天のや (Amanoya)

My sponsor (aka my mom) and I learnt about this place through TV, they were doing an episode on the best 'Sashi-Ire' (a Japanese custom to give an offering to a guest/friend/colleague) and the egg sandwich from Amanoya came in first place. It just so happened that the shop was a 10 minute walk from our house. We actually had already tried going last week, but it was completely sold out by 2pm. So today my sponsor and I tried again, although they were only selling takeaway boxes today we were able to grab 3 boxes for the price of $35. Yep.. $35 for egg sandwiches.

Japanese people sure love wrapping everything.

1,200 yen for a box of plain egg sandwiches. Fluffy eggs sandwiched with a mustard spread. Simple is best?

Tamago-Sando (Egg sandwich)
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1,200 yen (per person/serving)

Okay so I've had a dilemma with egg sandwiches ever since I had one when I was 12 at a friends house and it was really goopy. I remember struggling to eat the whole sandwich thinking 'Never again...' When I saw that Amanoya served an egg sandwich totally out of this world, obviously I had to give it the benefit of the doubt. It was absolutely delicious. It was just a fluffy thick cut slice of egg, with a thin layer of mustard/mayonnaise spread held together with soft moist slices of bread. I don't know what else to say about it but I don't think I'll ever come across a egg sandwich so simply good. - Mari

P.S Daniel is in Florida at the moment and I'm still in Tokyo finishing up on finals, but we are glad to say we are BACK in the food blog game this summer!

P.P.S Get ready for some food bloggin' from Malaysia and the Philippines next month!

Cheese + Ramen = Your Hearts Content

Warning: The following pictures will illuminate the most red and yellow you've ever seen. That's tomato and cheese. Tomato and cheese RAMEN. If that hasn't caught your attention well then I don't know what will. Taiyo-No-Tomato-Men will not leave you disappointed with cheesy-ness. There's a lot of stores placed in Tokyo so if you can't decide between a pizza and a bowl of ramen, then this is your answer. 

Cheese Ramen
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830 yen

Each bite is just as cheesy as the first. The powdered cheese on top will melt as you keep eating, so towards the end you'll have chunks of melted cheese to chew on which, I don't know about you guys- but is my favorite part of the meal. -Mari

The super cheesy ramen in tomato broth combo is amazing. Whoever thought it up was a genius. Every bite is deliciously cheesy and I would definitely eat it again. -Daniel

Persuaded yet? I am.

Cheese and ramen; God's gift.

Fried Cheese Dumplings
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370 yen (7 pcs.)

These were a definite when Daniel and I walked into the little restaurant. We were cold and starving from a long day and something cheesy and crispy sounded like it would hit the spot. These were pretty tasty and was like a snack consistency, I just wish they were hotter and gooey-er when they were served! -Mari

I have to agree with Mari. These were good, but they could have been better. They served them a little too cool and it just didn't have that umph. -Daniel

Avocado or Avocado?

Madosh Cafe is hidden in the bustling streets of Harajuku, you probably won't be able to come across it by just walking past it. Every meal on the menu is built around avocado, which is perfect if you're as much of an avocado lover as I am! 

Taco rice with Avocado
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1,190 yen

So. Good. In Japan it's hard to come across taco rice that doesn't taste sweet, and Madosh's just beats the rest! It's got a real kick from the meat sauce, and each bite is either melt-in-your-mouth from the perfectly ripe avocado or the crunchiness of the crushed nachos. Seriously see myself craving this soon!

Good food with good company! 

Fried Avocado with Mozzarella and Prosciutto
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400 yen per piece

 I never thought you could fry avocado. Not to mention stuff it with cheese and ham. This just blew my mind. Crispy on the edges and moist and chewy on the inside. 

OVERALL:

I love the cozy atmosphere and the wacky avocado decorations throughout the interior. It's a fun place to chill with friends and definitely worth popping into if you're debating what to eat in Harajuku! The only thing that bothered me was that on the weekends they require a purchase of at least 1 drink.. which isn't such a problem unless it's 600 yen ($6)! Maybe I recommend the weekday lunch menu better when the prices are more affordable. Next time I want to try the avocado carbonara!

Roku-Rinsha （六厘舎）

The first time Daniel and I came across Roku-Rinsha in Ramen Street of the Tokyo Station, we didn't even think about waiting an hour for tsukemen. It definitely lingered in our minds afterwards though, 'What if it's really good?'. Well, you know us! We went back and stepped into the line waiting to see what the hype was about. 

45 minute lines don't stop us from eating 

Decisions, decisions!

Aji-Tama Tsukemen 味玉つけめん
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Standard Size: 950 yen (plus 200 yen for XL noodles)

It was a really unique flavor, first of all I think it was one of the first times I've had fish broth soup for tsukemen! It was really rich and the aroma of fish stock definitely made its presence. Tsukemen noodles tend to be a lot thicker/chewier than ramen noodles so it tangled well with such a rich soup. The only downside was that the colder it got, the fishier and less appealing it became. Lesson learnt; you've gotta have it while it's hot! -Mari

Mari basically stole the words out of my mouth. I loved the taste, but it did get fishy as it got colder. - Daniel

Fish stock broth with all the condiments at the bottom.

Slurpy slurp slurp.

So we want to ask, who did a better job of using their paper bib?

Ichiran (一蘭)

Ichiran is not just any ramen restaurant. It offers private booths to maximize the focus of just you and the hot bowl of ramen. You are given a list of options for the ramen (hardness of the noodles, thickness of the broth, level of spice etc.) so that you can have the ramen exactly how you like it. Lines are usually long especially during the afternoon or dinner time, but service is fast so you won't be waiting longer than 15 minutes till you're seated. It's just you and your ramen bowl from there.

Focus on the ramen and only the ramen

Tonkotsu Ramen
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780 yen

This is how I always want my ramen to be, thick noodles, pork broth soup,  and with just the right amount of Ichiran's famous 'red sauce'. -Mari 

I copied Mari with almost all the options, but I got medium noodles instead. The ramen was amazing. The little kick given from the red sauce and the rich taste of the pork broth gave it an awesome flavor. The noodles weren't too soft or too hard, and the char siu was extremely tender. - Daniel Hess

Are you hungry yet?

We couldn't get enough of these char siu slices!

Slurping noodles in Japan shows appreciation towards the food- you gotta do it! 

OVERALL

Ichiran is one of those restaurants that welcomes people who want to eat ramen alone in peace. It's definitely a must go if you're in town and want to experience a totally unique eating environment. It's not often you get to really focus on your food and its flavors when you're eating with company. Not to mention all you introverts out there, it's perfect! -Mari

And the Friets

I never thought I'd wait in line an hour for french fries, but you do everything at least once right? Mari and I waited to check out this small, gourmet, Belgium based french fry snack. The whole time we were waiting in line I kept thinking to myself "Is it possible for this to be worth it?". Once we tried the fries though we knew the answer.

Our serving of vegetable for the day (potatoes count right?).

Petit Ball Freit
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520 yen

Crispy on the edges, soft and steaming in the middle. In Japanese we call this texture 'Hoku-hoku', an 

onomatopoeia for food that are steaming from within. You have the opportunity to lather this up in one of the sauces to get a blast of flavor. -Mari 

Sweet Satsuma Freit Box Set with Fried Chicken
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930 yen

The fried chicken was surprisingly good. The skin tasted great and was perfectly crisp. The meat was extremely juicy and easy to eat. -Daniel

I absolutely loved the Satsuma fries. I'd definitely order this one again. -Mari 

Rare Freit
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620 yen

The most disappointing out of the four. Maybe it was due to the type of potato itself (sweet purple potato) but it failed to deliver the same crispiness as the others. There was a hint of natural sweetness overwhelmed with mushiness. Maybe I'll try another one next time.. -Mari

Curly Fry Box Set with Falafels
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830 yen

The curly fries were perfect. The seasoning had a great flavour and made them stand out from the usual. They were at the perfect level of crispiness. The only thing I would change is I wish there was more curliness to the fries (like the awesome spiral fries hidden above). -Daniel

The falafel was a lot less greasier than the ones we're used to, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Either way I was still sad that there was only 4 pieces. -Mari

Sauces (From top left to bottom right: honey mustard mayo, three cheese, barbecue,  fresh basil mayonnaise 

Out of all four sauces we both agreed that the basil mayonnaise was the best. The honey mustard mayo was a close second, and the barbecue came in third. The cheese, our first choice of the four, was in dead last because it tasted like the old, salty nacho cheese you get with your nachos in a cinema. -Daniel

OVERALL

We both agreed that a 15 minute wait would be worth it. The fries, for the most part, were a good snack. The atmosphere was non-existant (even though they were going for the exclusive feel) due to the small sardine tin size and all the other sardines in the room. 

Eishin (永新）

Hole in the walls don't get any better than this. It used to be a restaurant that I'd always walk past without giving it a second glance. Today my father craved Chinese food but because our first choice restaurant wasn't open, we reluctantly went into Eishin hoping for the best. And boy did we get it. -Mari

Dan-dan Noodles 坦々面
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1000 yen 

This is easily the best dan-dan noodles I've ever had. It completely blows the ones I've had in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia out of the water. The broth is nutty and thick and sticks to the noodles without having to gulp down soup with each bite. No matter how much I ate the amount wouldn't decrease. So if you're ever hungry and in Azabu-Juban, Eishin will not disappoint! -Mari

Wood ear, egg and vegetables rice 木耳卵丼
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900 yen

  Everything in this dish tasted amazing. I reluctantly offered Mari a bite and she almost didn't give me it back because it was so good. -Daniel

Gyoza 餃子
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950 yen

It's not a chinese meal without Gyoza!

Bara-Ya（薔薇屋）

You know how food made with love tastes that much better? An elderly couple run this hole-in-a-wall Japanese restaurant in Azabu Juban street. The husband makes everything, whilst the wife takes orders and serves rice. It's a perfect example of team work. 

Tekka-Don 鉄火丼
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1000 yen

 The maguro in the tekka-don melted in my mouth. It was so fresh and the marinade turned each bite into a bite of heaven. Even the sides took me to cloud nine. I made sure to pretty much polish my rice bowl after this meal. -Daniel

Ten-Don 天丼
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1100 yen 

Tempura is always a hit or miss. It either comes out too oily or too dry. This ten-don amazed me though. At first I was a little sad that the amount of rice seemed a little scarce, but it was actually the perfect ratio to the amount of tempura I had. Kudos to the wife, great eye-measuring skills! Not to mention the home made taste of all the side dishes which included tofu, tsukemono (pickled vegetables), a mini salad and miso soup. It's a home away from home kind of meal. -Mari

A little London in Tokyo

It was 4:15 and we hadn't eaten all day. When we came across The Tipplers Arms, the Sunday Roast and Fish and Chips looked like they would hit the spot. The lunch menu was only served until 4pm,  but it was a few minutes past. Daniel went in and asked if we could still sit down and have their lunch- you should've seen how thrilled we were when we got a 'Yes'.

A little tinkering with the Fish Eye effect on my camera

Sunday Pork Roast
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1200 yen

When the food came out I was amazed at how much there was for the price. The plate was almost overfilled with a mountain of melt in your mouth pork, delicious caramelized onions, yorkshire pudding, steamed veggies, and roast potatoes. There was a little wasabi sauce on the side to try out on the meat, which was an enjoyable little twist. -Daniel

Fish and Chips
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1200 yen

Having lived in England before I'd like to think I know good fish and chips when I see it. I was worried I was going to have to eat defrosted fish and chips, so I was surprised when I looked over and saw the owner batter the fish and fry them himself. A wave of nostalgia hit me when I took the first bite of my fish with malt vinegar. Flashbacks of being back in Cobham and eating at their local pub hit me instantly. A problem I had though was that the plate was too small and it made my eating experience a little difficult. -Mari 

Tabe-Aruki

Department stores in Japan like Seibu, Tobu and Mitsukoshi always have a floor full of bento stores, bakeries, chocolatiers and confectionary. So when we went to the biggest depachika in Japan (over 250 food stores) we were in heaven. We did what we're great at, 'Tabe-Aruki' (eating while walking) and we're here today to talk about what we ate! 

Matcha Cream Taiyaki (from Aji-Saki)
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147 yen

Matcha flavored cake filled with milky cream; fluffy on the inside and crispy on the edges. Devoured in seconds. -Mari

I didn't want to share this with Mari because it was so freakin' delish. I easily could have ate 100 or more of these and not had any post-"snack" guilt.  -Daniel

Matcha Mochi Bread with White Chocolate (from Don Q)
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242 yen for 5-6 pieces

Any time I come across food labeled 'Limited Edition' I subconsciously pull my wallet out and find myself buying it. These Spring edition mochi bread with white chocolate chips were chewy and filling. They were tasty but it's not something I'd consider buying again. -Mari

These matcha mochi breads weren't bad but they didn't stick. The flavour was pretty neutral and I have to agree with Mari. -Daniel

Mini Chocolate Croissant (from Don Q)
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185 yen for 4-5 pieces

Regarding both the croissants, they are the most nostalgic things to put in my mouth. Growing up and spending my summers in Japan, Don Q's mini pastries were seriously part of my childhood. I bought 5 of each yesterday and was reluctant to share them with Daniel. -Mari

Both of the croissants were awesome. I loved how the chocolate croissants had melted chocolate in the middle. -Daniel

Mini Croissant (from Don Q)
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152 yen for 4-5 pieces

Ten-Musubi 5 pieces (from Jiraiya)
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550 yen (but we got it on time sale for 450 yen! woop woop!) 

Fried shrimp in little rice balls are seriously the bomb dot com. Perfect for the cherry blossom season picnics! -Mari

Simple and tasty. -Daniel

久楽 (ku-Ra)

One of the first things I told Daniel about Japanese eating culture is it's okay to slurp ramen. Slurping emphasizes appreciation towards the ramen, so we slurped really loud today at ku-Ra.

味噌卵らーめん (Miso-Tamago Ramen)
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880 yen 

The miso-tamago ramen was amazing. When I tried the first spoonful of the broth I fell in love. It had a subtle kick that added the fifth star. The meat was flavorful, the noodles were cooked perfectly, and the egg had a semi-boiled yolk that seeped into the base. I felt bad leaving broth in the bowl when I was full because it was easily the best ramen I've had. -Daniel

Slurping away.

OVERALL:

The ramen was excellent, but the atmosphere could be better. The music choice was a little odd for a ramen restaurant ('Talk Dirty to Me' but hey if the ramen did that I wouldn't mind).

Whoopi Goldburger (You heard that right)

W.P. Gold Burger was another one of the restaurants on our must-try list. We stopped by two or three times, but they were either out of burgers or closed. When we walked by and they were open we knew we had to try it.

Skate boarding videos constantly playing.

Helena Bonham Burger (with Avocado)
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1100 yen

The presentation, atmosphere and obviously the names of the burgers won me over, so you can imagine my disappointment when I bit into a hard, chewy and dry patty. The condiments were packed with flavor, and I imagine it would've been the perfect blend had it been paired with a moist and juicy patty as I had hoped for. -Mari

 

Kevin Bacon Burger
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1300 yen

My burger was the other side of the story. The patty, unlike Mari's, was moist, juicy, and tender.  It was seasoned well and the meat was delicious. The bacon was very thick and tasty and the cheese was perfectly sharp cheddar.  The mashed potatoes were delicious and left me wanting more even after the last bite. -Daniel

OVERALL

Whoopi Goldburger has a really chill, bro-den feeling atmosphere. The two that run the place are childhood friends, and are self-taught so the flavor is unique. When we got there they were just opening so they were still semi-preparing for the night. I think that's what caused Mari's unluckiness, and I want to give it another try someday. -Daniel