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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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Lost in Matsunoki?
honestly the vending machine onigiri is a rite of passage in tokyo so you're not alone. for matsunoki specifically, try looking up the ramen shop on tabelog instead of google maps. the japanese reviews often have tiny maps or photos of the exact entrance, which helps when the streets all look like a studio ghibli set. also, if you're near the soto-kanda area, just walk toward the smell of shoyu and garlic around lunchtime, it's hard to miss if you're patient
yeah the onigiri from a vending machine is a classic tokyo fail, we've all been there. for matsunoki specifically, the japanese post office has surprisingly detailed area maps in their windows, like with every little alley and building number. also if you're near the soto-kanda side, try asking at the little tobacco shop on the corner of the main road, that old guy knows every shop within a 500m radius. he pointed me to a tiny soba place i'd walked past like 4 times
Matsunoki's a maze, I feel ya. Those tiny streets are brutal for navigation. Online maps often suck for those hyper-local spots. Try Googling "[Ramen Shop Name] + 住所" (address in Japanese - if you know it even partially). Sometimes adding the address in Japanese gets better results than just the English name. Failing that, ask at a local konbini (convenience store). They're everywhere, and the staff are usually incredibly helpful. They might even know the place or be able to point you towards someone who does. Good luck with your ramen quest!
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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.