{ Dougenzaka Kanamori — 道玄坂金森 }

2013, Sep 17

Go up Dougenzaka in Shibuya and you’ll find a small Japanese restaurant named Dougenzaka Kanamori. They serve traditional Japanese dishes and they’re famous for their “Karatsu-don” which they only have a limited number of per day. Karatsudon is basically like a refined fisherman’s dish. It’s made up of chopped tuna, mackerel, salmon, and some other ingredients which are lightly flavored with soy sauce on top of sushi rice.

I’ve been wanting to come here for a while and finally got to check it out. My friend and I both ordered the Karatsudon (1300yen) and we were very satisfied with both the flavoring and the portion size. As you eat the donburi, there are little surprises such as ginger pieces and wasabi which all went very well together. The side dishes such as the dashimaki-tamago complemented the main dish as well.

The first floor is counter seating only and the second floor (which we ate at) were private booths. It seemed like there was more seating on the third floor as well.

It’s hard to find an affordable, nice, authentic Japanese restaurant in Shibuya so this is a good one to try if you’re searching for something Japanese in the area.

PS: Here’s a list of some of their lunch options:
Karatsudon (唐津丼 ) – 1300yen
Nikujyaga Teishoku (金森の肉じゃが定食) – 1300yen
Grilled Fish Teishoku (焼魚定食) – fish changes daily – 1300yen
Boiled fish (煮魚定食) – fish changes daily – 1300yen

Address // 1-17-4, Dougenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5456-1367
Website // http://dogenzaka-kanamori.jimdo.com/

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{ Weekend Garage Tokyo }

2013, Sep 13

Weekend Garage Tokyo is a great new hang out spot which just opened in the middle of Ebisu, Daikanyama, and Shibuya. It’s roughly 10mins walking distance from any of the three stations located right next to the Yamanote train line tracks. Perhaps due to the somewhat random location, this cafe has a nice spacious area with vaulted ceilings and plenty of outdoor seating.

The name says it all, Weekend Garage Tokyo, is literally like a garage full of fun toys. It has bicycles, surf boards, a DJ booth, interesting art and it’s just a fun spot with a great vibe. Even better, the food lives up to the level of the decor. Been here a few times already with friends and pictured above are a few of the dishes we ordered: The grilled plate of the day “Mexican Pork Grill with Mango Sauce”(1200yen), “Hamburg plate”(1200yen), and the “Hot Sandwich of the day”(900yen). All the dishes include a large drink (a choice of coffee, tea, homemade lemonade, ginger ale, coke or grapefruit juice). Everything I’ve tasted here has been great except on one occasion the bread they used for the hot sandwiches was really hard from being over toasted.

It’s nice that the inside seats are all non-smoking but you can smoke if you sit in any of the outdoor seats. Add up the open kitchen + good food + decor/ambiance + service + cost and I think you’ll agree that this place is a new hip hidden spot in town.

Address // 1-1, Daikanyamacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5428-5751
Website // http://weekendgaragetokyo.jp/

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{ Daylesford Organics }

2013, Sep 10

If you are looking for an organic cafe with healthy ingredients, check out Daylesfod Organics located in Omotesando. This pretty cafe is quite spacious for Japan and it’s also 2 stories tall. The lighting is really nice and I saw many people just chit chatting and taking their sweet time. There’s also a small shopping area in the front where you can buy jam, bread, and more.

Pictured above is the “Selection of 3 Salads” with soup & bread (1400yen). The 3 salads I chose are the ‘Potatoes, green breans and feta cheese salad’, ‘chicken caesar salad’, and ‘wild rice, apricot and pistachio’ which were all good. The soup of the day was a gaspacho and it was perfect on this hot day. The Daylesford Burger is 1500yen and the Freshly baked Quiche is 1200yen. This cafe also has a vegetarian set menu for those of you who are vegetarian which is nice since there aren’t that many vegetarian places in Japan.

The portions are not too large so if you are hungry this place may not be the right choice but the food is seasoned well, uses organic ingredients and tastes good. I recommend this place for couples, families, and friends who want to take it slow and relax over a nice meal.

Address // 5-51-8, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3486-0012
Website // http://www.transit-web.com/shop/daylesford/index.php

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{ Mucho Modern Mexicano }

2013, Sep 6

In the mood for Mexican food?

Mucho Modern Mexicano is a lively restaurant joint with a bar counter which is located on the 2nd floor of a business building in Marunouchi near Tokyo Station / Yurakucho. Filled with large groups and many guests sipping on corona beers, this place is a fun and easy going place with good service that will satisfy your hunger.

As soon as I saw the menu, I realized that this place is owned by the same group which created Hacienda Del Cielo from Daikanyama and their menu was also very similar. We had lunch here over the weekend and had the “Holiday Lunch Menu” which comes with a starter, salad of your choice, main dish, drink, and a small dessert for 1500yen. I have to say it’s quite filling and a generous portion. Pictured above is the beef burrito and the chicken fajitas (we liked the chicken fajitas more).

If you are looking for a Mexican joint near Tokyo Station, check this place out.

Address // Tokia 2F, 2-7-3, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5218-2791
Website // http://mucho-mexicano.jp/

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{ Rainbow Pancake }

2013, Aug 27

I stumbled upon this pancake shop after having coffee at Identity Coffee as it’s in the same plaza!

Rainbow Pancake is located in the back-alleys of Harajuku/Meijijingumae so the line is not as long as other popular pancake shops in the area. In total we waited about 30~40min which wasn’t too bad since they take your order while you’re standing in line so you get your pancakes pretty quickly after you get seated.

Their pancakes taste exactly how they look. Fluffy, soft, and yummy. With all the whipped cream and sauces, you might think these pancakes would taste too sweet but they were flavored perfectly and they are snack-sized so it’s easy to finish the entire dish by yourself. I personally enjoyed the ‘Seasonal Fruit Pancake’ (1300yen) which has a ton of delicious whipped cream. The other pancake pictured above is their most popular item + the chef’s recommendation: the ‘Macadamia nut sauce Pancake’ (1200yen). It comes with a small sugared fork and knife pancake cookie(?) that was such a cute touch. They do have savory pancakes too but I would definitely go for the sweet ones here.

Address // 2F, 4-28-4, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-6434-0466
Website // http://www.rainbowpancake.net/

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Tag Archives: 3.5 stars

{ Dougenzaka Kanamori — 道玄坂金森 }

{ Weekend Garage Tokyo }

{ Daylesford Organics }

{ Mucho Modern Mexicano }

{ Rainbow Pancake }

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