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lamscott

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yeah i been to torigoya. pretty good cost-performance wise. i don't know food scene. i am nishi-kasai born nigerian.

wait

i think i know who this is.

nevermind.

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Fake Chipotle in azabujuban was reasonably okay for a shameless ripoff of Chipotle. The guacamole is good and the chips are fresh. I think they need some work on their salsas but the burritos are like an amateur chipotle, which is to say not unpleasant if you feel like a burrito. I've eaten at like 3 or 4 Chipotle ripoff places in Asia and the one in juban might be closest. Not enough cilantro in anything though.

Margaritas are like 600Y and are strong, I think they put 3 or 4 shots (of jinro?) in there, we drank them through straws and I got kinda fucked up after a couple. Mad white people inside, bunch of hungover white dudes lined up for lunch.

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back from december 23 to jan 7

i wish my vacation started either later or earlier

dec 22-24th = most expensive travel days of the year

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Not that a lot of places will be open the week of new year's, but I'd say skimp and do some cheap stuff and then really lash out on a couple tasting dinners, with wine.

For example, a lot of good places are beyond your budget for dinner, but half of it for lunch - L'Osier, for example, is very expensive for dinner, like 22,000Y to start, whereas lunch is like 7500Y if I recall.

Some new up and coming neo-French:

L'Effervescence, Nishi-Azabu - chef is an alumni of Michel Bras and The Fat Duck, he tries to make slightly fun food.

Yamada Chikara, Minami-Azabu - chef is former El Bulli, same menu price as above (16,000Y/head) but is Japanese food - both of these places have reasonably priced wine selections, and wine by the glass as well.

Florilege, MInami-Aoyama - chef here was the starting chef at Quintessence. Florilege is a new place.

Most of those would require reservations well in advance - Yamada only has 8 seats, Florilege I know is booked solid for the next 2-3 months.

A lot of small places in the Michelin guide where you can get lunches for about 3,000Y. There's a starred place in Shinjuku that just serves anchovy dishes and the menu price is like 800Y, lol.

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I haven't, I went to the first one i listed, and the second one is like 100ft from my house so i'll go to it soon. I have a rough idea of what most of these places are like though. L'Osier is probably the best, kind of stuffy old-people'ish though.

La Tour D'Argent at the New Otani is interesting if you really like food, it's nostalgic at this point, supremely old guard, but in Japan this means bubble era upper crust. Throwback to 1984 Tokyo.

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There's a starred place in Shinjuku that just serves anchovy dishes and the menu price is like 800Y, lol.

I've been there, its pretty good for 800Y. Its mostly a old people and salaryman crowd though.

for 15000Y check out Nihonryori Ryugin, a few of the sushi places for lunch like Mizutani, Saito

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Not that a lot of places will be open the week of new year's, but I'd say skimp and do some cheap stuff and then really lash out on a couple tasting dinners, with wine.

For example, a lot of good places are beyond your budget for dinner, but half of it for lunch - L'Osier, for example, is very expensive for dinner, like 22,000Y to start, whereas lunch is like 7500Y if I recall.

Some new up and coming neo-French:

L'Effervescence, Nishi-Azabu - chef is an alumni of Michel Bras and The Fat Duck, he tries to make slightly fun food.

Yamada Chikara, Minami-Azabu - chef is former El Bulli, same menu price as above (16,000Y/head) but is Japanese food - both of these places have reasonably priced wine selections, and wine by the glass as well.

Florilege, MInami-Aoyama - chef here was the starting chef at Quintessence. Florilege is a new place.

Most of those would require reservations well in advance - Yamada only has 8 seats, Florilege I know is booked solid for the next 2-3 months.

A lot of small places in the Michelin guide where you can get lunches for about 3,000Y. There's a starred place in Shinjuku that just serves anchovy dishes and the menu price is like 800Y, lol.

thanks for the detailed reply :)

L'Osier was on my 'to do' list on my previous trip, but I didn't book it as I went to robuchon instead. I will definitely book it in this time though!

Has anybody been to Les Creations de Narisawa in Minami-Aoyama? It's number 12 on S.Pellegrino's Top 50 and a few blog reviews I've read about it have nothing but positive remarks ...

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I haven't, but my woman has, it's worth the hype apparently and they do lunch i think. Many high-end Japanese food places don't do lunches, or if they do, the lunch costs the same (and is the same) as the dinner.

Coming from Sydney you probably don't need to see michelin-starred Chinese food, probably the least valuable proposition to you really.

I think there's an English Tabelog you can browse, with aggregated scores like yelp. It's as bad as yelp sometimes, but I think Japanese people who fine dine tend to have better taste and expectations than American yelpers. Also, if you just focus on the Japanese and Japanese-fusion restaurants, people on tabelog will know more about what they are saying. Yelp is enraging sometimes when it comes to Asian food reviews.

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I've been to Saito, but only for lunch. Highly recommended. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if they're closed for new years. I had the 15-piece set (10500 yen), and it was nothing short of amazing. The 10-piece set lunch at half the price is probably the best value for money in Tokyo when it comes to high end sushi.

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Anybody know of a used/junk Apple computer-focused store in Tokyo? I'm looking for spare AC adapter heads and an AC cord for my Mac mini, would prefer not to have to buy the whole block just to get the US-style snap-on bit.

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I hope to never have to go to Akihabara in my life.

Yeah, there's definitely a few places in akiba -- I think some of the other Sofmap stores carry used Mac gear. I can't say for sure about the one in Shinjuku, nor can I navigate their stupid site on my phone.

I saw some super nerd style mac place the other day in akiba with like boxes and boxes of 90s era mac powerbooks. (The white logo on black ones)

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Two questions from a Tokyo neophyte:

1. does anyone know any stores in Tokyo that stock Grenson shoes and boots (other than Isetan Shinjuku); and

2. can anyone recommend a tailor (preferably English speaking but this is not a must) that they have used and would trust for "big jobs" - e.g. altering a coat or suit.

Answers to either question will be appreciated greatly.

Best

SR

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ah that's pretty cool, I will check that out. I gotta go up to Ueno Ameyoko tomorrow or the next day, my current project is making homemade pho and now I just need to get some herbs. :o I will go to Akiba too and get my fill of seedy Tokyo for the year.

I think for the mac stuff I am gonna cop online in america and get it sent to me, just need the plugs and they're $2 a piece online. I lose to Japan.

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Just got back from Tokyo 2 days ago

Fantastic city, can't wait to return

7 floors of everything: Tokyu Hands, Seibu, Yodobashi Camera, Opening Ceremony. And I loved how there were no badly dressed locals, only badly dressed tourists.

As much as I loved Tokyo, I noticed a few things tho:

a. I was kinda surprised how most Tokyo-ites dressed in pretty similar autumn trends. Looking awesome nonetheless, but usually the elegant OL look for the girls and of course, Ame-kaji/Kireime for the guys. Of course I noticed other schools of dressing for the guys: the 'Smart' magazine sneaker look, the Shibuya-kei look (ironically seen among the Ikebukuro hustlers), the western denim etc. Wonder what happened to the salon boys and sales associates with their ironic haircuts and neon pink culottes that we see in style-arena. No goth ninjas in Julius either.

b. I was chatting with a friend who just got back from Seoul and she was telling me of places that sold independently designed clothes by small time designers/ fashion design students etc. Don't think I saw such a place in Tokyo. I remember an article from a decade ago that talked about kids rushing to Harajuku to get unique pieces of clothing that ran on an extremely limited supply. Obviously times have changed, but I found Harajuku surprisingly commercial. The blog Style Bubble says that Koenji is probably the last bastion of Tokyo indie sensibilities, but I hadn't had time to check the place out. Has Tokyo sold out?

c. Is it wrong to love Yoyogi Park? After 2 weeks, I was kind of tired of sitting up straight and speaking in hushed tones in trains. It was a relief to discover a place where the locals and the tourists could let loose without being inebriated.

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Just got back from Tokyo 2 days ago

b.The blog Style Bubble says that Koenji is probably the last bastion of Tokyo indie sensibilities, but I hadn't had time to check the place out. Has Tokyo sold out?

c. Is it wrong to love Yoyogi Park? After 2 weeks, I was kind of tired of sitting up straight and speaking in hushed tones in trains. It was a relief to discover a place where the locals and the tourists could let loose without being inebriated.

I haven't really been keeping up with the latest fashion trend but most of those so-called small "independent" labels are in the vicinity of Harajuku Tonchandori. Vintage-remake-DIY shops that specialize in fashion-forward (read weird) like Dog are still around. I don't really know if there are such things as small, up-and-coming labels anymore.

I'd rather pay some $ to go to Shinjuku Gyoen. Yoyogi koen kinda sucks.

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Posted · Hidden by englandmj7, January 20, 2012 - No reason given
Hidden by englandmj7, January 20, 2012 - No reason given
they're probably preparing the red carpet for you as we speak.

Not sure if this is supposed to be a slight or a joke, but in any case, if anyone knows of any decent concerts/events going on or a website where I can check I would appreciate it.

Cheers.

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