Tokyo 🇯🇵
Matsubara An
Our favorite restaurant so far in Japan! The 2 lunch courses, "Keyaki" and "Matsubara", were really wonderful. The Keyaki lunch course included Assorted Appetizers (fresh fish carpaccio, soybeans with tofu, bagna cauda of veggies, steamed duck with wasabi, etc.) Vegetable & Conger Eel Tempura, Soba (hot or cold), dessert of our choice, and a drink of our choice as well (we went with the Peach Juice and beer). For the Matsubara lunch course, everything was the same as the Keyaki but included a Grilled Duck and an extra Fish Tempura. Then we chose Warabi Mochi and Buckwheat Pound Butter Cake to end our lovely lunch course. Everything about this restaurant was perfect: the presentation, taste, service, and atmosphere. I would definitely recommend this place to visit while staying in Tokyo!
Tsukiji Fish Market
On our last and sunny day in Tokyo, we walked around this famous buzzin' fish market. While we looked at each unique vendors, we picked up some treats to indulge in. Our favorite was the sweet Tomago (egg, topped with some spicy mustard) and the Green-tea Matcha Ice Cream! Hoping next time we are able to try a bit more of what Tsukiji offers (there's so much to try!).
Mount Fuji + Lake Ashi Tour (not Tokyo)
One of the most memorable days in Japan was indeed seeing Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi (so clearly and vividly)! Once at the gift shop, we bought a Mount Fuji sweet bread to eat while enjoying the breathtaking view of the actual Mount Fuji. Later we stuffed ourselves with a traditional (and some untraditional) Japanese buffet - all provided by our awesome tour.
Kindai University Fisheries Laboratory
Due to our short trip, we weren't able to try all the "hot sushi spots" of Tokyo, but we did find this hidden gem in Ginza. It was a quiet and intimate spot that served super fresh sushi and sashimi sets.
Manneken
We followed the sweet smell of baked goods while exploring Ginza and found Manneken! We then devoured the Green-tea Waffle and Green-tea Cream Waffle.
Afuri Ramen
I think everyone (and every food blog) had mentioned Afuri Ramen in their recommendations for Japan because of its unique take on flavor (and experience: you order from a vending machine where you get your ticket, and wait to be called). What I loved was that you also get to customize your ramen to your liking too. I chose "tanrei," for the amount of "chiyu" (amount of chicken oil blended with dashi) for my Yuzu Shio Ramen. It was nice to mix it up rather than just choosing from a fixed list of ramens (what I'm used to from NY). The ramen definitely had a more citrusy and lighter broth than other ramens I've tried - great for the summer when you're craving a bowl of fresh ramen!
ZakuZaku
It only took us a couple seconds to devour Croquant Chou (almond bread with cream filling) and the Vanilla Ice Cream while exploring Takeshita Street.
Coco Ichibanya
Coco Ichibanya is a popular curry spot in Tokyo - as well as all over Asia. You can customize just about anything, for that perfect curry dish experience (beef, fish, pork, chicken or veggies? better yet cheese, natto, cream croquette or scrambled eggs? heat level? how much rice? IKR?). We went with one Pork Cutlet Curry and one Chicken Cutlet Curry with some veggie topping. Every bite was so flavorful and hearty - we stuffed ourselves to the very last bite!
Tetsuji Taiyaki
I love me some anpan (bread filled with red bean paste, cream custard, or matcha green tea filling)! Had to stop for one while walking around the Daimaru Tokyo Mall, exploring Character St.
Laudrée
After dinner, my friend and I tried some Rose flavored ice cream from Laudrée for dessert. I had to try it of course, because this flavor was only available in Japan. Look at that color! #Yum
Jiromaru Shinjuku Hoten
Yakiniku is a popular type of dining in Japan, where the chefs choose, cut and serve you top-quality Wagyu Meat. You then grill-it-yourself on a mini griddle, all while standing in a bar format. After the meat cooks, top it with some melted butter, salt, or some sauce then add rice. Of course, the next step is to enjoy a sip of refreshing Asahi (Japanese beer) - it's really the best. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience, and one of our favorites in Japan #WeLoveWagyu #TheMeatMeltedInOurMouth #TheBest
Lawson Convenience Store
We ended every night in Tokyo with a trip to the convenience store, one in particular called Lawson. We probably bought about 12 different beers (not all pictured) and many many many different sweet goodies and savory snacks. #MidnightSnacks
Tokyo Ramen Ten
Enjoyed our first "made-in-Japan-in-real-time" ramen on our first night in Tokyo! Great for a quick grub, with a set of super friendly and helpful staff (they showed us an English menu right away to help us choose what to eat with photos on their phone). Side bar: if you need to get your laundry done ASAP, this ramen shop is conveniently located a couple blocks away from one of the best laundromats ever. The directions may be a little confusing at first to get it started but they have machines that do all the washing and drying in 1 machine, in 1 hour. #Efficient