch set, both for 1575yen. Each set includes: all you can eat white rice, Japanese pickles, miso soup, a small salad, and fresh fruit (apple). We enjoyed both of our meals and we were quite full. Regardless, If you’re in the Ginza area and want an authentic Japanese-style lunch for this price, this is a solid choice.

Address // 3-9-19, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3542-2981
Website // http://www.ginza-yoshizawa.com

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{ Mado Lounge }

2013, Mar 17

Mado Lounge is located on the 52nd floor of Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. Most people dine here when they go to visit the Mori Art Museum because it costs 1500yen to go up there even if you’re just dining there (that price includes a ticket to the Mori Art Museum as well as a free pass to the sky deck observatory). However, I was lucky enough to borrow a friend’s card who happens to work in the Mori Tower so I was able to get a free pass to visit the restaurant :)

As you can imagine, the view is beautiful and it’s nice to see a panoramic view of Tokyo once in a while. The best part of having friends who work here is that I also got to order the “worker’s lunch” which is a special deal they have for people who work in the building for 1000yen. This awesome lunch includes a main dish of your choice, bread, dessert, and coffee or tea. The food was pretty good and the service was excellent. Of course they have a regular lunch menu but it’s a bit more pricey. Mado lounge is also very romantic and beautiful at night time. It’s a nice spot for special occasions or for a date night.

Address // Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 52F, 6-10-1, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3470-0052
Website // http://www.ma-do.jp/

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{ Moona }

2013, Mar 13

Shimokitazawa (aka “Shimokita”) is considered one of the more suburban areas of Tokyo, especially when compared to Shibuya or Harajuku. It is a popular area among young adults and students to both hang out or to live in.

We decided to dine at “Moona,” an Indian inspired curry house located on the 5th floor of a random building that you would never notice unless you were looking for this place. We walked up the narrow stairs not really knowing what to expect and finally arrived at the tiny restaurant. Although we thought it was going to be hole in the wall kind of place, it was still decorated nicely. The place was already filled with customers when we arrived so we were seated at the counter. We both ordered the 1050yen set which includes 3 types of curry. The set comes with chicken curry, chick pea curry, and your choice of a daily curry selection (from which you can choose between 2 options — we chose the Spanish mackerel curry). The set also includes homemade yogurt and a good portion of rice with pickles on the side which I loved. You can get “Oomori” (a large portion of rice) free of charge.

I enjoyed ALL of the curry options and the yogurt was a nice touch. None of the curry’s were too spicy for me and even though the set came with a good amount of rice I found myself wishing I had a little bit more because the curry was so tasty. This place is quite small so I would recommend coming here with a party of 2 or 4 at most.

Address // 5F, 2-12-13, Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3411-0607
Website // http://www.moona.jp/

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{ Mercer Brunch }

2013, Mar 5

Miss E (my friend who you frequently see on my blog) and I went to this new restaurant/cafe that opened at the end of last year near Roppongi Midtown. “Mercer” is a restaurant brand and this restaurant is their new concept that serves “brunch” (but they are open for dinner too). The restaurant feels very airy and the tall windows bring a lot of natural light in which is great on a sunny day. As soon as you walk in, you’ll notice the great fire place which is the centerpiece of the restaurant. There’s also a small terrace seating where you can dine with pets allowed but it was a tiny section.

Mercer Brunch is known for their brioche french toast, which was quite good. You get to choose your main dish out of 9 selections (but for some you have to pay additional $$) + french toast for 1600yen. Since it doesn’t include a drink, it feels rather pricey for lunch, but the quality of dishes we got were good so we were satisfied with our meal. The ambiance was nice and cozy, the staff were friendly, and we hardly had to wait so overall it was a good experience. In case you are wondering, we chose the grilled chicken salad and salmon tartar for our main dishes.

Stay tuned for my next post where we went shopping and had a tea break near the same area :)

Address // 4-2-35, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3470-6551
Website // n/a

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{ Taiyo }

2013, Feb 23

We arrived at 10:55am knowing that this place only has 8 seats at the counter and that there might be a line if you don’t arrive early. When we got there 4 people were in front of us but by the time the restaurant opened at 11am, there were a total of 11 in line. We were so glad we got seated and didn’t have to wait outside in the cold!

This restaurant specializes in tonkatsu (pork cutlet) and is named “Taiyo” (which means “Sun”). It is operated by only 2 people and it’s a very small place located in Musashikoyama. They have a few things on the menu but we came here for their famous Tonkatsu Lunch set which is only 1000yen and includes a fried tonkatsu made fresh to order, cabbage, tonjiru (soup), rice, and some Japanese pickles. It’s truly an unbelievable deal for this quality. After you bite into this soft and juicy tonkatsu you will instantly know why this little shop has a line out the door.

The chef’s meticulous attention to detail and the level of care that he puts into preparing the tonkatsu is both fascinating and amazing. This is a perfect example of one of those rare craftsman who has mastered his art and performs his job so well it is a pleasure to watch and to experience his cuisine. Although you will have to wait about 20 minutes from when you order to when you receive your food, the wait is completely worth it just to watch him work and of course for the end result of his efforts. When you take your first bite of the tonkatsu, you’ll understand.

The service is very attentive and the lunch set made my empty stomach very satisfied. The only downside is, the place is so small that you feel like you can’t talk out loud because it’s really quiet. Regardless, if you want an authentic and delicious tonkatsu, come here.

Address // 3-22-7, Koyama, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3786-1464
Website // http://luckies.fc2-rentalserver.com/taiyo/index.php

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