Five Foot Eater

Hi! It was too hard for me to look after 2 blogs, so I've consolidated everything on my other blog, Five Foot Eater. See you!

A16

I'm originally from the Bay Area and A16 is a really big deal in San Francisco. It's one of those restaurants "foodies" love to name drop and get excited over. They used to have a quasi-famous chef working for them, but I heard that he was caught cheating on his wife and the owner, who is all about family values, wasn't down with that so he let him go. DRAAMMMAAAA! The fact that they opened an A16 in Tokyo is still kind of weird to me -- while it is a great Italian restaurant, it still doesn't have the branch cache as say, a Batali joint.

On to the food. The food here is not exactly what you'd get from A16 SF. They use a gas oven instead of wood burning, which is kind does change the way the pizzas are made. California cooking is all about cooking locally and in season - something that is not new to Japan, but what is local and in season in Tokyo is not the same in California. Cheese is very expensive in Japan. Fennel, a staple in SF, is hard to find here. So, yes, there are differences, but the food is still really good. I highly suggest the cannellini bean mash and the tuna appetizer. If you're craving a good salad, anything off their menu will make you happy. Their pizzas were a little disappointing. I think you can get better pizza in Tokyo, namely, Seirinkan in Naka-Meguro but their still better than the weird Mayo and Ebi concoctions at Shakey's.

There's still a lot of hype surrounding A16 Tokyo so getting a reservation may prove difficult and they get a good lunch time draw due to their Marunouchi location. If you get a chance to go, take it, but no need to break your back.

A16
Marunouchi Brick Square 1F
Tokyo, Hibiya

Go! Go! Curry!

Of the curry shops in Tokyo, Go! Go! Curry is definitely my favorite. Despite the fact that this is somewhere related to the New York Yankees (YUCK THE FANKEES!), the curry here is addictive. Go! Go! Curry is named after Hideki Matsui (go go = 55 in Japanese). Why? Put simply, the owner is a big fan. In the Shinjuku-gyoenmae branch, all the employees wore Yankee Matsui shirts and Yankee caps. On days Matsui hits a homerun, you would get free toppings. There me made a movie about Hideki Matsui which he plays in the shop. He plays rap songs about Matsui. He even opened a Go!Go! Curry in New York when Matsui signed with the Yankees. This guy is OBSESSED with Godzilla! I'm not sure what is going to happen to the decor and themes of the shops now that Matsui has signed with the Angels...another team in which I absolutely despise but I'm guessing he's just a fan of the guy, not the team. Regardless of team affiliation though, you will enjoy their curry which come in several sizes (healthy, economy, business and first class) and options of either chicken or pork katsu. I'm a big fan of ordering the pickled pearl onions on the side.

Go! Go! Curry
Multiple Branches in Tokyo

Grill Burger Club SASA

I'm a sucker for a good burger. I can appreciate any kind of burger really...thick patty, thin patty, veggie burger etc. SASA has a lot of variety in their burgers - there really is something for everyone. Aside from the toppings, burgers come in small size and large size. The small burger is a perfect lunch size for me and I appreciated that they didn't skimp on the toppings just because it is small. The burger was a little tough to eat as it was much taller as it was wide, but it was juicy and flavorful. Pictured above is the small Mushroom and Cheese Burger. The fries are thicker cut and were freshly cooked to order. The pickle was a little mushy...but it's not a deal breaker.

SASA is down a small quiet street from the Daikanyama Station on the Tokyu Tokoyo line. You can actually see the restaurant form the platform and if you sit by the window of the restaurant, you can enjoy watching the train go in and out. If you go on a weekend for lunch, you will most likely see some cute babies as the atmosphere is very family friendly.

Grill Burger Club SASA
2-21-15 Ebisunishi, Shibuya-ku
Daikanyama, 1F
Open Daily 11am-11pm
Daikanyama Station, Tokyu Toyoko Line (Exit on the Southwest side and walk left, past the Dr. Marten's Store)

Lotus Palace :: Genuine Vietnamese Food/Bar

Vietnamese food is my absolute favorite genre of food. It is the food of my people, afterall. This being the case, my search for a decent Vietnamese restaurant started once my jet lag wore off. I have heard horror stories about the sorry state of Vietnamese restaurants in Tokyo, but lucky for me, a more than decent Vietnamese restaurant resides in my neighborhood, Akasaka. Lotus Palace is a full-service Vietnamese restaurant and offers all the Vietnamese staples: Phở, Bun, Spring Rolls (Cha Gio), Curry and bánh xèo. They market their bánh xèo as "Vietnamese Okonomiyaki" which I found amusing and clever. Their bánh xèo is very authentic and also very filling. Be prepared to share if you order it because it is HUGE.

Their other dishes are equally as satisfying and authentic. My ears picked up a lot of Vietnamese chatter in the kitchen which is a good sign. My test of a good Vietnamese restaurant is their Nước mắm, or fish sauce, and I was pleased that Lotus Palace makes theirs just right - just enough sugar and vinegar to cut the fishiness, but not too watered down. The Phở may not be as hearty as a bowl from San Jose or Orange County, but it does the trick. My only complaint about Lotus Palace is the absence of Banh Mi which I miss so much. If anyone knows of a Banh Mi shop in Tokyo, please please please let me know.

Lotus Palace Akasaka
2-14-1-1F, Sannou-Kaikan Bld. Akasaka
Open Daily 11am-11pm
Chiyoda Line, Akasaka Station (Walk down Akasaka Dori towards Sotobori Dori)

Lotus Palace Ikebukuro Tobu Spice
1-1-25-1 1F, Nishi-Ikebukuro
Open Daily 11am-10pm
JR Yamanote, Marunouchi, Fukutoshin, Yurakucho, Ikebukuro Station

Authentic Burger

On my second trip to Tokyo, my first meal was dinner at Authentic Burger in Akasaka. I had been hearing for months about how great their burgers were so I was very excited to try it out first hand. The space is small and kind of hidden on a side street in Akasaka. This is a casual spot and seats about 10 at most. There are a few board games on hand to help you pass the time and they play amazing ska and surfer oldies which tugs at my California heart. The burger itself was worth the 14 hour flight. People in New York are pretty serious about the art of burgers. I'm positive that if Authentic were to come to NYC, it would rival that of Shake Shack and Five Guys. The fries are perfect McDonald style fries and the burgers are thin patties with the perfect bun to meat ratio. A hidden gem on the menu is their salad which is an odd combo of sesame and ranch dressing over iceberg and peanuts. Sounds crazy but it balances out the meal nicely. The burger itself was my favorite meal in Tokyo for it's simplicity and the kind waitstaff. My favorite part of the meal? The laminated instructions on how to eat an Authentic Burger without making a mess as narrated by a crab of course.

Authentic Burger
2-18-29 Akasaka
Chiyoda Line Akasaka Station

*From Akasaka Station, walk up Akasaka 2-Chome. At the top of the hill, veer left down a small street just past the Top of the Hill Akasaka Residence.

Welcome!

Welcome to Tokyo Tabemono! This post is a bit premature as I haven't quite made the move to Japan yet, but I wanted to get my feet wet in the world of blogging before I really started my journey. I have been living in New York for the past 3 years and have really gotten into the food "scene" here. There are so many websites and blogs devoted to the ever chaning NY Restaurant landscape, but in researching my move to Japan, I noticed a lack of English sites that offered the same kind of information in what's new and interesting in the city. Not that I think I'm going to be the Eater or Grubstreet, but I'd at least like to help others navigate the intricate maze of Tokyo eats with insight, humor and my humble opinions. So without further ado...Bon Appetit!