Izakaya Yama @ Jiyugaoka

March 19, 2018 Dave Perry

***Wood ear mushroom with fluffy eggs and onions***

The Chinese cuisine at Izakaya Yama sits at the better end of the authenticity spectrum, for the most part being home-style cooking from China’s north-east with occasional Japanese accents.

Hospitality at this popular hole-in-the-wall izakaya is at times less attentive than it could be, the pricing sometimes erratic, and meals often costlier than the premises and barebones kitchen set-up might suggest, but the quality of the cooking is invariably excellent.

Owner-chef ‘Yama-chan’ makes regular visits to his native Chinese province to source scarce or seasonal ingredients, ensuring a regularly updated dining experience.

Signature dishes include the spicy mābō dōfu, yuba and coriander salad, and what is perhaps the best fried rice to be had in Tokyo.

Taro @ Hiroo

March 18, 2018 Dave Perry

***Pork with fluffy egg and greens stir fry***

Amidst Hiroo’s more upmarket establishments, Taro is the quintessential old school chūka ‘rice and noodles’ joint.

They serve excellent gyoza, fried rice and ramen, as well as numerous stir-fried dishes such as the popular ‘stamina liver itame,’ in a snug Hong Kong diner like setting; all to the dulcet tones of 1980s British pop music.

The BGM may not be reason to return, but the coupons for complimentary gyoza provided at the end of every visit are.

Update: As of July 2020, Taro has relocated to Meguro.

Taro

03 3449 8301

Italian Sasuke @ Honmachi

February 25, 2018 Dave Perry

***Creamed tomato and spinach risotto***

The unassuming glass facade and plain interior of this busy little Italian belie the surprisingly good food on offer.

Nothing fancy, but portions are extremely generous (can be supersized at no extra cost) and the freshness of ingredients and depth of flavour pleasing, as demonstrated by the delicious creamed tomato and spinach risotto.

Lunchtimes are crowded so best to arrive early to secure a seat.

Italian Sasuke

080 6103 4390

Qui Rit Guerit @ Nakacho

January 31, 2018 Dave Perry

***Charcuterie moriawase - pate de campagne***

***Charcuterie moriawase - chicken liver mousse, pork rillettes, parma ham with pickles***

***Boudin blanc with stewed apples and red cabbage***

**Wagyu beef shank in red wine sauce with seasonal vegetables**

A relatively recent addition to the Meguro Dōri dining scene, this petit restaurant offers uncomplicated, generously proportioned French staples in a neat, if somewhat spartan, setting.

Although the menu is far from expansive, daily specials add interest and cause for repeat visits, supported by a small range of wines displayed on the second floor.

The charcuterie moriawase was particularly satisfying, providing a sampling of all available entrées in one sitting, and left little room for the rest of the meal. We enjoyed the boudin blanc, although it would have been nice to have the noir variety as an option, too. The only disappointment on this visit was the beef shank, which despite its good looks was a little over-cooked.

Qui Rit Guerit

03 6303 4191

Street Pasta Company @ Yoyogi

June 14, 2017 Dave Perry

***Spaghetti with bacon, four kinds of mushrooms, cream sauce***

***Spaghetti with squid, littleneck clams in tomato sauce***

***Meat sauce tagliatelle with beef shank, bacon, parmigiano***

Although the high street fronting Yoyogi station caters mostly to students and tourists passing to and fro between Shinjuku and the Meiji Jingu shrine, venturing into the side streets reveals plenty of interesting dining options catering to hungry office workers and wandering gourmands alike.

Street Pasta Company stands out among the many ramen shops and cafes for its paired down pseudo-hipster aesthetic and contemporary approach to the Japanese pasta house. The pasta, freshly made on the premises, is served in 100g, 150g and 200g portions at a flat rate, or can be super-sized to 250g for an extra 100 yen. For the the most part it's served al dente. The twenty odd dishes on the menu cover the gamut of ingredients and flavours, from veggie to meaty, creamy to spicy.

We tend to stick with menu staples such as the spaghetti with bacon and four kinds of mushroom, the beef shank and bacon tagliatelle or New York pizza, although venturing from the beaten path to explore weekly specials can reveal gems such as the recent seafood spaghetti with squid and littleneck clams, too.

Street Pasta Company

03 6276 7447