We have had to eat in restaurants only for the first 2 weeks in Tokyo: when we were living in hotels. I loved it. The food was wonderful.
First we walk around with Nathan trying to pick a restaurant. Either there are loads of restaurants or there are very few. Since we dont know the areas, or recommendations, its just "do you think this is nice?" Luckily I easily trust Stephen with the choice. Luckily, both Nathan and I are not too fussy about ingredients so there would be something nice in any restaurants. So once we decide this is it, we enter.
How do you decide when the menu is in Japanese? First we ask for an English menu which always helps. Otherwise its from pictures. For us its 'nama biru' and Nathan orange juice and if we are lucky apple juice. The Japanese never stock lemonade. We just have not seen it anywhere. The closest is Ramunade which is a sweet soda, with no lemon flavour. It comes in a funny bottle with a glass ball near the top so if you turn the bottle upside down no ramunade comes out. I keep forgetting to steal the bottle.
Our highlights are:
The sashimi at Aozora, Tsukiji
The Tempura Ebi Curry Udon in Tsukiji
The tempura in Ten Ichi
The tuna carpaccio with avocado salsa in an Izakaya in Ropponggi.
The nutty welcome tofu in an Izakaya in Shinjuku
The salad dressing on the mizuno salad in the strange restaurant we went with Jonathan in Shibuya
The korean bbq we had in Suitengumei
Sea bass sashimi and Kawahagi at Aozora,
The hamburgers at The Arms
The tofu salad at Oto oto, Ebisu Garden place
The vegetable bake, raisin bread and macaroons at Joel Rubichon
I have to update this list as I remember.
