Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Japan Holiday Tokyo - To Eat 14-19Jan2014 (Tsukiji, Fugu, Gyu-Kaku,)

Tokyo - Where One Could Stay
 Tokyo - To Do
 Tokyo - To Eat
 Japan - To Buy 

Tokyo - To Eat
14-19Jan2014 continued in Hokkaido 19thJan-24thJan
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Tsukiji Sushi-say (Ranked on Trip Advisor)
located 4-13-9 Tsukiji Chuo-Ku Tokyo 104-0045
Ordered:

Omakase ¥3500The standouts were the scallops, fresh eel, chutoros (fatty tuna belly) and amaebi (sweet prawns.)
 Was hoping for Fish slices so large, that it completely covers the entire rice below, however this place still looses out to mother of all sushi in Narita village.
Kohada ¥210
Total:¥3710 Fed2
Tsukiji Sushi Sen


Otoro Sashimi (min5 piece order) ¥2625
Prices seemed to vary with other restaurants, not all offering Otoro. Prices vary from ¥400 and up. Perhaps tourist prices, or you get the quality with what you pay for. Had Ottoro here again for nostalgia sake, having had my first taste of true, Japanese standard Ottoro
 here, back in June of 2007. Back then, I had remembered pieces being much thicker, or perhaps my greed for it had grown. A dip of Ottoro in shoyu, still leaves a glistening pool of oil on the top. For top notch Ottoro by, Japan standards, a definite must-try.

Tokyo - Akihabara To Eat
Darumanome (Chain-Ramen Joint)
¥800
Pre-order from the vending machine and get a coupon, which the waiters will then process for you. Ramen broth was milky and oily. Felt like we were only drinking the top layer of boiled out pork goodness. Gets a little rich after a few sips, but definitely warms you up in the depths of winter. Ramen noodles were of the thinner variety.

 All-in-all, a random pick with so-so ramen along the Akihabara area. However, by way of monkey-see monkey-do, the place was constantly packed, with a good turnover of diners during our visit at about 1300hrs.

 Uwokichi (Salary Man Eats)
at Kayabacho Station exit 2

 Ordered:
 Complimentary course Appetizers
Asari Clams
 *Texturally meat maybe slightly over cooked or were frozen clams. However the slightly spicy soup it came with was delectable. Damn their small spoons. Intake exceeds spoon capacity.*
 To-Fu
*A simple and refreshing dish one could easily replicate at home.*
  
Sashimi A-la-carte set
- Hamachi
- Chutoro
- Yellow Tail
- Shell Fish

Mizu-daki
(Lemon pepper hot pot with choice of pork or chicken)

*Beautiful presentation with a sweet, light broth with a refreshingly light citrus taste.*
- x2 beers
As shared by Uncle Yoshio, a popular place amongst the everyday salary man.  
 ABBATip: You can request a bowl of rice and egg to have a D.I.Y porridge in the remaining broth.
 Fed3. Total ¥5500
Click here for ABBA directions to Uwokichi
 Over at Asakusa
 Gyu-Kaku Asakusa Branch
(A chain establishment)
Ordered:
Yukke (Raw Beef with quail egg and thinly sliced Japanese cucumbers) ¥490
*One has got to order this beef tartar with the delicate quail egg on top. Creamy, well seasoned and great
flavor*
Waygu beef each 80grams in serving.
 
Kuroge Wagyu Tokujup Kalbi ¥1280
Kuroge Wagyu Kalbi ¥590 
The secret, apart from top quality meat, is definitely the hot coals that gives the great smokey flavor and intense sear. The marbled fat dripping, further fuelling the coals. Incredibly tender and amazing flavor.
 This is another one of those places that you remembered back in the winter of 2007, the most amazing BBQ beef. Fast forward now, to Jan 2014, to return and realize that it's the same chain of restaurant that was once thought, 'newly discovered.' Standards maintained and ingrained in memory. A great place to have your BBQ meats and Waygu meats. A must go!

Genpin Fugu
(located at Asakusa)
 
 Ordered:
Takumi Set
 Yubiki (Boiled Puffer Fish Skin)
 *A much tougher version of seasoned jelly fish. A textural experience more than anything else.*

 Tessa (Sliced Puffer Fish Shashimi)

 Tecchiri (Puffer Hot Pot)
*Collagen melted away in the heat. The fish was definately fresh as the large chunks were still twitching before it went in. The texture of fugu is quite chewy in nature and somewhat similar to crocodile or turtle meat, but a little tougher.*

 Zousui (Japanese Rice Porridge)
*The process in which they use the remaining stock from the hot pot was truly a performance peace in itself. Going through the process meticulously.*

Dessert
Total for 1 set ¥3780
Specializes only in Fugu. An experience in itself. Personally, I wouldn't be going out of my way to have this dish again, not because its unpleasant but felt that flavor wise, it wasn't a draw for myself.
However, with that said, just to get in at 1730hrs was a waiting list to be back at 1815hrs for the dinner and there was a constant queue of local patrons, in line for a fugu meal. 
Kizuna Sushi 24hrs
(chain outlet Shinjuku-Kabukicho area)
A large range of late night dining options are available for the picking here at Kabukicho. Aching for some late night sushi, after the abysmal dinner provided at the Robot Show (Click here for ABBA review of Robot Show), we chanced into this seemingly popular establishment. 
 
 
 Ordered:
Chirashi Set ¥2079 
*Uni was drippy and not as rich as hoped. Most of the fish were already pre-cut and were on the thin side.
BBQ Eel wasn't full flavored or sweet. In fact, if not for the sweet sauce, it was a little bland. Tamago - Far from expected standards of other Japanese sushi joints. The worse thing of all was that the seafood was served on too-warm sushi rice(increased risk of bacterial growth) This trait also extended to the Sushi rice, which fell apart immediately when picked up with chopsticks. Standards expected of cheap, to-clear sushi at supermarkets, outside of Japan. For the price, disappointing.*


 Sushi Combi Plate
Mantis Shrimp Sushi ¥167
Tamago Sushi ¥104
Kohada Sushi ¥167
BBQed Shell Fish ¥924
*tasted like the inside of prawns heads. A chewy texture and a hint of bitter burnt flavor probably from the inerts of the shell fish and the fresh BBQ. Cooked in its own juices and seaweed, it wasn't a hit with either of us.*
Such a disappointment. The poor review could be due to the late eats at about 2230hrs. We however avoided other Sushi chain outlets under the Kizuna Sushi banner or remotely sound like it.
Click here for ABBA location of Kizuna Sushi, located Japan, 東京都新宿区 1丁目18−8 第1モナミビルB1・1F
Hananimayi & Gyu Kaku
(Shin-Urayashu Shopping Plaza top floor)Two stops away from Tokyo Sea Life Park and a stop away from Tokyo Disney Sea
 
Orderd:
  Seasonal Special: Lobster Sashimi set ¥2079
*Solid lobster Sashimi of a decent size.*
Amaebi (sweet freshwater prawns)¥609
Whale tar tar ¥504
*Texturally and taste wise,very similar to beef tar-tare. It probably due to the heavy seasoning. It does however leave a light fishy aftertaste. Won't go out of my way to having it.*
Total fed2: ¥3192

Gyu-Kaku (Shin-urayashu branch)(Found in Shin-Urayashu Shopping Plaza top floor)Two stops away from Tokyo Sea Life Park and a stop away from Tokyo Disney Sea
This branch uses gas bbqs over charcoal fueled ones found in Asakusa featured above.
 
 Ordered:

Beef set ¥4515

- Beef tongue
*If you've never tried it, you should. It a chewier, springer and stronger flavor of beef. Somewhat like 
- Different Beef Cuts
*No complaints, and excellent cuts with some marbled fat generously distributed.*
- Chicken
*Chicken marinade was basil, salt and oil infusion. Fantastic and really good on the gril.*
- Pork belly strips
- Raw Vegetable & Salad
*Something to try out back home. Sweet cabbage, leeks, garlic, with self-application of yakitori marinade. Very tasty, It's probably all due to their special sauce and of course who can say no to BBQ.*
Not too sure if ordering individually works out to be cheaper or a larger serving, but this beef set, definitely gets you more beef than you wouldn't other wise get in the basic buffet menu, which features largely pork.
Tried and tested. A fantastic Yakiniku place that'd we've frequented 3 times over this entire trip. Twice in Tokyo, and once in Hokkaido. Look for one of the many Gyu-Kaku Chains located across Japan, to quell your craving for great BBQed meat.
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