Our first food error in Japan

We took the train down to Chinatown in Yokohama for the day/night for a look about.

What a cool place and so many good looking places to eat. At the time we arrived there was a Chinese dancing dragon doing the rounds of the restaurants for goodluck/tourists etc. But we got kind of distracted from the job in hand, finding a good restaurant.

Here, the parade with firecrackers and the dancing dragon, is visiting a restaurant that we probably should have.

And even more good looking tasty restaurants we didn't stop at.....

But we got overly engrossed in sightseeing and once the real hunger pangs hit we went in the nearest place and ordered Peking Duck in Pancakes. Can't go wrong yeah? Wrong!

 Well this is what we got, pre-sauced shredded duck in rubbery wrappers, more like fresh Vietnamese Spring Roll wrappers. Inside Steam Buns that were pretty non-descript.

Also this restaurant had a Chinese dancing dragon visit it, briefly, to wait for the lift to visit a better restaurant upstairs. I think the restaurant upstairs may have been the one that had the outdoor street display that lead us in here in the first place. Ah well... it was overpriced and shit, but we weren't there for long and we didn't order anything after the first offering anyway, so it wasn't bad really.

Chinese Restaurant under the Railway Line between Asakusa and Akihabara

I didn't get a photo of the outside, but it was just along from here, under the train tracks.

We got the KungPo Chicken Set with Miso Soup, Rice, Coleslaw and Pickles, very tasty, very MSG, very cheap. 

Also got an order of Pea Shoots in Garlic Sauce and some Spring Rolls. Both were very well done, exceptionally high quality (read not frozen, bulk produced Spring Rolls) and a pleasure too devour even before they had cooled properly.


There was nice house Sake also and the meal came to very little.

Sakuraniku Horse Meat Restaurant Asakusa

It was pretty late on when we noticed the red glowing lanterns of this place on a balcony one floor up from the street in the Asakusa area, near Kappabashi. This was easily one the highlights of eating in Tokyo, I've been craving this ever since. Horse Meat is called Sakuraniku in Japan which translates as Cherry Blossom Meat to reflect the pink colour of the flesh.


We ordered a trio of Basashi (Sashimi of Horse) which was from left to right Fattened Neck, Rump and Fillet with Grated Ginger. The silkiness of the meat beats the best aged beef hands down. The Fattened Neck was similar to Lardo, I could eat this everyday. A trio of dips also, Sweet Soy, Dark Soy and a Mustard and Sesame Oil. All together very good.

This Sakuraniku Tartare with Sesame and Daikon was great, there was a little spice in here too.

We got an order of Crispy Horse Crackling and some well Peppered Chips which were both tasty and filling enough to stop us ordering more of the expensive things on the menu, plus we got a very good Sake that I failed to take any shots off.

Finally succumb to MOS Burger (Asakusa Branch)

We grabbed a quick Cheeseburger and Chips at MOS Burger just for an instant bite after roaming for ages and forgetting to stop and eat.

It was pretty good really, meaty burger, sweet and soft rice flour bun with tangy sauce. The Chips were surprisingly good. Crisp, fluffly inside with a little hot fresh grease left to hold some salt on to them. Nothing like the stingy little French Fries that the Golden Arches and its ilk proffer. Anyway, worth checking out for curiosity value at least.

Our first 270yen Izakaya Akihabara

This place was great, everything is 270 yen and you can keep ordering little dishes throughout your stay. There is no pressure to have a meal and leave, this place is designed more for a few hours taking it easy with some drinks and snacks.

There is a full picture menu and touch screen ordering system at each table. Very cool.

We first ordered very tender Grilled Squid with Aioli.

Then a couple of sizzling dishes, Garlic Scallops and Spicy Sausages both were great.

Some healthier stuff, Spring Onion Salad and Edamame, these were priced around 100 yen.

Lots of these Black and White Beers, didn't ever figure out which was best....

And a final trio of Gyoza, Chicken Heart Skewers with Spicy Umeboshi Paste and Tuna Sashimi. All in a very satisfying few hours spent during a rainy evening in Akihabara.

Yayoiken Great Breakfast Asakusa

Another vending machine place, this one seemed to have the emphasis on breakfast stuff.

Again this place was just down the street from us, so you basically can only find good food places everywhere in Tokyo, without even trying or moving very far, Quite an easy to figure out tickent machine and again very cheap.

I took the breakfast set with Clam Miso broth, Grilled Saury, Pickled Vegetables and fried then marinaded Tofu in Dashi, plus Steamed Rice. The Clam Broth had a fantastic salty sweetness, but not many Clams, I guess because its just a side. The Saury was great with that bitter edge in the flesh towards the spine and gut cavity. Something I relish in fresh Mackerel at home that is lost if you fillet them.

OH had the Chicken Katsu breakfast set with Steamed Rice, Creamy Silken Tofu and Miso Soup with Burdock Root


Another great meal again busting the expensive Tokyo idea.

Teppanyaki Vending Machine Restaurant Asakusa

This place was great, again just along from our hotel. The score in here is inside the door there is a vending ticket scenario where you select your meals pay and take your seat, no waiters involved.

We selected from the machine our meals and drinks, including Sake from the machine all at a really good price then sat at the grill tops whilst our stuff came.

I picked Sukiyaki, this was very good, nicely marbled Beef with Sweet Garlic Soy Marinade.

OH got Cubed Steak and very fresh Beansprouts. Both sets came with a Corn & Coleslaw type bowl, Steamed Rice, Miso Soup, Wasabi and Raw Egg. You cook everything on the hotpplate in front of you and if you overcook anything then no blaming the chef in the back!