March 2011 Japan Food Post
Konnichiwa mina-san! Hello everyone! This food post pretty much sums up what I hate while I was in Japan for the month of March this year. Food is one of the things I enjoy most when I go to Japan and of course is one of the things I miss the most when I'm back. We do have some restaurants that tries to make traditional Japanese food over here, but you can't count on them for accurate taste even though sometimes it's pretty accurate for looks. Anyway enough with the chit chat and on to the food! いただきます!!! おいしい!! XD
First thing first. At Newark airport before leaving for the long 12hours flight. At Smash Burger fro some breakfast. Tasted really good and the service was awesome. Egg pan with egg, cheese and bacon.
In the sky... First meal. Salad was good but the rice and chicken was a bit sticky and dry...
Just arrived in my Shin-okubo apartment. Had some nice Kirin sakura theme beer and bento!
Your choice my friend! For instant noodles, Japan is #1!! At Don Quijote in Kabukicho, Shinjuku.
In Kabukicho; a "Matsuya" meat place. Mostly beef with eggs or rice or whatnot. Notice Kazuma Kiryu from Ryu ga Gotoku (Yakuza in USA or Canada...) doing some publicity since those restaurants are the same in the games. A nice touch.
Om nom nom!! Delicious ramen at one of the local ramen shops on the Shin-okubo main street.
The March flavor of the Big America2 campaign in McDonalds. THis time it's the Manhattan burger. Taste quite good!
Very nice Monjya and Okonomiyaki place in Shinjuku.
Japanese mild curry and chicken with cheese deep fired with an Asahi super dry on the side.
Japan isn't Japan without the classic melon pan! I really like the not too sweet taste and fresh flavor of this snack!
Yay! Delicious fresh sushi from my friend and neighbor Rocky!
Always have to try some jerky outside of Canada. And gotta say, this one was amazing! No fat and deliciously tasteful! Though they only had it in Lawson conbini and after the quake, I was the one who got the last 3 bags and they never replenished. 7 $ holdings' jerky was ok, but couldn't compete with Lawson's!
Gratin takoyaki (tasted like weird salsa XD) and garlic fired potatoes, which was very good.
Best takoyaki I ate in Tokyo! 315yen too, so pretty cheap! Big chunks of tako, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!
Yayoiken awesome dish! Hebi katsu (fried and panned shrimp) Hamburgers, potatoes, miso soup, salda with awesome dressing and last but not least, all you can eat ご飯!!! (rice)
Yayoiken menu
Again, Yayoiken menu!
Some hot soba from a conbini again, gosh I liked those fresh "instant" noodles!
The best Monjyaki and onkonomiyaki place in Tsukishima! Very well hiden too... XD
Monjya/okonomiyaki plate getting warmer, maybe heating our Asahi super dry too...
Monjya yaki in the making!
Ki o tsukete! Aburai desu! Totemo hatsui desu kara! Anyway, was very hot but was delicious!! Monjyaki is an awesome dish and the experience is very unique too.
Hmmmmm!! Om nom nom !! Okonomiyaki!! This is my favorite Japanese food of all time!! I have to go to Osaka next time I'm in Japan to try and find the best okonomiyaki I can! This was at a legendary place in Tsukishima, Tokyo.
Soba at some Akihabara restaurant. Was a cold evening and these warmed us good so we can go do more shopping after!!
Udon and some tempura flakes.
Awesome instant yakisoba!! Taste better than the ones we can get here in Quebec!!
A small bento box. "Croket", "chicken and cheese fried", "tembura shrimp".... very good and cheap!
Gundam Café @ Akihabara! This was the menu. Didn't get any food, just some café latte.
My fridge was pretty empty except for "in crisis radiation free water bottles of the just in case got warned by scared neighbor to get" and some beer. Love so much Asahi Super Dry beer!! BTW, I'm not downgrading the situation that happened and is still happening there but the stores near where I was were literally filled with boxes of water bottles so I didn't need to stack up so much...
7 & Holdings fresh udon! 4 minutes away from the place I was staying! Love those conbini!
One of Shizuoka hobby fair food stand where we got some hiroshima okonomiyaki.
These were the hiroshima yaki...
And again, closer look at those hiroshima yaki. Maybe I was very hungry but they tasted quite good!
Delicious !! Oishii!!! These were probably the best ramen I ate in a long time. The name of this restaurant was pretty epic too! Kotobukiya Ramen in Shizuoka!!
At Mini mini doughnuts!! HHhhhmmmmm, donuts!!!
Breakfast at Mini mini doughnuts. These were my selection. BTW, I'm gonna miss paying with Suica almost everywhere, even far from Tokyo.
Sunny side up on yakisoba at Shizuoka hobby fair!
Again, fair food. The takoyaki at Shizuoka hobby fair were pretty much tasteless and takoless, sadly, but heck, it's "fair" food.
My neighbor Rokcy is was studying "sushi" in Tokyo and made these. It was very nice to chat with him and he was a great neighbor!! Greeting your fellow neighbor with fresh sushi is instant win for me!! XD
Last meal at Yayoiken's. I'm gonna miss this salad and miso soup soooo much!! XD
The last sushi gift from my neighbor Rocky. This was actually my breakfast before leaving for the airport. Delicious and so fresh!
The last ramen I ate before leaving. At the Narita airport so it was good, but it was airport food, so costly and quite tasteless... Doesn't compare to Shizuoka's!!
Free beer on the flight back. And Kirin too!! Wished it would have been Asahi but still, very good Japanese beer!
Thank yu so much for the photo, brb, gotta mop up the pool of drool on my desk now.
Then i've gotta go fetch myself some food and a beer, my stomach is so jealous right now.
Hey no prob man!! But sorry for making your stomach so jealous!! XD In fact, I'm getting hungry myself even though I just ate... damn, I miss Japan!!
Awesome pictures of food. Thank you very much for making me hungry XD
I also heard from the people at my Dojo, that if you want a good burger, you should go eat at MOS Burger. They went to Asakusa once for a tournament and ate there, dunno if it's close to you but it's a suggestion for future eating opportunities :P
I HAVE to try Mos Burger! 4 times in Japan and haven't got the opportunity to try yet, can you imagine that?!?! XD
I'm soooooo hungry now. All that food looked amazing.
melon pan! :3
Cannot pass on the good stuff while there! It was the first time I was trying melon pan even though I went to Japan even year for 4 years now... XD
is this takoyaki? what does it taste like..I've always wanted to try it
Sorry, I just put the annotations for the pics. Yes, it is takoyaki and in fact, was the most delicious takoyaki I ate during all my stay! Delicious! (only tried about 5 different places though... there are thousands!)
Oh, forgot to had, it really has a unique taste but I gotta say that I liked it better with big chunks of octopus and crunchy on the outside.
Just saw an add for this, and now I kind of want one even more lol
Very good burger in my opinion. Sour creme instead of mayonnaise.
the drink of champions
good choice
The Coins bar at a very intriguing but good selection of beers! KAMPAI!!
Guiness and Asahi are number one in my beer book.
Seems like we have a lot in common Logan!! :D
Very true. I've also been to Japan 4 times and on 4/24/11 I head back for my 5th trip. Just can't get enough of Japan.
I wish you an awesome time Logan! Next year I'll definitely go back again. I just need to! It's not like a normal craving, it's like part of myself is in Japan and I feel more complete there. Well, anyway, take care man!
Thanks bud. I tell folks that Japan is the only place my soul calls home and it seems to become truer every visit.
i will agree fully with this
asahi is the shiz, best lager i've drank in my life
Agreed!! I'm really glad I can import it here and it's almost the same price than in Japan!
I found out they have a bar at the Asahi building so I'm going to check it out. Already been to the Sapporo one in Ebisu.
Asahi building in Asakusa?!?! No way! Gotta try that too next year! (And the Sapporo one in Ebisu...didn't know either!) XD
Just found out about the Asahi one although I've seen the building every time I go to Asakusa. Here is some info about the one in Ebisu:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3028.html
yumekui merry flashback anyone?
UFO was always the best instant Yakisoba. We had it here up until a few months ago, when they banned eggs or milk or something from Japan, so they had to stop importing it. We only have like one brand here now and it's not any good.
You were kind of lucky to be able to have those for some time, they do taste really good! But over here I'm still stuck with the "one brand taste not good" thing... sadly.
Man, you're really making me want to go back. Hopefully later this year or early 2012 depending on how the frequent flier miles and hotel points work out.
I hung out for a few days with an Osakajin friend in Osaka on my first trip and had some of the best food of my life. One interesting thing about eating in Japan is that they do Italian food really well, it's not like the US East Coast-style stuff we're used to in North America, but it's actually quite authentic to what you actually get in Rome or Northern Italy, and it's really good. This is especially true in Kansai. My friend's family also owns a small chain of okonomiyaki places (which he naturally claims are the best in Osaka), but I never managed to eat at them.
I definitely have to go back next year and go to Osaka at least for a few days! Take care Max and I wish you and nice trip on your next journey to the rand of the lising sun!! 日本万歳！！！ 日本 ばんざい Nihon Banzai!!
Hey! It's Kxela's manga! I have mine from one of his contests waaay back >u</
Yes it is!! Only the first book but I'm hooked and no reading the rest online. Very nice guy and artist!
My favor :D
Yummy! Food looks good. I haven't had Japanese food in awhile.
This is my fave one, CURRY. I'll be getting some in 2 weeks.
Enjoy your trip!! And the food!!! XD
onaka ga suita, hara heta, im so freaking hungry now =p
OMG, I go back to Tokyo in 10 days and your post is killing me(in a good way LOL). The food of Japan is so amazing. Not only delicious but beautifully presented and excellent service to boot.
I totally agree with you!
mekishikan Takosu flavor xD
= mexican tacos flavor :P
This always sucks!
The food I miss most from Japan.
Do they heat this up or you eat it cold?
Actually they ask you if you wanna eat it right away, same with ramen, gyoza, udon or soba, but I was in my apartment so usually said no thanks and later when I arrived at my place I used my microwave or small oven depending on the meal. It was nice to make my own meals too. (mostly breakfast...XD )
I hope someone can translate this because I plan on eating there this next trip.
It's like shrimp and eggs on rice with sour mayo. Dunno why they used sour mayo instead of normal mayonnaise though. The Gundam Café was very nice, but only took a few pics and since it was after the Tohoku quake, there was a lot of lights turned off. Take care Logan!
Thanks for the info. Wanted to go in last year but the line was way too long.
I really like those Sakura themed Asahi cans!
rented place in Japan? If so, in which town/ city and for how much?
Sorry for late reply. I was in Shin-ôkubo near Shinjuku. Was about 5mins on foot to the Shin-ôkubo JR Yamanote line station. The rent was 90.000yen /month and no key money or anything to pay extra. I think it was pretty good since I really loved how well located I was. GO see for yourself at www.sakura-house.com there's lots of choices. I will definitely use their services again when I go back to Japan.