time not on a bike: July 2010

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

豊寿庵　大福

left Tokyo via Narita Airport from Gate 44 on this trip and chanced upon this being sold at one of the food counters located at 3F Narita Airport Terminal 1, Satellite 4 (near Gate 38 - 47). Shio Daifuku (http://www.hojuan.jp/) is utterly delicious and we had some at their store located in Kyoto Shinkansen station end of last year.

Completely frozen straight from factory, it thaws in 3 hours and is just perfect for consumption upon arrival in Singapore. Last for 3 days after thawing.

6 pcs in a box for 1200 JPY. worth every yen.

Monday, July 12, 2010

uniquely japan

secretly took this picture inside the Beams store at Harajuku. Yes it's a full sized dog made from Nike shoes!

I have seen S$100 melons but this is the first time I have seen any Japanese mango on sale at 8400 JPY for 2, or about S$135!!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

29秒

yes the store is just 29 seconds around the corner. You have to love the Japanese for their precision!

Queue? No Problem!

after lunch (at Ichiran of course) I walked around Shibuya and spotted this queue for Midori Sushi (http://timenotonabike.blogspot.com/2010/01/midori-sushi.html). The restaurant is at the end

Summer in Tokyo

July is hot hot hot. the flowers are in full bloom

I was pleasantly surprised to see this butterfly in this concrete city. where does it even come from?!

6 inches of pleasure

Sunday, 11 July 2010

not sure what you had in mind but this was the best hot dog I've had. ever. the usual bun was replaced by a naan like wrap. hot, soft and chewy dough wrapped the Jumbo Chorizo (yes 6 inches is jumbo in Japan) and disappeared very quickly into my tummy

yes this was the free breakfast from the hotel :)

Got lucky tonight with Tiffa

persistence does pay off. finally found the elusive Tiffa after about 13 tries in a Matsumoto Kiyoshi store (#378) near to Shibuya 109. it is amazing the number of similar stores in that particular junction

Japan is home of MOS Burger

dinner queue for Ichiran Ramen at 8.30pm was all the way from basement to the first floor. If you have been to Disneyland you know the Japanese do not mind queuing. I am Singaporean and more importantly hungry as usual, so off to my next choice nearby in Shibuya (just next to Shibuya 109), our regular MOS Burger store.

Pork Cutlet burger with crunchy lettuce in a soft bun. with iced coffee. This was meal #5. Gyozas was meal #4 for Saturday. Plan is to return for ramen later after watching TdF. Recommendation is 6 meals a day right?

some brands I love

Patagonia

45rpm. this has a special place in my heart.

purchase is nicely wrapped and handed over at the shop entrance as you leave, and frankly I could live in their Kyoto store :)

Kyshu Jangara Ramen

of course no trip to Harajuku (http://timenotonabike.blogspot.com/2010/02/takoyaki-and-kyshu-ramen.html) is complete without a bowl of this ramen with marinated melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, pork slices, mentaiko, egg. This was meal #2

meal #3 was this delicious egg york type dessert with ice cream at Omotesando Hills. Hey, all that walking makes one hungry!

Gyozas in Omotesando

Saturday, 10 July 2010

just off the side road next to Kiddyland is this Gyoza eatery that always has a line

I must admit they are very good. 6 pieces for 290 JPY. They have a nice crunch to them, and dunk into your own concoction of vinegar/soya/chilli oil mix it was just irresistably good!

Pan-fried Gyozas (original or with garlic and leek), or Soup Gyozas (original or with garlic and leek) pretty much sum up the menu on the wall. there's also bean spouts with some toppings but I skipped that :)

the reasons for the long queue?

1. Gyozas are only cooked when you order
2. nobody stops at one order. they order plate after plate
3. refer to (1)
I 'only' had 2 orders as I wanted to leave room for Ichiran ramen!