It’s time to continue my journey exploring all the Japanese candies and snacks I brought from Japan. In [Part 1] Japanese Snacks Galore I tasted 6 different snacks, all on the scale of unique, weird and surprising (a snack that looks and smells like a dog treat anyone?). Today we’re going to embark on another adventure, tasting no less than 15 treats. Here’s hoping that they’re as tasty as they’re weird.
In every city I visit, I try to find a piece of Paris. The fun thing about patisseries in Tokyo? Their sweets are less sweet, so you can eat more and feel less guilty. This is not to take from their beauty of course. The desserts are made to perfection and look like a work of art. The downside is that not every place allows you take photos, and in some places we were told to stop after shooting a few pictures. They don’t allow it even if you buy something from them. Before heading to Tokyo, I’ve tracked down some of the most exciting places to get my sweet fix. Plus, you’re in for a nice surprise at the end of the post – one amazing foodies heaven! You can thank me later (preferably with a cake). Read More
J.S Pancake Cafe was our first stop in Shimokitazawa, a neighborhood located on the west side of Tokyo. Shimokitazawa is mentioned in every list of ‘Tokyo’s most Hipster\Indie\Young\Popular neighborhoods’. It is casual and charming, with narrow crisscrossing alleys of low construction packed with vintage and second hand clothing stores. However, I personally found Nakameguro and Koenji to be much more attractive. Read More
Being the sweet tooth that I am, and seeing as how I’m deprived of them in my homeland, I’m always on the lookout for doughnuts. During my Tokyo visit, I got to taste doughnuts from three different places: Floresta, Krispy Kreme and Mister Donut. To my enjoyment two of them offered special Halloween doughnuts! Read More
One of the first things I do when I start to plan itinerary for traveling abroad is check for local food markets. The street food, the merchants, the people, the vibe – food markets often embed the essence of the city\neighborhood. As opposed to London, where you can find many street food markets, I couldn’t find that many in Tokyo. The one that stood above the rest was Commune 246 – an open air street food market located in the hip neighborhood of Harajuku. It is a bit distanced from the commotion typical to Takeshita street and its area and the population type is much different. The people who go to Commune 246 are older and you’ll probably encounter many foreigners. Read More
Nakamise shopping street is 250 meters long and has close to 100 shops and stalls in which you can find traditional as well as cheesy souvenirs and authentic Japanese snacks. The street leads to the famous Sensoji Temple. The temple is the oldest and most visited temple in Tokyo. If your visit in Tokyo is short, and you have time for only one temple, I would highly recommend visiting this one. Read More
A bit terrifying to think the total number of calories of all the Kit Kat that I currently have in my house is 7456.
Japanese Kit Kat was something I have dreamed about tasting for a long time. While visiting Tokyo I set myself a goal to grab as many different Kit Kat flavors as I could find. Finding them was not always easy, but it was well worth it. They all have really unique tastes and smells, not to mention very cool packaging. I also really like how each box\piece of Kit Kat has a space on the back for writing personal notes. That space is meant for friends and family to write words of encouragement to students which are studying for their entrance exams. That is probably because Kit Kat sounds similar to the “kitto katsu” – a Japanese phrase roughly translated as “you will surely win\succeed”. Read More
One of my favorite thing to do when I’m abroad is visit the local supermarkets and grocery stores. I really like seeing what the supermarkets are packed with and look for stuff I can’t find at home. This time I really pushed my limits as I’ve returned from Tokyo with an entire suitcase full of snacks and random sweets. Here I plan to share some images and impressions from each. Every now and then I’ll add more snacks as I open and taste them. Read More
While I was doing my research online, prior to my Tokyo vacation, I came across many recommendation for Bills – an Australian restaurant. All the reviews I came across were raving about one dish specifically – the ricotta hotcakes, banana and honeycomb butter (¥1400). I knew I had to have it! Read More
Arriving to Kawaii Moster Cafe on Sunday morning, we were shocked to witness the long queue stretching for 3 floors and getting longer by the minute. Not wanting to spend a few hours in line along with Kawaii Japanese girls, we proceeded to pursue other adventures and came back afternoon. Luckily, we were let in straight away and didn’t have to queue at all! A few sitting options were offered at the four different zones: Mushroom Disco, Milk Stand, Bar experiments and Mel-Tea Room. Since Mushroom Disco was the most impressive one in my opinion I opted for this zone. There’s a cover charge of ¥3000 ($25/ 96₪) for dining in this zone, but we felt that it’s justified considering the incredible experience we had inside. Read More