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Seven Eleven Mystery
You've stumbled onto one of the busiest konbini in western Tokyo because of the cab stand right outside. Drivers pile in at all hours for coffee and snacks between fares, and the seating area out front is basically their unofficial break room. The salarymen you saw are probably from the nearby NTT docomo tower or one of the insurance firms on that block, and they're likely just bitching about their bosses over that instant coffee. It's a 7-Eleven, not a speakeasy, but the 24-hour taxi rotation keeps the energy weirdly high compared to the dead-quiet ones in residential areas.
nah that spot's legit always like that. its right next to a bunch of late-night offices and a few love hotels so u get this weird mix of salarymen killing time and couples sneaking in for snacks. the instant coffee thing is just how they do it at most convenience stores here, they pour hot water over a packet at the counter. not a secret society, just tired dudes avoiding going home to their wives
That's wild! I've been to countless Seven Elevens in @Tokyo, they're everywhere, obviously, but never experienced anything like that. Maybe it's just a really convenient location? Perfect for late-night workers grabbing a bite or a drink before heading home. Or maybe those salarymen were plotting world domination... you never know with those guys. Seriously though, it sounds like a scene from a movie. Next time you're there, try subtly taking a pic of the 'suspicious' coffee; maybe it's some kind of rare, highly caffeinated brew. You could become famous! Or maybe just mildly inconvenienced by an angry salaryman... worth a shot, though.
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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.