About food in Japan

Outlet wine?! - Shibuya Wine Sakaba (渋谷 ワヰン酒場)

On a website, it is described ... the European style bar is the first "outlet wine" provider in Japan. It was the first time for me to hear "outlet" wine. It sounds like nice wine offered at very good price. Then I could not wait for visiting the bar. 

The bar is located on the second floor of a building at the end of Meiji street in Shibuya, just a few minutes walk from Shibuya station. On the weekend evening, it was bustling with guests of groups, couples. The wine list on blackboards or glass windows make us exited, telling the price from Yen 310 by a glass, even at the most expensive one less than Yen 1000 among choices of each 10 for red and while wine from France, Italy, Chili, California... Wine-lovers cannot miss it, after once they come to know. I guess that it is a half or even less price compared with ones of similar quality wine at other restaurants in Tokyo.

Why outlet? the bar sources the good selections of wine at reasonable cost exclusively. These bottles are regarded as "not-for-sale" on boutiques because of their etiquette labels being damaged (but the liquid inside not at all).  So the selection must be different each time but always good quality ones at bargain prices.

The bar foods are prepared by chef who has long experience at upscale Japanese restaurants. The wide selections include typical plates at European style bars (olives, lever pate, raw ham) as well as some Japanese flavors (pickles, seafood marine etc).

Today I had a glass of "beaujolai nouveau" at Yen350.

Restaurant name: Shibuya Wine Sakaba

Address: 2nd floor, 3-18-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Chinese- Momonoki (桃の木) Michelin 1* (2009)

I had a chance to re-visit Michelin 1 star Chinese restaurant Momonoki （桃の木）in Mita, Minato-ku. Again on its lunch time, tables were filled with groups of Japanese ladies or couples.

On this second time visit, I wanted to try what I could not last time and seasonal dishes which are available only this time.

 

One of startesr from its specialities 

“Mouth-watering” steamed chicken with mapo souce – the hot spicy sauce matches with a glass of beer or other alcohol drinks.

 

Seasonal plate

Shanghai crab and radish cakes hot-sweet stew – The crabs look like as they were alive in the pot…Try to dig the meat out with fingers. That is another fun.

Here all dishes are fresh, healthy and home-made like that make us relax .and comfortable This is unlike other Michelin star restaurants. It fits even for casual gathering as long as a table is booked in advance.

I would like to visit again and to try what I have not done yet. 

Related story: Chinese - Momonoki (My first time visit on August 2008)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/08/chinese---momon.html

Restaurant name: Momonoki

Address: Aurora Mita 105, 2-17-29 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo

鶏（とり、chicken) - 焼鶏 あきら (grilled chicken Akira)

Not only beef and raw fish, chicken also has been often used in Japanese cooking for long years. We cook chicken in many ways, from raw as sashimi (!! very rare case) to fry, grill or minched dumpling. Yakitori (spitted chicken) is one of the most popular menu at cheap Izakaya restaurants, and the dish well matchs with a glass of beer.

Akira is also called Yakitori restaurant but their Yakitori is not like what we see at other restaurants. The casual restaurant in Marunouchi Brick Square (the newest commercial complex in the business ditrict) is specialized in traditional chicken dishes. Here we can find wide selections of chicken plates and different regions of chicken from legs, wings, skin, bone to heart! every parts we can eat... and they know the best way to enjoy the food.

Its main attraction is "grill yourself" style food. Fresh chicken meat, minched chiken dumpling (tsukune), vegetables are full on plates and all were grilled and eaten up by us! 

Several bottles of seasoning are set on the table; salt, two types of soya source (sweet or dry), local pepper paste etc. We can select one depending on food and our favor. For grilled chicken, maybe salt is the best to taste the fresh, fine quality meat.

At the end of the nice dinner, we cannot miss a kind of traditional chicken food in Japan.

"Raw egg with rice" (卵かけご飯) 

In Japan, we often have raw egg with rice. But at this restaurant, of course the home-like food is also someting special. The egg provided is "Versaille" brand from Kyushu region. (rarely available and must be expensive) It is very fresh and high quality one.

Put a few drops of soya sauce into the egg bowl, broke and mix it well. Then put the egg sauce on a bowl of rice. It could look like cheese risotto.

Anyway I recommend trying this in Japan, if you have never had raw egg

Restaurant name: AKira Marunouchi

Address: Marunouchi Brick Square B1 floor, Park Building, 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo