Travel: Tokyo; Food

Historical conflicts aside, I love Tokyo. Whether it's about the food, the culture, the fashion, the mannerism, or the Japanese designed and manufactured products, it is almost impeccable in standard. OK, say it's bias if you wish, but I'm not going to alter my opinion as of now. When time is spent in excess residing in a country abound of nature elements, vacationing in a cosmopolitan spot certainly proves to nourish your soul and keep the mindset healthy; it's not bad at all. Running at the forefront of all state-of-the-art, in adjacent to New York, London, Paris, Tokyo brings in an assiduous sequence of creations in the styles of living. To begin, let's start with the food. Simplicity, yet exquisite, is the quintessence of Japanese culinary. From fine dining to finger foods on the street, everything is so wickedly delectable. There's always a subtlety in taste to the extent that a refusal to a dainty pastry or cake after a sumptuous meal can be a SIN.

Here's okonomiyaki, a DIY concept when upon our order, the kitchen staff will concoct the ingredients in a bowl, and the customers will do the cooking on the heated pan. When cooked, we'd brushed the cake with a dark, pre-made shoyu sauce base that's provided which is slightly sweet from the mirin, and then topped with unlimited bonito flakes and seaweed powder that have been set aside on every table.

Okonomiyaki is like a Japanese version of the Italian pizza, but with no bread crust. It's a mixture of flour beaten with an egg, and mixed with an assortment of ingredients of your choice. Sliced cabbage forms the core component, while the most popular mix would be the puny cherry shrimps, shredded bacon or pork, cuttlefish, cheese etc. When most menus are worded in Japanese, it becomes a hard chore to actually make sense of what to order, and to communicate our preference to the Japanese servers who barely speak or comprehend any English. Most of the time, we'd just point to the item in the category that bears the most, or second most, expensive price tag, hoping that we could net the better flavor in the house without miss. There's another more fluid version which you see on the photo left, the cousin of okonomiyaki. I've little idea what's the mix, but it takes a gooey consistency and tastes just as good; called the Monjayaki. On personal preference, I like the latter to the drier piece of pancake.

Hot Spring Tamago that's purchased from the supermarket. What a beauty! Look at the reflecting white that still shimmers like a newborn infant's buttock. Can you still find a yolk of such yellow in its own strong tint nowadays? Well, scarcely. I savor the creamy texture of the yolk in my palate, and the soft white that slurps down the throat effortlessly. And, I wonder why hot spring egg is so affordable, I mean cheap, in Japan; a pack of 4 costs no more than 150 yen.

Fresh sashimi from the supermarket. Lost memory on the actual price, but definitely less than 1000 yen. Having this quality of sashimi grade for supper.....I wish I can stay here forever.
Croissants in Harajuko filled with flovorful cream of matcha, chocolate, strawberry or custard, are freshly baked till golden crisp. The enticing aroma is strong enough to draw you from a street away. Crisp and flaky on each bite, the creamy fillings are not too sweet, but the portion is sufficient to satiate.
A panda-shaped custard puff store that sits quietly beside the western croissant outlet, can be found at Harajuku. Bland at taste, I figure it's more delightful to the eyes than it does to the taste buds.
This is a nice spread of breakfast; from top left clockwise: Ika tempura, potato croquette, unagi rice set, egg-wrapped rice, caramelized custard. All selections from the cooked section of the supermarket. It's a marvel to be able to get these spread of delicacies in the early hours of the morning, fresh and warm, sitting in the shelves awaiting your arrival, with a mission to fulfill your desirous appetite, and energize every of your muscles to accomplish another day of venture.

I'm not stopping here. The eating spree vows to continue.....in Tokyo.