One of the reasons why we love visiting Japan so much is because of the food. What was most fun about our last trip was that my family (mum, dad and brother) joined us, so it was so much fun introducing them (and myself) to new foods and experiences. Most of these places, if not all, are in popular touristy spots and neighbourhoods so if you are in the area, give them a try.
MARUGAME SEIMEN
Come to Marugame in Shibuya for some quick service udon that's simple, delicious and very inexpensive. There is a process to follow when eating here, but don't let this turn you away because it is very simple. Pick out your udon of choice at the counter, put some tempura on your plate as you walk down the production line, pay for your meal and then find a spot to sit down and enjoy!
SNACKING AT TSUKIJI FISH MARKET
Tsukiji Fish Market is an exciting place to be at. The tuna auction and wholesale fish market which use to be here is now relocated to the Toyosu Market, the Tsukiji Outer Market is still a fun place to visit for its marketplace selling fresh produce like fruits and vegetables, dried foods, kitchen utensils and of course, to have sushi. We tried out some treats from the market while wandering around. We got some grilled seafood, a super large fresh oyster, and something that's not seafood; an egg omelette from Yamacho. Don't get too excited! Save some room for a sushi breakfast.
SUSHI ICHIBAN
To be very honest, the only reason why we chose to dine at Sushi Ichiban instead of any other sushi restaurants at the Tsukiji Fish Market, was because there wasn't a queue of people there (at the time we visited). When we visited Tokyo for the first time some years ago, we waited hours and hours to get into one of the most popular sushi restaurant at the fish market, and it was one of the biggest regrets of our travels. We've been waiting since the early morning, didn't get a seat until the late afternoon, and eating raw fish on a very empty stomach just didn't sit well with us. While we enjoy sushi, we're definitely not lovers or experts, and being in Japan, there would be so many other restaurants that would have offered a more delicious sushi meal than what we could find at home. Not making the same mistake again, we popped into Sushi Ichiban and had a really great time, and a really great meal. We had a sushi set with miso soup, and ordered an extra chawanmushi, which is a savoury steamed egg with seafood and veggies.
UNATOTO
Want to try unagi (eel) but unsure whether to splurge? Unatoto offers a solution. You can grab their unagi don for only ¥500. The serving isn't huge, hence the price, but the unagi is cooked to perfection and you get a seriously great tasting bowl of food. Unatoto has a number of locations in Tokyo, so if you're wanting some authentic unagi, give these guys a go.
SWEET TREATS AT ZAKU ZAKU
Harajuku is not only one of the best places to experience a side of Japanese teen culture and fashion styles, but it's also a place filled with lots of fun looking sweet treats. Passing by all those tempting crepe stands, we made a stop at Zaku Zaku, a store that specialises in unique and interesting looking cream puffs. We grabbed one of each of their signature items; the croquant chou which is a bar shaped puff with custard cream, and a Hokkaido soft serve with an almond crunch crust. This was the first time we tried a croquant chou and while it was good, it probably wasn't crazy good as the line suggests. Still, it was something pretty interesting to try in Harajuku!
MENYA MUSASHI BUJIN
Menya Musashi makes bowls of noodles in a rich broth and topped with a thick cut of pork and perfectly hard boiled egg. You order via the vending machine, take a seat and give your ticket order to the chef. We had no idea what to order (it was all in Japanese), but our food turned out more than alright haha. You can get the tsukemen, where the soup and noodles are seperate, and you'll dip the noodles in the soup as you eat, but we went for the 'all in the bowl' option. They have a branch in Akihabara, so after a long day of touring and shopping the area, drop in for the super hearty noodles.
TENDON TENYA
You just have to try tempura when in Japan. We got our fix at Tendon Tenya in Harujuku, and while it may have been a little too early in the day to have tempura (it was the firs thing we had that day, so basically breakfast), but while we were in the area, we might as well go for it. Tendon Tenya has some great noodle and tempura set options. Our order came with tempura prawns, lotus root, pumpkin and green beans with soba noodles. The tempura was a little greasy, as it was expected, but it was also pretty darn tasty.
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