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want to meet at fmd_good Nature Park
want to meet at fmd_good Corner Diner
want to meet at fmd_good City Market
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Matsunoki Mysteries?
Honestly, I think the best way to find this ramen place is to ask someone at the Matsunoki train station, they prob have a good idea what u are looking for. I was in Matsunoki last month and I stumbled upon a small food street near the train station, it's on Nakahara street, they have a bunch of small restaurants and shops, including a few ramen places. I didnt try any of them, but I remember seeing a line outside one of the shops, it was around 7 pm, so it might be a popular spot. Fwiw, my hotel was on the same street, the Hotel Mets Matsunoki, and they had a map of the area with some restaurant recommendations, u might want to check that out too.
The local ramen shop your friend is likely talking about is probably Ramen Nagi, it's a small place on a side street near the Matsunoki train station, you can't miss it if you walk down Nakahara street from the station and turn left at the first traffic light. They're known for their unique tonkotsu ramen, and the owner is a bit eccentric, which might explain the secrecy surrounding the place. You'll probably have to wait in line for about 20 minutes, especially if you go during lunch hours, but it's worth it, a bowl of ramen will set you back around 800 yen, which is pretty standard for the area.
Sounds like your friend's pulling your leg a bit! There's probably a great ramen place in Matsunoki, but a secret society? Doubtful. Most likely, it's just a popular local spot that doesn't have a huge online presence. Try searching on Google Maps using Japanese keywords, maybe something like "松の木 ラーメン人気" (Matsunoki ramen popular). That might turn up some local reviews or blogs that aren't in English. Failing that, just wander around when you're there, ask some locals! You'll find something delicious, I'm sure. Don't stress the "secret society" angle too much, it's probably just a fun story.
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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.