Create meetup in Tokyochevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
want to meet at fmd_good Wildlife Reserve
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
Where to buy really good matcha in this time of shortages?
The shortage chatter is mostly about ceremonial grade from the big Uji names, but a lot of Tokyo tea shops quietly carry solid single origin stuff that doesn't move as fast. I've had good luck at Yamane-en in Sugamo, they sell direct from Shizuoka farms and the staff will actually sit with you and taste through a few before you commit. A 200g bag of their middle tier koicha grade runs about 4000 yen and holds up fine for three months if you keep it in the fridge in a sealed jar. Worth the trip out on the Yamanote if you want something a bit off the usual Ginza circuit.
Kettl in Kiyosumi Shirakawa is worth a look if you want something other than the Uji houses everyone's fighting over. They bring in single cultivar matcha from Yame and a few smaller Japanese producers, and the staff will tell you straight which ones are holding stock versus which got cleaned out. For a few months' supply I'd grab a 100g bag of their Yame ceremonial and a cheaper one for lattes, since blowing your whole budget on koicha grade and then drinking it daily is a waste. Prices run 3000 to 6000 yen depending on grade, and they seal everything in nitrogen bags so it keeps longer than the loose tins.
load 2 more replies
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.