EKODA: Jeju (Cheju) Korean for some great Sundubu! Am I in Akasaka?

I'm here for only one reason... I don't need a menu.  One order of 600yen Sundubu Chige Please!!

Interior was cozy with counter seating for 4-5 people.  

Several different kinds of Chige for 700yen...

Side dish of seasoned bean sprouts arrived... crunchy and fresh!

Mini salad was super fresh too~.  Great to visit a shop with a female owner chef.

When the boiling bubbles settled down the soup level fell nearly 1/3rd!  Oh my... initial impression wasn't so great.

But as I mixed in the freshly cracked egg and began to taste the Chige it had a deep incredibly tasty flavor.  Its like I was back in Akasaka enjoying a dish from Chon.Jin.Dong... minus the great side dishes and volume.

Never spotted a large container of Ginseng before... authentic authentic.

Overall I was unexpectedly surprised to how great the Tofu Sundubu was at Jeju.  I'll definitely be back again for my Korean lunch cravings!

Shop: Jeju Korean Restaurant

Foodie Blog: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132101/13055049/

Address J: 東京都練馬区旭丘1-67-7

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, AsahiGaoka 1-67-7
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IKEBUKURO: Yakiniku Gyu-En for some god awful Sundubu Chige

I'm a huuuge fan of great Korean Chige's and my stroll thru the side streets of Ikebukuro led me to this menu on the road... 650yen for Sundubu Tofu Chige.  How could I go wrong!

Ashtray... not good.

It was simply dead empty at 12:45pm on a weekday... highly unusual as most other restaruants were busy with the weekday lunch rush. Plus Rikkyo University (Saint Paul's University) was right around the corner... bad bad sign.

And my much anticipated Korean lunch arrives!

Kimchee was definitely grocery store bought... the seasoned bean sprouts just tasted all wrong, like it was just old. 

Now for the Tofu Chige.  Boiled water with red oil... it just tasted like red water.  Honestly... this is the WORST Sundubu I have had in my life.  Very little tofu, the clams still had sand in them and whats up with all the little skinny mushrooms?  

The egg that is normally cracked fresh into the Sundubu had already been boiled solid.  

The sandy clams... I have to admit they were generous with this.  Possibly 4-5 pices.

After 15 minutes I just felt sick... Did my best to finish the Kimchee but forget about the rest.  I simply got up and left. 

The attraction to this restaurant might be the all you can eat 980yen Yakiniku and nothing else.  But I did see them bring out the meat to another customer... meat was all frozen who knows where they source it from.

I am usually one to NEVER randomly walk into a restaurant without checking the foodie rankings but how could I have gotten Tofu Chige so wrong.  Wish Gordon Ramsey could visit this spot... its just sh*t.

Shop: Yakiniku Gyu-En

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13131799/

Address J: 東京都豊島区西池袋3-29-2 三原ビル 4F

Address E: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Nishi Ikebukuro 3-29-2, 4F
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NOGATA: TonDake~ for 1/2 Chicken Samgyetang lunch :)

Its been a healthy week for me... lost a solid 2 Kilo's and wanted to end the Friday with something not too fattening.  So why not Korean!  All lunch items are 800yen at Tondake.

Regular dinner menu here.

And the lunch menu.  Lots and lots of options.... wish they were all pictured.  Everything is 800 yen and includes 2 banchan, a salad and soup.  I went for the 1/2 Samgyetang handwritten on the bottom.

The banchan arrived but for the very first time at a Korean restaurant there was no Kimchee or anything spicy here.  A disappointment... i can boil broccoli at home myself.

Interior was as dark as a cave until the young Korean waitress turned on the lights halfway thru lunch.  I even had to ask if they were open... look out for the bats.

I was most impressed with the size of the chicken... fairly large and meaty.

The chicken was lightly stuffed with rice and some dark seasoning... very tasty.

Side view of the chicken.  An arm and leg... oh my.

Unsure if the young waitress forgot but no rice came with the meal... I asked for a bowl and there was no charge.  

Looks like MoyaMoya Summers was here. 

http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/samaazu2/

On rainy days those who order Makkori get 30% off Chijimi (Korean pancake)... plus a few other March half price drink specials from Mon-Thurs.  Overall the Samgyetang soup was great for 800yen... lots of chicken meat and with a bowl of rice very very filling. Only wished they served a little Banchan kimchee.

Shop: Ton-Dake Korean Restaurant

Shop Blog: http://tondake.blog103.fc2.com/

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132104/13117229/

Yahoo JP Reviews: Click Here

Address J: 東京都中野区野方5-30-13

Address E: Tokyo, Nakano-ku, Nogata 5-30-13
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SHINJUKU: Yang no Ie (Yang's Home)... Black Peppery Salty Sundubu!

I think its the cold weather but I've been craving Korean Sundubu for weeks.  Did a little searching in Shinjuku and found a very reasonable Sundubu spot!  How can i resist 630yen!

The B3 of the Bic Camera building is a cozy little food court.

Lunch selections come with a bowl of rice and 2 tiny side appetizers.

Sundubu!

Very casual but there we soooo many celebrity autographed pics with the owner posted all over the walls.  My lunch is gonna be amazing!!! Is what I assumed...

When the Sundubu arrived it can possibly be the smallest ever bowl I've ever seen other than Yande-Gamu in Akasaka.

Had a taste... very salty peppery, heavy fishy flavor and the soup was simply clear like instant Nong Shim Ramen.  It didn't have that deep rich flavor like many of the great spots in Akasaka.

http://tokyobelly.blogspot.jp/2012/04/akasaka-chon-jin-don-korean-restaurant.html

Few pieces of clam.  Basically consisted of one egg, a sliver of Tofu and a couple baby clams... was probably one of the most boring Sundubu's I've had in Japan.

If you are bored, super cold and just want to warm up then maybe the 630yen is worth the time but it really failed to impress in any way at all.  Its like comparing Taco Bell vs Los Angeles Taco Trucks... kinda the same but totally different.

Shop: Yang no Ie - West Shinjuku Halc Branch

Shop Website: http://www.yangnoie.com/about.html

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13119297/

Address J: 東京都新宿区西新宿1-5-1 食堂酒場ハル地下MB3F

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Nishi Shinjuku 1-5-1, MB3F (Basement)
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