What do I have to do to get some good Mexican food around here?

A couple of my Cali'ed friends (def: "people like me who grew up in California but somehow ended up in Tokyo after college") and I went to OTRA the other day. We had just watched Batman - Dark Knight - so we were in the mood for some flavors of home. That's right. Yo quiero burritos! So we decided to go to Otra in Ebisu, which is near Garden Place, to satisfy our cravings.

Let's cut the chase. This place sucks. It really does. The A/C doesn't work, it took forever (literally, 20 minutes!!) until all our drinks came out, my friend's burrito was served even before our table's appetizers (what I think were nachos), and the overall food was mediocre at best. Ok, so we have to give them some slack because we've all eaten the real thing and LA kids are more picky about Mexican food than even the true amigos in Mexico. But still. There is acceptable, and there is I want my money back. The only decent dish was buffalo wings. See, they can't do Mexican! Ugh.

I miss Albertos. I miss Robertos. I miss Cotixans.

I miss Baja Fresh and Chipotle. 

I even miss Wahoo's and Taco Bell. SO MUCH.

Japanese people have mastered every type of cuisine. They have. But they still get a C- for Mexican. The decent Mexican food places in Tokyo are La Jolla (Hiroo) and Junkadelic (Nakameguro) only. OTRA should be delisted. (Photo source: gnavi)

Tex Mex Dining Bar OTRA

Shibuya-ku, Ebisu Minami 1-23-8, American Bridge Bldg 3F

They're open from 11:30-23:00, but it's not worth the visit.

Tel: 03.3719.8511

http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g848000/

Just Splendido

Osteria Splendido in Hiroo, is my second home. My friend lives across the street from this place so it's one of the reasons why we go so often. If she didn't live so close, I don't think I would have ever come here because it's so far from the train station.  The only way you'd make it here would be by taxi. There's a small recording studio also tucked away nearby, so a lot of celebrities and studio people swing by for drinks at night. I think the inconvenient location provides them with a nice, quiet place to hang out. Sometimes, they're obnoxious... bringing in their guitars or wildly laughing over scotch. But most days, it's quiet and homey. The sommelier (Miura-san) is always so gracious and comes by to chat all the time... sometimes he stays for a little too long, but he's such a lovely guy. Since I had cut back on my alcohol intake this past year due to some health issues (no, I'm not preggers and no, I'm not recovering at AA meetings), Miura-san gives me orange juice... THE BEST OJ on the planet! I swear to Tropicana, the orange juice served here is out of this world. When Splendido invited us to their 1 year anniversary party last year, I drank like 5 glasses of OJ. I told them they should just bring it to me in a bucket.

The food here is fantastic. The pate (pasticcio alla campagnola) and bistecca are exquisite. The carbonara is a must, and the ragu is dreamy. I usually judge an Italian place by their caprese, so if they don't serve real water buffalo mozzarella, there is no second visit. Osteria is definitely splendido about their cheeses. I've tagged my name on their anniversary magnum wine bottle so you know I've been there more than once. Their seasonal menu is great as well. Right now they have a lot of dishes based on sea urchin which I welcome any time of the year, but I'm looking forward to the porcini mushrooms come Autumn.

Splendido is actually the restaurant on B1, where there is also a cellar boasting hundreds of different wine. There is a spiral staircase leading from the first floor, which is the enoteca bar, Implicito. When we've already had dinner elsewhere, we just hang out at Implicito and have a cheese plate and wine, or some caffe and dessert. Miura-san comes running up the stairs from Splendido to greet us, but then is quickly shooed away because it's not "his turf" upstairs. 

Anyway, I had to dedicate one post to Splendido because they take care of me all the time. 

Osteria Splendido

Shibuya-ku, Higashi 4-6-3, Tokyo

Open 18:00-4:00, Closed Sundays

http://www.osteria-splendido.jp/index.html

bar & enoteca implicito

Open 18:00-4:00

http://www.implicito.com/

Kurosawa

I am pretty picky about Soba and Udon. The texture, the flavor, the aroma, the color... it all has to be just right. And it better be handmade or I ain't having it. There are a couple great soba places down in Azabu Jyuban, but it's tad too far to go for lunch on the weekdays, so I stick with Keyaki Kurosawa, which is just across the street from my office.  I go there probably 4-5 times a month for lunch. This place makes the cut for good soba at a decent price. 

Keyaki is one of the late director's restaurants. There are 3 other restaurants in the Kurosawa Restaurant franchise, all with different themes and menus, but all of them have photographs of Akira Kurosawa and his old movie stills decorating the walls. Keyaki is the simplest of the bunch, I think. The interior is reminiscent of an old Japanese house, and the wood furnishings are warm and relaxing. My favorites here are the cold Inaka soba (735 yen) and the hot Tamagotoji soba (945 yen). Pairing it with a pork rice bowl (butadon, 945 yen. Aka is my choice) is definitely a MUST. I have to admit that the portions are small. If you don't have a pork rice bowl with your soba, you'll be hungry by 3 pm. 

Keyaki Kurosawa（欅くろさわ）

Minato-ku, Nishiazabu 3-2-15, Across the street from Grand Hyatt Roppongi

Open 11:30-15:00, 18:00-3:00, Closed Sundays

Tel: 03.5775.9638

http://www.9638.net/keyaki/index.html

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/

The best cakes in Tokyo

Patissier Toshi Yoroizuka is a cake god. 

After training in Austria, Paris and Belgium, refining his skills at 3 star Michelin restaurants, and advising multiple brands and department stores, Chef Yoroizuka opened up shop in Ebisu 3 years ago. And last year, with the opening of Tokyo Midtown, he unleashed his second store to the delight of many eager fans. 

Toshi Yoroizuka is definitely in the class of "celebrity chefs." Just like you have your Marios, Wolfgangs, and Bobbys in the U.S., we have our long list of celebrity kitchen gods as well. Yoroizuka used to be more of a local favorite when he only had a shop in Ebisu, but once he opened in Midtown... no, wait... once actress Naomi Kawashima (48) announced last year that she finally got engaged to none other than the most promising patissiers in Japan, Toshihiko Yoroizuka (42), his brand exploded onto the gourmet scene and secured him onto everyone's cake map. Naomi Kawashima is one lucky gal. She scares me and her miniature dachshunds also scare me, but it's nice that she finally found a guy to meet her sky high expectations. At a press conference last year, she announced her engagement wearing a candied ring he made for her. How sweet. It's sexy when a guy knows how to cook. But it's a dream if he knows how to bake a kick ass cake. 

There are always long lines outside of Yoroizuka. The salon is packed everyday and the take-out line spills out of the door. There is even an attendant outside to organize the lines. I like to call him the bouncer, cuz this place is really happenin'. I wish that all the tourists would just go away, though. The shop is mentioned in almost every guide book and gourmet magazine now, so it's really annoying. It's frustrating when "locals" like myself just want to buy her choux paysanne as a 3 pm snack to accompany her nonfat latte. Haha! what a bratty little remark, right? But you know what I'm talking about. You'd say the same if 20 grammas with failing vision were in line in front of you. (Photo source: Yoroizuka)

My favorites: 

Choux Paysanne (What they're famous for. The ultimate cream puff)

Mont Blanc (Marron creme at its finest)

Saint-Honore Chocolat (Yum. Complex yet delicate)

Tarte Aux Fraises (Strawberries!!!)

Bernard (Pistacchio cake. trust me, it's good)

Profiterole (Cream puff tower. Just saying that is a winner)

Toshi Yoroizuka

Minato-ku, Akasaka 9-7-2, Tokyo Midtown East 1F

Open 11:00-21:00 (Salon open til 22:00), Take-out is closed Tuesdays

Tel: 03.5413.3650

http://www.grand-patissier.info/ToshiYoroizuka/index.php

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