1. MATSUSAKA YAKINIKU M (Dotonbori)
Touted to be the finest beef in all of Japan, and a notch higher than Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef or Japanese Black comes from the Matsusaka region of Mie, Japan. The all-female cattle are regularly massaged and fed beer to ensure tenderness and good taste. Tofu, fodder and ground wheat make up their diet.
Just by the looks of the marbling, you know you’re in for a dining experience like no other. Matsusaka’s very high fat to meat ratio justifies its steep price.
After some light searing in tallow or beef fat, this piece of sirloin is soaked in raw egg. Once you pop this into your mouth, you’ll be pledging allegiance to Japan.
No doubt, this version is the most flavourful sukiyaki I’ve ever tried. All beefed up with the most tender Matsusaka slices, gluten, tofu, shitake, enoki, leeks and scallions. Interestingly, it came with udon instead of the usual vermicelli.
Torched to half-raw, half-seared perfection. Matsusaka sushi is marbled decadence that literally melts in your mouth.
2. TORO at Saipan (Kuromon Market)
Toro or the belly is the most expensive part of the bluefin tuna or hon-maguro, due to its scarcity and fat content. It’s the tuna sashimi of all tuna sashimis because of its almost gelatinous texture and creamy taste. Belly, belly good! Enough reason for Ariel to want to stay a mermaid.
3. TAKOYAKI WANAKA (Kuromon Market)
And who doesn’t like Takoyaki!?! This version from Takoyaki Wanaka is the tastiest I’ve tried. Each delightful ball is packed with fresh octopus bits that you can actually feel and chew. Loaded with pickled ginger, shallots, scallions; and generously topped with Kewpie mayonnaise, takoyaki sauce and smokey bonito flakes, it’s every foodie’s dream street food.
4. PABLO CHEESECAKE (Dotonbori)
Pablo is the one you’ll cheat with… oozing with creamy custard so fluffy smooth in a flaky, near-Napoleon, filo-like crust. One bite and you’ll find yourself indulging in its sinfulness.
5. 551 HORAI (Daimaru Shinsaibashi)
Hep, hep, HORAI for the most delicious shiumai in town! Huge pork dumplings that are firm to the bite but not dry at all. Reminds me of Masuki’s siomai. But this one doesn’t need any dip at all because it’s already flavoursome on its own.
6. PRESIDENT CHIBO OKONOMIYAKI (Hotel Nikko
Shinsaibashi)
President Chibo has been around since 1967, and is considered one of the best Okonomiyaki restaurants in all of Osaka.
Seafood Okonomiyaki with a whole lot of scallops, octopus, and smokey bonito flakes! Despite being packed with ingredients, the pancake is fluffy and light. The plum sauce and mayonnaise add more depth to the overall flavour.
This Pork Belly Okonomiyaki delivers an almost bacony punch, with the smokiness countered by spring onions. Oh, so aromatic!
7. TAIYAKI (Daimaru Shinsaibashi)
There’s plenty of fish in the sea but this one is guaranteed to make waves. Taiyaki. Sea bream-shaped waffle filled with velvety smooth azuki or red pean paste. Addictively mildly sweet. This one is non-traditional in texture — more wafery than cakey, which makes it crispy and light!
8. TONKOTSU RAMEN at Ramen Street (Tokyo Station)
Tonkotsu broth so thick, you can’t help but slurp your way into the whole bowl. With a consistency akin to a cream of mushroom soup, the pork marrow and fat flavours are concentrated and very evident in each mouthful. With perfectly cooked tamago, a huge menma, and two lean yet tender pork slices, it’s quite a steal at Y800.
9. Luke’s Lobster Roll (Omotesando)
The Maine event of our tour that day. Perfectly steamed lobster chunks… buttery, herby succulence on a soft but crusty-on-the- outside roll. What’s the catch? You have to queue for at least 30-45 minutes.
10. TEMPURA TENDON TENYA (Shinjuku)
Seafood Tempura so good without the greasy taste. Ebi, ika and suzuki in its tastiest, crispiest and moistest. Now, I understand why this prawn has reached the shores of Manila. How lucky that we stumbled upon this place in Shinjuku. We only discovered that it was Tenya when we were handed the English menu!
11. TOBIKIRI BURGER at MOS Burger (Shibuya)
Tobikiri means extraordinary. And this burger certainly lives up to its name. A combined pork and beef patty topped with aligot and a French demi-glace sauce and onions. Aligot is a pureed mixture of Hokkaido potatoes, garlic and mozzarella cheese. Among the ingredients of the demi-glace are veggie stock, butter, sherry and Madeira wine. One bite and you’ll never believe this came out of a fast food kitchen!
12. MATCHA MILK TEA WITH SOFT SERVE and ROASTED MATCHA SOFT SERVE at Uji Cha Gion Tsujiri (Sumida)
So matcha in love with you! Sweet green milk tea topped with green tea soft serve ice cream and green tea crisps. Celadon creaminess I just can’t get enough of!
This is equally good! Roasted green tea soft serve ice cream. It intriguingly tastes like a cross between coffee and green tea. Two of my favourites in one flavour! Love, love, love!
13. TORO DON at Sushi Zanmai (Tsukiji)
Toro with vinegared rice. No words.
14. ABURI SUSHI at Sushi Zanmai (Ginza)
Our sushi chef seems to have perfected the art of torching, as each piece was delectably half-fresh, half-cooked melt-in-your-mouth toro goodness. Long after the vacation was over, I still found myself dreaming about it.
15. GRILLED SCALLOPS (Tsukiji Fish Market)
Freshly caught hotate with butter and soy sauce grilled over charcoal on the streets of Tsukiji. So simple and pure, you can really taste the delicate, salty flavour of the sea in every scallop. All-plump. All-fresh. All-succulent. Oi-sea!!!
16. GRILLED EEL and LIVER at Hitsumabushi Nagoya Bincho (Ginza)
My best meal in Tokyo by far. Nagoya-style grilled eel liver. Charred teriyakiliciousness!!!
Romancing my Nagoya-style grilled eel with wasabi and shredded leeks. Such a refreshingly spicy counter to the sweetness of the eel.
17. UNI SUSHI and UNI TEMAKI at Sushi Zanmai (Ginza)
Heaven on a plate. Salmon roe, toro, aburi and uni sushi. All my sushi favourites in their oishiest!
The nori cone was generously filled to the bottom with buttery, creamy urchin goodness so fresh, I almost expected to see its spikes!
18. YAKINIKU at Gyu Shige (Shibuya)
Wagyu beef here is so tender, flavourful and juicy but reasonably priced it should be called Wagyu-niku!
19. KAKI FRY (Ganko Ginza)
Oozing with succulent and plump oysterliciousness! Wonderfully crisp on the outside and silky smooth on the inside. Such a welcome play of textures in my mouth!
20. BAKED OYSTERS IN MISO SAUCE (Ganko Ginza)
Hokkaido oysters in a creamy-sour rhapsody of a sauce. The miso’s sourness is balanced out by heavy cream, giving it a near-cheesey flavour. So good, I’m willing to shuck kilos of these!!!
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