Reasonable Italian in Marui

Marui (OIOI, 丸井) is a department store which focuses on fashion and their branches are all over Japan. When I went to their summer sale in Ueno(上野), nearest one to my house, I went to a casual Italian restaurant called "NOLITTA (ノリータ)" on the highest floor. 

Outside of NOLITTA

Starters and a beer

Grilled sausage 

Pizza Bismarck

Red wine

Spaghetti with tomato and seafood

Surprisingly, all the menus are very reasonable. Every starter costs less than JPY500. Even pastas and pizzas are around JPY1,000. Bottles of wine are approx. JPY2,000. Those prices might be cheaper than the one I cook by myself... The taste was more than the price. We were satisfied particularly with pizza which was baked in the brick-oven. The pizza crust was fluffy and chewy and delicious. It seems having light meals after shopping in NOLITTA would be a good option. My rating is 2.9 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Chinese dishes next to the Office of Prime Minister

On the 27th floor of Sanno Park Tower(山王パークタワー) in Tameike-Sanno(溜池山王) just next to the Office of Prime Minister, there is a branch of "Heichinro(聘珍樓)", one of the famous Chinese restaurants in Japan. I've recently been there after so long, but it was much better than my memory of the past!  

Entrance of Heichinro

Interior of Heichinro

Our table with good view

Thanks to the good location, the tables were full and few waiters worked so hard to manage many customers (so, the service was a bit slow). But the taste was delicious. I could easily identify they used good ingredients and cooked with careful manner. Each dish was simple but very tasty. In addition, the atmosphere itself is good. The interior is cool modern but we can be relaxed with good view and silence in the very center of Tokyo. Anybody would be pleased if he/she is invited to here. My rating is 4 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!


Heichinro(聘珍樓) http://www.heichin.com/shop/tameike/tameike.html   

Fantastic yakiniku!

If you search on the internet for yakiniku (barbecue) particularly on the sites of word-of-mouth,  the most popular hit name would be "Yakiniku Jumbo (焼き肉ジャンボ)" in Hongo (本郷).　The head restaurant of Jumbo is located in the Edogawa ward where we can go only by car but the Hongo branch is relatively easy to go. 

Exterior of Yakuniku Jumbo

Inside of Jumbo

Beer and pickles

Wagyu beef 1

Wagyu beef 2

Waiter cooks thin and delicate beef 

Luckily to me, the Hongo branch is close to my home (around 20 minutes walk). Even so, it is very difficult to make a reservation and we should call a phone several weeks or month before. If you really want to taste Jumbo's yakiniku as soon as possible, we have to go on the late night around 9 or 10 pm. Last week, I could reserve at 9 pm (a bit late for eating yakiniku), but there were many customers who enjoyed eating and drinking. Jumbo's main feature is "hidden menu" if we ask waiters. Hidden menu offers precious or specific parts of beef, which we can't usually eat at yakiniku restaurants. Definitely I ordered only hidden menus. The taste was wonderful! Every beef was melted on the mouth and too delicious (a bit salty but acceptable level). I became so happy and smiling. Each beef dish costs more than JPY2,000, not so inexpensive, but the taste is more than the price. Even if I don't eat so much, the level of satisfaction was high. My rating is 4.5 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Yakiniku Jumbo (焼き肉ジャンボ) http://yakiniku-jambo.com/hongou

Cakes of Hotel Okura

I had an opportunity to taste cakes of Hotel Okura (ホテルオークラ), one of the three major traditional hotels in Japan. Hotel Okura is located in Toranomon (虎ノ門), the very center of Tokyo but a bit away from any stations of subways and railways. Accordingly, only those who have something to do come to the Hotel and I see often many famous politicians, business people and show business people. 

The atmosphere of the Hotel Okura is classic and formal. The taste of cakes was also same as the feature of the Hotel. It was good and tasty indeed, but no clear distinction. Considering their high fame, they could produce more unique cakes, but I believe their customers prefer such traditional style. Pursuing the trend would not be always correct. My rating is 3.5 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Hotel Okura (ホテルオークラ) http://www.hotelokura.co.jp/tokyo/en/

Authentic potato crisps of Calbee

In Harajuky (原宿), city for fashion and teenagers, there is an antenna shop of Calbee (カルビー), one of the biggest Japanese confectionery makers. Calbee's major products are many kind of potato crisps and we can buy here both ordinary crisps and fresh from the oven crisps. 

Takeshita shopping street in Harajuku

Antenna shop of Calbee

Making potato crisps

Fresh potato crisps

For buying fresh potato crisps, there was a long queue which continues until the second floor. We had to wait, but it was worth for queuing! Fresh potato crisps with cheese and maple syrup were so nice! Actually I was full at that time, but I couldn't stop eating. Combination of salty and sweet tastes was perfect. I miss the taste though I seldom go to Harajuku...My rating is 4 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

 Calbee (カルビー)　http://www.calbee.co.jp/english/

Soft-served ice cream on the Tokyo Sky Tree

Most people have not yet been to the Tokyo Sky Tree(東京スカイツリー), the tallest tower in the world since its opening in the end of May, but I had an opportunity to go there again! (am I lucky enough?) The first visit was in the daytime when I could see Tokyo clearly. This time, I went in the early evening when I enjoyed watching both nightfall and night view, though it was a bit cloudy.  

Tokyo Sky Tree

Group photo at the second observatory

Soft-served ice cream!

Inside decoration of elevator (motif is "fireworks in Tokyo")

Even second time, the visit was magnificent and impressive! As I had time, I could see carefully every detail and direction of Tokyo view over eating soft-served ice cream! It was... so nice! The taste is rich and milky. Additionally, I felt eating ice cream on such a special venue is more than two times delicious than the one on the ground. It was a really good time. Actually I am scared of heights, but I fully enjoyed. Must go! 


Tokyo Sky Tree(東京スカイツリー)　http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/ 

Sushi-go-round restaurant in Asakusa

One of the great invention of Japanese...might be sushi-go-round restaurant. I personally don't find any reason that sushi should go round on table, but it is indeed popular sushi bar not only in Japan but also in other countries. Maybe the answer is just fun!

Exterior of "Ganso sushi"

Sushis are rolling on conveyor belt 

Interior

 

Or another reason is that we can eat sushi at reasonable price in sushi-go-round restaurant(of course, the quality is proportional to the price). Also, it enables us to eat sushi lightly and quick whenever we want. Recently, I went to a restaurant named "Ganso-sushi(元祖寿司)" in Asakusa(浅草) with friends. All self-service system is applied to this kind of restaurant. We made tea by by ourselves and we can pick up any sushi from the conveyor-belt. If there is no favorite sushi, we can also directly order to sushi cooks. As for the taste, tuna was not so bad, but others were not good enough. In particular, the rice was still warm, which harms the taste of fish. The sushi rice must be cold. Accordingly, my rating is not high, 1.5 out of 5. Even so, I enjoyed the atmosphere of sushi-go-round restaurant after so long. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Ganso-sushi(元祖寿司)　http://www.gansozushi.com/