About food in Japan

Soba noodle at Kanda Matsuya (神田まつや)

This is our year end post of 2011. So it is about what Japanese people have at the end of a year.

As our previous post about Soba, in Japan we have a custom to have soba noodle on the night of 31st December, wishing healthy long life like soba noodle. It is called "toshikoshi soba"(年越しそば, year crossing noodle). It is not fixed style or ingredient for toshikoshi soba so it is arranged with topping as each people like.

Inspiring from soba noodle, today we introduce a traditional soba restaurant in central Tokyo. It gets the most number of guests on the 31st December every year. Even not on the year end date, people often make a queue in front of the restaurant in order to get a bowl of nice hand-made noodle.

Kanda Matsuya (神田まつや) is located in business district of Awajicho (淡路町).  It is also accessible by walk from Akihabara electronic town. Standing on the side of Yasukuni-dori (靖国通り) street, one of main road of Tokyo, the exterior appears appropriate as a soba restaurant with over a hundred year history. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside of the restaurant as well, it won't disappoint visitors' expectation. The space is like a "time trip" to good-old-day in Japan. Also you may find skillful staff making soba noodle by hand.

Kanda Matsuya offers various versions of soba. Many of them are noodle and soup in bowl and one or more ingredient on top of it, typical ones for example deep-fried bean curd, eggs, chicken or curry. The price range is from Yen 600 for the simplest noodle bowl to Yen 2000 with large tempura pieces, depending on ingredients.

 

What I had here is Oyako-namban (親子南ばん, chicken and egg)

that is rare to find in other soba restaurants.  

 

 

Soba noodle is generally light in volume and easily digested food. It is also a good option to have it for lunch, while you have a plan of big dinner on evening or when you had too much on the last evening. 

Related post:

Soba (そば、蕎麦、Japanese buckwheat noodle) 

 http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/12/soba-japanese-b.html 

 

 

Restaurant name: Kanda Matsuya (神田まつや)

Address: 1-13 Kanda Sudacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Official website: http://kanda-matsuya.jp/

大きな地図で見る

High cost performance Sushi restaurant - Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨)

We really wonder whether this post should be for "casual Japanese restaurant" or "luxury" one. Finally it is categorized for both, as this information must be worthwhile for those

who looks for casual Japanese dining

as well as 

who seeks for upscale dining.

 

Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨) provides sushi menu made with fresh high quality seafood sent from Tsukiji fish market, as Sushi Ten (すし天) the luxury Sushi restaurant under the same operator does. High quality sushi does never mean that they are just pieces of raw seafood on top of rice. Each piece of sushi and side dishes are well and carefully prepared in each different way by professional chef who knows the best way to enjoy each of those seafood. The Sushi course by Manten Sushi must be enough high standard to satisfy those who expect the best sushi dishes in Tokyo, while the price Yen 5250 for chef's recommendation dinner course is nothing more than ones for casual sushi dining.The cost performance level is amazing even for us, Tokyo residents... 

The high-cost-performance sushi restaurant is situated on the underground floor of Marunouchi Brick Square that is 5-minute walk from JR Tokyo station. Like other typical sushi restaurants, seats of Manten Sushi are placed around the wooden counter behind which sushi cooks are working for your fantastic dishes. The space is not so big and never be spacious but is comfortable because of attentive staff, lively atomosphere and wooden interior decoration.

 

 

 For dinner and lunch, the restaurant provides "chef's recommendation course" only, which consists of some side dishes and sushi plates with carefully selected seasonal ingredients. As long you secure seat at the small capacity restaurant, you do not have to hover around sushi ingredient list. Trust the chef's choice and enjoy the great sushi menu    

 

 

Restaurant name: Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨)

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

Website: http://www.manten-sushi.com

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Would you like to make a booking for Manten Sushi?

Dining Experience Planner service helps you with making advance reservation for restaurants in Japan. For more information, please visit the site:

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com/dining-experience-planner---restaurant-proposal-service.html

 

 

Hidden luxury oasis in Roppongi - The Ritz-Carlton Cafe & Deli

Anyone believes that it is very expensive to have even a cup of coffee at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. The cafe would break such preconceptions.

The Ritz-Carlton Cafe & Deli is accommodated in luxury shopping complex "Tokyo Midtown" in central Roppongi. Of course it is a part of the sophisticated upscale hotel. While most of the hotel's facilities are on the 45th or upper floors of the building, Cafe & Deli is situated on the ground (1st) floor. It is easily accessible from exterior of the building or other parts of Tokyo Midtown. No psychological barrier can be felt to visit one of the most luxury accommodation in Tokyo, as long as you are appropriately dressing for it.

The price of coffee is nothing change from ones at Starbucks and other coffee shops. For its lunch set, the price starts from Yen 1000 for sandwich and coffee. Considering the quality and service level provided there, as you can imagine, it is really value for money choice.

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy a graceful moment with high quality light meal or sweets at the Ritz-Carlton but only with small amount of investment!

Some food and drinks are also available for take-away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cafe name: The Ritz-Carlton Cafe & Deli

Addess: Tokyo Midtown 9-7-1, Akasaka, Tokyo

Website: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Tokyo/Dining/Cafe_Deli/Default.htm

Michelin Guide Tokyo 2012 published

On the 2nd December, Michelin guide Tokyo Yokohama Kamakura Shonan 2012  was published in Japanese and English. In the 5th year version guide, it includes total 292 restaurants, all with at least one-star *, situated in Tokyo and surrounding area.

Other facts about the guide's selection are:

Research area has been expanded in Kanagawa-prefecture to Shonan Pacific coast side cities, in addition to Yokohama and Kamakura.

Among the 292 Michelin star restaurants, 17 are for 3-star *** and 56 for 2-star**.

Over 40% of restaurants offer meal at budget less than Yen 5000.

Almost 70% of restaurants are for Japanese cuisine in various cateogries from Kaiseki, sushi, sukiyaki (beef hot pot), tenpura, yakitori, soba noodle etc.

54 of 1-star restaurants are "new face".   

 

Along with Michelin Kyoto Osaka Kobe Nara 2012 , in Japan total 32 restaurants are awarded as 3-star. The number of 3-star restaurants in Japan exceeds the ones (25) in France, the origin of the restaurant & hotel guide.

Again it is proved that Japan is one of the best gourmet country in the world

 

   

Facebook page About food in Japan launched!

Following our Twitter account @aboutfoodjapan, it is a great pleasure to announce About food in Japan Facebook page opened. 

In addition to acknowledge this blog update, more news, tips about food and other things in Japan will be posted more frequently. 

Of course your page subscription is much appreciated and feel free to share how you feel about them.

Let's keep in touch!!

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