kepo bagels

Yesterday, Satoshi had a dentist appointment, so afterwards as we were walking to the train station, I noticed this bagel shop, Kepo Bagels

Apparently this brand started back in 2008 in the Kamikitazawa area of Tokyo

The owner enjoys chewy foods so she makes NY style as well as Japanese style bagels 

I bought the plain (210 yen (tax included) and fermented butter (440 yen (tax included) bagels for us to try....

please label them...I couldn't tell them apart!

upon opening each package, I realized the "oily" one was the butter

We only ate the butter one and it could have been more chewy

I have the plain one in the freezer and look forward to trying this one

Not sure I'll be back, but am glad we got to try these

Kepo Bagels

2-25-1 Senzoku

Meguro, Tokyo

Closed: Wednesdays

Hours: 8:00-17:00

flour & water

Tried a new (to me) bakery, Flour & Water, it is about 5 minutes walking distance from the Tokyu Nakameguro Station.
 

I purchased their caesar salad burger and kalbi foccacia…total 908 yen (tax included)

I was surprised when I bit into it and there was this egg!

I loved the crispy edges on the egg, and I loved the bread too, it looked hard but it wasn't 

This also had caesar salad dressing, cheese, lettuce and bacon

The kalbi foccacia also had some egg salad as well as thinly sliced renkon (lotus root) for some crunch.

Loved how you could tell the meat had been grilled, so flavorful!

This shop is cashless.

I'm glad I tried this place and will be back whenever I am in the area.

Flour & Water

1-30-10 Aobadai

Meguro, Tokyo

Open daily: 9:00-23:00

*cashless payment only

I also checked out Meguro River, but the cherry blossoms were pau (finished) already.

sakura walk (inokashira park & meguro river)

Since our water would be turned off for the day, I went to my physical therapy then headed out to Kichijoji.

And had lunch at Kugutsuso, I ordered it with a scrambled egg...Omucurry...1720 yen (tax included)

Their curry isn't very spicy but has lots of spices and is very tasty, I'm glad I tried this.

Their iced coffee is strong and comes in this cute cup...it is metal so your iced coffee is super cold!
 

After lunch I went walking around Inokashira Park.

It was nice but a bit warm.

And then on the way home I got off at Meguro and walked along the Meguro River.

We've visited this area before, I think it was during the pandemic, love the view from here, video here

And this time, I walked from Meguro towards Gotanda.

It was a little krazy with people, but not super crowded like Nakameguro is.

Was lucky to catch a group going out to see the cherry blossoms by boat, video here

I'm glad the blossoms have held up, they expect rain on Friday and over the weekend.

Hope you have enjoyed this season as much as we have.

söpö bagel

Yesterday Satoshi met up with his tour guide friends, so I went on my own adventure to Musashi Koyama

I went to check out Söpö Bagel.

Söpö means “cute” in Finnish. 

I’m glad I knew this before I went because their bagels were “cute” 

I purchased their walnut fig and their bacon cheese (left), both were 270 yen (tax included) each

Their sizing was uneven, I don’t think they really weigh while making these because the bagels were all different sizes 

When I chose, I tried to take the largest ones, still I think they were about 3 inches wide?!

The walnut fig was a bit disappointing, not much walnuts or dried figs.

Since I stuck the bacon cheese bagel into the freezer, I hope it won't disappoint when I do eat it.

Still, I'm glad I tried them, won't be back though.

Söpö Bagel

5-14-14 Megurohoncho

Meguro, Tokyo

Open 8:30-17:00

thanks for today

Got to spend some time on Monday with V & her daughter A at Starbucks Reserve Roastery.
 

We got there at 9:00-ish and it wasn't as krazy as the last time we were there.

I had the caramel nut tarte and siphon tokyo blend

points if you see the sad face after kat spilled her coffee while walking to the table with her tray

Thank you A for the market bag, sakura pouch and homemade guava jelly.

It was nice spending some time with A & V.

Thanks for today!

drizzly bakery crawl

Wednesday it was drizzly, but I still went to Meguro since I've been wanting to try Bagel Standard's bagels.

Not sure what sculpture this is
 

Meguro Shinbashi

This furry one was barking at everyone that walked past

Thought this building (the white one) was interesting looking

Otori Shrine

so teeny

cat bus: crepe food truck

stopped into m.3546 on the way home, picked up their corn olive foccacia, gorgonzola honey walnut and a chocolate cashew scone

Bagel Standard's lox on everything, and honey mustard chicken...loved the honey mustard chicken, lots of nuts, a little celery delicious.

The everything bagel was poppy based and there wasn't the "stinkiness" that everything bagels usually have from the dried garlic and onion

I am glad I got to try this but think Bob's Bagels makes better bagels.

Bagel Standard

3-8-6 Meguro

Meguro, Tokyo

Closed:  Tuesdays, Wednesdays

Hours: 8:00-17:00

oookayama

Tuesday, went to Oookayama 

I always pass this place but it is usually never open when I do, luckily it was open on this day...Matsuyatei

Got this Saikyoyaki Gindara (white miso sablefish) bento for Satoshi...600 yen (tax included)

This bento also came with furikake, okara, fried tofu and konnyaku

I also went to check out Voie Lactée (which means Milky Way in French)

A tiny bakery that has been in business for over 50 years.

Their Origin Sandwich...ham, egg salad, butter, mayo, lettuce..240 yen (tax included)

Delicious! I will try toasting it next time. 

And Salt butter rolls for breakfast...140 yen (tax included) each

These were so buttery!

Will be back to try both places whenever I am in the area

Matsuyatei

3-16-3 Minamisenzoku

Ota, Tokyo

Closed: Sundays

Hours: 10:30-19:30

Voie Lactee

3-12-20 Minami

Meguro, Tokyo

Hours: 7:00-19:30

tokyo butaman

Awhile back, Satoshi and I were walking through Jiyugaoka and saw this krazy line for Tokyo Butaman

Then I read something online that the grandchild of 551, recreated the 551 butaman (pork bun) and was selling them under the name Tokyo Butaman 

So, I went to check it out...

2 butaman...600 yen (tax included)

6 shumai...680 yen (tax included)

8 amazudango (sweet sour meatballs)...580 yen (tax included)

The shumai was meaty, delicious, though nothing out of the ordinary

The meatballs had a slight char on them and the sauce was goopy but flavorwise delicious, not too sweet

The butaman resembled the one from 551 but there seemed to be butter in the dough making it quite different from the Osaka one.

They also have a black pepper butaman but I felt paying an extra 30 yen for one wasn’t worth it, so I didn’t get it for us to try.

Many people rave that the butaman is exactly the same and that they will no longer need to buy 551 in Osaka.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

I'm glad I tried this, but 551 will always be my fave.

Tokyo Butaman

1-31-11 Jiyugaoka

Meguro, Tokyo

Open daily 11:30-20:00

21576

on the last Friday of 2023, we went to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, since Satoshi wanted to check it out after hearing about my visit with V and A back in November.

I had also told A that I would check it out early in the morning to see how crowded it was...well, 7:00-ish plus close to New Years it was pretty chill.

Loved the New Years decorations at the entrance. 

we ordered the chestnut chocolate panetonne...846 yen (plus tax)

So light and filled with marron glace and chocolate...yum!

(front) croissant with proscuitto and pecorino...864 yen (plus tax)

brioche with proscuitto crudo and parmesano reggiano 819 yen (plus tax)

whiskey barrel aged guatemala merry cream coffee...1091 yen (plus tax)

This was so delicious! even if it was non-alcoholic, the whiskey aroma added a nice flavor to the coffee

Merry cream caramel latte...955 yen (plus tax)

Satoshi said he enjoyed this drink

After breakfast we went back to the Ultraman Shopping Street to find the manhole covers that we had missed on our first visit

this last one was the hardest to find...

photos uploaded wonky...fancy (HUGE) bus stop in front of the NHK television building

Satoshi had info from one of his tour guide friends that there was an Ultraman statue in one of the pocket parks.

Luckily we found it.

And then we saw this Ultraman at the end of the South area of the shopping arcade

As we were walking back to Tokyu Yoga station, we saw a line of people and decided to wait to see what kinds of baked breads they were selling at Sincerite.

This bakery’s main shop is in Saitama prefecture and they also have several shops around the Setagaya area of Tokyo.

I purchased the salt butter bagel...280 yen (plus tax)

This was so buttery! and chewy! love

And the cheese bagel...360 yen (plus tax)

this could have had more cheese in it

I’m glad we tried these and will try others the next time we are back in this area

How cute is this Takeoka Milieur?! I looked online and it is a one man electric car! so teeny!

The weather kind of warmed up on this day...

Lots of eating and walking!

Sincerite

6-30-5 Kinuta

Setagaya, Tokyo

Closed Tuesdays

Hours: 10:00-19:00