Due Italian

Dec29 by Afra

The name of this restaurant in Shimbashi might not suggest a Ramen place. Just in case some of you aren’t familiar with the term, ramen is a hot savory Japanese noodle soup dish that is considered an easy lunch or dinner in Japan. There are many different types of ramen, but the ramen you will find in Due Italian is a very unique fusion of Japanese and Italian style of cooking.

Their restaurant is relatively small like many places in Japan yet very comfortable with outdoor seating for nice weather days.

Photo Nov 12, 13 49 02

They have two signature ramen dishes and my friend and I decided to order one of each. The first one is the tomato ramen which is served cold and sweet with lots of tomatoes and some strawberries on top of it. The dish tasted deliciously fresh and I was quite surprised at how well the tomato juice and strawberries complemented each other.

Photo Nov 12, 13 24 59 (1)

The second signature dish is the hot ramen which is served with melted fromage cheese. This dish is very simple but the soup is exquisite. You mix the cheese and the noodles so they blend together and melts in your mouth. We just stopped talking until there wasn’t a drop left in our bowls. It was that good.

I would recommend this restaurant for a quick lunch place or if you are looking to try a unique type of ramen noodles. Prices are on the cheap side around 1000-1500 yen. So this is one of those cheap and cheerful eateries that I would definitely recommend.

Price : $

Due Italian

Tokyo, Minato, Higashi-shinbashi, 2-9-6, SAN Bldg 1F

Phone:(+81)3-3436-5337

Mame-cha

Sep12 by Afra

If you happen to be looking for a nice lunch spot in the Yurakucho area, consider dropping by Mame-cha located on the 8th floor of the Lumine department store building. Its located under a cinema and relatively new on this floor.

They have a variety of different choices in the set menu, allowing you to pick the food that you like and leaving out the ones you don’t.

The style of the interior was very modern Japanese. Simple with light wood accents.

You pick your main dish from the menu and while waiting for your meal to arrive, there is an appetizer buffet elegantly designed like a capsule. You can choose three dishes of appetizers and dessert, all dessert or all appetizers as long as it is 3 dishes. Everything looked so inviting, it took me awhile to decide which appetizers to pick.

They had an interesting tea selection in the buffet, from grape tea to black bean tea. I tried a sip of them all and loved the grape tea flavor.

My pick from the buffet was 2 appetizers and 1 dessert. You could choose all dessert if you want. My dessert was a green tea cake.

My choice of main course today was a simple grilled fish. Nice and healthy.

The lunch menu costs 1500 yen ++ and it is just the right size so you wont get sleepy for work in the afternoon.

Good lunch spot!

Price : $

Mame-cha

〒100-0006 Tokyo, Chiyoda, Yurakucho, 2 Chome−5−1, LUMINE Yurakucho 8F

03-6267-4775

Savoy

Jun15 by Afra

I decided to try this tiny pizza place called Savoy today as I was enjoying a leisurely afternoon stroll in Azabu-juban after many wet Tokyo days. A friend recommended this establishment and so I decided to give it a try.

The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of a rather bland flat building . No signs of a pizza place in sight.

As you enter though, you’ll find that the interior is quite cozy with bar counter seatings only.

The menu is also very minimalist. They had a steamed broccoli appetizer but the main course only consists of two choices of pizza, Margherita and Marinara. Each costing about 1500 yen.

I decided to give the all time favorite a try and ordered the Margherita. The pizza dough was very thin and soft and you actually had to roll it in between your fingers to prevent the toppings from falling off. It was delicious.

One pizza wasn’t enough for me today so I decided to give the Marinara a try. I found it interesting how the chef threw salt inside the wood fire oven.

Here is the Marinara pizza and I have to say it is the better choice of the two. I loved the garlicky taste. Exquisite.

My verdict ?. I have to say that in Tokyo you very often find beauty in the most unassuming places. If you love soft moist pizzas I suggest you give this place a try.

Price : $

SAVOY

3-10-1 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0046

Phone : +81-(0)3-5770-7899

AHILL

Nov28 by Bianca

This restaurant calls itself a “French Teppanyaki” restaurant so I was rather intrigued to find out what that meant. Ahill has a branch in nishi-azabu but I visited the one at the Velvia building in Ginza a few days ago for lunch with some friends. It was a small and cozy restaurant on the 8th floor with a very reasonable lunch set menu of 2000 or 3500 yen.

There are three choices of appetizers and we decided to each take something different to taste. Here is what we had :

First appetizer choice : Shrimp quenelles gratin style with mushroom and potatoes

Second appetizers choice : Yellowtail marinated with ginger, tomato and eggplant tapenade

And the third appetizer choice some roast beef with horseradish gravy

Then came a soothing warm pumpkin potage.

Warm pumpkin potage

If you order the 3500 yen set you will get an extra plate of today’s fish.

Salmon. The fish of the day.

There are also three choices of the main course which is rump steak, hamburger or sautéed pork.

The rump steak

The hamburger with pieces of foie gras inside

What comes next is a definite must try. Their fried curry rice. The 2000 yen menu doesn’t have this in it, but you can order extra for 500 yen. Definitely worth it!. It was one of the best curry rice I’ve tried.

The fried curry rice

The creme brule is also a definite must try. I loved how thin it was so you can really taste the burnt crust.

The creme brule

And there is also a choice of apple mousse dessert.

Apple mousse dessert

So this is what you call French-Teppanyaki. I loved my meal. It was delicious for its reasonable price. I especially loved the curry rice and creme brule. I think I might come back.

Price : $

AHILL.

Ginza2-4-6, Ginza Velcia-kan 8F

Phone : 3562-8080

MERCER BRUNCH. The best French toast in town.

Oct2 by Bianca

Brunch everyday is the concept of this cute little restaurant in Roppongi near the Tokyo Midtown establishment. It is relatively new and the cosy design of this establishment has been pulling me in every time I pass by. I finally walked in for lunch a couple of days ago and loved the design of the place. A small dining room is laid out around a cosy fire-place.

Standard brunch dishes are on the menu and here is what we had.

Nordic salmon with fried egg

Grilled chicken and eggs

But it is these babies that are the highlight of my visit…

Heavenly brioche french toast

The brunch food was just standard but the french toast was to die for!. I have never tasted a french toast so perfectly moist and delicious. A unanimous vote was cast by me and my two other lunch friends. This is definitely the best french toast in town.

Price: $

MERCER BRUNCH

Address 4-2-35 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Telephone 03 3470 6551

Open Mon-Fri 10am-3.30pm, 6pm-midnight; Sat, Sun & hols 9am-midnight

BIANCA

Jun28 by Bianca

When there is a restaurant in town that bears your name, you are of course obliged to give it a try (and maybe take pictures in front of its sign).

I stumbled upon this restaurant in the Gyre building (I often refer to it as the Chanel building) in Omotesando one day and decided to go in for lunch.

The interior

I loved the atmosphere of the space. The interior was simple and sleek but I especially loved their out-door terrace with lovely views on to the tree-lined Omotesando avenue.

The terrace

They do have a quite reasonable set menu for lunch starting at 1300 yen. I took the 3 course menu while my friends tried the four course menu. This is what we got for our appetizers…

A salmon terrine

Some smoked chicken cuts

Salad

Followed by some pasta. I had the meat ragu pasta which I thought tasted pretty good, and my friends tried the risotto and tomato based pasta.

Meat ragu pasta

Mushroom risotto

Tomato pasta with beans

Then came the main course. There was a choice of lamb or fish. My friend decided to try the fish.

Fish main course

We then each tried a different dessert.

Chocolate cake

The tiramisu

To be honest, the food really wasn’t that remarkable. But I loved the atmosphere of the place and will definitely be back to dine on their lovely terrace.

BIANCA. 4F Gyre, 5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Phone : 03 6418 6771

ALOHA TABLE

May30 by Bianca

I’ve never been to Hawaii and have no idea what Hawaiian food is all about, but I guess it is safe to say that if you are looking for a taste of Hawaii in the Daikanyama area then Aloha Table is the place to go.

On nice days, sitting out on its terrace is great.

The food is cheap and although there aren’t too many options for lunch, I found the food quite delicious. Here is what we tried…

A refreshing salad

Teriyaki Loco Moco

A tomato based seafood pasta

I especially liked the teriyaki loco moco, a hamburger pate over rice drizzled in teriyaki sauce.

Now the ice cream puff we had for dessert was outstanding, not to mention very exotic looking.

Price: $

ALOHA TABLE Daikanyama Forest. Daikanyama Art Village, 17-10 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku. Tel. 03-5456-7033

Tokyo Food Diary

A journal of my journey through Tokyo's various eateries

Category Archives: Cheap and cheerful eateries

Due Italian

Mame-cha

Savoy

AHILL

MERCER BRUNCH. The best French toast in town.

BIANCA

ALOHA TABLE

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