IZAKAYA VIN （イザカヤ・ヴァン）

We also tried to look for wine places in Japan. France and burgundy (bourgogne) wines were usually what we go for. Shibuya had a few wine places to offer. Organic wines seemed to be pretty trendy here. After some search, we found a Wine "Izakaya". The list of wines they offered can be found on their website (link below).

We started off with a glass of Joseph Perrier champagne and chose a burgundy white. So far 2017 chardonnay had been tasting well.

We also ordered a few small bites. Chicken's Liver Paste (鶏の白レバームース)

Pork's Rillettes (豚のリエット)

Website: https://www.izakayavin.com/
Tabelog: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1303/A130301/13002063/

Irie Monzen Nakacho いり江

Our friend brought us to a local Japanese sweets shop that he highly recommended. The name of the same is Irie (いり江). The shop was opened in 1970. According to its website, its name meant a short resting place for ships that just return.

The specialty of the shop was 寒天, a kind of agar-agar. All handmade.

We ordered the chestnut ogura anmitsu (あんみつ). Japanese chestnut was really sweet.

English menu was available too. We were going through the menu, and the baked mochi covered with sweetened soy flour drew our attention. I like the mochi that is light and not sticky. The baked mochi had a slight burnt but nice taste to it.

This was the kind of shop we looked forward to visiting in Japan. Thanks our friend for bringing us here.

Website: https://www.kanmidokoro-irie.com/

Orihara Shouten 折原門仲

We visited Toyosu market early morning and had lunch over there. This new fish market was big but cold. The old Tsukiji market was more lively, or rather had more "life" in it. Later on this trip, we were lucky to visit a few other interesting fish markets in Hokkaido. After lunch, we headed to Monzen Nakacho to meet our friend at Orihara Shouten.

Monzen Nakacho was part of Tokyo old down town, and near to Toyosu. We felt there were more to explore in this area especially at night.

Orihara Shouten was the first sake specialty shop at Robertson Quay, Singapore. Their outlet at Monzen Nakacho was actually setup after their Singapore shop. There were a greater variety of sakes at Monzen Nakacho outlet than back Singapore.

The "system" here was simple. There were about 200+ kinds of sakes to choose from. You just pick the one or few you want from the fridge, bring them to the cashier, decide on small or big servicing. The pricing were on the labels around the bottles. Make payment. Bring them to your table. Take picture. And put them back in the fridge.

We normally preferred to start with junmai ginjo 純米吟醸. And some how sakes always tasted much better in Japan.

These days, a sake brewery might produce various "series". For example, the following was the Tatenyan (たてにゃん) from Tatenokawa (楯の川酒造), Yamagata. This was modeled after a real cat living at the brewery, and was now the brewery's mascot.

特別純米 NUDY from (若竹屋酒造場), Fukuoka

Local craft beer お江戸深川の麦酒. The label of this bottle depicted the old Eitai (永代橋) bridge.

If you are looking for a place to drink different kind of sakes, this is highly recommended. And it starts from 11am.



Website: http://oriharashoten.shop-pro.jp/
Tabelog: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131303/13123491/

Star Bar Ginza

We had Starbucks in the morning, and we were heading to Star Bar Ginza in the evening.

Star Bar Ginza was one of the top 50 bars in Asia in 2018
Link: https://www.worlds50bestbars.com/asia/fifty-best-bars-list/star-bar.php?listID=461&pid=asia502018

We were pretty fortunate that the bar was not full when we reached. We took 2 seats at the counter and ordered some typical cocktails.

In some of the cocktails that come with a big square block of ice. You would be amazed by how clear it was. They actually called it "Ninja Ice". To make clear ice, one had to force out dissolved gasses and use water without too much impurities.

This was a traditional kind of cocktail bar. Good classical cocktails and service.

On the way back, we saw a shop selling Singapore Hainan Chicken rice

Website: https://www.starbar.jp/star-bar-ginza/
Tabelog: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13002270/

日本酒原価酒蔵 Wholesale Price Sake

When you come to Japan, you will have to try their sake.

As usual, we were looking for places which offer a variety of japanese sakes. We found a restaurant chain "日本酒原価酒蔵" that was selling premium sakes at wholesale price. We went to their outlet at Shimbashi No 2 shop.

We were intrigued by the way the sakes were served. Each sake was kept in 100ml bottles with a small descriptive label. Normally sakes come in 1.8L bottles. To maintain their freshness, the sakes were bottled in 100ml bottles and sealed from these larger bottles.

There was a great variety of popular premium brands. Food wise was typical izakaya kind of food.

Definitely worth coming back again for the different choices of sakes.

Website: http://sake-genkabar.com/

Tabelog: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130103/13159387/

信州おさけ村 Shinshu Osake Mura

We exited Shinbashi station and managed to find our way to Shinshu Osake Mura, located at the ground floor of Shimbashi Ekimae building. It was opposite a stationery shop.

信州 shinshu refers to the Nagano area. This was a standing bar, known for its cheap beers and sakes. You could get a flight of sakes for a few hundred yen.

There was an inner room with refrigerators with craft beers and sakes. There were 2 beers on tap, just pay at the counter, and the master will walk out and make the pour for you. There were a great variety of beers and sakes, as well as, small bites to try. Good place for a stopover before heading for dinner.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/信州おさけ村/152684694756805
Tabelog: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130103/13024613/

Starbuck Reserve Tokyo Roastery

This autumn, we traveled to Hokkaido with a 2 day stop over in Tokyo. 

We reached Tokyo in the morning. Lately, I have been having Starbucks coffee every other day. So we decided to check out the Tokyo Roastery. 

Front entrance

We took the Fukutonshin line from Shinjuku-sanchome station, and had to walk about 12min from Naka-meguro station. 

Tokyo Roastery is currently the largest Starbucks in the world (1200m2)

Level 1

The roastery consists of 4 levels. We went on to level 3 and had cocktails instead of coffees.

 

New Tokyo Fashion.

(Whisky / Umeshu / Cold Brew / Sakura Leaf)

Nakameguro Espresso Martini

(Vodka / Chestnut Liqueur / Cacao / Espresso)

The cocktails were pretty pricey. But then, it is always great to have alcohol in the morning.

Website: https://www.starbucks.co.jp/roastery/