Burn baby burn

Unfortunately, the only burning that goes on here is the yakitori. Forget about it if you want to burn calories. 

MOE is one of our favorites. The girls and I go there from time to time after work to release our stress and have a good time. The name means "on fire" but since it's pronounced exactly like Moet (& Chandon), they serve you the champagne as a free starter! Isn't that fabulous?! I love it. The servers are very friendly and attentive, even though the place is usually packed. The best yakitori here are the bonjiri, tebasaki, tsukune, sori, and sasami yuzu koshou (price ranges from 250 yen to 450 yen each). Eat a bit of salad so you don't turn into a lion, but I won't blame you if you want to stick to just eating meat. The chicken here is MmMm good. To finish, have the soopu-chazuke. This chicken soup porridge is so yummy, it totally hits the spot.

There's no way of getting in on Thursday or Friday nights without a reservation. MOE is a popular hangout for the office workers around the Roppongi area so calling in advance is highly recommended. Secure a table in the back because it gets a little rowdy along the counters overlooking the flames.

Yakitori MOE（やきとり燃）

Minato-ku, Roppongi 3-8-12

Open 18:00-4:00, Closed Sundays

Tel: 03.5414.1141

http://rockgogo.jp/

You on for Kuon?

Kuon is one of my favorite restaurants in Tokyo.  They have the best aburi shimesaba sushi. It comes in four big pieces (1300 yen), but I can probably eat 12 of them if I didn't find myself enjoying the other dishes. A lot on the menu are like appetizers, or more appropriately put, accompaniments to sake and shochu. So don't expect hefty portions here. If you don't like dainty food, go elsewhere.

Only 2 minutes from the station, you round a corner and go up two very steep flights of stairs to find Kuon neatly tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Ebisu. Open the door and you have the energetic guys in the kitchen welcome you warmly while they tend to their pots and grills. They all wear earthly-colored samues, simple, like their dishes.  I like to sit at the counter so that I can watch the ita-sans prepare my food. Once again, an open kitchen. They have shabu-shabu too (minimum 2 people) which is very good, but definitely try the various sashimis. If you don't know what to order and if you're on a budget, get the omakase course. 

Kuon has about 30 different types of sake and shochu. I pass out after 2 drinks so I usually keep to the teas, but sake-lovers will definitely appreciate the food here - Like cheese to fine wine, the dishes are made to accompany your sake. For dessert, I highly recommend the yaki monaka (600 yen). It's a hot ice cream sandwich with azuki. Don't split it with your friend. Just get two to begin with because you're going to end up ordering another anyway.

Kuon（くおん）

Shibuya-ku, Ebisu Minami 1-14-15, Tokyo

Closed Sundays

Tel: 03.3793.1319

http://www.ku-on.com/

Relaxed and Refined in Nishiazabu

I haven't been to SHIBUROKU in a while, probably because it's in Nishiazabu. Nishiazabu is very out of the way. There are no train stations conveniently close enough to the restaurants you want to go to. While it's only a 15 minute walk down the street from my office in Roppongi, it's 15 minutes too far to walk in the dogs days of summer. The humidity and heat will probably kill you on the way there. Taxi is an option or course, but I feel ridiculous taking a cab for a distance less than the initial fare of 710 yen. So I guess I'll go back in Autumn.

SHIBUROKU is a part of the monstrosity that is the Kiwa Corporation. There are some mediocre restaurants under the roof of the Kiwa franchise and there are some that are just so incredibly high-end that you can only go once a year. I think Shiburoku is actually one of the more decent and affordable Kiwa establishments.

Their menu is reflected in the name. Their menu is precisely a Shi (four) Meat to Roku (six) Fish ratio. The dishes are very simplistic - most of them are just grilled over charcoal flames and served with a dash of salt. This is a place where you can enjoy the full and natural flavor of fresh ingredients. I have to admit that 700 yen for cold tomatoes and 800 yen for asparagus is a little overpriced, but once you have the various fish (mackerel, 1800 yen or sashimi mori, 2800 yen) and the skewered meats (sirloin, 3800 yen), you'll be content to fork out a few extra bills. The presentation is pretty, the attention to detail is very Japanese. Sit at the long, beautiful counter and talk to the chefs who prepare the food right in front of you. They'll tell you where the cucumbers came in from this morning or how to prepare boiled eggs using oolong tea. 

For avid food network watchers like myself, Tokyo is definitely a great place to eat and learn. Many restaurants boast a open kitchen where you can interact with the owners and chefs. Shiburoku is not for the party seekers or happy-hour crowds. It's a quiet restaurant for the older, more refined. I always feel very out of place there, but it's a nice place to go if your co-worker wants to tell you she's having doubts about work or feels like she hasn't had healthy food in a while. A sigh of relief, I guess you can say.

SHIBUROKU（四分六）

Minato-ku, Nishiazabu 4-2-10, Nunoya House 1F, Tokyo

Open 11:30-14:30, 18:00-23:00

Tel: 03.3486.5560

http://www.kiwa-group.co.jp/restaurant/a100363.html