KICHIJOJI: Satou for their crazy popular mashed potato and minced beef corokke balls! (Sony RX100)

Satou has some of the most popular corokke mashed potato and minced beef balls!  Lines are usually 30-50 deep but due to coronavirus and end of Tokyo's lockdown most people were at work on this June 2nd Tuesday afternoon.  THUS!  Line was only about 10 deep! 

Socia distancing tape on the pavement. 

You can also buy fresh cuts of butcher meat here... 

Many different kind of fried items.  

Menu is in English also.  The Minced Beef Cutlet (Menchi-Katsu / minced beef corokke ball with chopped onions) 240 yen but if you buy 5 or more its 220 yen.  And the mashed potatoe corokke 150 yen.

Friendly staff will ask what you need then just  pay the cashier.

Back to Kichijoji Park for a few beers and my take-out. 

Potato corokke was rather normal... but very big like a billards ball. 

My favorite was definitely the minced beef ball with large slices of onions... the sweetness of the onions and almost meatball texture of the beef was soooo yum!! If in Kichijoju you gotta gooo!

Restaurant: Satou Kichijoji Branch

Homepage: https://www.shop-satou.com/shop/kichijouji1/

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1320/A132001/13005807/

Address J: 東京都武蔵野市吉祥寺本町1-1-8
Address E: Tokyo, Musashino, Kichijoji Honcho 1-1-8

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/KaUc8XchoFhBRgLZ6

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NERIMAKASUGACHO: Maiko-Ya Chinese Restaurant... this place is old skool cozy! (Sony RX100)

I'm so spooked to go into very old Japanese / Chinese super local restaurants because I think very few foreingers dine at these kind of restaurants.  I've lived in the area 5 years and was always tempted to go in but the glass sliding doors are not see-thru with no menu anywhere outside.

BUT!  One of the construction guys working on my home asked if we go goto lunch... MY CHANCE!  I would definitely be more comfortable going with a Japanese person.

Must be a middle aged husband and wife team that greeted us with a friendly Irrashaimaseh (Welcome).   Wow!  Nice. 

Daily special 650 yen set was sold out so I went with the remaining Tempura Squid with Cold Noodles for only 700 yen. 

Ramen is only 450 yen!  Super reasonable menu items.

Lucky to miss the lunch crowd but then again this place is not so conveniently located.  I would say most lunch goers work in small companies nearby or local resdents. 

This is all me! Wow... What a great balance of seafood, chilled noodles, tofu and seasoned cucumber. It was such an at home meal.

Very flavorful tempura sauce that seeped into the rice.  Yum!

Japanese government passed sticked Non-Smoking laws due to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  As of April 1st 2020 there is no smoking at all restaurants in Japan.  SUPER!

The construction worker ordered Charsiu Ramen and half size of fried rice.

I have never seen fried rice so colorful... very nice. 

Japan has always had Uber Eats delivery style but they just didn't monopolize on it... Anyways I'm definitely going back here!!  So reasonable and just so heartwarming good. 

I went back!  700 yen lunch special this day.

Oh no... Closed for Golden Week Holidays!  UGH...

700 yen Katsu Curry after Golden Week!  Meh... the curry was too mild meh but the pork katsu was super meaty!  700 yen.

Restaurant: Maikoya

Tabelog foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132102/13080957/

Address J: 東京都練馬区春日町3-11-11

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Kasugacho 3-11-11

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/LudUyhXtvzQomAJp8

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NAKAMURABASHI: Kusaka-Tei Chinese Restaurant for their daily special Sanma Fish! YUM! (Canon s110)

Quite the hit and miss at this little local family owned restaurant but noticed their daily lunch special was fish!  You can choose from salmon, saba or sanma.... this day it was Sanma (pacific saury) .

January 4th and the new year celebrations are still in effect.  A free Orange for all guests!

Single diner counter seating.

My 700 yen fish lunch set included stir fried veggies with pork, miso soup with bean sprouts, pickled veggies and rice!

Here it is!  I often see Sanma at the supermarket but don't really know how to grill it.

Lots of very thin bones but they won't stab your throat...  calcium!  The skin is super crispy and the meat a bit juicy.  Eat it with the oroshi-daikon with shoyu.

Tables in the back.

If in Tokyo the sushi can be amazing but don't forget to try grilled fish too!!

Restaurant: Kusaka Tei Restaurant

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132102/13091237/

Address J: 東京都練馬区向山1-13-4

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Koyama 1-13-4

MAP:  https://goo.gl/maps/4g25D8oGjMrucc4e9

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GAIENMAE: Umenohana Japanese Restaurant. Beautiful wood interior on a budget.

A client dinner and my boss booked this spot near the Gaienmae crossing.

Beautiful interior and I really thought this was an expensive posh restaurant... but it was a budget franchise that has locations throughout Japan.

We had a private room all to our selves and a dedicated waitress.

Nice artwork.

Tonights course.

Beautiful metal pot used for the tofu veggie soup.

First to arrive!

Starter that was stacked.

Sashimi.

Seasoned egg whites with veggies and chicken inside.

Tofu.

Think this was a chicken steamed shumai... very tasty.

Cheese gratin 

And for the beef!  The texture was a hit or miss... a few tender slices then a few that were incredibly chewy.

Closed with a sweet bean dessert and hot Japanese tea. 

The many private rooms.

Overall if you have foreign guests they will surely like this place. Our guest was a New Zealander living in Hong Kong so she is quite the foodie and enjoyed it.

And of course if in the area you have to stop by the Ferrari single car show room.  Beautiful Ferrari F12 Berlinetta.

Restaurant: Umeno Hana Aoyama Branch

Website: http://www.umenohana.co.jp/

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1306/A130603/13001900/

Address J: 東京都港区南青山2-27-18

Address E: Tokyo, Minato-ku, Minami Aoyama 2-27-18
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/9FGFmcK97GM2
梅の花 青山店 , ウメノハナ,  豆腐料理, 湯葉料理, 懐石, 会席料理, 青山, 外苑前, Japan, Japanese, Tokyo, Sony RX100, foodie, sake, nihonshu, sushi, yuba, foodie, tokyobelly, yelp, private rooms,