Cheap Eats Review: Tempura Tsunahachi (Tokyo, Japan)

Tsunahachi Tempura *

Tsunahachi = tempura. Tsunahachi specialises in tempura and has become so popular, there are now several outlets thruout Tokyo. Interestingly, Tsunahachi utilizes sesame oil, an oil not usually used for deep frying. We decided to visit the original and main restaurant in Shinjuku (since 1923) on our first day in Tokyo.

All seatings were bar-style, with patrons facing your tempura chef. Once we've ordered, service started with miso soup....while the chef prepares your tempura dishes in front of your very eyes.

This miso soup was the best I had throughout our trip. Cooked with tiny clams, the soup was beautifully rich and flavoursome.

The chefs serves different tempuras each straight out of his deep fryer. All the seafood was fresh. Japanese tiger prawns (kuruma-ebi) were beautifully fresh and appears to come from the huge tank at the corner of the restaurant.

Tempura chef in action

Making fresh tempura batter

A whole oyster with shell tempura - stuffed with a few other seafood goodies

Fish was skillfully gutted and filleted in front of us, and our plates few minutes later.

This is a great novel experience for non-Japanese tempura fans. While there was no "OMG" moments, everything was fresh and beautifully prepared. Menu was very modestly priced and the lunch set menu is particularly suited for those who are budget conscious.

Cheap Eats Rating: 15/20

By Gastronomic G.

Rating explained:

Scores 18 to 20 = *** (3 stars) = World class and close to perfection

Scores 16 to <18 = ** (2 stars) = An exceptional and special dining experience

Scores 15 to <16 = * (1 star) = Very good to great dining experience

Scores 13 to <15 = Good but not memorable

Scores 10 to <13 = Acceptable

Scores <10 = Are you sure you want to eat here?

Fine Dining Review: Restaurant Kurosawa - Nagatacho Kurosawa (Tokyo, Japan)

Nagatacho Kurosawa *

Named after legendary Japanese film director/producer Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai, RAN, etc) and run by the Kurosawa clan, we were invited to dinner at Nagatacho Kurosawa by a Japanese friend. Nagatacho Kurosawa is famous for its shabu-shabu and supposedly the place to spot celebrities. Located near the Prime Minister's office, the restaurant also offers hand-made soba (buckwheat noodles) & A la Carte selection.

Shabu-shabu actually refers to the swishing noise as one swishes the meat back and forth in the hot pot. Apart from the shabu-shabu itself, one of the other treats of the meal is usually the wonderfully flavoured broth at the end of the meal.

Starters - root vegetables, arrowroot cake with salmon roe

With our shabu-shabu, the hot pot is filled with clear dashi broth which is predominantly made of bonito and konbu. Once it is fired up, we "shabu-shabu-ed" thinly sliced Kurobuta (Japanese Black Berkshire pork) as well as Kagoshima black beef - both were wonderfully marbled and meltingly tender. The accompanying sesame sauce was wonderful but the meats were so good, they were stand-alone.

The STARS of the meal - thinly sliced and amazingly marbled black beef and black pork

At the end of the meal, eggs were scrambled by the table side and mixed into the hot pot, which is now filled with a broth flavoured with all the wonderful flavours of the beef and pork. This was then served into bowls of rice.This was truly delightful despite both of us feeling completely stuffed by now.

Mixing through the scrambled egg into the flavoursome and wonderfully coloured dashi

Dashi with eggs served with rice

Desert - more food!

A lovely dining experience (even for non-movie buffs) paired with a good selection of sake and soju, and all in a restaurant created to evoke Kurosawa's samurai movies. Arigato, Oba-san!

Fine Dining Rating: 15/20

By Gastronomic G.

Rating explained:

Scores 18 to 20 = *** (3 stars) = World class and close to perfection

Scores 16 to <18 = ** (2 stars) = An exceptional and special dining experience

Scores 15 to <16 = * (1 star) = Very good to great dining experience

Scores 13 to <15 = Good but not memorable

Scores 10 to <13 = Acceptable

Scores <10 = Are you sure you want to eat here?

Cheap Eats Review: Midori Zushi (Tokyo, Japan)

Midori Zushi ***

The famous fish auction at Tsukiji fish market was closed to tourists when we were in Tokyo. So, our initial plan to visit the sushi/sashimi joints in the market area such as Sushi Dai was abandoned.....also, we enjoyed our morning sleep-in. :) Later on, Tong's Japanese friend who actually work in the Tsukiji area reassured us that Sushi Dai was only OK; the other local friend in food industry in Tsukiji haven't even heard of it before. So we were on a mission to find the best 'budget' sushi we can get.

Midori Zushi is located inside Mark City shopping mall facing Shibuya crossing - one of the world's busiest pedestrian crossing. A clue that you are in the right place is the ridiculous queue outside! After a 45 minute wait, we finally got in.....after many passing thoughts of looking for another dinner spot. We were rewarded for our patience!

Apart from the very fresh and totally awesome sushi/sashimi, Midori is popular with both locals and tourists for its affordability. While most go for the more "budget" friendly combos....we wanted complete control of what we had and went for individual orders. Some orders were massive - for instance the conger eel (anago) sushi was served as a whole eel and giant egg (tamago) sushi was....er, giant-sized. Sushi rice was perfectly cooked and seasoned.

There were several highlights: 

 (1) Flame-thrower enhanced marbled fattiest fatty tuna sushi - the flame caramalised the top & the tuna had a creamy texture. The meat just crumbles & melts in your mouth as you eat. AWESOME!

(2) the uni (sea urchin roe) sushi - BEST EVER, it was creamy, sweet & best of all, the sweetness lingers on long after you finish the uni.

Here were the rest.....

Salmon & fatty tuna

Mackerel

 

Fish roe spawned on kelp. Not sure we liked this one: texture of fish roe was crunchy but I found the bitter after-taste of the roe slightly unappealing. Our curiosity prompted us to order this as we have never seen this before.

Scallops

This was easily the best "budget" sushi I've had and definitely well-worth the wait and repeat visits. It costs us just under Y4000. Our Japanese insider approves too! For those with unlimited budget, may be worthwhile checking out Michelin-starred sushi/sashimi restaurants in Tokyo.

Rating for Cheap Eats: 18/20

By Gastronomic G.

Rating explained:

Scores 18 to 20 = *** (3 stars) = World class and close to perfection

Scores 16 to <18 = ** (2 stars) = An exceptional and special dining experience

Scores 15 to <16 = * (1 star) = Very good to great dining experience

Scores 13 to <15 = Good but not memorable

Scores 10 to <13 = Acceptable

Scores <10 = Are you sure you want to eat here?

Tokyo Vintage: PASS THE BATON

PASS THE BATON is probably the BEST second hand or vintage shop I've ever been because the quality of goods in the store was simply AMAZING.

Founded by Masamichi Toyama, the store described its concept as 'New Recycle'. PASS THE BATON is a recycling & reused shop with a difference. It is not only the ONLY vintage store that I have come across that has its store concept explained; the business idea, branding, marketing & creative, & channels was so well executed that it was a delight learning more about this store. (I'm a marketer, so these things fascinates me as well.  :) Though I am unsure about  its profitability, on the surface, this venture seems pretty successful to me!)

I took a copy of their catalog, and I just LOVE how they explain the store concept: the meaning behind PASS THE BATON & new recycle. (lucky for me, there's English translation). :)

"PASS THE BATON is a contemporary select recycle shop.

Our concept is 'New Recycle', our products / items are gathered from private individuals - objects with memories, items in disuse, but can't be thrown away. They are sold, along with their stories to someone who understands their use and value. 

Not a recycle shop as you've seen before, that carries only either brand name or low price items, we are a NEW recycle shop that handles items portraying an individual tastes and sensibility, items PASSED down from their original owners."

Isn't that brilliant?!

Started off with one store in Marunouchi, the second store in Omotosendo (which we visited) was larger & has a more gallery feel. Designed by Masamichi Katayama, the store was so well curated that it doesn't have the usual chaos in a vintage store and you'll be amazed at every directions you look. 

*Masamichi Katayama is listed #54 as one of the 100 most Creative People in Business & one of the hottest designer in Tokyo. Click here to read more.

The store in Omotosendo holds exhibitions, talks, live performances and special events by artists from around the world, selected with an PASS THE BATON eye.

While probably not the best store to find a bargain, if you love frequenting vintage store. This is a MUST visit in Tokyo because it's truly a vintage store like no other. :)

I have sequenced the photos from the entrance leading into the store so you can have a closer experience as ours. Enjoy!

 

Chandeliers made from cups

Temporary exhibition space

The Quirky One

Design Galleries Tokyo Part 1: Claska

 

One of the things that I wanted to do in Tokyo was to visit  local design galleries to admire gorgeous wares designed & made by Japanese artists. Two that came highly recommended were  Claska in Meguro & Spiral (Part 2 to follow) in Minato, near the Omotosendo station. 

We really had to squeeze & scrap some plans to make this additional itinerary that I sprung on Keith worked. (I have told him vaguely that I needed some time for my usual rounds, but he had allocated less for me.. Whoopsie! :)

The deviation from Keith's plan was worthwhile. Located on the 2nd floor of Claska, the DO shop & gallery IS a great place that showcase Japanese design wares. I LOVE everything from the leaning hanger to the square mobile hanging off the ceiling to those adorable paper mache dogs. I wished there were some ways I could sneak that leaning hanger on board the plane.

Love the postcards & those daruma doll prints

Very.. very tempted to get those mobile..

I love visiting galleries. Even better when it's filled with gorgeous Kutani ware (Japanese porcelain). When we were there, the temporary exhibition space adjoining the DO shop was showcasing Kutani ware by Choemon. Themed 'Sakigake - the forerunner of Spring', the wares were so delicately put together that it was delicious to look at.

Even Keith who had to be dragged there was quite impressed with the gallery. :) Mission accomplished!

By The Quirky One