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want to meet at fmd_good Wildlife Reserve
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
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Shinjuku's Secret?
yeah belle salle is basically a giant blank canvas, the vibe is 100% whatever the event is. i went for a sneaker pop-up once and they had dj decks set up near the entrance, was actually pretty loud for a bit until security politely asked them to turn it down. the building itself is clean and bright but not exactly cozy, think airport lounge energy. if you want the crazy contrast you're chasing, the real move is to hit the rooftop of the tokyo metropolitan building after, it's free and open late, you'll see the whole city lit up while that polished lobby sits right below you feeling totally disconnected from everything outside.
the venue itself is basically a big blank box dressed up in expensive wallpaper, so the vibe is whatever the organizers bring. i've been for a niche art market thing once, not corporate at all, just a bunch of tables in the lobby area and people wandering around with coffee. the real secret is that the whole complex connects to the tocho building underground, so you can duck out for a 250 yen bowl of soba in the basement cafeteria without dealing with street crowds. if you want weird energy after, walk three minutes to the south exit and find the bar alley behind the yodobashi camera, there's a place called death match in hell that does 500 yen highballs and plays obscure punk, way more fun than anything in that palace
honestly the belle salle is like a chameleon, i went there for a small indie film screening and it felt more like a cozy theater than a palace. the lobby area can get pretty lively if there's a bar set up, but the main halls are definitely corporate by default. if you want that contrast you're imagining, skip the venue itself and go to golden gai after, it's a five minute walk and you'll get the rave-at-midnight energy in a tiny bar with like 8 people
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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.