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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
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 th
in 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.
