Food Tourism in Tokyo: Big City Getaway Part I

At the end of March I caught a bus once again to Tokyo, this time for AnimeJapan. I set out there a day early though for some food tourism!

Arriving bright and early at 6am on March 25th, I hopped some train lines across the city to Sugamo, where the world renowned Tsuta Ramen sits in an unassuming location known to locals as the fashionable place for seniors. This is the only ramen restaurant in the world awarded a Michelin Star for their culinary expertise, and probably the only Michelin Star restaurant which would be financially wise to eat at. I arrived a bit after 7am to get a meal time ticket. Having exploded in popularity due to their multiple awards, Tsuta has implemented a system where you prepay for a time slot to eat in the restaurant. This way people don't end up crowding the street all day (because Japanese people will gladly wait in line for an entire day for something), just to walk away disappointed when the restaurant closes. Even at 7am, the tickets for the first window of 11am were sold out. Grabbing a noon ticket, I doubled back to Roppongi first for breakfast.

When I was last in Tokyo six months prior, I remember seeing a neat looking breakfast place called Eggcellent. It's entrance was a wooden archway shaped like and egg! The branding was so strong, that even half a year later I instantly remembered it. I was glad to see that it was actually open, since I have come to realize breakfast restaurants are exceedingly rare in Japan. Even pancake restaurants don't open until 11am! Apparently pancakes are considered a treat, much like ice cream. And truthfully, I think Japan is correct in that opinion.


Eggcellent would fit right at home in Boulder, with a chic design and overpriced but artistic organic meals. Granted being in the incredibly upscale micro-city of Roppongi Hills, this was to be expected, and worth it. Possibly even more than the food, I greatly appreciated the branding of the restaurant, from the austentatious egg door, egg shaped salt shakers, to even an egg (shaped) mint, Eggcellent's designer crushed it.

Close by to Roppongi sits Tokyo Tower. Having some time before my designated lunchtime, I wandered over to see this historic sight. Built in 1958, the interior of the tower keeps it's retro presentation. It had a good view of the city, one that is substantially different from Skytree which sits on the other end of the metropolis.

I then returned to Tsuta for a truly unique culinary experience. Entering Tsuta was akin to entering a temple, one that worships food. People reverently eat their meal in silence, the only sounds being the chefs ritualistically greeting customers and the slurping of noodles. The meticulously crafted meal had a perfect balance of noodles, meat, toppings, and broth. The pork was incredibly tender, and from what how it tasted was probably baked instead of boiled. I savored each bite amidst the other customers in the solicitous atmosphere.

With a full belly I then spent the afternoon strolling through Akihabara, looking for some rare CDs. I manged to find a couple! I also wandered the claustrophobic halls of Super Potato, the retro game shop of Japan. Buried within it's multiple stories are rare classic games, systems, and collectables. I even managed to see a Japanese Golden Sun poster! The logo design is much more detailed than the US version.

That evening I met up with Chiara, my friend from Denver, for an Americana dinner. We had found a great burger place which was celebrating it's 8th anniversary with an 8 cheese burger! Naturally I had to order it, and it did not disappoint.

On our way back to the station, we swung by a ice cream shop on Chiara's recommendation. Wanting to continue my gastronomic adventures, I ordered the ginger/chocolate ice cream. The pairing works quite well!

Parting ways, I crashed at a rather dated capsule hotel, with a full stomach and satisfied palate.