AKIHABARA: Katsuya Tonkatsu... could franchise filet-katsu be this good!?

When I think of franchise and tonkatsu this never equals taking your girl out for a cheap and quick lunch... thus I hardly go into these Japanese franchise shops... but with the boys in town looking for a quick bite in Akihabara we decided to give Katsuya a go.

All counter seating and service was speedy... free tea refills all the time.

No English menu's but everything is nicely pictured. ONLINE Menu here.

Robert and Tony went for the limited special Tsukimi-menchi-katsu... somehow they fit a semi-cooked egg into the center of the katsu... but this is also a bit hit at McDonalds too.

People are usually divided between the meaty Rosu Katsu and the super tender Filet Katsu...

... and I've always been a tender filet katsu kinda guy.

This was soooo tender that I easily cut it into pieces with wooden chopsticks.

Tonjiru soup comes with the meal... lots of tasty things inside.

We'll see you again Katsuya!

Shop: Katsuya Tonkatsu Akihabara Branch 

Shop Website: http://www.arclandservice.co.jp/katsuya/

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1310/A131001/13121439/

Address J: 東京都千代田区外神田1-4-11

Address E: Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku, Soto-Kanda 1-4-11
MAP:

View Larger Map

SHINBASHI/GINZA: Kurafuku Uokin Branch... fresh seafood at an amazing value!

While working at CLSA (steps away from Shinbashi) one of the foodie assistants suggested Uokin in Shimbashi for both Japanese and French food... tried the French and it was amazing... now had to take the visiting boys to the Japanese shop... but there are so MANY!

As usual in Japan the Otoshi (automatic appetizer that comes out if you order alcohol... usually @300yen per person).  This was well worth whatever they added to our bill... tasty pork I think.

The Menu!  Unfortunately it was only in Japanese so bring a friend along to help if you can't read it.

Chefs right behind our table hard at work...

Waiter recommended the Anago fish... a long fish similar to a Unagi but lives in the sea.

There it is! Topped with shiso and ume... Robert loved this but it was a bit too fishy for me.

Next it was the Famous Sashimi plate that we saw almost everyone ordering!

This thing was soooo big!  A little bit of everything for everyone... great value and fresh!

A big fan of cooked fish head!  Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper, Alfonsino).

We managed to pick out all the meat in the cheeks and had one volunteer to eat both eyeballs... that wasn't me but lots of Collagen I think.

Our reservation was at 5pm and it was fully packed by 6pm... super popular.

Forgot what this was but there was a very dark green body inside this... pass~.

Closed the night with some tasty Tempura~.

Menu had a great selection of everything.

There are many Uokin's in the Shimbashi area so if one is full give another a try but I highly suggest making a reservation before heading out.  The branch we were seemed very new and extremely clean... tables are small  with a capacity of about 6 people squeezed in.   

The boys will definitely be back to visit one of the Uokin branches on their next trip to Tokyo.

Shop: Kurafuku Uokin Branch 

Shop Website: http://uokingroup.jp/index.html

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130103/13093769/

Guru-Navi: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g376509/

Address J: 東京都港区新橋1-9-1 新橋二光ビル 1F

Address E: Tokyo, Minato-ku, Shinbashi 1-9-1
MAP:

View Larger Map

YOTSUYA: Okinawan Restaurant Wattoko... can food really be this boring?

I'm always a big fan of Okinawan food and given the chance I will try any spot in Tokyo...  I've seen this shop Wattoko on my walks around Yotsuya and decided to wander inside with my friend.

The automatic otoshi arrived (usually 300yen per person added to your bill)... one of the most boring dishes I've seen.

Some daily specials...

Started with a 390yen Asahi draft beer~.

Food menu but nothing really stood out....

... so we asked the super friendly Chinese waitress what she recommended and it was...

...Cruly Fries!  She was the sweetest waitress but who recommends Curly Fries at an Okinawan restaurant?  God help her...

Ordered some seasoned cabbage to start..

Okinawa standard dish Tofu-Champuru that was just so boring... the tiny bits of spam were so hard to find amid all the Tofu... this dish was 680yen but I could easily make it for around 100 yen at home.

Think the best thing we had all night was the liver-yakitori to the very right of this picture... 

Chef's recommended Taco Rice!  I'm a huge fan but this was waaaaay too spicy for the average diner...

Nice TV on the counter... don't really know why it was there. 

Closed the night with some sweet and smooth Hakkai-san.

Honestly... I don't know why I even bother to add this entry to the blog... perhaps its just to warn you that entering this restaurant will leave you extremely unsatisfied and wondering why you ever entered.  I won't be back and the 5,600yen we dropped into the register will surely be missed... But there was just one silver lining in this shop, the service was excellent.

Shop: Watoko Okinawan Restaurant

Hotpepper Coupon: http://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000762185/

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1309/A130902/13100418/

Address J: 東京都新宿区四谷1-7-18 アクトワールドビル2F

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Yotsuya 1-7-18
MAP:

View Larger Map

AKASAKA: Kyushu Jangara Ramen... dragged out for some Tonkotsu ラーメン !!

MBA classmates were in town for a wedding and on the last day I was asked to join for Tony's favorite ramen in Akasaka... we were the first to enter at 11am on a very cool Tokyo afternoon.

As we stood outside deciding what to order the waitress popped out and gave us an English menu...

http://www.kyusyujangara.co.jp/menu/

Menu's were also in Korean and Chinese!  First time to see this.

One chef, one waiter and one lady at the register.

All counter seating...

Pictures of little toppings and also different seasoned rice bowls.

I joined Tony and Robert for their recommended "C - Bonshan (white soup) with flavored boiled egg and chunks of marinated pork."  We switched the boiled egg to the semi-boiled egg (Hanjuku-Tamago).

And there it is! 1,000yen in all its glory! It was unusually small.. I have never seen ramen in such a tiny bowl before.  Tasted the soup first, it wasn't the heavy oily flavor I expected but rather a light low-impact taste... 

The noodles were very thin... 

Half boiled egg tasty...

The boys mentioned that the flavor at night was better than in the early afternoon.  Seems the longer the soup sits the more flavor it accumulates thru the day... and of course Ramen always tastes best after a night of beers in Tokyo, unless its Ramen Jiro in Jimbocho! 

Quick pic of the Shop hours.

For 1,000yen my ramen was quite unmemorable and would suggest going to checking out one of Hakata Tenjin's (博多天神) 500yen tonkotsu ramen shops scattered throughout Tokyo as an affordable alternative.

Shop: Kyushu Jangara Ramen Akasaka Branch

Shop Website: http://www.kyusyujangara.co.jp/menu/

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1308/A130801/13002906/

Address J: 東京都港区赤坂2-15-15

Address E: Tokyo, Minato-ku, Akasaka 2-15-15
MAP:

View Larger Map