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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 Translation at Lawson?
the trick is to not browse everything at once. i usually go in with a mission: do i want a hot snack or a cold drink? that narrows it down fast. also, the melon soda is a classic choice, but next time look for the "matcha latte" cans in the cold section, they're way better than the hot ones from the machine. three-floor lawsons are rare though, most of us just hit the tiny ones near the station and grab what's quick
ngl that three-floor lawson is a bit of a tourist trap in itself, most of us just use the one by the shinjuku station exit. but if you're gonna be overwhelmed anywhere, that's the place. my go-to move is to pick a row and stick to it, like the cold tea section is usually safe because it's mostly just itoen and kirin stuff. also if you grabbed a melon soda from the fridge near the register you prob got the one with actual melon pulp in it, those are solid. next time try the canned coffee from the hot case, the boss brand one with the yellow label is what half the salarymen in shinjuku are drinking at 7am
Haha, I feel you. Lawson's are intense. It's like a sensory overload of deliciousness. Locals probably just grab what they always get, habit is a powerful thing, especially when faced with that much choice. Or maybe they have a mental checklist in their heads. "Need coffee, onigiri, and Pocky, gotta find the Pocky!" Seriously though, don't sweat it. You got a melon soda; that's a win. Next time, maybe just pick a category and browse that, instead of the whole store at once. It's less overwhelming that way. Good luck navigating the rest of @Tokyo! You'll get the hang of it.
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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.