NAKAMEGURO: Pizzeria Da ISA... this guys rolling in the dough! Open those wallets real wide folks!!

Highly ranked ISA had always been a spot I wanted to check out but due to the size it just didn't have that relaxing cozy welcoming atmosphere that FREY's or Savoy had.

So this day I invited a former Citibank colleague for some of this famous ISA pizza.

Ordered two Lowenbrau's drafts for about 500yen and not knowing how large the pizza's were we decided to just go for one... but unbenounced to us there is a mandatory one plate per customer rule here.  So went for something very light... boiled Octopus 850yen.  Sucker was tiny... all profit here.

Pizza's ranged from 1,650 yen to a whopping 2,500yen +... now really.  Our Rigotta with Ham pizza was 2,250yen... I just simply couldn't understand the pricing of these pizza's.  There was nothing really special about it.

There was a line during the entire lunch session, service was extremely rushed and the lack of staff left customers searching for someone to take orders and issue checks.  

We sat outside and pizza turned ice cold... but unusually it didn't get rock hard.  Great pizza dough used here. 

Great pizza priced way too high, rushed service without welcomes or smiles, insanely packed and well would I go out of my way to give this place another try?  Hell no... I'd much rather visit friendly owner chef Yamaguchi'sans cozy Pizzeria in Roppongi. 

http://tokyobelly.blogspot.jp/2011/10/roppongi-freys-famous-pizzeria-and.html

If you are an expat with the added cost of living allowance benefit or on a business trip perhaps this might be a nice spot due to the variety of pizza's but if you are cost conscious definitely avoid this mess that is ISA on the "Weekends"... I believe the value comes into play during the Monday - Friday Lunch space with Pizza's going for 1,000yen vs the insanity of evening and weekend prices commanding upwards of 2,500yen.

Shop: Pizzeria e Tratorria da ISA
Shop Website: http://www.da-isa.jp/
Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1317/A131701/13103245/
Address J: 東京都目黒区青葉台1-28-9
Address E: Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Aobadai 1-28-9
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SHIN OKUBO: Kanadara for some spicy tasty 200yen Korean Topokki!

Its hard to imagine but after the somewhat lackluster full course dinner at GOON we were started to get hungry again... on the main road in front of this white Hen was this amazing looking rich red orange Topokki!

A very reasonable 200yen for a small cup.  

Size just for reference but the rich spicy thick flavor with mochi and mini-eggs was sooo delicious.  I'll definitely hit it up again if I'm in the area!  

Shop: Kandara Korean Food

Shop Website: http://www.ehiroba.jp/kanadara/index.html

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13074388/

Hotpepper: http://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000814369/

Address J: 東京都新宿区大久保1-17-7 第3韓国広場ビル

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Okubo 1-17-7
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SHIN OKUBO: Groupon is your friend at Little Korea's "Goon" (Military Base).

Even in Japan Groupon can be your friend in a land of great public transportation that leads to drinking a bit too much.  Found a great 4,500yen course deal with all-you-can drink for 1,900yen.  I used my US Paypal account so no worries if you don't have a Japan issued credit card. 

The name of the Korean restaurant "GOON" reminded me of the word "GUUN" or Military Base in Japanese... a term I have been very familiar with since childhood due to my summer vacations on Okinawa.

And when I entered it fell into place... this was a full on war-zone.  Really guys?  I can almost postively say that Shin-Okubo (Korea Town) is visited primarily by K-Pop and K-Drama loving Japanese ladies... But my Korean friend did mention that the popularity of this town has fallen so perhaps this new restaurant was trying to stand out.

My seat was right under the crotch of this full on gas masked terror.

Shop sure does like gas masks.

This was our full course... not quite what was pictured on Groupon but most of our damage was to come in the form of all-you-can drink.

Portion wise it was just enough but the munchies will definitely hit you a few hours later.  We were pretty much done with the meal in the 1st hour then the 2nd hour was devoted to trying out several different Mekchu's, Soju's and Beer.

The waiter helps out with the cooking.

Overall if I had to pay 4,500yen x 2 for this course then there is no way I'd be back because the volume seriously lacked if I'm paying nearly $100 for the meal... but at $20 or so a person with all you can drink then it was a great 2 hours of light eating and heavy drinking.  Interior was a dark depressing battlefield and I really don't think this interior will attract many women into becoming regulars... but the service was spot on great.

Thanks Groupon and good luck GOON!

Restaurant: Goon Korean Dining

Gnavi with Coupon: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/gcrg700/

Shop Blog: http://ameblo.jp/goon-japan

Address J: 東京都新宿区大久保1-12-27

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Okubo 1-12-27
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ROPPONGI: Geronimo's Bar Happy Hour and Expat hangout but tonight it was all about YALE

Scanning the brain for Happy Hour and of course you can't beat the cozy atmosphere of Geronimo's Shot Bar.  Happy Hour til 9pm (500yen drinks).

Take subway Exit 4a and it sits right above the Japanese Soba shop.

There was a nice crowd inside and as I looked around I started noticing "Y" labeled T-shirts and caps... Oh, its a Tokyo YALE gathering.  Nice :)

I guess its a tradition that I'm not aware of but this huge Yale Holy Grail was filled with a mixture of fruity alcoholic beverages and had a great kick to it.

One of the alumni's shared the cup with us... cool people you meet at Geronimo's.

Yale song and refilling the Huge Silver Holy Grail

Who in the foreign community doesn't know Geronimo's.  Definitely a great cozy dark happy place for drinks and friendly folks.

Bar: Geronimo Shot Bar

Bar Website: http://www.geronimoshotbar.com/

Roppongi Info: http://www.roppongi.info/S12182.html

Address J: 東京都港区六本木7-4-10 山室ビル2F

Address E: Tokyo, Minato-ku, Roppongi 7-4-10, 2F
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ROPPONGI: Downstairs Coffee at Mercedes Benz Connection

The former Mercedes Benz Connection was always a great spot for DJ and party events but they recently relocated just a block down the road from the previous location facing Midtown Tokyo.

Excessively spacious compared to the packed insanity of Starbucks it was comfortably quiet.

One Latte 400yen and one Hot Cocoa 380yen... 

Cups were surprisingly big at the price point... could almost say it was a pleasant bargain.

Then of course after coffee you must check out all the cars on display.

Great gift shop with MB logo's on the bear foots

This is a must guys!  Its a USB Stick but to the average girl they would only assume you own a MB~... yeah its superficial but could be a great conversation starter for those girls on the lookout for $$.

Overall a great spot just 2 blocks down from the hustle of Roppongi... Highly suggest going there and big enough for kids or strollers.  The 400yen Cinnamon Donut was a bit much...

Shop: Downstairs Coffee at Mercedes Benz Connection

Shop Website: http://www.mercedes-benz-connection.com/floor/index.html#downstairs-coffee

Address J: 東京都港区六本木7-3-10

Address E:  Tokyo, Minato-ku, Roppongi 7-3-10

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