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/

Mr. Waffle ミスターワッフル@Tokyo ★★★

Must-Try Waffle in Tokyo. Chocolate flavor was very rich and flavorful. Green Tea and Red Bean flavor were the perfect combination. Be patient and wait in line for the goodies.

Fondant Chocolate (Winter Special) 450 yen ($3.75 USD)

Uji Green Tea Adzuki Beans Waffle 190 yen ($1.50 USD)

Mr. Waffle ミスターワッフル
JR新宿東南口出てすぐ ルミネ新宿２入口
〒160-0022
東京都新宿区新宿3-38-2
ルミネ新宿２-１F
+81 3 3345 5737
mr-waffle.com

Chikuyoutei Ginza 竹葉亭 銀座店@Tokyo ★

Traditional Unagi Restaurant in Ginza. People already lined up outside of the restaurant before it opened. Unagi was not as fatty as I thought. I think I am used to the more fatty ones in United States. Service wasn't very nice.  My favorite Unagi restaurant is 肥前屋 in Taiwan.

肥前屋
www.syorithefoodie.com/2014/12/hizen-ya-unadon-speciality-shoptaiwan.html

Unagi Don 2625 yen ($22 USD)

Squid and Uni 540 yen ($4.50 USD)

Eel Liver Clear Soup 324 yen ($2.75 USD)

Chikuyoutei Ginza 竹葉亭 銀座店
5-8-3 Ginza Chuo Tokyo
東京都 中央区 銀座 5-8-3
03-3571-0677 (+81-3-3571-0677)