Finals are on Tuesday, and I’ve had a week of delicious meals. What better way to celebrate the upcoming break than to share some of those with you? Let’s start with a staple, perhaps my favorite meal…
Ramen
Ramen is to Japan as pizza is to the U.S. It’s everywhere, it’s fast, it’s cheap, and even the blandest servings still hit that sweet spot. The bowl in the bottom right is from a place called Jiro Ramen, and is known for its massive size. I couldn’t get a clear comparison photo, but that bowl is about as big as my head. It was also my favorite of all the ramen I’ve eaten here so far, so I’ll definitely be returning with the aim to at least see the bottom of the bowl.
Chinese Food
A couple of weeks back, I celebrated the Lunar New Year with some fellow Chinese students and had an absolute feast. For about three straight hours, the plates just kept coming.
In the top left is a dish of thin, dough-like rice squares in which you wrap the beef. In the opposite corner is a dessert of condensed milk and sweet bread, which I think I could actually eat all day. Gyoza, shrimp, potato skewers, and pork round out all but the dish containing a meat I ate for the first time. In the bottom left is a spicy stew of veggies and frog. Not bad.
Not pictured — the spectacular hot pot I got with another group of Chinese friends, one of whom is about to move to attend grad school in Kyoto. (Right as we were getting to really know each other, too!) Hot pot was tough to photograph since it’s really just some hot soups with (briefly) raw meat by its side.
Some other special meals
This week I ate twice at a newly-discovered New York style pizza spot called Rocco’s. It absolutely blows away every other pizza I’ve had here; the cheese is quality, there’s just enough sauce, and most importantly, the crust is fluffy perfection (a bad crust can ruin the whole pie).
Also pictured are soup dumplings, fried chicken, Indian curry, fajitas (Mexican food is a relatively new addition to the Japanese foodscape), and massive orders of chicken and fries at an izekaya (casual bars offering food along with drinks). In the center is an egg and vegetable okonomiyaki, or savory fried pancake. It's a versatile dish with a cool etymology — お好み (okonomi) is a polite way to say “what you like" or “what you want,” and 焼き (yaki) means to grill.
What I’m always eating
Aside from ramen, I have a few dishes that I always come back to. First up is the often mentioned 肉丼, or meat and rice bowl from Niku Gekijou (literally meat theatre xD). This is, so far, my favorite restaurant. The meat is always grilled spectacularly, there are 20 different sauces to try, and you can order as much rice as you can eat.
Then we have another Indian curry restaurant, their cheese naan dish pictured below. And what’s an Indian meal without a smooth mango lassi to go along with it? Both this restaurant and the next, &Sandwich are just minutes from school, making each a go-to after-school spot.
Finally, I figured I’d include an average breakfast for this early-meal-averse guy. Onigiri is appropriate for seriously any occasion, tuna mayo being my favorite flavor.
Finals and Spring Break
Only one day of school left in the semester, then finals! I’m hitting the 2/3rds mark, and my mindset is now focused on seizing the opportunities in front of me. With that in mind, I’m planning a weekend trip to Okutama to hike through a limestone cave and possibly climb the massive Mt. Kawanori.
This weekend I found myself wandering around Ōji, a city on the Northwest side of the Tokyo metropolis. I walked from a shrine to a valley carved out for a seasonal pond, and then to a beautiful green space — Asukayama Park. The sun came out at just the right time, and at the park’s peak there were stunning flower beds.
The season is changing, and this week the sakura bloom will begin. Next weekend will be peak viewing, when I’ll be participating in a 花見 (hanami), or sakura viewing picnic. You’ll hear all about it very soon.
春が来る
愛を持って、
gb
All looks so so good! Hooray for wonderful food and beautiful gardens! 😘
omg this made me so hungry! Thanks for sharing, Gabe