ASAGAYA: Aonisai Bar... your local Cheers! Friendly folks all around...

Childhood friend Scott kept inviting me to check out Aonisai in Asagaya for about a year or so... well, I finally made it! 

We sat at the tables near the open entrance... further back there is a private tatami space for about 4-5 people... the A/C was kickin in back there.  Nice spot for a little gathering.

Menu was very reasonable... lots of appetizers that went well with beer.

http://www.aonisai.jp/menu/

Salad with slightly grilled beef... 

Thick pieces of bread with Chili and Tomato topping.

Wine bottles were all 2,500yen.

http://www.aonisai.jp/menu/drink.php

Nachos with Chili Cheese dip.

Cheese Rice Corokke.

The owner of Aonisai... very friendly person... yeah, those shots were for our table.  When you get Scott and Terry together (both Tequila lovers) then my nights end up in a blur... phew.

And so the shots arrived... 

Kanpai... But tonights gathering was to welcome back Scott from a few months haitus from Tokyo.  If you have some Aloha in ya then check out the Hawaii's Own Coffee Company that he founded.

http://tokyobelly.blogspot.com/2011/06/asagaya-hawaiis-own-revisited-scott.html

I occasionally see items like this in the restroom but never to this extent... lots of attention to customer service and detail.  

There is a nice bar counter if you wander in alone... 2nd floor has sofa seating with Jazzy music.  I'd definitely recommend this spot for a few beers with friends.

Shop: Aonisai

Station: Asagaya (Chuo-line). 

Shop Website: http://www.aonisai.jp/

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1319/A131905/13042957/

Address J: 東京都杉並区北阿佐ヶ谷1-34-5

Address E: Tokyo, Suginami-ku, Kita-Asagaya 1-34-5

MAP: 

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YAMANASHI: Kuruma Ramen... Car Ramen? Franchise...hmm...BUT!

I'm absolutely not a big fan of franchise ramen shops but one of my friends relatives cousin is a truck driver and highly recommended this place... so here we are.

Menu in English too!  Lots of choices...

Glass of bottled beeru... even the sales guys at Kirin Brewery suggest drinking bottled over draft... flavor is different.

Reasonable lunch menu.

My Miso Charshu ramen.  This franchise ramen was surprisingly tasty... the noodles were on the thicker side and very chewy.  Nice layer of melted lard hovering above the soup...

Bowl of rice for....

...FREE!  Yup, you can eat all the rice you want for FREE~.

Friend got the Vegetable Miso Ramen.

Lots of booths inside... Was a full house even at 11pm.

If you are in Yamanashi or near Mt.Fuji and see this red sign why don't u stop by for some Ramen.  Menu is in English and noodles are well worth the visit.

Shop: Kuruma Ramen Fuji-Yoshida Branch

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/yamanashi/A1903/A190301/19005222/

Shop Website:  http://www.kurumayaramen.co.jp/top.htm

Address J: 山梨県富士吉田市新西原4-11-8

Address E: Yamanashi-ken, Fuji Yoshida-shi, Shin-Nishihara 4-11-8

MAP:

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YAMANASHI: Kosaku Restaurant for a wonderful bowl of the local favorite... Houtou noodle hotpot seasoned with miso! Love the chunky noodles!!

Yamanashi is famous for Peaches and Grapes but also HouTou Noodles (thicker than Udon and more chewy).  Seems this place was featured on TV and a full house at our 2:30pm arrival.

4,000yen Turtle noodle soup... Suppon.

The main noodle menu... there are other choices too.

Very spacious interior.

And my pork houtou noodle arrived! The Volume!!  Soup was miso based... and there were so many different kinds of vegetables.  Think I liked the pumpkin the most. 

The noodles... super thick and chewy.

Friends went with the Tsuke-men (cold noodles that you dip in soup) and Tempura set.

If you are ever in Yamanashi you must give Houtou noodles a chance.  The thick noodles were so good, so many vegetables and the miso soup just too tasty.  Oh, this place is about a 20min ride from Mt. Fuji area.

Restaurant: Kosaku

Restaurant JP: 甲州ほうとう小作 石和駅前通り店 

Shop Website: http://www.kosaku.co.jp/isawaekimae/index.htm

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/yamanashi/A1901/A190103/19006610/

Address J: 山梨県笛吹市石和町窪中島73-3

Address E: 73-3 Isawacho Kubonakajima, Fuefuki, Yamanashi 406-0036

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/rpoF8epTf98U3tjJ8

甲州ほうとう小作 石和駅前通り店 , ほうとう, 石和温泉駅, Japan, Japanese, tokyobelly, foodie, yelp, lunch, dinner, noodles, ramen, hotpot,  family friendly, mount fuji, 

SHINJUKU: Pazzo Di Pizza Pizzeria... chewy affordable Napoli pizzas!

Pizzeria's in Shinjuku are hard to come by but I discovered this spot last year via my neighborhood wanderings... kept missing the lunch closing time but finally made it this day.

You'll instantly notice lunch pizzas start at 680yen and you have a selection of 7 fixed pizzas (Margherita, Marinara, Emile, Napolitana, Fungi, Prosciutto and Quatro Formaggio). BUT! Best of all you can actually order a Margherita (cheese) and select the toppings of your choice!

Tiny gas oven that fits 2 pizzas.

My lunch salad...

The interior is mostly counter seating so you have a nice view of the chef at work.

Bottle of spicy olive oil... nice kick.

And there it is! My Margherita (Cheese) pizza with additional Prosciutto topping!  The crust was so super chewy... Its so rare to find a pizzeria that will allow you to select your own toppings.  Yum...

On the very bottom of the lunch menu there was this "Okawari Pizza ALL 380yen"... Pizza was just big enough so you didn't feel stuffed... so I decided to try another.

My 2nd Pizza for 380yen...  Margherita with Garlic Topping!  I am always torn between ordering Margherita or Marinara (Garlic) pizzas here in Tokyo but I got a nice mix of both... great stuff.

Interior shot with the pizza chef.

I'll definitely be back... friendly service with super tasty pizzas!

Shop: Pazzo Di Pizza Shinjuku

Shop Website: http://www.pazzo-di-pizza.com/

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13096881/

Address J: 東京都新宿区西新宿7-8-11

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Nishi Shinjuku 7-8-11
MAP

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HARAJUKU: TGI-Friday's stop for Happy Hour (4-7pm) 50% off ALL drinks!

Just a very random entry for those in search of great Happy Hours around Tokyo.  

There is no other place in Tokyo that offers a solid variety of drinks like TGIFridays.  But best yet EVERYTHING on their menu is 50% off during Happy Hour 4-7pm.

Chocolate Monkey shake... yup 50% off.

Strawberry Mojito and Lichi Tea... 50% off.  All bottle beers, cocktails, draft beers, mixed drinks, non-alcoholic shakes for the kids... its all inclusive in the happy hour.  This is the newest Fridays in Tokyo so its immaculate.  The bar counter here isn't that long so if you are more the mingling with locals and expats type then I'd suggest TGIF in Roppongi with Happy hour from 4-8pm Mon-Thurs and 4-7pm on Fridays.

Don't forget to wait or the Amazing most excellent Bartender show that begins around 7:30pm... they will start when Happy Hour ends and things start to slow down.  You might score a free tasty drink!

Shop: TGIFridays Harajuku

Shop Website: http://www.tgifridays.co.jp/shop/

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1306/A130601/13113003/

Address J: 東京都渋谷区神宮前6-3-2

Address E: Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 6-3-2

MAP:

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IKEBUKURO: East Village Original Hamburger... had high hopes but was a miss.

What dazzled me was this picture of this Avocado Guacamole hamburger on my favorite foodie ranking website.  Just had to go...

The Lunch menu was an absolute maze... the cashier had to let me know which direction all the way thru the entire process... must have been loonie artist in the family that decided to do this.  I ended up with a burger, avocado topping, fries and ice tea.  Oh you have a selection of Ketchup, Teriyaki Sauce or Jamaican Sauce.

There are 6 counter seats facing the window and one tiny table for 2.  

Fries reminded me of McD's... nothing special here.

Sat in the only table for 2.

There it is.. 1,200yen Avocado Burger with Jamaican dressing.  Jamaican Jamaican this sounded unique and I was sooo looking forward to the flavor... could it be like Jerk Chicken?  One bite... hmm... two... hmm... this was simply spicy Teriyaki sauce.  The sauce was so overbearing that I couldn't taste the beef.  Could have gone for McD's 100yen Teriyaki McPork for this flavor.  

The beef was on the medium rare side which I don't usually see in Tokyo.

This was a nice touch... small sink on the 2nd floor for sticky fingers. 

Overall the burger is not worth going for a second time but hands down there was one silver lining at East Village... the service.  The cashier was super friendly and all smiles when she brought up the burger to the 2nd floor sitting area.

Walk between KFC and JTB Travel and you won't miss the shop.  I guess if you are craving home made burgers in Ikebukuro then you should give this place a shot.   But... I won't be back for a 2nd time.  Oh its steps from Sunshine City.

Shop: East Village Original Hamburger

Location: Ikebukuro Station

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13054782/

Hotpepper Website: http://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000761846/

Address J: 東京都豊島区東池袋1-13-1

Address E: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Higashi Ikebukuro 1-13-1

Map:

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