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want to meet at fmd_good Local House
want to meet at fmd_good City Market
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Best Pho in Tokyo?
if ur willing to trek a bit, check out pho binh in yoyogi uehara. it's a basement spot that's easy to miss but the owner worked in a pho shop in hanoi for like 5 years before opening this place. bowls are around 1300 yen and they do a really good pho ga with that gingery chicken broth that's hard to find done well here. the space is tiny and they don't take cards so bring cash
a few people sleep on pho saigon in ikebukuro, it's inside this little alley near the west exit where all the vietnamese grocery stores are. the owner imports the rice noodles straight from ho chi minh city so they have that specific chewy texture you can't fake. bowl runs about 1100 yen and they give you a whole lime and actual sawtooth herb instead of just cilantro which makes a difference
fwiw i think pho thai in shinjuku is worth a look if ur near takadanobaba area. it's a tiny spot run by a vietnamese lady who makes the broth with actual beef bones and charred onions, not that instant stuff some places use. bowls are around 1000 yen and they give u a massive pile of bean sprouts and thai basil on the side. just be prepared for a wait at lunch since there's only like 8 seats inside.
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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.