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want to meet at fmd_good Market Square
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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Finding Lawson's Best Kept Secret?
ngl the real move at that lawson is the frozen section. they've got these individual matcha tiramisu cups in the freezer that no one talks about. let it thaw for like 10 minutes and it's better than half the dessert spots in shinjuku. also check the drink cooler near the register, not the main one. they stash the limited melon sodas and weird calpis collabs there
fwiw the best thing at that lawson isnt even in the main aisles, its the little basket by the register with the single-serve sake cups. they get these tiny bottles from a small brewery in yamagata that do seasonal releases, like the summer one is a sparkling nigori thats super light and fruity. grab that and a tube of the matcha kit kat from the same basket, pour the sake over a cup of ice from the fountain machine, and youve got a legit dessert drink for like 400 yen total. nobody touches that basket because its tucked between the cigarette counter and the atms
The real play at that specific Lawson is the drink fridge near the back wall, not the front one everyone checks. They carry the Asahi brewery-only beers there, like the Maruefu ale that you basically can't find anywhere else in Shinjuku. Grab the yuzu and ginger version if they have it, it's around 250 yen and tastes like someone carbonated a high-end cocktail. The regular convenience stores in the area don't get that stock, it's specifically because that location is near the old brewery offices.
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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.