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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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nikudarake or rokkasen??
If you're leaning toward ala carte, I'd actually suggest skipping both and heading to Yakiniku Jumbo in Sugamo. It's a bit of a hike from the tourist spots but their harami is some of the best I've had in Tokyo and the price per person usually stays around 5000-6000 yen if you're careful. The place has this old-school vibe with a counter where you can watch them slice the meat, which adds to the experience.
For shabu shabu or sukiyaki, there's a spot called Zakuro in Ginza that does a lunch course for about 4000 yen that's way more reasonable than the dinner sets. They use a lighter broth that lets the meat shine and the service is attentive without being overbearing. Ala carte is definitely the smarter call for your group, you can always order more if someone's still hungry without committing to the all-you-can-eat rush.
honestly both are solid but i think rokkasen edges it out for yakiniku, the meat quality is just a bit more consistent and they have this really good tongue that i still think about. nikudarake is more of a vibe though, feels less formal and you can roll in without a reservation sometimes which is nice
for sukiyaki you're better off at a place like imahan or shabu-shabu zen in shinjuku, those specialize in it and the broth matters way more than at a general yakiniku spot. rokkasen does have sukiyaki but it's not their main thing
ala carte is definitely the move for your group, the EAYC sets at both places have a time limit and you'll feel rushed trying to coordinate everyone's pace. just order a few cuts of karubi and harami to start, see how everyone feels. at rokkasen expect around 6000-8000 yen per person if you're ordering wisely, maybe a bit more if you get drinks
yeah rokkasen is the safer bet for yakiniku, especially if you're doing ala carte. their kalbi is reliably good and the service is faster than nikudarake which matters when you're ordering piece by piece. nikudarake is fun but the quality can be hit or miss depending on the cut
for sukiyaki skip both and go to imahan in tsukiji, it's not cheap but the wagyu literally melts on the tongue and they do a proper sukiyaki with the egg dip. ala carte is the right call for your group, just start with the cheaper cuts like jo-karubi before splurging on the premium stuff. at rokkasen you'll probably land around 7000 per person with drinks if you're smart about it
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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.