Politics & Diplomacy
Hashimoto to retract sex suggestion for U.S. military
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto aims to retract his remark that U.S. servicemen in Okinawa should use its adult entertainment industry to avoid committing sex offenses.
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Mar 16, 2012
Tohoku eatery serves up a northeastern menu
by Robbie Swinnerton
Zunda-mochi dumplings, hatto-jiru soup, hittsumi noodles: These are far from mainstream Japanese foods, and rarely found on restaurant menus. But they’re essential landmarks on the culinary landscape of the Tohoku region. They are also core items on the menu at Michinoku, one of the ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Mar 16, 2012
Yoshihashi: Top-class sukiyaki at a fraction of the price
by Robbie Swinnerton
Elegance, refinement, exclusivity: These are qualities only to be expected at any high-end Japanese restaurant. Affordability? Think again. Or, rather, think different. That’s the way to approach Yoshihashi. One of Tokyo’s most elegant and traditional sukiyaki houses, Yoshihashi is also one of its least ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Mar 2, 2012
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Yoyogi-Uehara ...
by Robbie Swinnerton
Neighborhoods are like microclimates, each with its own ecology of dining opportunities. Some are arid desserts with barely a ramen shop in sight. Others are lush and fertile, with a rich range of cuisines and styles. And then there are the hidden corners, seemingly ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Mar 2, 2012
Hidden pan-European eatery is one of a kind
by Robbie Swinnerton
Neighborhood restaurants are different from those where the lights are brighter and overheads (and expectations) higher. Almost by definition they’re more casual and down-home, rougher around the edges, simpler and less stylish. Iri doesn’t fit that pattern at all. Hidden from sight down a ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Feb 17, 2012
New Fish House claims east Ebisu as its oyster
by Robbie Swinnerton
First the sad news: One of Ebisu’s finest, friendliest little French restaurants has upped and moved to the far side of town. Now the silver lining: Those selfsame pint-sized premises have reincarnated as a branch of Ebisu’s finest, friendliest oyster emporium. Just six weeks ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Feb 17, 2012
Naples pizzeria serves up a slice of heaven
by Robbie Swinnerton
Is Tokyo becoming the Naples of Asia? It’s starting to feel that way, and not just because there’s a volcano lurking on the horizon. There must be as many artisan pizzerias here as in all of Campania, ranging in quality from worthy to excellent. ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Feb 3, 2012
Botan: Put a little sukiyaki fire in your belly
by Robbie Swinnerton
On one side of the battered shōji screen with its panels of flimsy washi paper, the sleet and biting wind. On the other, a small old-fashioned hibachi brazier, its coals glowing softly. There’s no contest: At Botan, the charcoal wins every time. But that ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Feb 3, 2012
Kanda is crammed with revered restaurants
by Robbie Swinnerton
The narrow pocket of Kanda comprising Sudacho and Awajicho boasts half a dozen restaurants that are among the most venerable in Tokyo. Like Botan (see main article), the buildings date from the late 1920s, boast superb wooden architecture and have improbably survived the bombs ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Jan 20, 2012
Restaurant full? Head to code kurkku's bar instead
by Robbie Swinnerton
Given the considerable media buzz that accompanied the opening of Yoyogi Village — and the involvement of Il Ghiottone’s chef Yasuhiro Sasajima — tables are still at a premium at code kurkku. But even if you can’t snare a reservation, don’t fancy a full ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Jan 20, 2012
Code kurkku: Kyoto-Italian cuisine in Yoyogi Village
by Robbie Swinnerton
Long before you sit down to dine at code kurkku, before you even glimpse its splendid glass-fronted facade, you know already you’re going to love it. How could you not? It has everything going for it. First of all, it’s the central focus of ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Jan 6, 2012
Uchiyama: Subtle delights of a brand new year
by Robbie Swinnerton
The holidays are behind us now, but it’s still the season for celebrating the New Year. From mochi rice dumplings to mikan mandarins, there are so many festive foods in Japan. Few are more auspicious, or supremely delicious, than madai, known in English variously ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Jan 6, 2012
A dedicated dashi bar you can put stock in
by Robbie Swinnerton
Nothing is more important in Japanese cooking than dashi, the fundamental cooking stock that underpins every aspect of the cuisine. There are many ingredients that can deliver a boost of umami savor, both natural (konbu seaweed or shiitake mushrooms) and artificial (various powders out ...