Food trip: Tasting my way around Tokyo

My love affair with Japanese food came later in my life. I remember I would cringe every time I would see my dad dip a slice of raw fish in wasabi-laced soy sauce and eat it in one big bite. Now that I have developed a more adventurous palate, I regret not trying sashimi earlier on.

I might have missed out on Japanese food for some years, but I believe it made me appreciate it more now. During my recent trip to Tokyo, food tripping was my main itinerary. I skipped DisneySea and Mt. Fuji in the name of food.

Despite my weary feet I trod along the city streets just to find the best ramen bar. I rode trains to reach the fish market and indulge in the best sushi I ever tasted in my life. To lessen the ordeal for Tokyo trippers, here are some of my food finds that you must try.

Sushi in the fish market

Our arrival coincided with Golden Week, a major holiday where some businesses were on break, including the Tsukiji Market. Though we didn’t see the thrilling tuna bidding wars, my hubby and I were able to check out nearby street food vendors and air-conditioned establishments. We started our food adventure by ordering seafood chow such as tuna sashimi chunks, steamed oysters, and grilled eel skewers.

Then we saw a long queue at a restaurant called Sushizanmai and we decided to find out what the fuss was all about. We waited in line under the hot sun for almost thirty minutes until we got a space in the sushi bar area. The tuna sushi platter was worth the wait. It was the first time my lips tasted fatty tuna and loved it. It was as fresh as it could get—there was no fishy taste. The meat melted in my mouth like butter!

Japan has ruined me. Now that I’m back home, I don’t know where I can find sushi of that quality.

Yakitori and beer at an izakaya den

Our hotel in Shinjuku was just walking distance from a restaurant row where we discovered an izakaya (casual drinking place) den called Torigen, where we immediately ordered grilled chicken skewers and local brew. Chicken cartilage and liver were on the menu, but we went for the more familiar items. The scrumptious skewered treats were easy to eat, especially since we chugged it down with local beer.

Instant food at c-stores

Budget travelers would find these 24-hour stores a haven for food finds and even personal care products. From small sushi bites to chicken karaage, you can lose yourself in c-stores like 7-11, Family Mart, and Lawson. My hubby grabbed a beer of each kind, while I sampled some flavored shocho (a distilled beverage) and chips.

Before our flight back, we bought some pantry staples like Japanese mayonnaise, katsu sauce, chili oil, and chili flakes with sesame seeds. It you’re in search for affordable snacks, this is definitely the place to be.

Matcha and mocha mania

There’s more to Japan than green tea Kit-Kat. The matcha (green tea) flavor is present in various sweet delights like ice cream and mochi. It was springtime when we went—not quite ice cream weather, but I just had to grab a cone of matcha ice cream and unleash my inner child.

I felt the same way when I saw a gigantic mochi topped with strawberry in the fish market. I couldn’t walk away without buying one to go. And at one café, I ordered matcha latte that was served with cool coffee art. The flavor was pretty strong—I think I would’ve liked plain warm green tea better.

Ramen bars

Of course I couldn’t leave Tokyo without dining at an authentic ramen bar. My hubby and I lined up for a good 20 minutes or so at this popular place called Ichiran in Shibuya. Once inside, we had to choose our order through a vendo machine that gave us a food stub. The server handed us a form to choose our preferred degree of spiciness, amount of green onions, and other small details. We waited for two vacant seats beside each other before we settled down for the meal of our lives. It was a counter set-up and we had one cubicle each that had dividers on each side.

In a matter of minutes, a steaming bowl of chashu (braised pork) ramen was placed in front of me. Its aroma quickly enticed me to take a slurp of the scorching soup and it was heaven at first slurp. The rich broth was savory and the noodles still had some bite to it. The solo cubicle allowed me to concentrate on my food alone—conversations were hardly exchanged between my and my partner as we savored our meal. I’m a slow eater and I felt a bit pressured to finish quickly since I knew there were people still in line outside. But since it was my first time there and I was on vacation, I took my time to appreciate this divine dining experience.

Coffee and cheesecake

The thriving coffee culture in Japan is apparent with the number of coffee shops you’ll see around town. St. Marc Café has become our favorite because of its reasonably priced cup of Joes coupled with desserts like choco cro (chocolate croissant). We were also able to sample the drip coffee at Hoshino Coffee in Roppongi where I tasted the best Japanese cheesecake ever that had a light, moist, and pillowy texture.

I thought five days was enough time to go food tripping in Tokyo, but I realized that I needed more time to taste more. I guess I just need to go back and let my taste buds explore more of Japan’s culinary culture. — BM, GMA News