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Finding a decent onigiri at 3 AM
ngl the secret is just not buying the basic ones. look for the ones in the black package that say "premium" or the ones wrapped in actual nori sheets separate from the rice. the takano location you hit is fine but the 7-eleven on the corner of yasukuni dori always has a better selection that late. also if you see the mentaiko or tarako ones grab those, they're usually packed with filling compared to the tuna mayo
honestly the trick at 3am isn't the store it's the specific shelf. the onigiri that are kept in the chiller section near the drinks are usually the ones that didn't sell during the day and got moved to extend shelf life. the good stuff stays in the heated cabinet or the main counter display by the register. also if you see a "koshihikari" label on the rice packet that's usually a sign of a better batch. next time you're stumbling out of karaoke kan in kabukicho head to the lawson on meiji dori instead, they have a dedicated late night restock around 2am for the drunk crowd. the salmon mentaiko one there is genuinely packed
You hit the Takano location, which is fine, but the real trick is knowing which ones to grab. Look for the onigiri with the triangular nori packet on the side, not the ones where the seaweed is already wrapped around the rice. Those stay crispier and tend to be from the fresher batch. The 7-Eleven on Yasukuni Dori, about a five minute walk from where you were, usually has a better late night rotation and I've had good luck with their spicy cod roe ones there.
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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.