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Friday, July 24, 2020

ROPPONGI: Its been a long while Roppongi Sushizanmai...disappointing. 1st time ever to get comped. (Sony RX100)

Roppongi is home to massive business towers Midtown and Roppongi Hills that have started initiating remote work from home due to Coronavirus. The area is also known for very expensive hostess bars that are frequented by athletes, business elite and famous actors but all came to a screeching halt with the arrival of Covid and restaurants have suffered in the processes. 

So to support one of my favorite sushi chains Sushizanmai I ventured to a very desolate Roppongi for some sushi and beeru!

Automatic appetizer if you order alcohol. Seasoned daikon white raddish, carrot and fish. 

Menu is nicely pictured 

You can see the clear partition between the chef and counter seating. 

Rolls if you like. 



2 Sushi chefs on duty... an older gentlemen taking care of the tables and the middle aged manager  the counter. 

The older sushi chef was a soooo incredibly fast... never seen such speed!

There are 2 ways to pour shoyu.  Out of the little pottery bottle into the mini plate or you can use the push button dispenser and drip the shoyu directly onto your sushi. 

Of course if the Akami BUT if the basic maguro isn't very good then you can well guess the rest will be very unmemorable.  

Also got some Ika (Squid)... 

And another of my favorites Amaebi (Sweet Fresh Shrimp).

Here we go! 

Had a bite of the Ika and honestly I just could not bite into it... gave it about 30 seconds and had the option to spit it out or just swallow it... I swallowed it pretty much whole.  It came in 2 pieces and I left the second alone.  Normally these are have a bit of texture that you can bite into... It was just off for me.  Maybe it was just old stock. 

One look at this tuna and I knew it was going to be mushy... low and behold it was like eating mashed potatoes.  It was just so below supermarket grade. 

The only thing I managed to finish was the negi-toro rolls. 

Another shot of the mushy tuna.  You can compare it with this previous entry with a brief mention of Lady Gaga's visit. 

This is the manager of the place who prepared my sushi and I later had a talk with him

My Amaebi... Lazy.  The shrimp was unusually big for amaebi and there was clearly a line of  the digestive track along the back.  There was just no effort to keep any standards this night.   Normally any sushi chef with some pride would slice the back and clean it out. 

It was in all 4 pieces of my Amaebi... poop line.

I was done.... I never leave sushi unfinished. 


I'm not one to complain but you expect a certain quality from a sushi franchise that has paid millions for the 1st Tsukiji auction Maguro catch of the year.  I mentioned to the manager that for the past 15 years I have been dining at Sushizanmai in Tokyo and was sadly disappointed with tonight's quality.  He asked the cashier to comp my meal...  I won't be back.

Restaurant; Sushi Zanmai Roppongi Hayuzamae Branch
Sushizanmai Website: http://www.kiyomura.co.jp/
Address J:  東京都港区六本木3-10-9 三経28ビル 1F
Address E: Tokyo, Minato-ku, Roppongi 3-10-9

すしざんまい 六本木俳優座前店,  六本木, Japan, Japanese, fish, cheap, sony rx100, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, tuna, sashimi, izakaya, beer, sake. tabelog, sake, draft beer, sashimi,,すしざんまい 匠 六本木俳優座前店 , 寿司, 魚介料理,海鮮料理 , 海鮮丼

ROPPONGI ICHOME: Pizzania for great one coin Marinara Pizza and Draft Beers! (Sony RX100)

Staycation in Akasaka Mitsuke with emphasis to get at least 10,000 - 20,000 steps a day so I walked from my hotel to Roppongi and on the way noticed Pizzania.  

Very quiet on a Friday night (July 17, 2020).  But this location is absolutely geared toward people stopping by after work but with all the remote working going on it was so barren due to coronavirus.

Counter and stool seating.  If you want a view of the chef definitely sit at the counter.

Amenities in the restroom. Listerine!

I'm a huge fan of pizza with toppings when on a date but when dining alone I tend to get the most basic pizza... on this night it was the 500 yen Marinara.  But the cheese Margherita was only 580 yen.


Love to see the spicy oil for pizza... 





Here it is!  Fresh out of the oven, sauce with hints of garlic very flavorful and the size was just right if you want to order multiple pizzas.  Its probably a tad smaller than a small Domino's Pizza.

Beer and Pizza 1,000 yen plus 100 yen tax.  Not too bad.

Nice Mercedes Benz C63 coupe just outside... not too sure about the green rims.

I went back for take-out a few days later!  Unfortunately you have to pay an additional 100 yen for a pizza box.  But ultimately this pizza is best served hot... so suggest to just eat it there. 


100 yen box.

It was very flavorful served cold... but the crust was a bit tough.  Both the waiter and chef just didn't say welcome or break a smile when I ordered.  I guess times are tough due to Covid19... the place was totally empty on this Sunday Night.  UBER GUYS UBER!! 

Restaurant: Pizzania
Address J: 東京都港区六本木2-3-7 セントラルクリブ 1F
Address E: Tokyo, Minato-ku, Roppongi 2-3-7
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/8BiSwtY5HdWL3wSt8

ピッザニア, PizzANiA, バル・バール, イタリアン、居酒屋, 六本木一丁目駅, Japan, Japanese, pizzeria, italian, wine, beer, yelp, tokyobelly, sony rx100, Tokyo, Roppongi, ham, bar, pub, izakaya,

Thursday, July 23, 2020

AKASAKA MITSUKE: Hitori (lone) Shabu Shabu Matsugoro. Beautiful interior, attentive staff, great food! (Sony RX100)

I noticed this lone diner (hitori) shabushabu on instagram stories and just randomly walked by during my Staycation... I just had to go inside.

Dinner menu options.  Starts at 1,680 yen for the Bara Pork but I went for the 1,780 yen Bara and Rosu combo PLUS a beer! They do have Kuroge Wagyu Beef on the menu too!

Interesting that they didn't have any Japanese beers on tap... just Carlsberg. 

My Spot in in the large oval counter seating with my back facing the open entrance.  Once the water started to boil I totally got a steamy facial all thru the meal... think the direction of the wind went from the back of the restaurant towards the entrance.  I wouldn't advise sitting where I did unless you need to steam those pores.

Lunch Menu starts at 680 yen but you only get 80 grams. 

The interior was just so nice and spacious.  In the same building as the brand new Best Western Hotel Fino Tokyo Akasaka.

A big variety of vegetables and 2 dipping sauces. Ponzu and a very creamy buttery sesame seed sauce with spicy raiyu oil. 

Standard ponzu.

My 120 grams of pork!  Bara and Rosu. 


Super tender... oh my yum.

I just took my time... and enjoyed the great atmosphere.  


This creamy buttery sesame sauce was to die for!  It was so incredibly tasty... wow.

You have an option to add ramen at the end. 


Staff slices the pork blocks to order.  This place was just too perfect.  The service so attentive and friendly, the interior was absolutely beautiful, the variety of veggies yum and meat so satisfying.  When I paid my bill mentioned how great the experience was and the guy guided me to the exit and bowed as I walked away.  When in Akasaka you MUST GO HERE!!  

Spotted a beautiful Rolls Royce Cullinan on some Mansory wheels nearby... sweet.

Restaurant: Hitori ShabuShabu Nanadaime Matusgoro
Address J: 東京都港区赤坂3-7-12 ベストウェスタンホテルフィーノ東京赤坂
Address E: Tokyo, Minato-ku, Akasaka 3-7-12
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/pgW69ikvaE3647to9

ひとりしゃぶしゃぶ 七代目 松五郎, しゃぶしゃぶ, 居酒屋, 鍋, 赤坂見附駅, 赤坂駅, Japan, Japanese, Tokyo, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, izakaya, hotpot, A5, lunch, dinner, sony rx100, sake, hi-ball, Best Western Hotel,