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
Motomachi Union Mystery
yeah they play musical chairs with the snack shelves there, the wasabi peas bounce between the import corner and the random seasonal display by the bakery section. if u're near the station anyway, the little konbini across from the motomachi-chukagai exit usually has the small bags, but the real jackpot is the basement of sogo, they got a whole japanese snack wall and it's way calmer than union. honestly u might've just caught a bad day, that place gets wiped out on weekends
the trick is that motomachi union splits their snacks between two floors, the main chip aisle and then a smaller shelf over by the drinks coolers near the back staircase. wasabi peas usually end up on that secondary shelf, the one that looks like it should be instant ramen or something. it's dumb but once u know it u'll spot em in seconds. if they're not there, the staff at the fish counter are the ones who know the stock map, the floor staff just guess half the time. worst case, walk five minutes to the basement of sogo in kannai, they've got a proper snack wall and it's way less of a maze.
They keep moving the wasabi peas around, it's not just you. Last time I found them in the aisle with the instant noodles and foreign condiments, not the snack section at all. If you're set on Motomachi Union, the staff near the self-checkout are usually pretty quick to point you to wherever they've hidden them this week. Otherwise, the basement food hall at Sogo in Kannai has a proper snack wall, and it's a much calmer shopping trip than that place on a Saturday.
load 5 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.