Dining Like a Boss: Lunch in a Ryotei

A ryotei is a high class, luxurious traditional Japanese restaurant that used to cater to the heads of powerful clans in the Edo Period and government officials. It is also called "caretaker tearooms" because clan members usually bring their guests in these establishments for a private meeting. While geishas used to accompany customers in the past, the ryotei eventually became just a restaurant in the recent decades. Geishas might have disappeared in the scene but hospitable serving ladies called nakai still make sure that customers are well-attended during their stay. All the nakais are under the okami or the lady of the house who is usually the wife of the owner. A ryotei usually serves a multi-course traditional Japanese meals called kaiseki. It is a full course meal that is prepared only by people who have garnered years of expertise in preparing this food. 

The interior of the tatami room

During my recent trip to Kawagoe, I decided to try dining in one of these so-called "luxurious" restaurants and have a taste of the "good life" that former powerful feudal lords used to experience. (See this post to read about my day trip in Kawagoe). I decided to have lunch in Kou Sushi, a ryotei that boasts more than 100 years of expertise in preparing and serving kaiseki, specializing specifically on sushi. 

Kou Sushi first opened in 1901. It opened with only a few counter seats. At present, they have a 10-seater counter that is reminiscent of its humble beginnings. The place also has private rooms where families and friends can gather for special occasions. These rooms have a wonderful view of the finely sculpted Japanese garden. It also has an ordinary tatami room with regular tables and chairs. 

As soon as I entered the place, I was warmly welcomed by a nakai standing on the genkan. I removed my shoes, placed it on the racks and put on a clean pair of slippers. The nakai led me to the tatami room with regular chairs and tables. I asked if they had available private rooms but the nakai told me that this is the only room available for lunch. I arrived around 12nn and was lucky because I was the first one in the room. I got to pick the nicest table in the room, a four-seater table overlooking the Japanese garden all to myself. 

This ryotei offers very cheap lunch menus. They have soba and tempura sets for only Y1,700. I ordered the sushi set, which costs Y2,300. I originally wanted to order the sashimi set I saw on their website but the nakai that they only offer it during weekends. For my sushi set, I was asked to pick two side dishes and a dessert. I chose tempura and a pork dish for my side dishes and a kind of sweets made of sweet potato that is famous in Kawagoe. A beverage is also included in the meal. You can choose from beer, black tea or orange juice. 

the dessert made of sweet potato

After 15-20 minutes of waiting, my food finally arrived and it is so much worth the wait. The fishes on the sushi are super fresh; the pork was super tender the fat was melting in my mouth; and the tempura was crispy on the outside but very soft and tender inside. After I finished my meal, the nakai served my dessert. I requested for a cup of black tea, which she generously served me. Honestly, I am not a fan of sweet potatoes but this dessert was so good I finished it after only a few scoops!

Dining in a ryotei is an experience that is not meant to be missed by people traveling in Japan, not only for its excellent food, but also for the kind of service it offers. The staff are very warm and hospitable. Now that I have tried what it is like dining in a ryotei and after knowing that it won't really cost you an arm and a leg (though some exclusive ones would probably do!), I would definitely do it again and again!

See this post for the Best Ryoteis in Kawagoe.

Cafes in Takadanobaba: Miyama Cafe by Cafe Renoir

Miyama Cafe is situated in the basement of Takadanobaba Station near the Tozai Line. It is one of the cafes under the Ginza Renoir group. Cafe Renoir, which is the more popular of the chains, is quite expensive compared to other coffee shops in Tokyo. Another cafe called Doutor offers cheap coffees for half the price of a small cup in Cafe Renoir. Miyama Cafe like it's sister cafe operates within that price range. It caters to salarymen and office ladies who can pay a little more a cup of coffee. The coffee they serve does not disappoint though and the soft cushions make your afternoon tea time more comfortable. 

Thumbs up: It has solo booths that have a power plug under for people who want to study, work on their computer or read something for a couple of hours. The shop also has a free wife that customers can use for a maximum of three hours. 

Thumbs down: Because there is no division between the smoking and non-smoking areas, the smell of cigarette is floating all around the room. It can make you nauseous after a couple of hours of breathing in other people's second hand smoke. 

Recommendations: For those after non-caffeinated drinks, try Miyama's chai tea. 

Asian Dishes at Roppongi Hills: Green Asia

Nasi Goreng with Red Curry

If you're up for Asian dishes like Thai curry, Nasi Goreng or Tom Yum, this is a perfect place for lunch. Situated on Hill Side B1 of Roppongi Hills, this place not only serves good food but also provides a good view of the Tokyo Tower. The veranda is also open if you want to feel the warm Summer breeze while consuming your curry. Average cost of food is Y2,000 but they also have equally tasty lunch menus that is a little more affordable. 

A good view of the Tokyo Tower from Green Asia

Cafes in Tokyo: Good Morning Cafe

This cafe situated only nine minutes away from Waseda Station is a small cozy cafe that is suitable for having coffee with friends or eating out with the family. It has a wide selection of beverages from coffee to alcohol, offers meals too like pasta and has tasty pastries like waffles and pancakes. 

Thumbs up: It has a large window though that allows you to people watch when you are bored working on your computer or if you just want to watch the rain fall as you construct a poetic sentence in your mind. 

Thumps down: While it is also a good place to work with your computer, there are limited power plugs around the place. There are a few under the counter seats but the high chairs are not that comfy when you are planning to stay and work for a couple of hours in the cafe. 

Recommendations: Try the blueberry waffle! It is perfect with a cup coffee on a rainy day. 

Where to Eat in Tokyo: Cafe Chopin

Counter seats at Cafe Chopin

Cafe Chopin is a small cafe near the Tokyo Sky Tree. It is five minutes away from the station by foot. It is easy to miss the cafe even though it is along a main road because it is a small place amidst a residential area and its window blinds are often down because of the scorching sun in the afternoon. 

An piano organ on display inside the cafe

As the name suggests, it is music-themed cafe. It got it's name from (surprise!) Chopin, a Polish composer and pianist. The staff told us that the owner of the cafe is a big fan of Chopin. You can hear classical music playing when you enter the cafe. On the second floor of the same building is a music school where the owner teaches piano. The interior of the cafe is simple yet stylish. It has black and red for its theme - tables and chairs and things on display included. There is also an old piano organ on display on the far end of the room. I wonder if someone plays that sometimes. The place is kind of minimalist but even without its elaborate decorations, it is able to provide a relaxing and calm ambiance for people who are looking for a place to chill and relax, may it be in the middle of the day or in the late afternoon.

Green curry lunch set with potato salad

Though the cafe mostly offers coffee and tea, they also have a lunch menu that costs around Y1000. They have a green curry lunch set for people who would like to eat rice for lunch and a pasta set for those who would prefer otherwise. 

For those who would like to shun the crowds at the Tokyo Sky Tree, try roaming around the streets outside the station and you might surprisingly find small cafes like Cafe Chopin who could offer an alternative to the crowded cafe inside the mall. 

A Geek's Afternoon Walk at Nakano Broadway

Today, I decided to go for a walk at Nakano Broadway, a four-story building outside the South Exit of Nakano Station - a so-called haven for geeks of all ages and interests like me. Here you can find shops selling different kinds of goods that cater to different fan bases and collector groups. There are those selling anime and manga goods, from figurines to very old collectible cards; idol goods such photos, concert goods, CDs/DVDs, and other memorabilia; manga, books and magazines, both new and secondhand; clothing stores selling costumes for cosplay or everyday street wear; vintage shops selling dolls, accessories and collectibles; and other specialty stores catering to specific interests like train model kits, create-your-own-doll-kits, and vintage samurai film posters from the 1960s.

Entrance to an otaku wonderland

Akihabara is the first place that pops into mind when the word anime is mentioned. Indeed, Akihabara is home to a lot of specialty stores catering to different otaku subcultures. However, if you don't want to get lost in that bigger world called Akihabara, you can just wander around Nakano Broadway (I warn you, it is a jungle in itself!). As expected, you can spot an anime and manga shop after every two shops, sometimes, they are right next to each other you don't know where to go first! I must admit I got so overwhelmed I din't get to take a lot of photos! 

A cosplay shop

Of course when we talk about anime, along comes with it is cosplay. There are specialty shops in Nakano Broadway that sells not only costumes but also accessories. So if you are into cosplay and you want to add amazing details to your costume, you might want to drop by in these shops and purchase your much-needed sunglasses, pin, hair accessories and other important pieces to complete your ensemble.

Gacha gacha land

Dragon Ball Z gacha gacha

I am addicted to gacha gacha machines, I can't help myself from trying it once I saw one. When I passed by this shop, I was so excited I didn't know what to try until I found my pick at the bottom of the row. The last time I tried gacha gacha (and yes, it was also a Dragon Ball Z gacha gacha), I spent thousands of yen because I couldn't get Vegeta's 3D sticker! So I dropped two Y100 coins into the machine and waited for my toy to come out but it didn't! I didn't know if the machine was broken or what but I feel too lazy to talk to the guy in Japanese and tell him that his machine ate my precious Y200 and there were a lot of people too asking him questions. So I just let it pass and I lost Y200 and a precious chance to get a DBZ memorabilia! Maybe it's also a good thing because the heavens thought that I might overspend again if I didn't get Vegeta the first try.

Baseball goods

Create-your-own-doll Shop

I also found a store that sells baseball memorabilia and oh boy, these items are so precious it will really make you spend Y60,000 for a signed ball. Another interesting shop sells different toy body parts that you can use to create your own doll. A head or a torso costs around Y1600.

A table full of V6 goods

I also went inside some shops that sell idol goods but I didn't find anything good to purchase but I was so happy to find this table especially dedicated for V6! The shop is even playing one of their old concerts and there was a message on top of the TV greeting Morita Go a happy birthday! When I went to another shop, there was also another girl who was so engrossed in selecting nice photos of Okada Junichi, I wasn't able to look at it! 

sushi shop outside Nakano Broadway

Bar Zingaro in Nakano Broadway

There are also a lot of restaurants inside Nakano Broadway, which I must say I was surprised to find because I thought that this building is all for anime and manga goods. I decided to have an early dinner at one of the sushi places right outside Nakano Broadway. You can find it at the end of the long stretch of shops right before you enter the main building.

One cafe that is definitely worth a visit is Bar Zingaro, a cafe on the second floor of the building. This cafe was produced by the company Fuglen togethr with contemporary Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, who recently had his exhibit at Mori at Museum. See my post here. Takashi Murakami opened Bar Zingaro as the latest addition to the Zingaro Galleries, a chain of contemporary art galleries that he is running in Nakano Broadway such as Kaikai, Hidari, Ox and Pixiv.

If you are into more artsy fartsy stuff, you can have your caricature drawn by a young artist outside Nakano Station. She looked so happy when she was drawing this other girl. 

A small alley outside Nakano Broadway

A young caricature artist outside Nakano Station

However, if you are feeling a little adventurous, you can explore the smaller alleys around Nakano Broadway that can lead you to more interesting and quainter cafes and restaurants that are off the beaten path.

Delicious looking bread at Paul Saint-Germaine

You can also explore the other side of the station by passing under the train tracks and going to the North Exit side. There are other shops and restaurants around that area. Not very far from the station is Paul Saint-Germaine, a bakery that sells fresh and delicious bread. Even though I just had an early dinner, I bought a few pieces of bread when I saw the bakery. I guess, that is how good the bread looks like. It's so inviting! So whether you're planning to buy something or just want to look around and amuse yourself with what weird things people get crazy about, then going to Nakano Broadway for an afternoon walk is a good idea to kill time.

China House Keikarou: Aiba Mama's Restaurant

I have been wanting to visit the Chinese restaurant owned by Aiba Masaki's parents in Chiba so when a window opened in my schedule and a friend was coming to Tokyo, I quickly grabbed the opportunity. It was truly a fangirl escapade.

From Tokyo, take the JR Sobu line to Makuharihongo station. It takes less than an hour from Akihabara. On the train, we were greeted by the happy faces of our boys. Of course, we didn't miss the chance to take a photo with them. It was so funny because my friend and I wanted to take a picture beside Aiba's photo but then an old man was standing beside it for the longest time. We were waiting for the old man to get off the train so we can run to the ad and take our souvenir photo. Fortunately, the man got off one station before our stop so we quickly made our positions and take our shots!


There is only exit at Makuharihongo Station. Take that exit, turn left and walk down this long road up to the stoplight. While we were walking, I wondered what was it like growing up for Aiba in this quiet town. I could imagine him getting of this same station when he was around 16 or 17 after a rehearsal. Kame, Nino and Aiba referred to themeselves as "Sobu Line Team" because they all take the Sobu Line home.

If you go a little further along this road, you'll spot a convenience store on your left side. My friend said that Aiba once mentioned staying in the convenience store nearest his house one time because there were a lot of fangirls outside their house so he couldn't go back home and had to kill time somewhere.


At the stoplight, cross the pedestrian to the other side of the road. Go straight ahead that street until you reach a very quiet residentiala area. After a 3-5 minute walk, you will spot a large signboard saying "Chinahouse Keikarou." It is a very ordinary looking-building can be mistaken as one of the houses. If you peek at the side of the restaurant, you can see that it is attached to large house. It is said that this is the house of Aiba's parents.


When we arrived at the restaurant, I was expecting to find some Arashi/Aiba related displays but to my disappointment, all of the goods were already removed. Previous blog posts stated that there were baby pics of Aiba, a record book where you could write a message for Aiba and other fan related stuff. But now, this Kirin ad is the only remaining Arashi stuff in restuarant. Instrumental versions of Arashi songs were also playing in the background while we were eating. On our way out, we found this other small memorabilia hiding behind the door!


With our limited kanji skills, we decided to order the set meal. The menu is in Japanese so it is quite difficult to order specific dishes. There are also dishes that are for sharing. If you can read Kanji, it is better to order food for sharing so you can sample different specialities offered by the restaurant. Most of the fangirls who had been here recommended the kaarage.

This seafood set meal costs Y1,680. It already includes appetizer, soup, spicy tofu, the main dish, rice, manju with a cute buta face, hot tea and lychees for dessert. i can say that the food is really worth the price. I was so full after eating all of those delicious food!


There are also other Keikarou goods that you can buy as souvenirs. They are not Arashi related but they might still be worth your money - they have jasmine tea, pudding, and manjus.

Places to Visit in Tokyo: Gundam Cafe in Akihabara

If you're a fan of the Gundam franchise, then this cafe is a must visit. But even if you're not, it is still worth seeing what a themed cafe in japan looks like.

Coffe art

there's a large screen playing the opening and ending themes of different gundam series

Ootoya

Ootoya is a chain restaurant in Tokyo that offers Japanese dishes for a reasonable price. Meals range from Y700-Y1300.

My favorite is this traditional Japanese dessert with vanilla ice crean, red bean, and green tea mochi.

Niku Shokudou

Niku Shokudou is a small restaurant near the Takadanobaba Station that specializes in sizzling hamburger steaks. A set meal consists of rice, salad and a sizzling hamburger steak costs around Y800.  

What amazes me is how you cook the burger patty. There's a small round black metal on your plate where you can put a piece of the burger and wait until it cooks. Brilliant isn't it? Most of us are having trouble getting the correct texture of the meat we order: some like rare, medium-rare or well done. Having this small tool right on our plates solves the problem right away. We won't have the right to complain if we don't like the texture of the meat because we cooked it ourselves. ;) 

  

To get there, take the JR Yamanote Line and get off at Takadanobaba Station. Go to the Waseda Exit and find Becks Coffee (right beside the JR ticket office). From Becks Coffee, cross the street and walk straight ahead towards a long line of restaurants and cafes. Walk for a minute or two and you'll find the restaurant on your left side. Be careful though because the entrance to the restaurant easy to miss because it's so small and hardly noticeable. I posted the photo of the entrance above as your guide. The restaurant  is on the basement of this restaurant. It's quite small with only a few tables and chairs.

TIP:
For the hungry wolves though, this is not the place to go because preparing the order and cooking it might take a long time. But if you have time to spare for a good talk with a friend or a few laughs with the stranger on the next table, waiting will not be so bad.

Cafe La Boheme in Yokohama

Cafe La Boheme is a restaurant chain in Japan that offers Italian food - pasta, pizza and good wine. This branch of Cafe La Boheme is situated right outside the exit of the Motomachi-Chukugai station in the Minato Mirai Line. 

Even upon entering the restaurant, the ambiance is quite cozy. The setting appears pretty upscale at first look - brick walls, hanging chandeliers and dim lights. There's even a playlist of soothing music playing in the background. However, despite the very regal interior, the prices of the food are very affordable. A plate of pasta costs around Y700-1200 yen, while a platter of pizza costs Y1200 yen. The serving of the pasta is good enough for one person but the pizza is quite small. The four slices of pizza are only good for two people. Four people can share the pizza, like what we did, but each person can only taste a very small portion of it.

The staff are also very friendly. This chef even gave me a peace sign when he saw me taking a picture of the kitchen (too bad I didn't get to catch that adorable peace sign that he made). Some of the dining staff are also foreigners so they can speak fluent English that makes ordering very convenient. The only hassle that we encountered is the extremely long waiting time. We had to wait for around twenty to thirty minutes (or maybe more) before our food is served!

There is also a very good selection of wine that you can choose from if you want a soothing beverage to pair with what you ordered.

I ordered a plate of Genovese worth Y800 yen (i think). The pasta, though very oily, tastes very good. The taste of the herbs are so strong in your palette.

The serving of the roasted chicken is so big that it can be shared by two people.


We also ordered a plate of fruity desserts, which might have taken a century before it arrived, but it was worth the wait.

Because of Cafe La Boheme's relaxing ambiance, it is a good place for people who want to talk and catch-up. It is quiet with just a soft music in the background, the food is good but very affordable and the staff are nice, though the service is a little slow. It's a good place that is worth the money you pay for.