SHARI is a restaurant located on the second floor of Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza-gochome, a new hotel that opened on September 26 located within walking distance from Ginza Station and Higashi-Ginza Station. This restaurant serves authentic and fancy Japanese-style food as well as luxurious Kobe beef, gozen set meals, and much more.

Ginza is known as the expensive, upmarket part of Tokyo, and when talking about small local restaurants there the pricing threshold tends to be rather high, but at SHARI customers can enjoy proper Japanese cuisine in a more casual manner and at a much more affordable price, with the typical set lunches starting at just ¥1,200.

Sophisticated is the word that springs to mind upon entering this restaurant, as your eyes meet the gorgeous mix of wood on black. As well as table seats, they also have counter seats too, allowing for you to enjoy a little luxury on your own if you so wish.

There is an additional restaurant inside the main restaurant itself that goes by the name Teppanyaki Mitaki, a tiny six-seater restaurant that serves Kobe beef, a type of wagyu beef and one of the top three beefs in Japan.

SHARI Gozen – ¥3,000 (Before Tax)

I ordered the SHARI Gozen which is served during lunchtime. This set comes with six small bowls, each filled with different colourful foods. It’s a cute-looking set♡

There’s lots of meat and fish included in the set. For meat, they have steak made with domestic beef. It’s succulent and drizzled in a rich sauce that fills your mouth deliciously with a single bite. With the sashimi, the restaurant makes sure to serve fish that’s in reason. There were 3 types of fish so it was a very satisfying meal.

The set can also be served with a variety of deep-fried foods, stewed foods, and cold fishes, as well as rice, miso soup, desserts and more. No matter what you order you can rest assured you’ll be full afterwards.

SHARI is a chic and stylish restaurant with great food, plus it’s located in Ginza. And you can enjoy all of this at a super low price!

Lady’s Gozen – ¥2,600 (Before Tax)

I have to recommend the Lady’s Gozen if you’re looking to enjoy fish and vegetables. It comes with two varieties of sashimi and one fried fish, all in season, as well as an assortment of fried food, savoury egg custard, and four side dishes.

It also comes with rice and sushi rolls as well as a dessert like the SHARI Gozen.

The whole dinner menu is lined with Japanese food, including sashimi, tempura, fried food and more. There’s also various courses, including the Teppanyaki Mitaki course which is priced from ¥12,000. It comes with Kobe beef of course in addition to various other high quality ingredients.

Shu – ¥1,000 (Before Tax)

I also recommend this Japanese-style cocktail for those thinking of staying late. It’s inspired by the colours used in kabuki theatre―a Bloody Mary combining shichimi, nihonshu, and tomato juice. The rim of the glass is lined with more shichmi for a spicy and refreshing kick when you sip.

Check out the cute glass it comes in too.

From affordable lunches to dinner courses made with top quality ingredients, SHARI can be enjoyed throughout the entire day with its diverse menu line-up. Be sure to pay a visit to tuck into authentic Japanese cuisine in the luxury district of Ginza.

Writer: Sayuri Mizuno (MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON)

Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

Rinko Murata loves all types of curry. In this edition of Tokyo Dinner, she invites the person she wants to meet up with the most to eat the curry she’s been wanting to eat the most.

This month’s notable restaurant she stopped by was HEIJITSU HIRU DAKE in Kōenji, Tokyo. Their curry portions are generous and are good for the stomach and satiety center. They serve a curry flavoured with Japanese dashi, or ‘stock.’

How do you spend your early afternoons when you have time off? Lounging around at home with quality time to yourself sounds like a good plan. Definitely appealing.

But this is a rare opportunity. How about going on a little adventure to try something you can get a kick out of because it’s midday and a weekday?

I know the perfect curry house for your hungry selves. HEIJITSU HIRU DAKE.

As the Japanese name suggests, it’s a curry that can only be eaten at lunchtime, a mysterious dish that doesn’t appear on regular days off.

I land in Kōenji, a place I love the most. Even though iKōenji is Kōenji, the closest station to the restaurant is Higashi-Kōenji Station.

My vision is filled with all kinds of sights.

It’s like being lost in a treasure chest.

This place is actually normally a café and goes by the name Schwarze Katze. It’s open mainly on Friday night, weekends and holidays. “HEIJITSU HIRU DAKE” runs in a rented room in the café and and is open when the café is. It’s kind of luxurious to have the chance to eat my favourite food (curry!) in a place like this.

My heart desires the Wadashi Soboro Curry (¥980) that I mentioned earlier. It also comes with self-service coffee for after your meal. For toppings you can choose whatever you like. Since I was there and didn’t want to get lost on what to pick, I went for all the toppings (¥300).

The water I ordered comes in a plastic bottle. The tables have antique displays. Everything on them was wonderful.

The air was clad in that rich, familiar scent of curry, a special one that I would never get to eat had I not come here.

The instant I hold the curry in my mouth the delicious flavour of the dashi sparks in my mouth like fireworks. The broth has a slight thickness to it and a strong, deep flavour that fades into a soft aftertaste on the tip of your tongue. It’s not at all spicy, and the goodness of the dashi is luxurious like being escorted by a gentleman. And I can’t forget the smell.

My taste buds throb at this new sensation.

Like its name suggests, this is a dish where the Japanese dashi stands out above the ingredient crowd. The restaurant owner has gathered much experience in the kitchen from traditional Japanese cuisine to sushi, ramen, yakiniku, izakaya style and so on. He encountered this place by chance, and with one look he said to himself, “I want to try doing curry.” The Wadashi Soboro Curry came about through his gained culinary experience combined with the aesthetics of the café.

To bring out the full flavour of the dashi so it isn’t drowned out by the curry spices, the owner uses two types of skipjack tuna, kombu, dark sleeper, and dried sea slug, as well as a type of soy sauce called Kaeshi. 15 more ingredients are blended together to create the spices, creating deep and delicate flavours.

Now it’s time for a session with the mountain of ingredients I greedily asked for. It’s enshrined with classics like meat soboro, beefsteak, agedama, bonito flakes, and dried plum in addition to pickled daikon radish, crushed natto, Japanese ginger, and okra. The spinach and onsen tamago egg sit at the foot of the mountain and create a new culinary sight.

The base of the dashi is mobilized with a force of Japanese ingredients with a smell and flavour and that comes together harmoniously in your mouth. I’m spellbound by the flavours that stand out coupled with the pleasant textures of the agedama, daikon and ginger.

Hey, I must have hit every ingredient in there. All correct.

I added a sprinkle of pepper that was on the table and create yet another refreshing aromatic veil.

The compatibility of the pepper with the dish works so well precisely because it uses a Japanese dashi. Wadashi, or Japanese broth, is a staple of Japanese cuisine. The curry and Japanese soul carved into this dish resonates with me. It’s my first time eating it, yet I’m still filled with a sort of nostalgia―a warm embrace.

I also understand why when the shop opens, the customers in the café stand up and change with the next line of customers. The owner has a wonderful sensitivity, and has worked out a way to put his own matchless warmth into each and every bowl. I caught sight of his gentle smile as he was cooking in the kitchen. It left an impression on me.

What a delicious curry to enjoy in such a wonderful place. All five of my senses have reached peak happiness. I grab my post-meal coffee and head onto the streets of Kōenji.

What a wonderful weekday afternoon.

Text:Rinko Murata
Photo:Kayo Sekiguchi
Edit:Miiki Sugita

Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

The orange Chuo line of the station can be seen from the large window on the wall. Sometimes it’s the yellow Sobu line. Without having even left the ticket barriers, you can catch a glimpse of it from the platform. When night descends over the district, the window frames light up with illumination. Welcome to Yonchome cafe in Kouenji. I can’t believe it’s been 7 years that I’ve wandered up and down these streets! Today we are going to introduce the one place I can’t stop loving. It is located in the charming Kouenji and is the home of this wonderful window view.

Leave the south exit, walk along the rotary and you will eventually arrive at Yonchome cafe, which is on the 2nd floor of the building. What a fitting name for a cafe located in Yonchome, Kouenji!

Open the thick wooden door and you will discover a cafe with an interior bigger than you imagined. With 100 seats, the atmosphere of the cafe is moderate and spacious, with a good distance between the tables and an overall calm feel. Sit here and you will easily lose track of time. Amongst the mood lights and glistening stain glass windows, of course the seat of your choice would be next to the window, where the evening light entwines with the ambient glow that radiates from the Chuo line.

However, when the weather is fine or when a mild midday breeze rolls in, it’s hard to resist a seat on the terrace! A book in one hand and coffee in the other, or raising a toast with beers, watching the busy people walking the steers below. What’s your style?

The heartily portioned lunch sets are reasonably priced and delicious, making this restaurant really stand out. The regular menu includes generous portions that are ideal for sharing. Happy hour runs on the weekdays from 17:00 〜 21:00, during which time draft beers and the house wine sells for just ￥230! The main charm of Yonchome is its value for time and money.

The deluxe taco-rice with soft boiled egg （デラックスタコライス 半熟卵添え） costs ￥1,000. As the name implies, it is an extravagant and luxurious dish. No matter how hungry you are or how many people are in your group, this meal is the perfect size to share or devour solely to yourself. The dish is packed with a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, meat and cheese. The spicy sauce packs the perfect punch to balance out the mild egg. Order a beer for the perfect finish to your feast.

Speaking of beer, the anchovy potatoes (￥500) make for the perfect accompaniment. Although the potatoes are quite large, the crispy skin, tempting aroma, and creamy and salty anchovy butter enhance its wow-factor. This is the ultimate combination of flavours! Although this is quite a quirky dish to single out, I must say out of all the potato dishes I have ever had in my life, this was the best!

Whether you drink alcohol or steer clear of it, there is something for everyone at Yonchome Café. The coffee, alcohol and soft drinks range is particularly large. They also sell special summer homemade lemonade for ￥630, which is the perfect way to refresh yourself and quench your dry days against the heat of summer.

Light pours passionately into the café, yet the atmosphere is calm. No matter when the food arrives, it is always delicious. No matter what time you arrive, you will be greeted by comfort. Whether it be afternoon or evening, whether you come alone or in a crowd, you will always feel welcome.

Like the view outside your window, our feelings change every day. However, you can always count on this café to always be here, unchanged. You can return to your favourite spot, your favourite seat and enjoy your favourite meal.

As the day winds down and the night time illumination lights up, the Chuo line is still running. Seated next to the window that exposes the Chuo line in operation, I thought to myself that maybe, this is my favourite spot.

Photo：Kayo Sekiguchi
Editor：Namiko Azuma
Original text by：Miiki Sugita

Translated by: Samantha Fernandes

Source：She magazine

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Today we will be introducing a café located in the city that sells exquisite food and drinks. This café opened last year and takes particular care when making bread.

To pursue the true essence of good flavour, a variety of three breads, bursting with the flavours of extraordinary passion are the main attraction of this café.

Ore no Italian, ore no French – ORENO corporation manages a number of eating establishments. It was under these business conditions that “Ore no Bakery & Café” opened. One day, the manager said “Let’s make Japanese bread!” and the business kicked off.

We were lucky to have a chat with the café manager Takeda-san. Takeda-san was cute with a shy smile and passionately talked about bread. – a surprisingly attractive staff member! ♪

Three varieties of Japanese bread have been developed. One of these includes the “Ore no seishoku pan” – this 12X25X12cm loaf costs ￥1,000 tax included. The unique point of this bread is that it is eaten raw. The bakery also uses Hokkaido wheat and Kitanokaori as a base. The base dough is baked using milk from Nakahora farm. The springy and soft texture of the bread is its unique selling point. This bread is best enjoyed two hours after being freshly baked.

You must try a cup of blended coffee with the bread (￥380 tax included). At Ore no Bakery & Café, a sommelier is in charge of brewing the coffee to create a magnificent blend. Brazilian, Mandheling, and Kenyan coffee beans are used as the base for blending. After endlessly searching for the perfect accompaniment for the bread, the manager finally arrived at this coffee as the solution. This 300ml volume of coffee will satisfy you.

There is also a capsule machine located in the store. The capsules hold approximately 1 portion of coffee beans. There are many people who take the opportunity to use the capsule machine when they are in the café.

The open plan kitchen is spacious, allowing you to be drawn in with the sight fresh goods being prepared.

During this season, enjoy the fresh lustrous greenery outdoors with the terrace seating. Relax in the spacious green environment.

The most popular sandwich is the fluffy “atsuyaki tamago sandwich” (￥680 including tax). This is a thick rolled egg sandwich. The sweet balance of flavour between the dashi stock used to make the atsuyaki tamago and the bread is so delicious you will be able to eat several in a row. An extra kick of mustard and you got a flavour you can just keep eating.

The new menu also features the 4 variety cheese toast (Yonshu cheese toast – ￥580 tax included). A slice of tin bread topped with grana padano, gorgonzola, cheddar and mozzarella – surely this combination is heaven! With no added sugar, taste this snack and feel refreshed. The deep, rich flavour of the cheese makes for an exquisite blend of flavours. This superb blend of cheeses combined with the topping of honey makes it a superb product.

You cannot live everyday life without bread, and furthermore this bread is definitely worth its price – top class! The café is also located in Yebisu Garden Place, which can easily be accessed from anywhere, so how about dropping by after a shopping trip or a date?

Related article：【Tokyo Cafe】Visit the café which has an original menu that will give you great impact volume 3.　Kinshicho “Kissa Knit”

The popularity of Japanese sake has been rising not only in other countries but also in Japan.  Also, the restaurants that carry sake not only at casual bars but also at French, Italian and Chinese restaurants is increasing.

It is becoming more standard to enjoy unique Japanese sake with various kinds food but not only Japanese. The popular bar named “Sakaba Soregashi” that you can feel free to enjoy Junmaishu (sake made without added alcohol or sugar) has opened another branch named “Nikuryouri Soregashi” in Gotanda, this March.

There are other branches that serve chicken, but this new branch mainly serves beef dishes. They put more importance on having a variety of kinds of Japanese sake.

The owner, Jun Oyama, said, “Japanese sake is the national beverage that we can be proud of to the world. I want more young people to enjoy their deep tastiness freely.”

If you eat plain red meat, the sake that has rich and strong flavor is going to go with it. If you eat sweeten meat like sukiyaki, the tanrei (crispy and dry) sake is going to go with it.

I would recommend you enjoy finding the best sake to go with their meat. It is also popular to drink their original sake called “Hideo(756yen include tax)” with carbonated water. I bet you are going to get hooked on sake once you find the best one to go with their meat dish even if you are not good at Japanese sake!

Gyoza is a representative popular food that is loved by many people. Recently, even “gyojo (Gyoza girl)” who call them self gyoza lover has appeared. The bar style gyoza store that you can eat gyoza with champagne or wine is especially popular among ladies.

“GYOZA BAR Comme a Paris” in Aoyama is a new style Gyoza store that you can enjoy gyoza with natural wine or champagne.

It is also known as the restaurant that Masakazu Narukami from restaurant called “Narukami” which received one star in Michelin guide book is being in charge of creating menu, so their side dishes and sauce have his own uniqueness. Chef Narukami said, “I had heard that the gyoza and champagne store is getting really popular in Paris, so I actually visited there. When I saw French people eating gyoza like as a patty, I thought that Japanese is going to like it for sure as well.”

Cilantro, gyoza(680yen include tax) and Onion gratin gyoza(920 yen include tax) are popular other than standard menu such as vegetable gyoza(520yen include tax) or pork gyoza(550yen include tax). Especially, onion gratin gyoza has a great combination of chewy texture of wrap taste like boiled gyoza and rich onion gratin’s flavor. These are good to eat as an appetizer or to eat to finish up the meal. I bet you are going to like this surprisingly good combination of gyoza and wine once you eat it!

It is getting warm these days, and the best season for doing barbecue is coming soon! Although the number of spots that you don’t have to bring any barbecue stuff in Tokyo are increasing, one of the most popular places that only opens in the summer time is “ROOFTOP LOUNGE” located in ARK Hill South tower, Roppoingi.

The best thing about doing barbecue is that you can feel free to eat and drink at outside. It is also fun to have a  barbecue at a mountain or beach, but you can stop by there on the way back from your work if you are in a big city like Tokyo.

You don’t have to prepare any tools or ingredients, so I heard that the number of foreign tourists who enjoy this is increasing as well. “Casual BBQ Course (4300yen include tax)” comes with U.S. Beef, hanging tender, Yamayuri pork brand’s chuck eye roll, Cajun chicken and some vegetables. “Premium BBQ Course (6000yen include tax)” comes with a huge T-bone steak, some seafood and other stuff. But I also recommend you purchase any kind of meat at the store on the first floor basement and take them to here. It must be great to have a barbecue in the big city. I totally recommend to enjoy the barbecue without bringing any food in this summer!

Spring, summer, autumn and winter, for breakfast, lunch and dinner – I want to eat curry all the time! This is the sequel to curry lover Rink Murata’s mission to visit all the best curry restaurants in the city. All restaurants in the sequel have been approved not just by Rinko-chan, but also by many other customers! All Rinko-chan has with her is her purse, a camera and an undying love for curry!

If you go to Koenji once, you will immediately want to go again. When you go out to drink in Koenji, it has recently become a common trend to hit up “Negura” while you’re out there. “Have you been there before? Let’s go!” say the many fans of these crazy curries, however, this isn’t really a place big on alcohol. We were contacted by Rinko, who said she found a new, exciting place to continue her curry quest. This place features Indian curry with a wild concept!

Just a two-minute walk from Koenji station by foot and you will reach the Etoile shopping centre. With a name like that anybody would be curious. This is where Negura is located. The chef of Negura has never been to India, but the concept of the restaurant is their wild ideas used to make curry. Just the sound of it is a fun concept but it is not so much the concept that gave the restaurant its name, but the destination. The official restaurant name “Negura” (meaning roost) originates from the pet name that the two managers referred to this location as during their old school days, as this was their meeting point. Whilst eagerly opening the door to the restaurant, Rinko’s heart was throbbing!

The interior is decorated with lots of small objects and books crammed together. One wall also features a colourful and dynamic painting. The art direction was managed by Shoshi Nigamushi, an artist who has contributed to the designs of rock festivals and many other events.

Ower Osawa-san explained that they have never been to India, which came to a big shock because one taste of the food and you would have thought differently. (It’s a real shame we don’t have Osaawa’s photo – a very kind and gentle person!)

“The restaurant atmosphere is very Indian, and despite not mentioning anything of the sort, it is easy to believe that Osawa-san has done training in India” said the cute Kondo-san while laughing.

Rinko eagerly anticipated her curry!

The menu uses ingredients of the season and likewise bases the meal around a wild concept for the daily special. Today’s menu featured onion and tomato, rape blossoms and manila clams. (￥1,000) The topping was kumquat and pepper chutney (￥200) Rinko also ordered Shibireru chai! (￥500)

The whole plate was fully satisfying! Two varieties of curry, and a colourful range of vegetables such as tomato, garden peas and carrots – what a luxurious mix! Where to start?

A meal with impact accompanied with a spicy chai – surely you cannot taste anything as extravagant as this anywhere else.

 “This is delicious!” said Rinko chan, as she continued through her meal. Describing the flavour as “gentle”, her spoon quickly cleaned the plate. The spices and the ingredients worked perfectly together. On the whole, the meal was not too spicy, allowing the true flavours of the ingredients to be fully enjoyed. The aftertaste of the spices, however, packed a decent punch. Not only was the taste exceptional, but the balance was a whole new experience! The true wild concept could be tasted in the meal. Combining the taste of India with mankind’s strongest point of imagination, the wild concept for this restaurant was born.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was youthful – from its name to its interior. You could feel the wonderful, warm personality from the two staff members. There is more than just that, however.

By means of imagination and freedom, a challenging concept was born. And this flavour is what brings many people happiness.

A restaurant where memories are made, two people embarked on a challenge, creating a wild kingdom of Curry. Koenji is already known as “the India of Japan”, and this Curry kingdom emphasises this even more.

Come try a curry at Negura, which offers a unique atmosphere, moreish meals and the unique feeling that you are in India!

model：Rinko Murata @rinco1023

Although there are varieties of pubs and bars in the world, the Japanese gastropub has a very different atmosphere. Some bars in Asakusa or Ueno open from the morning, and recently you can spot foreign tourists in there sometimes. One of the good things about these types of bars is you can stop by there freely without making reservations like other restaurants. Although it is great to drink in the traditional Japanese pub and enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere, the unique new types of bars has been becoming popular these days. Young people are fond of their casual yet unique atmosphere.

The bar called “Yang-Shan Aji-bo” which opened last year in Ueno-Okachimachi which is known as the bar sanctuary is one of the bars that you can casually enjoy drinking at lunch time.

As the same bar keeper who is from North East China of the one in Kanda called “Aji-bo” which serves natural wines, they proudly serve lamb meat or appetizers that go with wine or noodles.

lamb skewers(1080yen include tax)

You should order the lamb skewers(1080yen include tax) that is cooked with many parts of lamb to begin with. They have five different kinds of skewers including lamb shoulder and lamb neck, and that goes great with wine(540yen include tax). It is also fun to do bar hopping in two or three different bars around this area, but this place has good food, drinks and comfortable space so that you can’t help staying here for long hours.

■Information

Yang-Shan Aji –bo

Address:3-12-6 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

Tel：03-6803-0168

Holiday：Open 7 days a week

Hours：Mon – Fri 7:30AM to 9:30PM , 11:30AM to 11:00PM(L.O)

Sat, Sun,Holidays: 13:00PM to 11:00PM(L.O)

https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1311/A131101/13200566/

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Related article：【Tokyo Lunch】 Gorge on the best hamburgers at Michelin-starred restaurant known for its exquisite tasting meat

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“UMAMI BURGER” from Los Angels has come to Japan this March, and draws public attention. However, the Japanese hamburger is as good as that. In these days, there are so many restaurants that serve “special hamburger” as good as the ones in hamburger stores. The latest trends of meat dish and casual dining boost the popularity of a gourmet hamburger.

Especially, the lunch time only hamburger cooked by the chef who works for restaurants that granted the stars in Michelin Tokyo. In the “Tateru Yoshino Bis” located in “Park Hotel Tokyo,” there is an extreme hamburger created by Takeru Yoshino who is considered to be a French master. It was originally one of the lounge menus in this hotel, but it got very popular so he started serving it in the restaurant only at the lunch time.

The hamburger is considered to be American food, but Yoshino added the basic French cook technique on his hamburger.

The weight of the beef patty is 150g. You can put some ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard just as old American style.

 “Bis burger” in Tateru Yoshino Bis

It is has the simple but well-balanced ingredients such as cheddar cheese, lettuce and crispy bacon. Only 15 plates of this is served in a day. It cost 1900yen.

■Tateru Yoshino Bis

Address: shiodome media tower. 25F, 1-7-1 Higashishinbashi,Minato-ku,Tokyo

Keiko Kodera(Writer)

The hamburger from the restaurant which boasts meat dishes is as good as the one which is made by star chefs. There is a only hamburger in the restaurant on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays called “ruli-ro” located in Mishuku that has a lot of good casual dining.

Not only is the patty grilled over a charcoal fire, but also the combination of ingredients are great. It is great thing for hamburger fans that can enjoy the hamburgers not only in hamburger stores but also some dining restaurants.

“ruli-ro hamburger” in ruli-ro

There is a lot of ingredients such as sunny side egg and smoked bacon. Other than this, ratatouille burger and avocado burger are also popular. It cost 1500yen.

■Ruli-ro

Address: 3-16-3　Ikejiri, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

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One of the latest most popular genre of restaurant in Tokyo is definitely Chinese. So many young chefs have opened new restaurants one after another in 2016. There are some new types of Chinese food that pursues uniqueness such as arranging it with Japanese taste, or focusing on making minority ethnic group’s food. We have been getting more chances to encounter deep Chinese food beside orthodox food such as gyoza, mapo doufu, or Dandan noodles. The restaurant called “Ushigoro” which is a popular barbecue restaurant in Shibuya, Ebisu and some other cities produced new Chinese restaurant called “CINA” where you can enjoy Tokyo style Chinese food.

There are a variety of boasting meat menus since this restaurant is produced by barbecue restaurant. The Sicuan’s “Rock” steak which uses exclusive red meat is good for eating with many people. (5800yen for 3 to 4 people.) It has red hot chili peppers and cilantro fried with Sweet Soy Sauce on the top of chunks of well done meat seasoned with original blended spices containing star anis and Japanese pepper. It is not as spicy as it looks, and it is has a totally different aftertaste with regular steak by utilizing so many spices. It will give you a great impact on visually, so people are going to like it if you post it on your social media! You can casually enjoy the new style of Chinese food.

The date spot in Yokohama has been China town since the old time. The number of restaurants for tourist have been increasing. On the other hand, the restaurant called “Kinryo” has public attentions because you can enjoy the authentic Chinese taste there. At the specialty store which serves Cantonese fried and boiled cook food, I ordered the roasted pork fillet cooked in the coke oven which is their specialty of food and grilled pork.. Even if you order a small size, you will have plenty of food to make you full. The simple taste of food and the restaurant’s atmosphere is exactly like HonKong, so you can feel like you are traveling. I would like to recommend for people who want to enjoy the deep food culture.

Which you would rather choose, orthodox or sophisticated? I am looking forward to sometime we can have more restaurants where I can enjoy Chinese meat depending on my mood.

■CINA New Modern Chinese

Address: TimeZone Terrace Bldg.2F, 1-17-17 Ebisuminami, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

http://cina.jp/

■Kinryou

Address: 132 Yamashitacho, Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa

http://www.kinryou.com/

Keiko Kodera(Writer)

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■Related article：【TokyoDinner】Japanese people love Yakitori for some reason

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Yakitori, the bite size chicken on a stick, is really popular in Japan recently. There are some restaurants that you are not be able to make reservation for the next few months. And there are even restaurants that they are sometimes too busy to answer the phone calls even if you try to reach them more than one hundreds times a day.

The main secret of their popularity are prices and conveniences. Recently, many Japanese people tend to not go to the restaurants which require good manners. For example, at one of the popular sushi restaurants, you don’t have to order from the menus and they automatically serve their recommended course food. So you don’t have to worry about table manners, and feel free to get drunk. Whether it is good or not, those type of sushi restaurants are relatively expensive. It is not surprising you spend three or four million yen at one time. Compared with sushi restaurants, Yakitori restaurants are more reasonably priced and you can feel more freedom. Yakitori restaurant is like “pseudo-sushi restaurant” for some people. Actually, the Yakitori restaurant called “Shinka” located on a backstreet of Roppongi appeared to be a high priced sushi restaurant from the outside.

“Nana-chome” in Hiroo has become popular recently. The owner who trained in the famous restaurant opened this restaurant with his mother.

How he cooks chicken that is so conscientious. They get rid of the bone out of the wings, so you don’t have trouble eating it. The lemon sour (shochu and soda added lemon juice) they make is made with actual frozen lemon, so I recommend you to try it.

If you go to the famous restaurant in Nakameguro called “Toriyoshi”, I recommend you to be in line before the opening. The owner used to work at a Yakitori restaurant in Paris for more than ten years.

“Torikou” which has recently opened new branches has sommeliers. Their sales point is that they can pick up the best wine to go with Yakitori.

The last one I would like to recommend is take-out Yakitori. The name is “Kokugikan yakitori.” It was originally a popular souvenir after watching sumo wrestling, but currently you can buy them in Shinjuku station and Tokyo station. It is still tasty even when it gets cold, so you can enjoy eating it in anywhere. This yakitori are made in the basement of “Ryokoku kokugi-kan” which is associated with sumo wrestling.

■Shinka

Address: 1-4-4 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo

■Nana-chome

Address: Forest Bldg B1F, 7-13-13 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

■Toriyoshi

Address: 2-8-6 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo

■Torikou

Address: Nogizaka Place 1F, 9-6-30 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

■Kokugikan yakitori

Address：1-3-28 Yokozuna Sumida-ku, Tokyo

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

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