EKODA: Fuku No Kara Bento Shop. Chicken Karaage (Fried Chicken) is their specialty! Scored a bento for 50% off at 8:30pm. (Sony RX100M2)

Located just at the bottom of Ekoda Station escalator there sits a Karaage aka Fried Chicken specialty shop.  I rarely buy chicken because its soooo cheap at the supermarket or my favorite local poultry shop in nearby Sakuradai. 

But timing was just right! 50% off sign outside with just a few bento`s left for the taking.

500 yen bento... only 250 yen.  Thats less than $2 and much better than the convenience store. 

Renkon veggie that was connected to a tsukune chicken meatball, 

Tsukune Meatball... 

Japan can be soooo incredibly cheap.  The average salary is 5 million yen or roughly USD37.5 at todays conversion rate so things need to remain relatively inexpensive.  Anyways gogo if you are in Ekoda!  It was pretty good. 

Restaurant Bento: Fukunokara Ekoda branchi

Restaurant J: 福のから 江古田店

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132101/13146721/

Address J: 東京都練馬区旭丘1-78-5

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Asahigaoka 1-78-5

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/V8qkzmxQjf2sd3saA

福のから 江古田店, からあげ, 西武池袋線　江古田駅南口, Japan, Japanese, Tokyo, foodie, yelp, sony rx100m2, tokyobelly, cheap, plate lunch, take away, take out, cheap, lunch, dinner, chicken, 

EKODA: Vivo Daily Stand. 500 yen drinks and suuuuper friendly regulars! Super cozy spot in desolate Ekoda town. (Sony RX100M2)

With so many universities in Ekoda you would imagine the town would be super busy! But its totally not.  I guess being only a few minutes by train to Ikebukuro has its challenges.  Most of the uni crowd head out. 

Vivo Daily Stand is one the very few spots thats actually full of customers. 

Beers, wine, etc all 500 yen.  No tax or table charge. 

Very friendly bartender... she had the gift of gab. 

One of the regulars shared his bottle of white wine with everyone... had to return the favor a bit later. 

Bartender gave out these incredibly tasty Japanese muffins.  Anyways if you at a loss then check out Vivo! There are many in Tokyo... https://www.vivo-tokyo.com/shop/

Restaurant Bar: Vivo Daily Stand Ekoda Branch

Restaurant J: ビーボデイリースタンド 江古田店

HOmepage: https://www.vivo-tokyo.com/

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132101/13140774/

Address J: 東京都練馬区栄町1-10 菊屋第2ビル 1F

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Sakaecho 1-10

MAP: https://g.page/vivo-ekoda?share

バル・バール、ワインバー、立ち飲み居酒屋・バー, 西武池袋線 江古田駅 , Japan, Japanese, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, sony rx100m2, bar, pub, standing bar, wine, whisky, beer, sake, inexpensive, cheap, dinner, appetizers, puupuu

HIGASHI NAKANO: E`Z Mart in Atre Dept. Store for their incredibly delicious healthy bentos! 30% off from 8:30pm! MUST GOOO ! (Sony RX100M2)

Atre is one of the higher end Department Stores here in Japan and picked up two bento`s that were 30% off... Just got lucky with the timing. 

There was a sign that said Bento`s 30% off with discount stickers placed on about 1/3 of the items.  Asked the friendly cashier if the discount applied to all bento`s....she said YES! 

Gyu-Meshi Bento here. 

Scored the Iberico Pork bento!  

The iberico pork was sooooo tender! Garlic sauce sooooo tasty!  Sitting on a bed of rice.

Small side of pickled veggies.

2nd Bento. Veggies and chicken seasoned with Honey Mustard Sauce!

Soooo healthy... YUM!

These bento`s were sooo much healthier choice than the Hotto Motto or Origin franchise spots you see in Japan.  Definitely pick one up if you spot an Atre!  Lots of super healthy bento options!!

Department Store: E`Z Mart Higashi Nakano Atre

Japanese: イーズマート アトレヴィ東中野店

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1319/A131901/13191439/

Address J: 東京都中野区東中野4-4-26 アトレヴィ東中野 1F

Address E:  Tokyo, Nakano-ku, Higashi Nakano 4-4-6. Atre 1F

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/JmcRTMVeqG4HyRBJA

おにぎり、弁当、デリカテッセン, 東中野駅, Japan, Japanese, Tokyo, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, sony rx100m2, bento, plate lunch, onigiri, salad, take out, take away, delicatessen, inexpensive, dinner.

EKODA: AnAn Yakiniku! 1,100 yen dinner teishoku set with a drink in this very college town. Kimchee was so goooood! (Sony RX100M2)

What... 1,100 yen for a yakiniku set with drink? Thats all me! 

Young Teishoku.

Night limited menu exclusive to this yakiniku branch... if you added up the meats + 1 drink offered on these 3 specials its the exact same price as the individual menu!

But you do get a bowl of rice (free refills), mini salad, seaweed soup, kimchee and a little cream puff dessert... thats the special offering part. 

190 yen Whisky Hi-Ball!  I would think the water would hold the glass handle and pass it along to me... but this guy has his whole hand around the rim of the glass.  Covid19 is exploding again in Tokyo my friend... thats probably a no-no.

Ekoda has 4-5 Universities in the area... so sign mentioning no alcohol for those under 20.

Not too bad for 1,100 yen. 

The Young Kalbi was the thinnest and easiest to chew... but you had to bring it to a near burnt level otherwise it was a bit chewy. 

The TonTori was a task to bite into... kinda like biting into a piece of rubber.  Maybe it was just cut too thick.  

I thought this Seseri had a chicken texture... seems to be the muscle behind the chicken neck. When cooked well it tasted like yakitori.

Mini Korean salad.

The kimchee here was incredibly good! Spicy with a bit of sweetness and not sour at all.  Soooo tasty!

Rice and seaweed soup.

Coal not gas... thats pretty impressive. 

The Kalbi was throwing off huge flames. 

Dont forget a little bit of hot miso paste. 

Special Yakiniku courses... with optional 100 min 1,300 yen all you can drink.

Cant imagine doing all you can drink nomihoudai here.. the food is just too filling. 

Free Wifi.

Free scoop of white fluffy rice. 

Chilled cream puff... 

I suggest sitting in the back section... it was sooo much cooler. A/C working well there.

All in 1,100 yen.

Overall the amount of meat was very generous but nothing was really that good except for the amazing kimchee.  If you love white rice for sure... free refills! But once was enough for me.

Restaurant: AnAn Ekoda Branch

Restaurant J: 七輪焼肉 安安 江古田店

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132101/13226216/

Homepage: https://anan.fuji-tatsu.co.jp/

Address J: 東京都練馬区旭丘1-73-10 東輝第2ビル 2F

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Asahigaoka 1-73-10

MAP: https://g.page/anan-ekoda?share

七輪焼肉 安安 江古田店, 江古田駅, Japan, Japanese, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, yakiniku, korean bbq, lunch, dinner, cheap, pub, bar, sake, beer, sony rx100m2, pentax k3, Ekoda,