[Orik]

Your recommendations, please.

(Should we go here? )

[Kikujiro]

Bastard

[Orik]

Budget not an issue.


(going to use the loot from the mouthfuls kitty)

[akiko]

Orik, It's been almost 8 years since I was last there so I don't think I have restaurant recommendations that are still current...

but you can't miss Tsukiji and I will get back to you about which place to go for your sushi breakfast if you are interested.

If you are at all into art supplies (I'm a writing utensils and paper freak myself) you cannot miss Tokyu Hands (an entire floor devoted to pens) in Shinjuku (better than the one in Shibuya). In fact, just for the cultural context of it, you should go to Tokyu Hands.

And the food halls in any major department store's basement - Takashimaya has a good one, are not to be missed. You'll be able to find artisanal soy sauce, honey umeboshi, all kinds of specialty items that are incredible and that you'll never see outside of Japan.

You need to find an excellent Okonomiyaki place that also does Monjya-yaki. These are things that you cannot get done well outside of Japan. In fact, I've never seen Monjya yaki outside of Japan (a mix of roe and mochi that is melted onto a hot plate and you scrape it off and eat as it cooks)

And if you are at all interested in Japanese earthenware, pottery, beautiful dishes of all kinds - then you should plan a day trip to Mashiko where you can pick beautiful pieces of art for very little amounts of money.

Have you been to Tokyo before?

Are you really going? When? I'll ask other friends for recommendations for you.

I'm even more jealous than Kiku

[Orik]

Looks like Tokyo is go.

Akiko, thanks for the info, any restaurant recommendations will be appreciated, as what I've been able to find so far was just piles and piles of very long lists, nothing resembling a list of 10, 20 or even a hundred must-trys...

[Ms J]

Oh, I am SO jealous. Please, please, please take lots of pictures, especially in Takashimaya. I have very fond memories of that department store.

[Orik]

I just picked up a copy of Zagat Tokyo (2003), as phone book. Refreshingly low grades, with the following at the top with 26 for food, fwiw:

Sukiyabashi Jiro - Sushi, Ginza
Aragawa - THE place for Kobe beef, Shinbashi
Obana - Unagi, Minami-Senju
Kondo - Tempura, Ginza
Kozasa-sushi - Sushi, Daizawa
L'Osier - French, Ginza

[Steven Dilley]

Not necessarily worth going out of your way for, but (despite its name) Spice 2 serves up a nice, traditional Japanese lunch. Tokyo's layout is such crazy that I have no idea where it's at... close to Ginza, perhaps?

[Orik]

I'll try and find it, so far I've found a "Spice 2" building in Nishi-Ikebukuro (which may or may not be close to Ginza, beats me). The city layout looks like they originaly did it in 4 dimensions and then just spread it open.

[Steven Dilley]

Orik, on Sep 10 2004, 10:47 AM, said:

I'll try and find it, so far I've found a "Spice 2" building in Nishi-Ikebukuro (which may or may not be close to Ginza, beats me). The city layout looks like they originaly did it in 4 dimensions and then just spread it open.

Yes, Ikebukuro. That's it.

Oh, and the wonderful department store basements.

[akiko]

so far, I've heard recommendations for a -

xiao lom bao (I know its not japanese but the japanese have a fixation with this shanghai creation and they do some incredible representatives of the dish) in Roppongi Hills. They didn't tell me the name of the restaurant yet, I'll get back to you.

Tonkatsu - Maisen on Omotesando.

And this is a pretty good link. Scroll down to get to Tokyo Restaurants, they recommend some traditional Japanese food places as well as Tempura, Yakitori, and what they are calling Master chef.

Tokyo Restaurants

[Orik]

Thank you akiko, a very useful link.

We'll be staying not far from Roppongi hills, possibly not the optimal location, but seems reasonably accessible to Ginza, Shibuya,etc.

So far on the list of options, collected from various sources (eGullet, Zagat, CH, others):

Kozasa Sushi
Sukiyabashi Sushi
Miyako Sushi

Obana or Miyagawa or Yama No Chaya for Unagi

Aragawa or Shima for Kobe Beef

Kondo for Tempura

L'Osier, Le Bourgignon or Kitajima Tei for French (also mentioned Lauburu - specializing in pork)



And in feeble attemtps to learn some Japanese, I've come across the following useful link:

http://www-unix.oit....u/japanese.html

[akiko]

Orik,

Here's another link. Metropolis Japan is a very useful Japanese magazine for Tokyo information. This is their archive for dining

FOOD!

But if you click into their main site from their you can get to a visitor guide and all kinds of current information.

You'll have to tell me all about it after you go. I'm pretty excited, my husband and I just booked our tickets to go next spring. It's been 7 years since I was last there!

[akiko]

Orik,

Quote

Kozasa Sushi
Sukiyabashi Sushi
Miyako Sushi

Have you heard of Kyubei? I haven't finished all my research yet but its looking like Sukiyabashi Jiro and Kyubei are frontrunners for best sushi in Tokyo.

[Orik]

Yes, Kyubei also receives good reviews.

Is the name of the xiao lom bao place you referred to Nanxiang? That's the recommendation we got from a friend.

http://www.soho-s.co...u/index_fs.html