In a city with endless culinary variety and over 80,000 restaurants, picking out the right eateries can be challenging. That's where experts like comedian Ken Watabe, one half of the popular Unjash manzai duo, come in: a restaurant junkie who visits up to 500 joints every year, he released a gourmet guide book ('Celebrity "gourmet king" picks out Tokyo's 100 best dishes') in October, and now lets us in on five must-try dishes in the city.
Sukiyaki Gokujogyu Sirloin at Imafuku
This mouthwatering, top-quality wagyu sirloin dish is a cultural experience all in itself. For the first 'round', you'll have the meat in regular Kansai-style sukiyaki form, while the latter part of the meal sees the staff add a mixture of broth, soy sauce, sugar and mirin, allowing you to taste the carnivorous delight as Kanto-style sukini (sukiyaki stew). Regional variation at its best, in other words.
Dan Dan Noodles at Azabu Choko
These linguine-like noodles will get you hooked with their chewy texture and rich, creamy broth. You'll have a hard time ever finding dan dan noodles as tasty as these – even if you take a trip to Sichuan, the birthplace of the dish.
Tomato Gyoza at Ichimi Rinrin
This Shinbashi-based restaurant is famed for its wide variety of gyoza, including dumplings filled with green peppers, beefsteak plant, eggplant, and even lemons. Still, I'd have to recommend the steamed tomato gyoza: the tomato and pork broth go together well enough to surprise even experienced Chinese diners!
Teppan Napolitan at Harajuku Bar
This isn’t just your average watering hole – Harajuku Bar serves Tokyo’s best 'napolitan' pasta, the faux-Italian dish that traces its origins to post-war Yokohama. This typically Japanese concoction comes in many shapes and forms, but this version will make you reach out for seconds even on a full stomach. The pasta is slapped on top of a fried egg that comes served on a hot iron plate, creating a perfectly balanced dish that tastes even better after a couple of drinks. Although Harajuku Bar is temporarily closed as of now, sister shop Aloha Amigo still serves the dish.
Matsunamiyaki at Matsunami
The okonomiyaki that everyone raves about, this is an unusual but delicious combo of clams and negi scallion that you won’t want to share with anyone else. Unlike other similar dishes, this one is best enjoyed simply with only soy sauce, which brings out the pancake's natural flavour. The restaurant is rich in Edo atmosphere, too.
For more recommendations, get your hands on 'Celebrity "gourmet king" picks out Tokyo's 100 best dishes', which is divided into sections featuring meals under ¥1,000, meals over ¥1,000, meals over ¥2,000, top dishes served as part of prix fixe deals, and best takeaway treats.
For details on the book (text in Japanese only, restaurant contact info and opening hours listed in English), see here.
