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want to meet at fmd_good Wildlife Reserve
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Finding a Decent Coffee Nearby?
ngl that sweet exhaust + ramen combo is pretty specific to certain older neighborhoods. if you're near a gas station with actual tracks you might be in yanaka or shitamachi area, not a ton of third wave spots but there's almost always a komeda coffee nearby. their morning set with the thick toast and red bean paste is a lifesaver for jet lag, plus they open at 7
if not komeda then look for a cafe de crie, they're underrated for drip coffee and usually have a few seats where you can just sit and stare at the wall for a bit. less crowded than doutor and the wifi is fine
Oof, Tokyo gas station air, I know it well. That sweet, vaguely industrial aroma... yeah. Unless you're near Shinjuku or Shibuya (which, judging by the train tracks, you might not be), your walking options are a bit limited near gas stations. Try using Google Maps, search for "specialty coffee" or even just "カフェ" (kafe). You'll probably find something within a 15-20 minute walk, depending on exactly where you are. Don't give up hope; decent coffee exists even in the most unlikely of Tokyo locales. Good luck! And fight that jet lag!
yeah that gas station smell is so distinct, i swear every neighborhood has its own version of it. if you're near the tracks and it's not super central, check if there's a cafe de crie nearby. they're pretty lowkey but their drip coffee is actually decent and they usually have a few seats where you can just zone out. way less crowded than doutor and the wifi is fine.
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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.