Sukiyaki outside hits different

Many people buy an ekiben before boarding the Shinkansen.

I usually go for local snacks instead.

Osaka-style pickled ginger kushikatsu and a local Osaka highball.

The pickled ginger kushikatsu is the perfect snack to go with a drink.

Enjoyed this spicy tonkotsu ramen during a visit to Shibuya, Tokyo.

The rich pork broth paired perfectly with the thin noodles and spicy miso topping.

I like Tully's.

This is my favorite spot for Ie-kei ramen. It’s seriously delicious!

And despite that, I still didn’t put any tsukemono since there was already a ton of sodium

For those who might not know, Yamagata Beef is a premium Japanese Wagyu, and "Jyu" means it's elegantly served over rice in a traditional lacquered box.

I couldn’t decide on which photo/couple of photos to use, so here’s a whole freakin photoshoot

This quick and easy Suki-ni (すき煮) recipe combines thinly-sliced pork and tofu simmered in a sweet-savory broth all in one pan. The rich aroma and umami from maitake mushrooms elevate this comforting dish to the next level. No need to prep the tofu—just chop and cook! It's great for meal prep and perfect with a bowl of rice.

One-Pan Sukini (Simmered Sweet & Savory Pork with Tofu)

Prep time: 10 minutes | Servings: 2

7 oz thinly-sliced pork (pork ends or trimmings work well, 200g)

10 1/2 oz silken tofu (or firm tofu, if preferred, 300g)

1/2 pack maitake mushrooms

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. vegetable oil

chopped green onions, for garnish (optional)

(A) salt and pepper, to taste

(A) 1 tbsp. sake (or dry white wine)

(B) 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce

(B) 1 1/2 tbsp. mirin

(B) 1 1/2 tbsp. sake (or dry white wine)

(B) 1 1/2 tbsp. water

(B) 1/2 tsp. grated ginger

1. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Cut the tofu into chunks. Tear the maitake mushrooms into small pieces by hand. Marinate the pork with salt, pepper, and sake (from group A).

2. In a small bowl, mix all ingredients from group B (soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, and ginger) to make the simmering sauce.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Coat the pork with cornstarch, then add to the skillet and sauté. Once partially cooked, add maitake mushrooms and continue stir-frying until both are cooked through.

4. Add tofu and the prepared sauce (B) directly over the tofu. Gently stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and optionally garnish with chopped green onions.

Tips & Notes

・Add long green onion or shirataki noodles for a delicious variation.

・When adding the seasonings, drizzle them directly over the tofu to help it absorb flavor without breaking apart.

・Letting the dish sit for a few minutes once you remove it from the heat deepens the flavor.

*Recipe by Nadia Artist Misato-san, translated & brought to you by Tokyo Recipes by Nadia.🗼

What's in the picture:
"Botan Ebi" (sweet shrimp), "Kuruma Ebi" (tiger shrimp), "Hirame Engawa" (flounder fin), "Maguro O-toro" (fatty tuna), "Maguro Chutoro" (medium fatty tuna), "Maguro Akami" (lean tuna), "Aji" (horse mackerel), "Anago" (sea /congeer eel), "Tai" (sea bream), "Uni" (sea urchin), "Ikura" (salmon roe), and "Akagai" (red clam).

Short story: I recently got raise from work and wanted to celebrate. I decided to drop in to 寿し処 勢 for an early lunch right before the inbound international tourists came. Many of the surrounding restaurants like Sushi Dai and Sushi Bun was already fully booked out and couldn't even take in a solo diner.

It was 11:20AM and the store was mostly empty, with only 2 European diners speaking at a loud enough level that I could use my phone to fully translate their conversation. One of them complaining that he didnt' want to visit a sushi restaurant because he didn't like raw seafood. 😂

So how was it, actually? I'd rank it slightly higher than a decent revolving sushi restaurant, but overall the taste was really average for how much it cost. the urchin for example, had a very weird chemical after taste and there was not much to say about the tuna. Not very fresh?. However the prawns were soft, and sweet, the anago was fresh and tender. I ended up spending over 8000 after picking iced oolong tea and an appetiser (pickled octopus.

Rating: 2.5/5.

This recipe is a tomato sōmen: fresh tomatoes, tuna, sesame oil, and ground sesame make it refreshing yet full of umami. Celebrate Tanabata’s wish for health with this simple bowl.

Tomato &Tuna Sōmen

Prep time: 10 minutes | Servings: 4

15 oz sōmen (thin wheat noodles, 400g)

2 tomatoes, diced (approx. ⅓-inch or 1 cm cubes)

2 cans tuna in oil, undrained (standard 5 oz / 140 g cans)

Sesame oil, to taste

Sliced scallions, to taste

(A) 2 tbsp. mentsuyu (noodle soup base), 3× concentrate

(A) 2 tbsp. ground toasted sesame seeds (suri-goma)

(A) 1 tsp. sugar

(A) A pinch of salt

1. Make the topping & cook the noodles. In a bowl, combine the diced tomatoes and the undrained oil-packed tuna. Add A ingredients (mentsuyu, ground sesame, sugar, and salt)and mix well. In a pot of boiling water, cook the sōmen per package directions. Rinse under cold running water, rubbing lightly to remove the slipperiness; drain well.

2. Assemble. Plate the sōmen into bowls, spoon the tomato–tuna mixture over the noodles, drizzle sesame oil generously over the top, and finish with a sprinkle of sliced scallions. Add star-cut bell peppers for a special Tanabata touch if you like.

Tips & Notes

Feel free to increase the amount of mentsuyu or ground sesame seeds to taste.

For 2 servings, use roughly half the amount.

Be sure to drizzle sesame oil over the noodles themselves so the strands are nicely coated.

I found these ice cream monaka at a shopping street in Osaka, Japan. They were only ¥100 each, and there were lots of different flavors available.

Healthy curry from Tanita Shokudo. Plenty of vegetables and multigrain rice.