Yoshinoya 吉野家@Tokyo ★★★

Heavenly Beef Rice Bowl. Only at Yoshinoya in Japan (not the ones in United States). I like the Yoshinoya chains in Harajuku and Shibuya. I go to Yoshinoya every time I visit Tokyo. It's cheap and has superb beef quality, especially with the raw egg, which adds texture to the dish.

Beef Rice Bowl with Spring Onion and Egg (Small) 480 yen $4.25

Beef Sukiyaki with Egg and Rice 630 yen ($5.50 USD)

Yoshinoya (吉野家 ヨシノヤ ダイバーシティ東京プラザ店)
1-1-10 Aomi Koto Tokyo
東京都 江東区 青海 1-1-10 ダイバーシティ東京プラザ 6F
03-3527-6124 (+81-3-3527-6124)
mb.yoshinoya.com/y/map/info.php?sh_no=061414

Murakami Pop Up Cafe@Tokyo ★★★

Super Cute Murakami-Themed Pop-Up Cafe in Tokyo. Nice cafe to go to after finishing the Murakami exhibition at the Mori Art Museum. Ordered Murakami-themed items as many as I could. Unfortunately, some of the more interesting items like the Flower Omelet Rice or Flower Dessert were sold out already. Pop-up means limited time, so it's no longer there.

Flower Latte 650 yen ($5.75 USD)

Flower Burger 1,250 yen ($11 USD)
flower-pressed hamburger with fries and beans

b

Murakami Shop inside Cafe

This is HUGE!!

Ohana Cafe/ Hills Cafe ヒルズカフェ
6-10-1 Roppongi Minato Tokyo
東京都 港区 六本木 6-10-1 六本木ヒルズ 森タワー　ヒルサイド 2F
03-6406-6833 (+81-3-6406-6833)
www.roppongihills.com/shops_restaurants/restaurants/cafe/209550006.html

Moomin House Cafe@Tokyo Skytree ★★★

Dining with Moomin & Friends at Moomin Cafe. A wonderland for Moomin fans. Great food and great service. They rotate Moomin & friends around to dine with you, so that you can dine with different characters. It could be a long wait for the cafe in the daytime, but if you try going there later at night, there could be no line. The cafe is not located directly inside the Skytree building, so you will have to ask around to get there.

Hot Latte with Souvenir Cup 1,500 yen ($12.50 USD)

Homemade Pancake with Souvenir Moomin Figure 1,800 yen ($15.25 USD)

Chocolate Mousse, Berry Mousse, & Creme Brulee

Dining with Snufkin

Dining with Moomin

Moomin House Cafe ムーミンハウスカフェ 東京スカイツリータウン ソラマチ店
1-1-2 Oshiage Sumida Tokyo
東京都 墨田区 押上 1-1-2 東京ソラマチ 1F
03-5610-3063 (+81-3-5610-3063)
www.benelic.com/moomin_cafe

calbee+ カルビープラス@Tokyo Skytree ★★★

Great Snack at Tokyo Skytree Mall. Freshly made Potato Sticks. It's crispy, and it tasted really good. Calbee sells potato snacks at their shop. They also have a franchise in Harakuju.

Poterico Salad Potato Sticks 310 yen ($2.50 USD)

calbee+ カルビープラス
1-1-2 Oshiage Sumida Tokyo
東京都 墨田区 押上 1-1-2 東京ソラマチ 4F
+81 3 6658 8153
www.calbee.co.jp/calbeeplus/antenna/shop

Osechi Ryori お節料理@Tokyo ★★★

Amazing Multi-Course New Year Celebration at Home Stay in Tokyo. Impressive traditional Japanese home-cooking with 48 hours of preparation. Exquisite presentation. This tradition lasts for a few hours with endless food, alcohol, chatting, fun, and laughter. Lucky enough to have this lifetime experience.

First Course - Appetizer
yam, egg from Tsukiji, candied fish, salmon roe, egg, fishcakes, herring roe cubes

Egg from Tsukiji, Fish, Egg, Fishcakes

Bamboo Shoots, Sweet Peas, Konnyaku, Carrots, Lotus Roots

Sweet Beans

Salted Fish Covered with Salt

Breaking Open the Salted Fish "Shell" with a Wooden Hammer

Salted Fish after Breaking the Salted Shell

Endless Alcohol

Kirin Bitters 8% Vodka Hard Liquor with Lemon Lime

A Wide Selection of Sake Glasses to Choose from Like Traditional Japanese Restaurant

My Pick for the Day - Double Phoenix

Champagne

Salmon

Roasted Beef - the feast with a blend of Western Culture

Freshly Grated Wasabi

Rice Cake Soup with a Hint of Yuzu

The Amazing Watabiki Family with Great Hospitality

Japanese Floral Arrangement

Shiroichi 白一@Shibuya ★★★

Famous Super Long Milk Ice in Shibuya. I call it ice rather than ice cream, because it tasted more like ice. Ice that is very smooth and melts in your mouth. Definitely a landmark.

Shiroichi Cone 390 yen ($3.25 USD)

Shiroichi 白一
1-7-7 Jinnan Shibuya Tokyo
東京都 渋谷区 神南 1-7-7 アンドスビル2 1F
03-6416-5574 (+81-3-6416-5574)
www.shiroichi.com

Freshly Baked Melon Pan Ice Cream@Shibuya ★★★

Must-Try Melon Ice Cream Bun in Shibuya, Tokyo. Warm, cold, fresh, juicy, and crispy all-in-one. Just need to eat it skillfully. They also sell the bread crumbs for 300 yen.

Freshly Baked Melon Pan Ice Cream w/ Pineapple 450 yen ($3.75 USD)

The Line - about 10-minute-wait

Store Front

World’s Second Best Freshly Baked Melon Pan Ice Cream 世界で2番めにおいしい焼きたてメロンパンアイス 渋谷 公園通店
1-15-9 Jinnan Shibuya Tokyo
東京都 渋谷区 神南 1-15-9 岩瀬ビル
melonpan-ice.com

Ichiran 一蘭@Shibuya ★

Eating Ramen in Individual Study Room Like Cubical. About 45-minute-wait to get inside the restaurant. A bit stressful to order from the vending machine in a short time. Ramen was ok, but the experience was nice. The Green Tea Almond Tofu dessert was great.

Ramen + Half-Boiled Salted Egg 910 yen ($7.50 USD)

Green Tea Almond Tofu 390 yen ($3.25 USD)

Eating inside an Individual Cubical

Ordering from the Vending Machine

Filling out Desired Details for Your Ramen

Ichiran 一蘭 渋谷店
1-22-7 Jinnan Shibuya Tokyo
東京都 渋谷区 神南 1-22-7 岩本ビル　Ｂ１Ｆ
+81-3-3463-3667
www.ichiran.co.jp/english/html/kt_shibuya.html

Nanbantei Shinjuku 南蛮亭 新宿東口店@Tokyo ★★

Yakitori@Shinjuku Branch. Immediate reservations were fully booked, but we were able to walk in without any wait around 6:15pm. The Yakitori were decent. 12-piece-course is 3,100 yen ($25.50 USD). They have a minimum order of 1 course per person.

Green Perilla (Shiso) Leaf Wrapped w/ Pork, Asparagus Wrapped w/ Pork

Chicken Neck Meat, Chicken w/ Wasabi

Beef w/ Wasabi Sauce

Shitake Mushroom, Ginkgo Nuts

Chicken Wing, Prawn

Eggplant, Chicken & Green Onion, Chicken Meat Ball, Chicken Liver

Draft Beer 637 yen ($5.50 USD)

Nanbantei Shinjuku 南蛮亭 新宿東口店
3-28-7 Shinjuku Shinjuku Tokyo
東京都 新宿区 新宿 3-28-7
03-3354-0343 (+81-3-3354-0343)
r.gnavi.co.jp/g041700/