Richard's blog

So, I went to bed last night and immediately started thinking of all the places to eat in Tokyo that I love, but hadn’t said anything about. So here is (some of) the rest of the list…

Tonkatsu. Tonkatsu is pork fillet crumbed in special Japanese crumbs. It is delicious, and often not done particularly well outside Japan, owing to the particular quality of pork that is needed. In Ginza, the wonderfully under-priced Tonki Tonkatsu is a gem. Don’t worry about the decor, just worry about the quality yummy tonkatsu. Located at B1F (basement) Ginza 6-5-15. You want a more elaborate tonkatsu experience? Last time I was in Tokyo I went to a somewhat confusing establishment in Roppongi Hills offering multiple condiments and different grades of pork… luckily I had some Japanese people with me who explained how it was supposed to be eaten, it was it all a little bit frighteningly ceremonial looking. But don’t let me put you off. It’s called Katsukura and it’s in the Roppongi Hills complex. (As an aside, Roppongi Hills and Roppongi Midtown are certainly worth a look. These are multipurpose developments featuring shopping, dining, office space, apartments and hotels. They are an interesting example of how Japan is “making new” in its incredibly crowded environs.)

Yakitori Alley. I know this is a ubiquitous tourist recommendation, but I can’t resist for its shitamachi (old-town) flavour and yummy yummy yakitori. Make sure you try nankotsu (cartilage) and hifu (chicken skin). It’s somewhere up against Shinjuku Station, I can’t remember exactly where but it is in all the guide books.

Department Store upper-story eateries. I mention these in my previous post but I may as well be more specific. In many department stores, hotels, and mixed use developments, there are higher-class restaurants on the upper floors. Typically, someone at ground level (often near the lifts) there is an illuminated sign with pictures of the restaurants cuisine and sometimes ambience and a level designation. Some examples: Matsuya in Ginza has some restaurants on its ?sixth floor, and in Shibuya, Seibu has some less-pricey places, and in Shinjuku, Lumine has Meshimase and Takashimaya has some pretty exy looking estabs.

I should also point out reviews I’ve made before, a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant in the middle of nowhere, which you are as likely to get lost finding as to actually find, and Chanoma, quite easy to get to near Naka-meguro station. It’s a delight, you MUST eat the yuzu sorbet, if you don’t walk past it. It’s in the most non-descript building EVER on the sixth floor. Kami-Meguro 1-22-4 6F. And Tight bar in Shibuya (1-25-10), behind the tracks, is crazy small.

One more for the avoid list: the New York Bar and Grill at the Tokyo Park Hyatt. Yeah, Scarlett Johannsen’s been there, but in all honesty, this is the most over-rated restaurant on the planet.