Everything looks great, and that soft boiled fried egg!
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I’d seen pictures of these eggs and really wanted it. Couldn’t figure how to order it though. Fortunately, the egg was already part of the set.
I’d had Scotch Egg at Borough Market. This softly fried version is definitely more to my taste.
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I was ready for some western leaning food, wife not so ready. Compromised on a family fast casual restaurant offering hamburg steak to tuna tartar.
Shredded Chicken Salad and a Margarita Pizza for me. Seafood Udon for she. Huge English menus with pictures, ordering was simple via the tablet.
Lo and behold, a waitron whizzed by delivering food to another table. Whoa!!!
Sadly cannot upload the videos, screenshots give the idea. It was fun watching the robots maneuvering through the dining room to their designated tables, all the while avoiding staff, customers and other waitrons.
Food was serviceable, and we enjoyed the experience.
Scanned our bill at the front, paid with our Suica digital on the phone. This is our sixth day in country and ready for a bit of palate reset. Thinking of Chinese tonight. 
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Indeed. A food critic/writer once said the best of Japanese cooking is tempura: very fresh ingredient with the exactly right type and thickness of crispiness.
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We’ve been to quite a few Ichiran Ramen shops in Japan and have enjoyed every bowl. That said, Ippudo Ramen is fast becoming my favorite.
Servers are courteous and efficient. Tablet ordering with English allows us Gaijin to fully explore their menu, no FOMO here.
Ippudo offers combination sets. We both ordered Cha Siu with extra firm noodles. Hers came with Gyoza and Rice (???). Mine with Mentaiko (FishRoe) on Rice.
Side orders of Soft Boiled Eggs a nice add-on.
Ippudo branded condiments and Sesame seed grinder accents the meal. Delicious spicy Bean Sprouts, help yourself.
With one Draft Asahi, fill up the tank for less than usd$20. Will definitely rinse and repeat.
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Hoshino Coffee is a solid reliable stop to take a break or enjoy a light meal.
We’ll trained staff and calm ambiance.
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Having a great time checking out the many shopping/food streets throughout Tokyo. On this trip, partner has done the major lifting. I’m happy to tag along for the ride.
Yesterday, we beelined to this revolving sushi shop on a cute shopping street. The atmosphere was joyfully chaotic, staff singing out orders and welcomes in a most comforting din.
We ordered off the menu and posted specials. The 3 itamae were lightning fast and handed our pieces almost before we finished asking.
Ordered a slew of items: SeaGrapes, O-Toro, Uni, Flouder Wings, Milt, Chawanmushi (steamed Egg) and more.
All in all, we had 18 plates of food. 2 Drafts and 1 cold Sake.
USD $46.00.
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Made the pilgrimage to Shinjuku Golden Gai to pay homage to the Master of Midnight Diner.
Gateway to the network of six bar packed narrow alleys. Alas, couldn’t find The Diner!!
Lunched at a nearby Okinawan diner, all the while dreaming of Master’s simple masterpieces.
Goya Champuru (Bitter Melon), Ramen, Fatty Pork and Fried Rice. Okinawan classics, and N Orion Biru, of course.
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How come the menu is in ’ Chinese ’ and NOT Japanese?! 
Dunno. Can’t read either. No English menu also.
Very popular joint. Queues every time we walked by. Except the time we ate there.
Complimentary welcome cocktails at our final hotel of this trip.
Manhattan up and a Negroni. Manhattan with Luxardo Cherry. Negroni chilling with a single hand carved Ice Sphere.
Japanese cocktail game is strong 
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Tsukiji Fish Market was at pre-pandemic mob scene this past Saturday. The queue for our favorite eatery on the outer ring simply not palatable.
The weekday scene yesterday was much calmer, but our restaurant had already run out of Uni at 2pm!! Not taking any chances, we woke early and were the first customers of today.
The two ladies seemed tickled by our unbridled enthusiasm and smilingly worked with us to fill our order.
For me, the Uni set, of course.
The wife had Uni and Tuna Scrape on Rice.
Half a grilled to order Chub Mackerel completed the perfect Tsukiji meal.
We fly home tomorrow, but enjoyed a few scattered early bird Sakura Blossoms.
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That all looks great but the grilled chub mackerel especially.
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That’s a decent amount of uni 
Looks great!
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A generous tray of Hokkaido Uni for 4,000¥, usd$29.40. Always look forward to eating here whenever in Tokyo.
Tsukiji Outer Market was already mobbed with the pre-weekend tourist rush today This little shop has only Japanese menu and the workers spoke only Japanese. Not quite foreign tourist friendly, but still gets overflow at peak times.
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Gorgeous cherry blossoms. I almost booked a trip for March 2020 so that I’d see the cherry blossoms, but fate intervened and I travelled to Japan in January 2020 instead. Hopefully, I’ll be able to visit in the spring some day.
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That is a fantastic price! I purveyor I have used out of Portland, Maine right now is selling 2 4oz. trays for $94, retail. And that’s the local stuff, not Hokkaido.
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Yakiniku Banya
+81 3-5461-8710
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1ifUkC54L2Md1acK6?g_st=ic
Wandering through Tokyo alleyways at night is exotic and exhilarating. Final dinner at Yakiniku Banya.
Opted for 2x Tsuki set @ $6,000¥/pp. The “all you can drink” option @ $1,590¥ a no-brainer, in more ways than one.
Yakiniku is Japanese BBQ, grilled at table over Bintochan Charcoal.
Starters of Bean Sprouts, KimChee and Green Salad to complement the mains to come.
A bit of Wagyu stewed with Daikon.
A melange of Beef Tongue, Black Pig Toro, Skirt and a couple of good sized Shrimp.
Two types of Hormon: Intestine and Tendon.
The centerpiece of the meal, three different cuts of A5. Three seconds each side on the grill. Melt in mouth. Repeat.
We may have taken the “all you can drink” too literally. Started with HighBalls. Followed by Red Wine. Then ran through the Shochu selection. $1,590¥ well spent.
Ordered some Vegetables to finish our final dinner. Already planning a return trip!!
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