miyagi

Been wanting to try Miyagi for some time

(The first time we tried eating here, it was packed and everyone was waiting for their food, so we ended up eating here instead)

This shop has 5 counter seats, 3 tables for 4 and is run by 1 

when we arrived we were told that he is cooking to order so it will take some time for the food to come out

since we got seats at the counter, we decided to wait 

I ordered the omurice...1140 yen (tax included) plus oolong tea...390 yen (tax included)

This was delicious...just the right amount of ketchup and the egg was cooked perfectly too

Satoshi had their meat with chives, half rice, an order of gyoza and a beer...2450 (tax included)

He said he enjoyed these items including the gyoza

This shop's shoyu ramen was featured on Bananaman's Sekkaku Gourmet tv show

And the restaurant was used in J-pop boy band, Snowman's music video as well as J-drama ""Trillion Game"

I was happy to learn that I was sitting on the same seat as Meguro Ren! one of the actor’s in the drama

Even if our food took some time to come out and prices were kinda high, it was delicious

We are glad we finally got to try this place and will be back whenever we can be seated!

Miyagi

2-29-9 Nakaikegami

Ota, Tokyo

Closed: Wednesdays

Hours: 11:00-14:30 (lunch), 17:00-21:00 (dinner)

*cash only

manpuku tomitaya

Saturday, Satoshi had to get some lab work done, so we ended up having a really late lunch

Since we were starving afterwards, we went to the first restaurant we saw outside of the hospital, Manpuku Tomitaya

Satoshi ordered the Manpuku Ramen...750 yen (tax included)

This was a big bowl of ramen that was shoyu based

He also ordered their gyoza...500 yen (tax included)

He said these were good

(I tried a gyoza but I didn't think they were too great)

Anyway....

I ordered the hiyashi chuuka with kim chee 1100 yen (tax included)

I should've ordered the original version because the amount of kim chee was too generous and overpowered everything

Plus, their servings were way too generous, had to have Satoshi help me finish 

I want to try other items on their menu but will have to remember to ask for smaller amounts of rice/noodles

Hoping the tests Satoshi took will be okay...We'll be back whenever we are nearby

Manpuku Tomitaya

2-7-10 Hatanodai

Shinagawa, Tokyo

Open daily: 10:00-23:00

*cash only

toranoko

We’ve passed by Toranoko many times, but only got to try them the other day

I ordered their lu rou fan…980 yen (tax included)

This was tasty but I wished it wasn’t swimming in the gravy

Thank goodness for a spoon

I didn’t think the spicy bean sprouts matched with this dish

Satoshi ordered the kikurage (wood ear) with pork & veggies…980 yen (tax included) (no photo)

and an order of gyoza…580 yen (tax included) (no photo)

His lunch also came with a slice of tofu and that same spicy bean sprout 

Both our lunches came with a little bowl of soup that had no flavor

The gyoza did not pass gyoza snob's criteria...the wrappers were too thick

Not sure if we’ll come back but we were glad we tried this place

Toranoko

2-1-4 Shinkamata

Ota, Tokyo

Hours: 11:00-23:00

kaen

We tried a "new" Chinese restaurant in our neighborhood, Kaen.

Actually they have several locations in our area and we ate at one awhile back.

Satoshi ordered their black sesame tan tan men set, which came with half an order of fried rice.

He also ordered their gyoza.

He said he enjoyed everything

I tasted the gyoza and it had a weird smell...I didn't care for it.

I ordered their mabo men

This seemed like it was tomato based? dunno but the flavors seemed unlike most mabo things I've eaten at other places

Also...red = spicy...mouth.on.fire...

Dunno that I'd go back here, but glad we reconnected with this place.

Kaen

6-31-6 Nishi Kamata

Ota, Tokyo

Hours: 11:00-24:00

juban

There is a tiny Chinese restaurant in our area that I've always wondered about...Juban

I thought Satoshi said he had tried this place, but apparently he had not
 

We ordered the sweet sour chicken...1200 yen (tax included)

The sweet and sour flavor was super light, though when we got to the end of this dish, the sweet and sour flavor was stronger, guess we had to mix the sauce better.

The thick sweet and sour sauce keeps everything hot hot hot! so be careful...I burnt my tongue...

5 piece gyoza...660 yen (tax included)...gyoza snob approved

These were huge!

beef with takenoko (bamboo shoot)...1600 yen (tax included)

I was bummed because a lot of the bamboo shoots that I ate was too fibrous

Dunno if we'll be back, but I'm glad we checked this place out.

Juban

6-5-3 Ikegami

Ota, Tokyo

Closed: Tuesdays & Wednesdays

Hours: 11:00-14:30 & 17:00-21:00 (Saturdays & Sundays), 17:00-21:00 (Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays)

*cash only

yukigaya hanten

Satoshi wanted to check out Yukigaya Hanten because it was featured on a local television program.

They are one of 9 shops that serve this Ota Ward Shio (salt) Yakisoba (fried noodles)

There are 10 different ingredients that have a connection to Ota Ward, I tried a couple of bites and this was quite salty...850 yen (tax included)

I ordered the fried rice...780 yen (tax included).

This had lots of char siu, egg and kamaboko in it.

I thought this was on the salty side too.

The gyoza passed the gyoza snob's criteria...460 yen (tax included)

Since this isn't an area we often visit, we aren't sure that we'll be back, but we are glad we got to try the Ota Ward Shio Yakisoba.

Yukigaya Hanten

6-9 Yukigayaotsukamachi

Ota, Tokyo

Closed: Tuesdays

Hours: 11:30-14:00 (lunch), 17:00-21:00 (dinner)

*cash only

maboya

Had Maboya on my “to try” list for awhile and then I found out they will close for good in June, so we finally went to try them.

From where we live it is about a 15 minute walk

The shop is teeny with only 12 seats

The guy waiting the tables is the owner (I think), super unfriendly

I ordered the hiyashi tan tan men...990 yen (tax included)

This wasn't spicy, reminded me more of hiyashi chuuka with a sesame sauce and the seasoned meat had a weird hint of dish soap...eep

Satoshi ordered the mabo chahan...1210 yen (tax included)

This on the other hand was super spicy but seemed to be missing some depth or something...

Anyway, glad we got to try this place, wish the owner well.

Maboya

5-4-13 Nishi Kamata

Ota, Tokyo

Closed Wednesdays

Hours: 11:30-14:00 (lunch) 18:00-23:00 (dinner) Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays

18:00-23:00 Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays

plan b

Wanted to check out a Chinese restaurant nearby but when we arrived they were full, and since we had Chinese on our mind, we went in search of Plan B...Meikyo.

Gyoza snob approved gyoza.

Half fried rice and shoyu ramen.

I ordered the mabonasu don...This wasn't spicy.

More like a tenmenjan base (sweet miso)

Loved how soft the eggplant was.

Delicious.

Softserve afterwards at Chocolat Bel Amer...this was in the original plan for after lunch.

I had Bitter, which is their dark chocolate, Satoshi had their Mix which is dark chocolate & white chocolate mixed.

We hope to get back to this area to try the Chinese restaurant we had in mind in the first place....if not we can always go back to Meikyo..

Meikyo

2-25-7 Kugahara

Ota, Tokyo

Phone: 03.3751.3780

Closed Saturdays

Hours: 11:00-15:00 (lunch), 17:00-21:00 (dinner)

hokaen

Saturday, we went to check out Hokaen which was featured on a J-drama.

The owner cooks everything and I think his wife is the one who waits the tables.

The kitchen was super messy, it was interesting watching him cook and there were just some things you shouldn’t see...eep

I ordered the mabo tofu style curry 650 yen (tax included), rice is separate so I ordered the small 140 yen (tax included)

This was more curry than mabo, but I enjoyed the onions in there, it had its own sweetness.

The curry was a little spicy but not overly.

Satoshi ordered the moyashi ramen...not sure of the price

He enjoyed this. And said that the soup was more like dashi.

The gyoza didn't pass the gyoza snob's criteria though...450 yen (tax included)...apparently these were more like deep fried rather than pan fried...

Anyway, aside from the kitchen, we enjoyed the food, so we'll probably be back to try other items on their menu.

Hokaen

5-10-1 Kamata

Ota, Tokyo

Phone: 03.3734.4440

Closed Sundays

Hours: 11:30-20:00

touen

Several doors down from Lee Lounge is Touen.

From the outside it doesn’t look too big, but inside the kitchen is quite spacious and there are some tables as well as seats around their L shaped counter.

Satoshi had their canton men, a lot of veggies in a slurry topped his soup noodles…950 yen (tax included)

A shio (salt) based soup...the noodles looked a little thick...he enjoyed this.

And of course, he ordered their gyoza…480 yen (tax included), it passed the gyoza snob criteria...

I ordered their mabodon…950 yen (tax included) this came with some soup and pickles.

I enjoyed this version the minced pork had a nice charred flavor to it and the sauce was a little sweet, salty and a tad spicy.

Lots of rice but I managed to eat it all...bu bu (sound of a pig in Japanese)

We look forward to trying more items on their menu, we’ll be back 

Touen

1-26-26 Tamagawa

Ota, Tokyo

Phone: 03.3759.8229

Closed Mondays

Hours: 11:30-14:00 (lunch), 18:00-21:00 (dinner)

tiger

We've been wanting to check out Tiger for some time now and especially after it was featured in a J-drama.

It is about a 30 minute walk from where we live, so we left early so we could be there at 10:30 when they opened.

I had their curry rice...650 yen (tax included).

Simple, pork and onions, this curry reminded me of something my mom used to make.

The gyoza snob had to try their gyoza...550 yen (tax included) for 6.

It passed his test...

I tasted one and it had lots of cabbage and garlic in there.

He also had their Tiger-men...seafood, veggies, thin noodles and a slurry shoyu type of soup.

He enjoyed this too.

I'm glad we got to check out this place and look forward to coming to try other items on their menu.

We'll be back.

Tiger

2-51-16 Nishirokugo

Ota, Tokyo

Phone: 03.3733.3646

Closed Wednesdays

Hours: 10:30-20:00

tora

We've been wanting to check out Tora for some time now and finally got to do so yesterday.

This Chinese restaurant has also been used as a filming location for J-dramas, movies and commercials.

There are many famous Japanese celebrity autographs on the walls.

One of their famous food items is their gyoza...

But to order it as a single dish is quite pricey at 600 yen (tax included) for 6 pieces, so I ordered it as a teishoku (set meal)...800 yen (tax included).

It came with tsa tsai (pickled mustard plant), rice and soup

Satoshi tried their moyashi ramen...800 yen (tax included) and tried one of the gyoza from my set.

The gyoza passed the gyoza snob's criteria.

Unlike most ramen this one had a slurry, thick soup.

He said enjoyed this.

I'm glad we got to try this place and look forward to trying other items on their menu.

Tora

1-6-18 Yaguchi

Ota, Tokyo

Phone:03.3759.6615

Closed Tuesdays

Hours: 11:00-14:00 (lunch), 17:30-21:00 (dinner)

21863

Satoshi wanted to check out Yokohama, so I showed him where the Harbor View Park was.

There weren't many flowers in bloom.

Lunch was in Chinatown at Hoshou.

Their beef belly curry was featured on a television program, but it was kind of disappointing, the meat wasn't tender and Satoshi felt the rice was on the hard side..990 yen (tax included)

We also tried their seafood takoyaki...1600 yen (tax included) for two 

Kind of like fried kamaboko...at least there was a scallop in each piece...not worth the price though 

Red brick warehouses...bummer this was under renovation, so no exploring inside.

So many people with their furry kids out and about.

Yamashita Park...HUGE rose garden better than Harbor View Park (and no need climb up the steep hill!)

Vanilla Beans The Roastery inside Yokohama Hammerhead, shopping/food area which is (I think) part of the ferry terminal

Satoshi had their Minato Mirai doughnut which was actually a doughnut shaped ganache covered with hard shell like chocolate...so ono! 880 yen (tax included)

I chose their Fondant chocolat...1210 yen (tax included)

Frozen raspberry & pistachio bits and warm, oozy chocolate in the center topped with vanilla ice cream...so rich and ono!

Both items came with choice of drink, we both had hot coffee.

The skies were kind of overcast all.day.

So the views from the cafe as well as the parks weren’t too impressive.

Even if everyone was out and about, it was nice to be out of the house and away from the reno noise (they work on Saturdays!)

I have more photos to share here if you are interested.

Hoshou

138 Yamashitacho

Naka, Yokohama, Kanagawa

Phone: 045.681.4437

Open daily 11:30-21:00

Vanilla Beans The Roastery

inside Yokohama Hammerhead 2F

2-14-1 Shinko

Naka, Yokohama, Kanagawa

Phone: 045.323.9007

Open daily 11:00-20:00