GINZA: Akakara Ginza 5-Chome Branch flavorful spicy HOTPOT! Its nearing winter and Japanese love their nabe! (Sony RX100)

My image of posh Ginza with their incredibly high property prices gives me visions of 30,000 yen Omakase Sushi sets but they do have some very reasonably priced franchise restaurants. Aka-kara 5 Chome branch is located in the shadows of the mega shopping complex Ginza Six

MENU: https://akakara-portal.com/MENU/

Tonight we are a party of 8 and ordered 2 Akakara hotpots... you can select between 1 - 10 spicy levels.

There are two 90 minute nomihoudai (all you can drink) options. 1,500 yen or 1,800 yen that has a higher grade of whisky.

Counter seating at the entrance with private booths for 4 nearby. 

The automatic otoshi... bean sprouts.

The nabe. It does contain motsu (pork falafel) that was absolutely impossible to bit into.  Like chomping on a little rubber ball.  

Stir-fry veggies...

Gyoza had a nice garlic kick.. liked this. 

Extra toppings. 

Unfortunately this place didn`t have one long table for 8 so we took up 2 tables that were a bit apart.

Extra spicy soup.

Now time for the closing dish. Can either select ramen or flat udon type noodles to mix into the remaining nabe soup.

Yum!

Overall it ran about 3,500 yen each but that`s not too bad for Ginza.  The Akakara franchise can be found all around Tokyo and its cigarette free family friendly. 

Restaurant: Akakara Ginza 5 Chome Branch

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13116369/

Homepage: https://akakara-portal.com

Address J: 東京都中央区銀座5-9-11 銀座ファゼンダビルB1

Address E: Tokyo, Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-9-11, B1

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/dDVPfQ6TNGspgovB6

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IKEBUKURO: Shikino Utage Chinese Restaurant... 3,480 yen hotpot course only 1,980 yen. LOVE GROUPON! (SONY RX100)

So where do you look when having dinner with a friend that is a heavy drinker?  I always turn to Groupon to help me to keep the tab within reason.  This night full course plus all you can drink "nomihoudai" for only 1,980 yen!

Mona Lisa faces this restaurant... nice. 

Salad arrived... thought this course will disappoint. 

Egg and a slice of duck perhaps?  Yeah still not too impressed with the food quality.

Stuck to beers and hi-balls for the nomihoudai menu.

A little bit of salmon, shrimp and squid.

The main dish was a chicken hot pot.

Here we go... steak sushi with wasabi.  Things are looking up!

The nomihoudai free flow drink menu... looooots of options.

We had a booth overlooking the main dining area.

Steak!  This course was definitely not too bad.

One more beer.

The waitress will ask if you want to add udon noodles or egg and rice to mix into the hot pot.

Lots of great pictures in the main menu... like this. 

Now add the egg and rice.

Always one of my favorites because the rice absorbs all the flavor from the hotpot.

Overall this was once again an amazing Groupon value!  When in Japan you gotta check out the app but because you need to made advanced reservations you may want to brush up on your Japanese.

Restaurant: Shiki No Utage

Homepage: https://shikinoutage.owst.jp/

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13171519/

Address J: 東京都豊島区東池袋1-5-7 ヤマダ電機LABI本店 7F

Address E: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Higashi Ikebukuro 1-5-7, Yamada Labi 7F

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/Uq7pnjh1jJM2

四季の宴 ヤマダ電機LABI1池袋店, 居酒屋, 中華料理, 餃子, 池袋, Japan, Japanese, TOkyo, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, chinese, sony rx100, rx100m1, foodie, cheap, dinner, lunch,