It is good to go to the bar that is ran by a strict male chef, but the bar that is ran by a female with genuine hospitality is good as well.

This little bar is owned by the lady who wears a coverall apron with a kimono. You can drink at the counter table chatting with this lady. The food coming with sake is clear broth soup, local fish sashimi, and Japanese steamed egg custard. These foods made me feel so comfortable. This bar that you can enjoy drinking by yourself is called “Yushima Yamaguchi” located in the drinking district in Yushima. The lady from Yamaguchi prefecture will welcome you with great hospitality and food cooked with ingredients sent back from Yamaguchi.

The bar, which is primarily a wine bar, owned by the lady who also wears coverall apron with kimono where you can enjoy drinking by yourself called “Banzai Panda” in the site of the Japanese geisha district, Mitaka. Home-made thick omelet, potato salad, beef tataki and so on are lined up on the plain wood counter table. And there is a low dining table in the raised tatami-floored seating area. You can enjoy the Japanese wine in the Japanese style space. This is absolutely great.

■Information

Yushima Yamaguchi

Address: TS twin Bldg. 2F, 3-37-11 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo

Banzaipanda

Address: 1-19-11 Nakacho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo

Kiwako Kurashima (“The Classic Bar” Editor in Chief)

■Related article：There’s a food genre that “the restaurants which is hard to make reservations” in Tokyo

■Related article：The popular Japanese restaurant which even have repeat customers from outside the country

There is food genre that “the restaurant which is hard to make reservations” along with “French” or “Soba noodles” or other kinds of restaurants in Tokyo. The fans who love this type of restaurants tend to put most priority on making reservations. First of all, they make reservations as fast as they can, and look for participants on SNS. That’s why the things like all people who got together are first time to see each other frequently happen. The harder these groups of people try to make reservation for those restaurants, the more those restaurants popularities rise. Nobody knows this cycle will end.

Being specific, firstly, there are restaurants that only accept people who are introduced by regular customers. The restaurant called “Takajo Kotobuki” serve the best duck in Japan, but you can even enter the store without being introduced. The steak restaurant in Ginza called “Kawamura” which is said to be the one that sparked the meat boom in Japan is currently impossible to enter for first-time customers. You should just wait for the luck to enter these restaurants.

Sushi restaurants have become a synonym for the restaurant which is hard to make reservations. They tend to have few seats, and people who come to these restaurants often make a reservation for their next visit, so instead of the fact that is easy for anyone to make reservations, but it is hard to get there. For example, the last time I went to the famous restaurant called “Mitani” was July, 2014, and even though I tried to make the next reservation at that day, they said it is going to be three years ahead.

Kagurazaka is famous as a city that many French people live in. “la lakagu” which opened in front of Tozai line Kagurazaka train station attract public attention as a good spot.

“la kagu” is a commercial facility that renovated the building used as storage for books from Shincho company. This wide wood stairs and rusty looking building are supervised by Kuma Kengo who is famous for the aesthetic designer of the new national Olympic stadium which is going to be the main place for Tokyo Olympic in 2020. There are many fashion stores and variety stores inside the building which was renovated last summer. It is good that you can get good souvenirs. The food court that established together with this building has the café called “LA MADRAGUE” which is the first branch in Tokyo.

The main store of “LA MADRAGUE” in Kyoto is the café which passed down three traditions. This café was built in the site of a café called “Jun-kissa Seven” which closed and is being missed by many people, and their furniture is given by “Meikyoku Kissa MUSE.” They also took over the egg sandwich recipe from western style restaurant called “Corona.” This place which has both of retro and modern atmospheres is being loved by people in Kyoto for a long time. The owner, Yamazaki Sanshiro Hirotaka, opened this “Kissa MADRAGUE” with a wish of “protecting the traditional old-established caffe in the town.” The town in Kagurazaka which has stone pavements, red-light district, so many foreigners, and long history is similar to Kyoto somehow. The reason why the owner who loves traditional café cultures chose this place as the next branches is obvious if you walk around the town in Kagurazaka.

The popular menu called “Corona’s egg sandwich (850yen)”which many people wait in long lines for will definitely make you smile.   

The surprisingly thick egg is about 7centimeters, and it will be about 10centimeters tall when you add the bread. The eggs are so wobbly when you try to open up your mouth to eat. It has soft sweetness, smooth texture like you are eating clouds, and great flavor of dashi soup spread in your mouth. It is the traditional taste that has been passed down by the owner of “Corona”, and Mr. Yamazaki who made the sandwich the specialty of this restaurant. The sweet taste and soft texture of the eggs makes me nostalgic somehow. They also do take-out, so it is good for sharing with your friends.

The unique menus that you only can eat at “La MADRAGUE” includes limited special menu for Kagurazaka store called “kagu rice (980yen)” which has curry sauce and runny egg on the top of ketchup rice, “MAD rice (980yen)”that you can choose the toppings as you like, and “spaghetti Neapolitan (900yen) ”which has omelet under the spaghetti.  Each menu contains sweet and soft eggs.

It is good to sit down on the sofa inside, but you also can spend time at the terrace when it is good weather. I want you to enjoy the traditional café in Kagurazaka being away from the bustle of big cities.

*Prices do not include taxes.

■Information

LA MADRAGUE

Address: La Kagu 1F, 67 Yaraicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Kissa Madrague

Address: 706-5 Kami Matsuyacho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto

Yuriko Ueki（Writer）

—

■Related article：Visiting Japanese Coffee shop where you can encounter the foods which give you great impact. Vol.1

The bar streets such as “Golden Street” or “Omoide yokocho” that used to be the place where only heavy drinkers go are recently becoming more and more easier place to visit because of increasing the number of foreign tourists. However, I would like to recommend “Harmonica Yokocho” in Kichijoji for the people who feel anxious to go to those types of uncertain bar streets for the first time.

This place is also the same as the other bar district that was originaly black market after the world war. However, since they started making café and bar restaurant that young people can come in easily, people who has never come to the bar street started coming back to this place.

　The first restaurant that you can feel free to enter is called “Harmonica kitchen.” It is a café and bar that you can not only use for girl’s meeting for lunch and also drink alcohol by yourself at night. They carry anything from hoppy to champagne. You eat light appetizer at this restaurant, and go to next one.

The next one is recently-opened Oden pub called “Iroha.” Just grab some small portions of snacks that go with sake dished up on colorful plates, and drink some shochu. This cheerful atmosphere pub is run by a young owner. The wonderful thing about this place is that you can drink shochu that already mixed with some water like the same as Kagoshima style which is the home of shochu. After you eat and warm up your body with some Oden that is made in Tukada Fisheries that is located in this Harmonica Yokocho, the next one is an old-established bar called “Sasa-no-Ha.” You should drink the sake called “Tsukasa-botan” made in Kochi prefecture and eat with large portions of fresh and tasty sashimi.

This is kind of a high-status restaurant that is different from previously mentioned “Harmonica kitchen” or “Sasa-no-ha”, but they are going to welcome you if you just behave politely even if you are a first timer.

There are a variety of kinds of bars for young people or older heavy drinkers. This bar street will welcome you.

■Harmonica Yokocho

Address: Musashino 1^st Bldg. 1-31-6, Motomachi, Kichijoji, Musashino-shi, Tokyo

Kiwako Kurashima（”The Classic Bar” Editor in Chief）

−−−

■Related article：Why don’t you go bar hopping at “Omoide Yokocho”?

■Related article：Enjoy with your friends on New Year holidays at “Niku-Sakaba”

Most people have an impression that the restaurants in Kyoto are high-priced.

Kyoto is actually one of the highest costs of living after Tokyo and Kanagawa, so you might feel it’s expensive when you go out to eat at restaurants around the sightseeing spots.

However, there are some reasonable restaurants. I would like to introduce a good restaurant which is located in the middle of downtown in Kyoto. The restaurant is called “Kyo Obanzai Dining Takayama” and the slogan for this restaurant is “Obanzai (a traditional Japanese cuisine native to Kyoto), tasty sake, and delicious set meals” is located on a side road on the way from Shinkyogoku Street to Kawaramachi Street.

While most restaurants in Kyoto close early, this store is open until eleven PM, so it is a good place for drinking and eating Obanzai. They also serve local brewed sake.

The set meal in this picture is “hamburger meat and kara-age set meal (780yen).” It is very popular on the menu since you can taste two different kinds of meat foods. The hamburger meat is thick and has a rich taste with plenty of sauce, and kara-age is crispy and delicious. These foods are already fulfilling, but it is great that you also get as much rice and miso soup as you want. There are a variety of kinds of food on the menu that only cost 780yen or 880yen.

If you want to drink at first, I would recommend you to order “Otsukare-sama set (1000yen)” which has both of sake and Obanzai. One glass of alcohol (beer, sake or sho-chu), the food to go with drink such as deep fried skewer, small bowl of food such as pickles, and today’s main dish such as grilled fish will be served in this plate.

It is a very useful restaurant when you visit Kyoto.

■Kyo-No-Obanzai Sake-Dokoro Takayama

Address: 457-3 Matsugaecho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8034, Kyoto

Maki（Writer）

−−−

■Related article：MOSHI MOSHI GOURMET　Why don’t you go bar hopping at “Omoide Yokocho”?

■Related article：MOSHI MOSHI GOURMET　Enjoy with your friends on New Year holidays at “Niku-Sakaba”

New Year gives a lot of chance for get-togethers with your family and friends. If you want to have a gathering with your close friends, everyone would chose to go some casual bars.

“Shibuya Niku Yokocho” is a place where several restaurants have gathered which specialize in meat foods on one floor in this building.  It is the biggest “meat’s theme park” in Japan which is easy to hop to each restaurant.  I’ve heard it is also popular among foreign customers since they can get a variety of meat menus in Japanese nostalgic atmosphere.

Each restaurant has their own specialized meat menus such as steak, kara-age, broiled pieces of beef/pork innards, churrasco (Brazilian barbeque) and so on.  If you want to enjoy more unique meat foods, you should visit the upstairs of this building called “Niku Yokocho Hanare.” First of all, you should order “T bone steak (3180yen for 300gram)” at a restaurant called “Maekawa” where you are also able to enjoy Yogan-yaki, aging meats and skewers.

After you eat the aging beef that you can enjoy both as a fillet and sirloin steak, the next one should be “Yappa” which is popular meat sushi restaurant, and order the menu called “Uniku (680yen for 2 pieces).”

The combination of rich sea urchin’s flavor and melty seared beef is amazing. Juicy meat ball tempura (980yen) is also great with drink.

The bar called “Izakaya Niku Hiroba” has Japanese style food menus that the chef who used to work for Japanese restaurant came up with. The Japanese style sparerib is very fulfilling for your mind and appetite.

If you want to drink something when you are eating unique meat cuisines, I would recommend “Jin-Toni!” which was made by arranging Beefeater Jin and tonic to go with meat. The refreshing lemon flavor and spiciness of black pepper is addicting, and will make you tipsy before you know it.  This exciting meat food experience in these reasonable priced restaurants definitely will make you come back again.

※Under-aged drinking is prohibited by law.

■Shibuya Niku Yokocho

Address：Chitose Kaikan 13-8,Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Keiko Kodera（Writer）

—

■Related article：MOSHI MOSHI GOURMET　Varieties of stand-up eating style restaurant in Japan

■Related article：MOSHI MOSHI GOURMET　Now DELICIOUS MEGA! NIKU-DON is booming!

One of the ways you can enjoy drinking is going bar hopping at back street. There are several streets which gather a lot of bars in Tokyo such as “Harmonica Yokocho” in Kichijoji, “Nonbei Yokocho” in Shibuya, and “OK Yokocho” in Akabane.  I would like to introduce one of the bar streets called “Omoide Yokocho” in Ikebukuro, West entrance.

When you go through the gate which has merry light-ups, you can see the spit-roasting eel restaurant called “Kabuto” in front of you. This restaurant is a landmark of this block. There are so many heavy drinkers sitting side-by-side in this counter table even at the opening time. You had better order “Hito-tori,” so you can get a small portion of each recommended menus. If you ordered this, you will automatically get seven different sides of cooked eel. You are done with appetizer by eating these and drinking Kinmiya Shochu(distilled beverage.)

 You should go to “Tsuru-kame Shokudo” next. This place is like a dining hall that has been helping for long time to make college students around this area full. That’s why you can get a lot of food for cheap. There are so many funny named menus such as “Baka de Aho de Furamenkin” (garlic flavored beef tempura) and “Baka-konpoja” (Fried beef sinew sanded with chicken tender) those of which named after the Spanish words. One of my favorite foods is “Soy head” which is soy beans seasoned with curry powder. It is the best food to drink with.

After you are done eating plentiful food and snacks that go well with alcohol, it is time to go to finish up drinking. When you go downstairs to take you underground with drunken staggering, there is a bar named “Minoru.” It is old established bar that you can feel a nostalgic atmosphere. You can get food that tastes like mom’s home cooking, and drink highball which is the main drink in this bar.

 These bars are only one minutes’ apart by walk. This small world will make you dead drunk. This bar street is paradise for heavy drinkers.

■Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho

Address：1-1-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Kiwako Kurashima（”Koten Sakaba” Editor in Chief）

—

■Related article：【MOSHI MOSHI GOURMET】Visiting Japanese Coffee shop where you can encounter the foods which give you great impact. Vol.1

■Related article：【MOSHI MOSHI GOURMET】Let’s go eat the specialty foods!

There are specialty foods in popular restaurants. I mean, the specialty of the food makes the restaurant popular. That’s why each restaurant works hard to come up with a popular menu. If there is popular food in the restaurant, they can make new branches of their restaurant.

For example, the steak restaurant in Kichi-joji called “Niku-yama” is hard to make reservations because it is so popular. They mainly serve red meats, but their curry rice which they serve at the end of the meal became so popular that they ended up making their own curry restaurant. They are also selling take-out menus and boil-in-the-bag foods, so it might be good to get some as a souvenir.

If you like the Japanese soul food, gyo-za, I would recommend fried gyoza at the restaurant called “Ni-hao” in Hatagaya. Their gyoza ingredients are the same as normal gyoza which has some vegetables and ground meats. However, the texture of the ground meat is more like real meat. It is closer to the taste of coarsely ground sausage. How they cook gyoza is also different from ordinary. They boil gyoza in water first and then deep fry it. The atmosphere is very friendly in this restaurant, so you can enjoy food while relaxing.

A famous Taiwanese restaurant in Shibuya called “Rei-kyo” has over sixty year’s of history. The atmosphere is surprisingly energetic in this restaurant, and people enjoy food and drinks on round tables. Their specialty food is freshwater clam, sausage and rice vermicelli. It is highly recommended to order these three. Freshwater clam juice is good to eat with rice vermicelli. I bet you would like the foods in Japan even more.

■Information

 Niku-yama

Address：Fujino-Bldg. 2F,1-1-20 Kichijoji kitamachi, Musashino-shi, Tokyo

Ni-hao

Address：2-27-4 nishihara,Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 

Rei-kyo

Address：2-25-18 Dogenzaka,Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Atsuo Ohki（”The Best Tokyo Restaurant” Editor in Chief）

■Related article：【MOSHI MOSHI GOURMET】Japanese original spaghetti to feel the Showa nostalgia

■Related article：【MOSHI MOSHI GOURMET】Erotic and delicious tofu food?

“Eroi wa” = which means “it is erotic” or “it is sexy” in Japanese. This is the first thing I say when I eat this food called “Ero Uma Tofu” which is original menu of the restaurant in Nishi-ogikubo called “Michi-no-kura-san.”

This food is named after a female regular customer who is from Kansai area said “Ero Umai wa” = It is very tasty (Erai mean “very” in Japanese with Kansai dialect, and its sound changed to Eroi..) She was technically saying that it is very tasty, but the sweet taste and soft texture of this food is alluring as well.

The secrets of this erotic taste are four different kinds of flavorful oils such as sesame seed oil, scallion oil and peanuts oil. They blend these oils with great balance, and pour on the top of tofu when the fried oil gets a strong aroma. This has the best smell of flavorful oil. You can’t help feeling erotic when you eat this. I’m going to eat this “Ero Uma Tofu” again tonight, and I would not able to help saying “Ero Umai” over and over.

■Michi-no-kura-san

Address：New Diamond Heim. B1F, 3-38-15 Shoan ,Suginami-ku, Tokyo

Kiwako Kurashima（”The Classic Bar” Editor in Chief）

It is famous thing that there is no “spaghetti Neapolitan” in Naples, Italy. So, where did spaghetti Neapolitan originally come from? The answer is Japan. This food is currently one of the ever popular menus in some restaurants in town. The origin of spaghetti Neapolitan is Hotel New Grand in Yokohama city. After the world war, the head chef got an idea from some Occupation Army eating boiled spaghetti with ketchups at the restaurant in this Hotel which was taken over by GHQ. This spaghetti Neapolitan that he cooked with fresh tomato’s instead of ketchup, fried onion, garlic, ham and mushroom gradually created a great sensation from Yokohama city to all over the country. The ingredients and how the pasta is boiled is different from one restaurant to another. I thought that people in Italy which is known as the home of pasta food would be offended by the fact that we use ketchup for the spaghetti. However, first time spaghetti Neapolitan came to Naples in 2009, it was well-received contrary to expectation.

This food makes Japanese feel wonderfully familiar, and people outside of the country feel new to it. If people are asked what the best restaurant for spaghetti Neapolitan is, a lot of them will name “Pont Neuf” in Shinbashi. This restaurant is very popular and there is always long line at lunch time to get their spaghetti Neapolitan (598 yen).  Thick and chewy spaghetti with home-made sauce containing ketchup has a simple and heartwarming taste.  If you want to try something richer, I will also recommend you to try the juicy hamburg steak (782 yen).

The restaurant called “Anjin” which is located inside building of “Daikanyama Tsutaya Book store” has spaghetti Neapolitan which uses carefully selected ingredients.  It has a relaxed atmosphere that is good for taking a break while sightseeing in Tokyo. The taste of this spaghetti Neapolitan is sophisticated somehow. The interesting thing about spaghetti Neapolitan is the basic progress of how it is cooked is the same, yet each restaurant has it’s own uniqueness. If you taste this Japanese original spaghetti once, you will definitely love it.

■Cafe Terrace Pont Neuf

Address: Shinbashi Station-Bldg. 1F,2-20-15　Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

■Anjin

Address:(inside Daikanyama T-Site) 17-5 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Keiko Kodera（Writer）

Autumn is a season to have a good appetite. It is the best season for pacific saury, matsutake mushroom, chestnut, and pumpkin and so on. I bet you’ve already tasted these foods at Japanese restaurants. However, there is a place where you can enjoy some seasonal foods without going to restaurants. It is called “Fruit Parlor” where they have a tea room attached to a fruit store. One of the most popular Fruit Parlors where people visit from all over the country is called “Fruit Parlor Fukunaga.”

Walking two minutes from Yotsuya-san-chome station, you will be able to smell something fruity from the fruit shop on the first floor. You can get to the second floor parlor by going up these narrow stairs.

You must have “seasonal fruits parfait” in here. Spring is strawberry. Beginning of summer is cherry. Mid-summer is peach. Autumn is fig, grape, pear and persimmon. You can enjoy seasonal fruits the whole year. When I visited here, “grape parfait” was being served which has seven different kinds of grapes that you can enjoy. Which fruits you can eat depends on what season you visit.

Starting with light-green Shine Muscat and going clockwise, there are Pione, Nagano purple, Gorby, and Gigantic Peak in the center. The appearance of these five different kinds of big grapes is overwhelming. All of these are seedless. After tasting each grape, there is a home-made sorbet made with boiled grapes. It is blended with valuable Campbell Early brand grapes produced in Iwate prefecture and Muscat Bailey A produced in Yamanashi prefecture. It has a simple taste without adding too much sugar. The rich and sour sorbet made me feel that they go to great lengths to make a high quality desert.

When I was eating, I couldn’t stop smiling. The talkative owner, Seiichiro Nishimura, talked to me. He told that he wants everyone to be healthy by eating what made them physically and psychologically happy. This aggressive looking man has been committed to serving high quality fruits for forty three years.

It is good thing that there are some fruits parlors in popular sightseeing areas, such as “Fruit Parlor Goto” in Asakusa, “Ginza Sengbiki-ya, Fruit Parlor, Ginza main store” where have one hundred twenty two histories in Ginza and “Shibuya Nishimura Fruit Parlor” where is close to the center district in Shibuya. Enjoy the fruit parfait which is filled with great fruits in fall season.

■Inforation

・Fruit Parlor Fukunaga

Address：F-Bldg. 2F, 3-4 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

・Fruit Parlor Goto　Address：2-15-4 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo

・Ginza Sengbiki-ya, Fruit Parlor　Address: 5-5-1, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

・Shibuya Nishimura Fruit Parlor　Address：Nishimura-Bldg. 2F, 22-2 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Yuriko Ueki（Writer）

ーーー

■Related article：Colourful M&M’s® chocolate to hit Japan for the first time in Harajuku at pop-up cafe ” M&M’S®My Bottle Café”!

■Related article：Petite Disney Tsum Tsum cakes on sale at Ginza Cozy Corner from November 1st!

It is a good time to visit this okonomiyaki restaurant associated with Hiroshima Toyo Carp which won the championship for the first time in 25 years. (This baseball team is also known as the team where Hiroki Kuroda, who is currently playing in Major League Baseball, used to pitch.) Hiroshima Okonomi-yaki restaurant called “Carp” which is a 3 minute walk from the north entrance of Kanda station. It is a good reason for going to “Kanda-myojin” which is popular for sightseeing, and “Akihabara” which is known as anime cultural center from this restaurant.

  As the name suggests, the main store of this restaurant has a 40 year history in a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki food theme park in Hiroshima city. They are delivered premium ingredients direct from Hiroshima. First of all, you choose the type of okonomiyaki and then pick the toppings after you sit at the table.

Regular customers at this restaurant recommend “Soba-iri Ika-tem”; 1,100 yen tax included. This okonomiyaki has a simple but rich flavor including a thin slice of pork belly which has sweetness and thin sliced cabbage, bean sprouts, and fried squid to give it a subtle flavor. It is part of the culture that you use a special spatula called “Kote” which is made of metal to eat this meal. The hostesses of this restaurant will show you how, so feel free to eat.

The smell of food cooked on a hibachi by chiefs in front of you makes you even hungrier. The Yamaoka family, which consists of 3 members, father, mother and son, is running this popular restaurant. The energetic conversations between these family members in the restaurant is one of the reasons that make people want to come back. The father of Yamaoka family, Toshihiko, participated in the Tokyo Olympics as a field hockey player in 1964.

Okonomiyaki has two different kinds: Kansai taste and Hiroshima taste. The ingredients are almost the same, but how you cook it is different. It is going to be interesting to taste Kansai food in Osaka after you enjoyed eating at Carp: Hiroshima style okonomiyaki restaurant. You will be able to tell the difference in these two types of Okonomiyaki.

■Carp Tokyo

Address：Hosaka Kanda Bldg, 3-5 Kanda-Kajicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Tel：03-5296-0080

Open：Tue-Fri　11:00-22:00（L.O.21:30）　Sat 11:00-21:00（L.O.20:30）

Close：Sun, Mon, Public holidays

Yuriko Ueki（Writer）

—

■Related article：Varieties of stand-up eating style restaurant in Japan

■Related article：How about having some cocktails in the morning in Akabane which is known as the town of heavy drinkers?