Dark Horse - Tokyo Eats

 I had already made the decision to hold no restrictions once we arrived to Tokyo so KETO
no-nos were out of the question. You can't have sushi without the carbs.

 Actually, our eats in Tokyo went way beyond just sushi and we learned a few things along the way about how Japan does food and eating.


Ramen


This goes without saying! Ramen is everywhere in Japan. Laurel was especially thrilled because she is perfectly happy with her Cup O' Noodles and eats them all the time at home. I am thrilled by the fact that she easy to please by me giving her something that only costs $0.29 cents. Ramen in Tokyo however is a bit more than that but much more authentic and more embellished.

  My first real Japanese experience with ramen was after we visited a convenience store named Family Mart (they call it "Famama") which was conveniently located a stones throw from our hotel. Family Mart is just like your average 7-11 and located on nearly every street corner. (7-11 in Tokyo is as well for that matter). I don't think there was a single day we did not go there at least once. I found my Ramen in a refrigerated section. I did not know of the contents because it was all in Japanese but it looked colorful and appealing.

  The nice lady at the register offered to heat it up for me but I wasn't hungry at the time.
Later that evening I enjoyed my manna. It had clear rice noodles, red cabbage, carrots, chunks of chicken and a savory broth. I wanted to have it again so much but wanted to stay as diversified as possible.
  
 
McDonald's


Okay, so when I travel internationally, McDonald's is usually a place I avoid. Simply for the reason that would lead to the question "Why bother leaving the US if you go to McDonald's overseas." It's a legitimate question but there was a particular reason for the visit. We knew there was a chance it would be different. And we wanted to explore and compare these differences just for fun.

  So by Laurels request we decided to go. We noticed that there were many consistencies to the US but there were some noticeable observations from the Tokyo menu. Well, first of all they had an actual menu you could hold in your hands to choose your items.

  So here's what we learned. Of the different chicken sandwiches here in the us, McDonald's in Tokyo had, of course, the Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich which is what I ordered. It was sweet and messy, and you can't get it in the US! Another observation was that you can order the nuggets as a side along with your burger. You can also get steamed corn as an available side item as well. And most ironically, for dessert, the waffle cone sundae. Something very American, but not in the American McDonald's. Another similarity is the clientele. If you go at about 4:00PM (which was dinner time for us while we were there), it is full of adorable teenagers in their school uniforms laughing and giggling as they nibble on their fries.
 
 
The Market



Our hotel in Tokyo was that of a small apartment. We had a mini kitchen with a stove and a microwave, a mini refrigerator freezer and a small bar. Almost everyday, we went to a local market called Gourmet City, again, just a short walk from us. Since we didn't eat out all the time, we enjoyed staying home and enjoying the culture of Japan in the comforts
of our hotel. Having done this, we felt like we were one with the culture as though we "lived there." Since the citizens of Tokyo walk or ride bikes everywhere, they grocery shop daily for what they need instead of one large trip once a week in a society such as mine where everyone  drives almost exclusively.

  
Sushi


 Well, needless to say it is very consistent with how it is prepared in the US by the native Japanese who reside in the US. But I wasn't in the US. It was an experience.

     About four years ago, I visited Orlando Florida and stopped into a mall to get some Spring clothes. We walked around and just outside the food court, we noticed a Japanese sushi bar but it was different. The plates with many different decorative selections were on a conveyor which constantly moved throughout the entire bar available for self serve. While I was traveling with Emma on our England excursion, I once again saw the same concept on a smaller scale at Charles de Gault Airport while on a stopover in Paris. I was wildly fascinated by this idea and wondered if there was anything like this back in Atlanta.

Bikkura Machine

  We were so lucky as Kula Sushi had just opened! There was a 90 minute wait despite the fact that there was no alcohol license yet and no air conditioning but it was worth it all!

  We pigged out on spring rolls, edamame, Spider Rolls (Softshell Crab Sushi) even New York cheesecake. You pay per plate and you get a bonus if you eat enough! The bonus is in the form of a video game or if you really eat a lot, you get what's called a red Bikkura Ball with a toy inside!

  I was now ready to have my experience in Tokyo. I searched online and found a location close to a store Laurel wanted to go to (they still have Toys R Us in Tokyo. More on this later). We were expecting to see bright lights and visible signage similar to our experience in Atlanta. But that was not the case. Something even better.... a hole in the wall dive!

   We were in Toshima-Ku  in the very heart of Tokyo. The city was bustling around us, we had been on the go all day and we decided to slow down for the moment. It was quiet as we had missed the afternoon rush. The conveyor belts were still actively circling around for the few that were still dining at the bar.

  We took our places at the bar where tea mugs and warm water was available to us. The chef worked right in front of us slicing and dicing freshly caught fish, seaweed, avocado and everything needed for the edible work of art.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       I looked at my menu card and picked what I

thought was to be the most attractive items. The menus were in Japanese so we didn't really know what we were ordering. It wasn't until later that day that I had done my research:

The Ebiko - Rice and seaweed topped with Shrimp roe (tiny eggs) which are as orange as a tangerine flavored Dum Dum lollipop, and my little dark horse had it all over her face.

The Kanpyo - Is a dry gourd roll from a Lagenaria siceraria plant. It is wrapped in rice and seaweed.

Now I am not a fan of the type of fish that starts with a T and is packed in a short cylindrical can (I can't even say the word).


 The Tekka Maki - A small roll containing maguro (ahem, that word in Japanese) and it's near raw!
Like I said before, I did my research later that day but had my suspicions. But it didn't matter. I was in Tokyo. I was okay with it. I did sushi! In Tokyo!


The Tokyo Banana Heart  



All throughout the city, there are numerous bakeries, eateries and gift shops on the streets, in businesses and train stations. I could not help but notice one particular item that continued to show up nearly everywhere we went.

   In a separate post I will write about our experience at the Tokyo Skytree. However in this post I will make mention that it was here when I decided export these little Japanese Twinkie-like cuties back home. There was a nice Japanese lady in a bakery who helped me that day. She took the time to show me that the box had an expiration date two weeks out. She put it in a bag and sent me off. I guarded that bag for life until I got home!

   In case no one believes I actually went to Japan, this right here is proof as it is only available here and no where else in the world! It is the most brilliant paradigm shift ever! They are different from Twinkies in that they are packaged individually and made with a sweet banana cream with real banana. There are many varieties and flavors, and as with sushi, Japan once again impresses to the eye. We saw many of these little cakelets designed with little hearts, leopard print, as panda bears and Hello Kitty.

  I liked the little hearts that were maple flavored. I then realized that these little goodies are Tokyo's #1 souvenir! I took very small bites.

  McDonalds:
  
  Place visited:  McDonalds, Ota-Ku
                         Date visited, June 12th 2019

                         Tenkazushi, Toshima, Tokyo
                         Date visited, June 13th 2019

                         Tokyo Banana Tree Skytown, Soramachi
                         Date visited, June 14th 2019