Tokyo Belly

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

NERIMA: Watami Izakaya... this franchise has the best food PLUS 1,800yen very generous All You Can Drink!!

I have a good friend that drinks like a horse... so in order to keep our budget under check we always hit up a all-you-can-drink Izakaya. This night we checked out Watami's 1,800yen 2 hour drink menu.

Quality menu starting from about 300 yen.

Gyoza was like 350yen... very good deal.

But this was the most awesome part of the huge all you can drink menu. Normally when you order grapefruit sour they just add grapefruit liquor but Watami uses fresh Grapefruit! We had about 3 each.

Huge glass of Imo-Shochu on the rocks... sure was extra big.

Menu items are mostly all pics.

So at the 2 hour point the waitress asked for our last drink order... we went for anther grapefruit sour with a Shochu chaser. Its very unusual to be able to order 2 drinks to close and normally this happens at the 90min point.

I've only had great experiences with Watami vs. comparable franchise Izakaya's. Definitely a must if you don't read Japanese as the menu has lots of pictures and even more of a must if you are a heavy drinker.

Restaurant: Watami Nerima Branch

Foodie Tabelog: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132102/13052082/

Watami Website: http://www.watamifoodservice.jp/watami/

Address J: 東京都練馬区豊玉北5-19-1 フジヤビル　1F 2F

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Toyotamakita 5-19-1
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/u7oTN

和民, 練馬店, わたみ, 居酒屋, Japan, Japanese, food, foodie, canon s120, beer, sake, sushi, sashimi, yakitori, yelp, tokyobelly, cheap,

SHINBASHI: Wataru Izakaya... its all about the 180yen Beers and Whisky Hi-Balls... food is pretty blah.

Its always great to drink for 180yen but these places usually have very diverse yet very mediocre food between 300-600yen that is really quite over priced.

This seasoned cabbage was about 500yen... but you can buy a whole cabbage at the supermarket for 100yen. They don't make money off the beer at only 180yen but just the food so drink alot!

Overall its just an easy place to drink for 180yen in Shinbashi but I highly suggest avoiding this place as Shinbashi is salaryman heaven and there are sooooo many awesome tiny izakaya restaurants filled with hard working Japanese men. Shinbashi is known as a Oyaji town (middle aged salary men) who drink on a tight budget.

Restaurant: Wataru

Foodie Tabelog: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130103/13073533/

Address J: 東京都港区新橋3-26-3

Address E: Tokyo, Minato-ku, Shinbashi 3-26-3
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/g4pxR

ワタル, 居酒屋, ビール180円, 角ハイ, Japan, Japanese, foodie, canon s120, yelp, foodie, sushi, yakitori, pub,

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

TOKYO STATION: Ryutan Okinawan Restaurant for Lunch... the friendliest most courteous staff ever.

I occasionally have a craving for some slow paced island food... thus Okinawan restaurants with their soothing Okinawan rhythms on the BGM.

When in Okinawa you MUST order Okinawan Soba, Taco-Rice and Tacos! This day I got 2 of the 3. Taco Rice and Okinawa Soba set for 920yen.

This elderly couple in their 70's or so that kinda looked lost in this huge Tokyo Station ordered the Okinawa Soba Set. The kind waitress suggested they order a large Okinawa soba set (seems you can get extra noodle upgrades for free) and simply share it. How so very thoughtful...

This is me! Lots of carbs... oh no.

I love Ramen in Tokyo but there are just waaaay to may different kinds out here... but you can always trust Okinawa Soba to retain that very familiar flavor.