Tokyo Belly

Thursday, May 25, 2023

AKABANE: Karaage Bancho with jumbo Famichiki otoshi! Attentive staff, friendly regulars and suuuuuper cheap alcohol. (Sony RX100)

Akabane is a neighborhood in Japan for drunks... Lots of little non-franchise restaurants service cheap drinks and food. Its been years since I last visited and just wanted to goooo.

The least expensive whisky hi-ball is only 99 yen! Thats pretty good.

First up 99 yen Hi-Ball with a lemon.

The automatic appetizer (Otoshi) is pretty much a jumbo Family Mart chicken on a bed of crispy prawn cracker. Super juicy! Otoshi is usually a table charge and here it was 480 yen.

Next up the least expensive item on the menu! Motsu-Nikomi.

100 yen boys... Carrots, Daikon and very tender motsu meat.

My counter view.

Lots of signatures all over the place.

These older guys asked me about my Sony RX100 and we got to chatting for about 15 minutes. One was fully bilingual and the other could understand English a bit.

They recommended this Jumbo Bancho Hi-Ball 289 yen. It was heavy! Unfortunately by the time I finished it the ice had almost melted and became a very light whisky flavor.

90 minute dining limit.

Interesting guideline for the staff. Customers should have Zero stress. 1. Make eye contact and greet every customer, no goofing around. 2. First drink should arrive within 1 minute. 3. Clean tables and take away empty plates. 4. Check should be provided within 5 minutes.

Smoking allowed I think.

The damage... 2 drinks, 1 motsu-nikomi and the table charge/otoshi fee.

Overall the staff was very attentive, spoke to the 2 older guys and later 2 girls dining together... friendly people, but most of all the alcohol is incredibly cheap. Definitely worth a try! There is a 2nd floor for larger groups.

Located in the Ichibangai Dining and Bar district. Noticed many single ladies standing around... I think they were massage girls, some Filipino pubs and many traditional Japanese hostess/kybakura pubs. Very red light district.

Restaurant: Karaage Bancho Akabane Branch

Restaurant J: 大衆居酒屋からあげ番長赤羽店

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1323/A132305/13242056/

Address J: 東京都北区赤羽1-21-1

Address E: Tokyo, Kita-ku, Akabane 1-21-1

Google MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/w9iQQABwZ4bUZLYB9?coh=178571&entry=tt

居酒屋、からあげ、ダイニングバー, 赤羽駅, Japan, Japanese, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, cheap, lunch, dinner, izakaya, pub, bar, yakitori, sony rx100, iphone x, sake, nihonshu, shochu, 一番街, ichibangai

Monday, May 22, 2023

EBISU: Standing Liquor Shop/Bar JOLLY`s! Super friendly regulars and the owner was hella awesome! Mix of JP and Foreigners. (Sony RX100, iPhone X)

So hard to recall pre-Covid but I think I may have had a beer at Jolly`s years ago. BUT this night was the Aloha Festival in Ebisu Garden Place so decided to check it out with my friend Hiro.

Huge fan of Coozies... especially the Daiso version.

Several large frigerators in the entrance area with a huge selection of Japanese, craft beers and imports.

500 yen Sapporo Red Star was all me! Huge bottle usually retails for 330 yen at the supermarket.

Of course Modelo reminds me of Rigoletto back in the day... had one too.

Modelo for me and friend got the Patagonia beer.

SPAM Musubi! Aloha

Free Wifi.

I think there was only 1 person working here on this Saturday night.

In the back there are a few standing tables.

I was chatting up a regular and he ordered a bottle of white wine... offered me a glass!

The Owner and generous regular local to Ebisu.

Kanpai! Chilled White Wine!

More friendly folks... The Japanese drinkers were a bit easier to talk to vs the foreigners. Think Foreigners are more clicky and tend to only talk amongst themselves. Many English teachers this night.