3 w's

Saturday was White Day...the day when the guys give back to the girls after receiving something for Valentine's day...Satoshi gave me this box of millefeuille sweets by Francais

I've had this in the past, it is crisp wafers with  different flavored cream layered between the wafers then covered with chocolate...thank you!

In the afternoon we went to see "Wicked : For Good"

It was the sequel to the "Wicked"

I hadn't realized that Satoshi hadn't seen the original "Wizard of Oz", so I ended up having to explain that story to him too...

Still we enjoyed the movie

Dinner was at Warayakiya

It was my first time to eat on this side (Konan side) of the JR Shinagawa Station, it is kinda dark and sketchy...so we usually we eat on the Takanawa side

I bookmarked this restaurant because they cook over straw (wara) and serve food unique to Kochi Prefecture

Amuse bouche...the stuff you don't order but need to pay for...raw veggies

Miso & something (forgot what he said) (left) and Shrimp & Chili (right)

To eat the raw veggies with

My favorite was the miso & something

Fruit tomato & warayaki unagi sushi

Warayaki is when you cook something over straw (wara)

We were seated on the 3rd floor of the restaurant, if they had had an opening on the 2nd floor we would've been able to them cooking the unagi and katsuo

Delicious

Warayaki katsuo (bonito) tataki

This is Satoshi's favorite...served with salt, wasabi, raw garlic slices, green onions, myoga (Japanese ginger) and raw onion slices

They ask you not to eat with shoyu so you can enjoy the aroma of the straw

My favorite was this...huge tsukune (chicken meatball) with lots of shoga (ginger) in it and served with a slightly sweet shoyu sauce and raw egg to dip the tsukune in

So good

I enjoyed this yuzu and sansho (Japanese pepper) sour

There are other items on the menu that we'd like to try...we'll be back.

Warayakiya* (they also have shops around Tokyo & one in Nagoya)

2-5-5 Konan, Konan OMT Building 2F & 3F

Minato, Tokyo

Hours: 17:00-22:30 (Mondays & Sundays), 17:00-23:00 (Tuesdays-Thursdays), 16:00-23:00 (Fridays & Saturdays)

wakita

Satoshi's classmate, A, lives in this area. 

If you've been reading our blog, you might remember that he used to send us boxes of apples.

A and his wife picked us up and took us to Wakita for dinner.

There were all sorts of items that were unique to Nagano/Shinshu

The tsukune (chicken meat balls) were mixed with botan kosho, a fiery pepper...mouth.on.fire!

Next to it is an enoki flower...kinda similar to those awesome blossoms (deep fried onion)...this is a special type of enoki that is coated with karaage mix and deep fried...I was amazed it tasted just like chicken!

In front of that is a bowl with agedashi tofu topped with a slurry of assorted mushrooms

And to the right of that is bairing (a type of eringi) that was sandwiched with nori and mentaiko then fried

And then we tried the tsuke yaki soba...dip the noodles into the worchestershire sauce and mayo

B-kyu gurume! so ono

It was nice spending time with A and his wife. 

We hope to see them in Tokyo the next time they visit their daughter.

Thanks for today A!

Wakita

1-10-4 Central

Nakano, Nagano

Closed Mondays

Hours: 17:30-22:00

tamagawaya saketen

Tamagawaya Saketen opened sometime last September and always has a line on the weekend whenever we pass by, especially after being on Matsuko’s show

Apparently they used to be in Hamamatsucho, and were about to move to Tamachi, but ran into a few problems so they had to find a new location...we are now lucky to have them nearby.

Their kim chee fried rice...1200 yen (tax included)

HUGE portion...super flavorful, and the chopped char siu on top was so meaty and tasty, though the part I tried didn’t have much kim chee taste, but was spicy.

Sara Taiwan...literally “plate taiwan”...fried noodles topped with bean sprouts, chives, minced pork and lots of chili.

I added char siu...1200 yen (tax included)

Mouth.on.fire...there is a shoyu based sauce on the bottom.

Apparently this dish is similar to and approved by Nagoya's Jinsei Gyoza.

(will have to check out Jinsei Gyoza the next time we are in Nagoya) 

(most foods in Nagoya that are spicy are often referred to as “Taiwan”, even if Taiwan doesn’t actually have it in their cuisine, different yeah?!)

The char siu on top was super thick, I wish it was more melt in the mouth tender.

We were super full after this and Satoshi mentioned that it was a good thing he didn't have any beer with this because everything was already super filling!

(Two tables over two guys were eating the regular fried rice, kim chee fried rice and this dish...plus beer(s)!)

Everything was a bit on the salty side (probably for the booze), not something we should be eating too often, but we were happy we got to try them without having to stand in line…we’ll be back

Tamagawaya Saketen

7-34-1 Nishikamata

Ota, Tokyo

Closed: Mondays

Hours: 17:30-20:30 (Tuesdays-Saturdays), 12:00-15:30 (Sundays)

*cash or digital payment only

ootori

Tried a new to us izakaya called Ootori.

They took over the shop where Shake Chazuke used to be.

To start they bring out a tray with amuse bouche and let you choose...we chose yuzu konnyaku (citron devil's tongue jelly) and takenoko (bamboo shoots)

To order it is touch panel...

goma kanpachi (sesame amberjack)

shiso (perilla) , benishoga (red ginger) and negi (green onion) wrapped with pork skewers

tsukune (chicken minced meat skewer) with oroshi ponzu (grated daikon and ponzu (citrus soy))

yaki ramen, kind of like yakisoba kind of like ramen

Food takes awhile to come out, and is kind of on the pricey side.

We're not to sure if we'd come back, but we are glad we got to try this place.

tensui

Last night, Satoshi and I met up with family friend, D who is travelling around Japan.

We met at Tensui, a small izakaya near JR Shinagawa Station.

It's a good thing we made reservations because the place was packed!

Avocado Shrimp salad (more avocado than shrimp)

3 kinds of sashimi and katsuo tataki (seared bonito)

Maitake (hen of the wood) cooked in butter

And deep fried whale...it was D's first time trying it and I thought my second but after looking through my blog archives it was my fourth time!

D gave us all these snacks! (Thank you!)

We were happy to be able to spend some time with D, we hope he had enough to eat and hope he enjoys the rest of his trip.

Not sure if we'll be back to Tensui, but it was a nice izakaya that doesn't allow smoking!

Tensui

4-11-16 Takanawa, Keikyu #11 Building 3F

Minato, Tokyo

Closed Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays 

oto oto

Met up with friend Greg from Hawaii who is visiting with his sisters.

It was our first time to meet his sisters, H & J, and they are so nice!

We had dinner at Izakaya Oto Oto.

Because Blogger uploaded my photos all wonky, what we ordered is not in sequence.

Matsutake & Autumn mushroom tempura

Chicken thigh yakitori

Tsukune, Seseri Yakitori

Gyu-tan (beef tongue)

Kani (crab) cream croquette

Gyu suji nikomi (simmered beef tendon)

Sashimi (assorted 5 types)

Dashimaki tamago

Afterwards we went to fulfill a long time dream of Greg's sister, H, to eat anime style crepes, and went to Marion Crepes.

Delicious!

Thank you for all the goodies, we hope you had enough to eat.

Enjoy the rest of your trip and take care!

Oto Oto

1-19-5 Minami Ikebukuro, MI Plaza 5F

Toshima, Tokyo

Hours: 11:30-15:00 (lunch), 17:00-23:00 (dinner)

Marion Crepes

1-11-3 Higashi Ikebukuro, Big Echo 1F

Toshima, Tokyo

Hours: 12:00-21:00

ps forgot to link the other photos of Tsukiji to my post yesterday, so if you are interested, please go check here.

sad

Shake Chazuke was one of the first izakaya spots we checked out in our neighborhood.

We had wanted to check them out several times after that first visit but they either had no tables available or were filled with reservations for the night

And then the pandemic hit.

When I passed by the other day, I saw that they will be closing after 10 years in business.

Nice that they are filled with reservations until their last day.

Bummed that we weren't able to check them out one last time though.

watanabe

Tried a new (to us) sushi place/izakaya, Watanabe.

I ordered the chirashi...this was not worth 800 yen (tax included).

More wakame than anything...AND there was a piece of iwashi (sardine) that had so many bones!

The rice smelled funny too...eep!

Satoshi ordered the negitoro bowl...750 yen (tax included).

He was disappointed as well.

He said the rice was dry (maybe old?!)

We are glad we tried this place but won't be back. 

taishu sakaba beetle

Sometimes plan A & plan B go out the window and you just need to go into a place without any research or social media hints...

That was the case for us on Saturday.

The two places we had in mind for dinner were packed and only people with reservations were being accepted.

Right across the street from plan B, I noticed an izakaya (bar) with the sign "Beetle" on their noren (entrance curtain).

The windows were purposely frosted, so you cannot see inside.

I told Satoshi, "we're eating here"...he kept saying, "are you sure?!" because it was "his" type of place to eat and not really "mine".

But, when you are nearing "hangry"...anything flies...

When we entered, we were surprised with how packed the place was.

We were also surprised at how huge the place was, with 3 wrap around counters...many people eating in groups, others eating alone.

It was noisy, a little smoky...

We didn't know "the drill"...so it took a bit getting used to.

I ordered this...ume syrup...70 milliliters of shochu (sweet potato liquor)...bottle of fizzy water.

You can add the amount of syrup you wish and the amount of fizzy water.

The syrup and fizzy water turned out to be enough for two drinks...

Sashimi assortment (maguro (tuna), hamachi (yellow tail tuna), tai? (snapper))

These were pre-sliced, so it came out right away...still quite fresh.

Grilled eggplant...delicious with the katsuobushi (bonito shavings), a little shoyu (soy sauce) and a dab of grated ginger.

Beef harami (skirt steak) grilled perfectly!

Chicken tsukune (meatball) delicious with green onions & renkon (lotus root) mixed with the minced chicken.

Made in house chips.

Oden...you can choose what items, we chose daikon (long radish), atsuage (fried tofu) & shirataki (konjack, devil's tongue jelly noodles)

Salmon harasu (belly)...the skin was so crispy! with grated daikon this was delicious too.

Skewered tomato...loved this too.

It was a bit too loud for us, but we enjoyed the food.

The woman next to us ordered a large beer and the beer mug it came in, surprised all of us (even her), it was like a little bucket!

We also liked that this shop does not do the amuse bouche thing (things you pay for but do not order)...

We'll be back.

Taishu Sakaba Beetle
7-4-3 Nishi Kamata
Ota, Tokyo
Phone: 03.6428.7375
Hours: Mondays-Fridays 16:00-25:00, Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays 14:00-25:00
*cash only