Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
123
Notes on Dining
The restaurants listed below are organized first by neighborhood, then by
price category.
• Note that the
5% consumption tax
is included in menu prices. However, many
first-class restaurants, as well as hotel restaurants, will add a
10% to 15% service
charge
to the bill. Unless otherwise stated, the prices given below include the tax
but not the service charge.
• Restaurants that have no signs in English letters are preceded by a
numbered
icon,
which is keyed to a list of
kanji
(Japanese writing symbols)
in Chapter 14.
• Finally, keep in mind that the
last order
is taken at least 30 minutes before the res-
taurant's actual closing time, sometimes even an hour before closing at the more
exclusive restaurants.
•
Best Vegetarian:
Everything I've had at
Yasaiya Mei,
4-12-10 Jingumae (
&
03/5785-
0606
), which specializes in fresh, seasonal vegetables, has been delicious, but the wild
plant tempura is my absolute favorite. See p. 148.
•
Best Traditional Decor:
With its beautifully landscaped Japanese garden and
200-year-old farmhouse imported from the Japanese Alps,
Tokyo Shiba Toufuya
Ukai,
4-4-13 Shibakoen (
&
03/3436-1028
), specializing in classic tofu cuisine,
seems like it's in the countryside rather than the middle of Tokyo. See p. 160.
•
Best Traditional Music:
Located in the traditional Asakusa neighborhood in a Japa-
nese-style wooden house,
Waentei-Kikko,
2-2-13 Asakusa (
&
03/5828-8833
),
offers
obento
lunchboxes and kaiseki meals, along with
shamisen
and other traditional
music performances. See p. 140.
6
2
RESTAURANT ESSENTIALS
ORDERING
The biggest problem facing the hungry foreigner in Tokyo is ordering a meal in a restau-
rant without an English-language menu. I've tried to alleviate this problem somewhat by
giving sample dishes and prices for recommended restaurants. I've also noted which
restaurants have English-language menus.
One aid to simplified ordering is the common use of
plastic-food models
in glass
display cases either outside or just inside the front door of many restaurants. Sushi,
tempura, daily specials, spaghetti—they're all there in mouthwatering plastic replicas,
along with the corresponding prices. Decide what you want and point it out to your
waiter.
Unfortunately, not all restaurants in Japan have plastic display cases, especially the
more exclusive or traditional ones. In fact, you'll miss a lot of Tokyo's best cuisine if you
restrict yourself to eating only at those with displays. If there's no display from which to
choose, look at the menu to see whether there are pictures of the available dishes, or look
at what people around you are eating and order what looks best. An alternative is to order
