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Moving to Minato (Northern part), any tips, suggestions?
I was previously living in Ikebukuro and working in Otsuka so I'm pretty unfamiliar with that area.… Looking for great restaurants, cafes (especially to do work in), and maybe some unique experiences?
I was previously living in Ikebukuro and working in Otsuka so I'm pretty unfamiliar with that area. Can someone give me a shake down of the area? Thank you!
honestly the biggest adjustment will be how dead it feels at night compared to Ikebukuro. that's not a bad thing, just a different rhythm. for work cafes, i'd add the Tsutaya Books in Roppongi Hills, the third floor lounge has these big tables and it's quieter than the ground level, plus the coffee is from Dean & Deluca so it's not bad.
if you want a proper meal without the tourist markup, walk towards Kamiyacho and find this tiny soba place called Kanda Matsuya, it's been there forever and the tempura soba set is like 900 yen. for a unique thing, the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in Shirokanedai is a former prince's residence, the art deco interior is stunning and the garden is free to wander. it's a 15 min walk from Azabu-Juban but feels like another world.
oh and for groceries, don't overlook the little fruit/veg stand near Nishi-Azabu intersection, it's cash only but half the price of National Azabu for the same stuff. also the Namboku line is your best friend, it's way less crowded than the Yamanote and gets you to Ginza in like 12 min.
yeah the embassies thing is real, lots of quiet streets that just end for no reason. if you like walking, the path from azabu-juban down to the tokyo tower is nice at golden hour, no one around. also find a neighborhood sento, there's
northern Minato is a diff vibe from Ikebukuro for sure. way quieter, more embassies and old money. for work cafes, skip the chains and hit up Streamer Coffee near Azabu-Juban station, decent wifi and the flat white is solid. if you need a longer session, the public library in Minato City Hall has a quiet floor with plugs, free and no one bothers you.
food wise, don't sleep on the ramen at Afuri in Roppongi Hills, the yuzu shio is a classic. but honestly the best move is the izakaya alley near Tamachi station, tiny places under the tracks, cheap and locals only. for something unique, check out the National Art Center in Roppongi, the building itself is wild and the cafe inside is actually good for reading.
one thing that took me a while: groceries are pricier up here. National Azabu is great but expensive, so i walk to the Seijo Ishii in Hiroo for daily stuff. and if you miss the chaos of Ikebukuro, take the Namboku line down to Meguro, it's like 10 min and has a totally different energy.
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.
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