raji

Bekan Teppanyaki in Wanchai

You know what, you have to forgive me for even defining a neighborhood. That's just stupid. It's been 10 years since I've lived there for any substantial amount of time, so pardon my transgression. Thanks to the subway, I can be anywhere pretty quickly. Kagurazaka seems like a great dining neighborhood which we walked to in about 20 minutes, so I'm going to check you recommendations out. So, apply my original question to ALL of Tokyo west of the palace... and the east side too as I'll be in Yurakocho 3 days in a row... What can't I miss?! I only have 5 days! Sucks!

Does anyone value Zagats as much as I do for funneling all the knuckleheads into the same places? BTW I'm in Hong Kong now, and I'm assuming I pretty much have to wander Flushing to have a taste of what I have here... or is our own Manhattan Chinatown finally getting better?

Great info so far... any neighborhod is fine - what else is good near ushigome yanagicho?

Thanks anna!! - the last 2 sound really good. I'll be in Japan next week so I can skip Japanese for the most part, although my friend operates a really good teppan/izakaya style restaurant in Wan Chai -

Hi guys - Some of you might know me from posts about Japanese food over the years or my little chapter in Steve Shaw's exceptional book, Asian Dining Rules - click here: http://www.amazon.com/Asian-Dining-Rules-Strategies-Restaurants/dp/0061255599/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309498154&sr=8-1-fkmr0 Search Inside: Raji I've been returning with increasing frequency to Tokyo. Unfortunately, between harried meetings, tradeshows, setteis, and restarateurs in Japan I already have longstanding friendships with, I actually get to do very little exploratory dining . This is also the case, I think I may have only 1 lunch and 1 dinner I can actually decide a place, but in case it is more, I am looking for recommendations. So... I'm staying in Ushigome Yanagicho, which is near Akebanebashi and obstensibly Ichigaya. Office/meetings will be Yurakacho and Akasaka areas. What I'm really looking for is... well - I lived there 2000-2002, returning frequently since then. I live in NY which, if you've read some of my old posts, I am able to pretty much get whatever I want or need Japanese food-wise due to the huge issei population. So what I'm looking for is - What's new/modern/newly modernized old/newly old/old but newly discovered in Tokyo, that I can't get in NY, that's trended in the past several years? Just looking to fill in the gaps of my Japan gastro experience. Yakiniku I'm set - but pretty much anything else is game Really appreciate the help - ラジ

Hi guys, NY egulleter here, mostly focused on Japanese food but certainly other Asian food - staying on Queen's Road East - obviously close enough to the MTR or bus, but are there additional places in Wan Chai I shouldn't be missing? Definitely looking for variety in terms of regional Chinese. Looking for the best Hainan chicken, best roast/peking duck, and obviously following your recomendations here, gonna head to the apex of Eigh Happiness, Lei Garden and 298 today, would love to hear what else I shouldn't miss....got a few days to kill here with the national holiday

Donburiya, Aburiya, Soba Totto, Sakagura are all solid if you want to sit down to your onigiri or want yaki-onigiri

Yeah that's daikon oroshi..... great on the side, the problem is Hagi can load it up on top so by the time it's served, the katakuriko is soaked through. Ippudo's rendition is probably the best but at Aburiya or I think Kyoya you will obviously find slamming version of this very simple izakaya staple Unless the fish was off the specials menu, I think it's a mackeral

Wafuu-chuuka Also as known as - not Wakiya :-(

If going to Lexington, then - my favorite South Indian is still Saravanaas, at 26th and lex, and then my friend Jun offers the city's ONLY wafuu-chuuka (Japanese-ingredient and prep- Chinese food) at Saburi at 30th and Lex. They're open for lunch Tuesday through Friday. It's hot out, go there, get a hiyashi-chuuka and relive my childhood. It's really great on a hot day. Or any of the other noodles for that matter, some of their spicier ramen being what I enjoy

Glad you found that place - that is the only Japanese worth going to in Times Square. I see you ordered almost exclusively tapas-style, but you should really try the salads and order off the specials chalkboard, and try some of the homestyle dishes. N.B. Hagi is part of the East restaurant group so you can find similar at the East restaurants, which aren't half-bad to be honest, for what they are. A lot of what you ordered, try it out at Aburiya Kinnosuke or Yakitori Totto for another level, but price-wise too P.S. I have polished off a bottle of shochu on my own here watching baseball and acting pretty rowdy. So I've been here a lot

So you were the odd man out with your jacket. I'm of the no shirt, no shoes, no service variety. Honestly if a restaurant is good i'm not gonna notice or care about the morbidly obese lady in jogging pants 2 tables away. I know there was a time and place for formal dining but I think that ship has sailed. Conversely, the attire at weddings and bar mitzvahs does not add to my dining experience at all!

That wasn't my experience. I thought that branch of Meskerem was great! The best Ethiopian food I've ever had! We got the Meskerem Combo, the Vegetarian Combo, and Doro Wat (a chicken leg dish). The injera was really nicely sour, and everything was really tasty; my only slight criticism is that the chicken leg was kind of dry. We also shared a bottle of Tej, which we really liked and found deliciously fruity, with a pleasant honey aftertaste. The place is a real winner, and I will definitely be back. The cost including tip was a bit over $90 all told. And the service was very nice. Incidentally, we had initially planned on going to Queen of Sheba, but left when they wouldn't seat us (a party of 3) at a 4-top. In fairness, they said it was reserved, so I'm not criticizing them. ← So you think Meskerem is better than Queen of Sheba or you haven't been to both?

Actually now that I think back the most I think I paid there ordering omakase was around $70 to $90 - maybe $150 was for 2. I wonder what happened to that guy too, he was pretty nice. I like going to Sushi places where you don't feel like you are paying off a massive renovation.

No one would ever tell you that you should STFU raji. Do report back, however. ← I'm preparing myself for a Shimizu-like experience - nothing mindblowing but very dependable edomae nigirizushi served in an understated environment. Omakase should clock in around $150, which is around what I used to spend at Esashi.

186 views and no responses tells me I should STFU and report back....developing...

Anybody else ever been? This place seems to be completely off the map net-wise but I've been told to go there by reliable friends in the Japanese community who've promised me the corner in front of the head chef. I have to host 2 others for a business dinner Tuesday night, and so I was hoping to report back to my fine friends here on eGullet. Will it break into my top 10?

Noodle Pudding on Henry St. is still putting out great dishes

So the kids are all from NC? Based on your original post, for all I know they are from Long Island. In which case BBQ would be fantastic. Either way I wouldn't expect them to understand the subway and buses within a short trip. Take them to John's unless you have a bus arranged.... ← I'm shocked that Raji hasn't suggested one of our fine ramen establishments Would that work? ← Which part of 40-60 didn't you get???

So the kids are all from NC? Based on your original post, for all I know they are from Long Island. In which case BBQ would be fantastic. Either way I wouldn't expect them to understand the subway and buses within a short trip. Take them to John's unless you have a bus arranged....

Daisy Mae's.

It was an extravagant mid-town nightclub that was popular at the same time, but it was only open for a few years. I was joking that you went there because that dates it precisely when the China Grill was at it's pinnacle.

I don't think you missed anything... did you go to Club USA afterwards? ;-)