A foodie's guide: Tokyo, top 15 dishes part 2 (Places 7 through 1)

Aaaaand here's part 2 of the guide!!! ;)

7. Miso soup and tsukemono (pickles)

I hate soups. I know it's bad to start a paragraph on a soup with that sentence, but yeah, I hate soups. There are only a few I enjoy, and miso is one of them. It's not a difficult soup to make, really. The best thing about it is the taste - rich, salty flavour with great mix of spices - Miso is the best way to start a meal in Japan!

6. Mochi

That is one weird, but tasty experience! Mochi is basically steamed rice pounded into a solid, sticky mass with different filling inside (most traditional ones are red bean paste, black sesame and green tea). They are extremely popular in Japan and in other Asian countries. Though none of the traditional flavours seem attractive, you must try mochi! It definitely is a different take on sweets!

5. Katsudon or Oyakodon (rice dish with pork/chicken cutlet and egg)

One hell of an awesome one-pot wonder! Oyakodon and katsudon are usually served in those little hole-in-the-wall restaurants with electronic food ordering machines. They are done within 5 minutes from you placing the order, and are served steaming hot;) a pretty tasty deal!

4. Sushi normal style

There is nothing better in the world than sushi in Japan. Nothing and nobody can beat that taste! The thing is, sushi in Japan js pretty inexpensive. And served with the freshest ingredients!

3. Tonkatsu

I come from a country where tonkatsu is an every day dish ;) But our tonkatsu is definitely different from the Japanese one. The original tonkatsu is flavourful, juicy and crispy, usually served with a salad or cabbage. It is one of the cheapest meals you can get in Japan, and one of the best!

2. Sushi conveyer belt style

There is one place in Tokyo that is a must - Sushi Zanmai in Akihabara district ( (すしざんまい), Yodobashi Akiba 1F/8F). The first floor outlet is a traditional chef and counter operation, the eighth floor is a more foreigner-friendly "conveyor belt"-style. Plates ¥98-628. 

1. Onigiri (rice balls with filling)

Onigiri are, what I like to call, surprise food. Why? Cuz my Japanese reading skills are non-existent, so I never know what I'll get in my rice ball. The inside is a big mystery and it is actually fun to eat - you can play the guessing game with your friends trying to guess what exactly is inside your onigiri :) And, to be honest, onigiri is my favourite food from Japan - fun, creative, handy... Beats sushi just because it's great to eat during travelling :)

Read More

A foodie's guide: Tokyo, top 15 dishes part 1 (Places 15 through 8)

As I've mentioned before, Tokyo was for me a mythical experience. But besides visiting the city of my dreams, I went there to experience, in my opinion, the most amazing culinary culture in the world. 

My friends and I had a list of things we simply must eat :) And that list was looong :) I have chosen only the top 15 dishes worth mentioning. so, here it comes - a foodie's guide to Tokyo, Top 15! 

15. Matcha tea

Well, matcha is, and always will be, a big no-no for me. It tastes like fish water. I'm sorry, but I cannot understand the appeal of matcha at all. But I'm also not very fond of green tea...

14. Takoyaki (deep-fried balls with octopus inside)

Takoyaki is... Well, I still have no idea whether I like them or not. I love octopus, I love bacon, and I love deep fried stuff. But takoyaki, which basically combines all of the above, is a one weird culinary experience! It is actuall gooey on the inside, and crispy on the outside. But it is street food, so whenever you are feeling hungry, go buy some takoyaki! ;)

13.  Soba noodles

Soba (蕎麦, そば) are thin brown buckwheat noodles, also known as Nihon-soba ("Japanese soba"). The taste... well, soba is really tasty, but the flavour heavily depends on what you're having with your soba ;)

12. Udon noodles

Udon (うどん) are those thick white wheat noodles served usually in a hot broth, or  in a Japanese curry. The same as soba - the taste depends on the broth ;) I had hard time deciding, which noodles style I liked better ;)

11. Ramen noodles

Noodles in Japan, whether it's ramen, soba or udon, they are the best! I have never tasted anything that rich and flavourful as noodles in Tokyo. Well, besides Italian pasta. Because Italian pasta is awesome ;)

Ramen (ラーメン) are those thin light yellow noodles served in hot chicken or pork broth with various toppings. They are of Chinese origin, but actually are the most popular in all Japan!

10. Tempura veggies

I honestly think tempura should be an obligatory way of serving veggies! Even if you take the most boring veggies in the world (cauliflower, anyone?) and deep-fry them in tempura batter, they WILL taste  better!

9. Bentō

We have never tried an awesome looking bento set you see in photos. I guess in order to get one like that, you need to have a Japanese mother ;) we only tried the plain looking bentos from supermarket. They were inexpensive, relatively tasty and easy to carry around. But I still prefer onigiri ;)

8.  MOS Rice Burger

That was actually a surprise on our list. I was in Japan with two Americans, and when I told them there is q burger joint on my list, they basically told me I'm crazy. But we went to MOS for a rice burger and t actually was an awesome meal! Even though MOS is a fast food restaurant, it is so unlike McDonalds, it will satisfy even the most picky eaters! And they have shrimp burgers, so it is heaven on earth when it comes to fast and cheap food :)

To be continued!!! 

Read More