[Stone]

Yes, I will review the current "Tokyo Restaurants" thread. However, I figure I'd ask for more pointed advice.

I'm probably going to be spending a week in Tokyo in mid-January. I'd like to have at least one very good meal. Is that possible for $200, assuming only one drink? If so, where?

I can't see spending that much money for sushi. What are my options for Iron Chef Japanese cuisine? How about Iron Chef Chinese?

[Abbylovi]

My meal at Miyashita was only about $100, including drinks. What do you mean by Iron Chef Japanese and Iron Chef Chinese?

[Stone]

Abbylovi, on Dec 14 2005, 03:32 PM, said:

What do you mean by Iron Chef Japanese and Iron Chef Chinese?

Well, every Japanese restaurant I've been to (not many, all in NY, SF or LA), serve sushi, rolls, tempura, katsu, sukiyaki, teriyaki, and soups.

The Iron Chef guys make the incredibly intricate dishes.

(Similar response for Chinese.)

[Abbylovi]

I'm still not sure I'm following you. Do you mean that you want something more than sushi, rolls, etc. More composed dishes?

[Stone]

Abbylovi, on Dec 14 2005, 03:40 PM, said:

Do you mean that you want something more than sushi, rolls, etc. More composed dishes?

Sorry -- yes.

[Orik]

Well, you could go to Sakai's restaurant, but I don't think it's considered terribly good.

[Stone]

Orik, on Dec 14 2005, 03:46 PM, said:

Well, you could go to Sakai's restaurant, but I don't think it's considered terribly good.

Oh dear.
Is Sakai their Bobby Flay?

How about Chen Kinishi?

[Abbylovi]

I hope that akiko and flushboing chime in but maybe you can PM them directly for advice.

One last shout out for Miyashita. The food is delicious, the experience is utterly transporting and the price is astoundingly reasonable. However I don't know if the style fits what you’re looking for. The preparation is mostly very simple and lightly adorned. The emphasis is on high quality seasonal ingredients, most of which I have never had.

[Orik]

Stone, on Dec 14 2005, 04:52 PM, said:

Orik, on Dec 14 2005, 03:46 PM, said:

Well, you could go to Sakai's restaurant, but I don't think it's considered terribly good.

Oh dear.
Is Sakai their Bobby Flay?

How about Chen Kinishi?

I dunno. Here's a review of Sakai's place:

http://www.tastingmenu.com/archive/2004/02...,_2004,_9:06_PM

[Behemoth]

How easy is it to get around without any Japanese? Would a quickie pimsleur course help at all? We will be there in the summer for a week or two, first time for me. Any non-food recommendations also welcome. I hope to do some clothes shopping, maybe buy a big fancy knife, and would love to see some new art.

[Orik]

Behemoth, on Dec 14 2005, 06:01 PM, said:

How easy is it to get around without any Japanese? Would a quickie pimsleur course help at all? We will be there in the summer for a week or two, first time for me. Any non-food recommendations also welcome. I hope to do some clothes shopping, maybe buy a big fancy knife, and would love to see some new art.

Quickie course is pretty useless. Mostly you need a really good map ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/477002809...glance&n=283155 ) and patience.

[akiko]

Quote

How easy is it to get around without any Japanese? Would a quickie pimsleur course help at all? We will be there in the summer for a week or two, first time for me. Any non-food recommendations also welcome. I hope to do some clothes shopping, maybe buy a big fancy knife, and would love to see some new art.

Behemoth, where are you going? If its just Tokyo then you shouldn't have too many problems.

Even outside of Tokyo you should be okay as long as you are prepared, rather than try and learn Japanese for the trip print out maps of all your destinations so that if you need to get some place you can show them instead of trying to say it. And other than that, you should be able to mime what you need.

Stone, most restaurants in the US are not very typical of restaurants in Japan Sushi restaurants tend to only do sushi, tempura restaurants usually specialize in tempura. But there is a vast array of dishes that don't usually show up in the states. One stunning meal at $200 will be relatively easy, your problem is going to be choosing between the restaurants you can have this meal in.

But don't miss a cheaper sushi meal for both the quality of the fish and the atmosphere. My friend just sent me the card of the place in Tsukiji we went to for dinner, I'll dig it out. The place will not only yell out their greeting en masse when you walk in, they also auction off special types of fish or will cook your snow crab or lobster any way you want it when they have it in. Some of it might get lost in translation but a true "working sushi chef" is usually a quite a character. But they don't speak a word of English here, you'll have to point and gesture and look at what everyone else is eating and point some more. They will definitely accommodate that!

[Abbylovi]

Orik, on Dec 14 2005, 05:08 PM, said:

Behemoth, on Dec 14 2005, 06:01 PM, said:

How easy is it to get around without any Japanese? Would a quickie pimsleur course help at all? We will be there in the summer for a week or two, first time for me. Any non-food recommendations also welcome. I hope to do some clothes shopping, maybe buy a big fancy knife, and would love to see some new art.

Quickie course is pretty useless. Mostly you need a really good map ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/477002809...glance&n=283155 ) and patience.

That atlas is a must-have. As I've said in a previous post, the address "system" is infuriating. Addresses are assigned to a building according to when it is built so #5 could be next to #12. I also rarely saw street names.

[Orik]

Stone, you should also call ahead to make sure you fit in the restaurant.

Some useful resources, probably mentioned here before:

http://www.bento.com/tokyofood.html

and:

http://www.bento.com/tokyofood.html (look at "Past Issues" on the bottom left, where there are several hundreds sort-of-reviews)

[Behemoth]

Orik, on Dec 14 2005, 05:08 PM, said:

That atlas is a must-have.  As I've said in a previous post, the address "system" is infuriating. Addresses are assigned to a building according to when it is built so #5 could be next to #12. I also rarely saw street names.

Oh, that was the case in Seoul too. Atlas will be placed in my wish list promptly. Could use a good guide book or restaurant listing if anyone knows of something good.

I learned a little Korean for that Seoul trip, and I have to say what little stuck really helped one night as I was able to figure out what the one place still open for dinner at 11pm had on the (korean only) menu, and order it for our party of 6. One of my finer moments, I have to admit, but now I have a reputation to uphold.