Cliff(y) Goes Dining

How much do you like ANA's signature curry? I arrived at Narita International Airport early before my flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, giving myself enough time to stop by one of ANA's bigger flagship lounges for Business Class passengers. Besides the buffet spread, guests can also enjoy freshly prepared dishes from the noodle bar.

JAL's curry is better than ANA's, methinks! Japan Airlines has got two Business Class lounges at Narita International Airport that serves the Greater Tokyo Area of the Land of the Rising Sun. Instead of going to the bigger lounge at the main building, my BFF and I were headed to the one located at the satellite building that's said to be more peaceful.

My first taste of 'sakura dango' and 'kuzu mochi'! After having a good time exploring the old neighbourhood of Shibamata in Tokyo, Japan, my BFF and I wanted to get something sweet. We were drawn by the visually intriguing display put up by Marujin, which is located two shops away from  Kawachiya  where we had our  unagi  (Japanese freshwater eel) lunch.

How good was the 'unagi' in this place that has stood the test of time? Is there a place in Tokyo that retains the charm of traditional Japan? The answer to that is Shibamata near Edo River that's the natural border between Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture. Located in the old neighbourhood is Kawachiya, a restaurant specialising in  unagi  (Japanese freshwater eel), with more than 250 years of history.

Tasty homemade curry, but it could use more chicken chunks~ Have you been to Inokashira Park in the western part of Tokyo, Japan? I didn't go to Ghibli Museum there, which requires reservation at least 10 days in advance, but I had a splendid time exploring the park. At close to 2.00pm, my BFF and I finally had lunch at Isentei located to the west of the pond at the park.

Quite a lovely sliced beef rice box! I love going to the basement floor of a Japanese department store, where there are typically lots of eye-catching stalls selling multifarious food items that never fail make my mouth water. For dinner on one of the evenings, my BFF and I decided to get something from Sourié at Takashimaya Times Square that's just a stone's throwaway from Shinjuku railway station.

One of the few times I had snow crab on vinegared rice! Daiwa Sushi and Sushi Dai are arguably two of the most famous sushi eateries at the former Tsukiji Market, the largest wholefish and seafood market not only in Tokyo, Japan, but also in the world before it closed down. Both have since moved to Toyosu Market. It was a pity that my BFF and I reached too late to join the last queue for Sushi Dai, so off we went to Iwasa Sushi nearby.

For all Pokémon fans out there! Dessert was good! Even though the main aim of going to Tokyo, Japan in mid-March last year was to catch a glimpse of the early-blooming sakura (lit. cherry blossom), I also took the opportunity to visit Pokémon Café in the Nihonbashi district. Prior reservation is a must, and I was so lucky to be able to get a slot for that trip.

Having sardine 'sashimi' for the first time in my life! Nakajima in Shinjuku is probably the restaurant where you can get the cheapest Michelin-starred lunch in the bustling metropolitan Tokyo, Japan. Having been awarded One Michelin Star for a few years now, it dishes out affordable sardine-themed lunch sets. My BFF and I queued for close to 45 minutes to get a table shared with three other diners.

Virgin experience with Acerola Mild! During that trip in Tokyo, Japan, my BFF and I stayed at Hotel Listel Shinjuku (3*). Reachable by foot within 15 minutes or so, the hotel is located to the north of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, one of the places where we saw early-blooming sakura (lit. cherry blossom). Let's take a look at the buffet breakfast served at the hotel.

First time having ajitsuke tamago for breakfast! Instead of the usual hotel hopping that I've always liked to do, I only stayed in one hotel in Tokyo. Comfort Hotel Tokyo Higashi Nihonbashi (3*) was my choice as it offers value-for-money rooms, not to mention its perfect location which is just a minute walk from Bakurocho station.

Crispy, airy tempura cooked before your eyes! AEON Mall is one of the leading shopping malls in Japan. One of them is located at Narita city near the airport. While wandering inside, I chanced upon a tempura (Japanese battered and deep-fried assortments) restaurant where customers can directly see how the dishes are being made while waiting for their orders to come. Since there isn't any English menu available, I'll directly translate the name of the dishes I tried as usual.

A happy marriage between tonkatsu and green tea? Fancy chazuke (Japanese dish made by pouring green tea over cooked rice)? Prior to the trip to Japan last June, I'd never tried one before. Hence, I made it a point to drop by one of the most popular restaurants serving a combination of tonkatsu (Japanese breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet)  chazuke in Shinjuku, after walking past the entertainment and red-light district of Kabukicho. Haha...

Huge, fatty beef bowl with half-boiled egg! Matsuya was founded in 1966, providing what's known to be the Japanese fast-food staple, the beef bowl, among other items. In Japan alone, there are already more than a thousand outlets as of the end of March this year. By the way, there's no English menu in the branch I went to, so I'm going to loosely provide the names of those I ordered in English.

How good is the shrimp burger? The craze about the shrimp burger that has just been introduced in Singapore is still ongoing. Today, I'm going to churn out a short review of the same burger in its country of origin. 

The best 'anago sushi' I've ever eaten in my life! UPDATE (03/03/2019):  The eatery has moved to 6-3-2 Toyosu. Being Japan's most famous and venerable market in the world for tourist destination, Tsukiji Market boasts its plethora of fresh seafood everyday. Don't miss breakfast when you happen to be there. I patronised Daiwa Sushi, a perennial favourite among Japanese and tourists alike, which is located just outside the main market area. I was quite lucky that day since I only had to queue for about an hour to get a seat.

One of the few whale meat restaurants in the world! From the Kansai region of Japan, we're now moving to Tokyo, the capital city of the Land of the Rising Sun. When you've had the chance to go to Shibuya, don't forget to snap a picture with the statue of the loyal dog named Hachiko and drop by the restaurant for a taste of whale meat. Worry not, the restaurant has assured that they're not using endangered whale species in their kitchen.