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want to meet at fmd_good Wildlife Reserve
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
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Cool underground bars I can make friends in?
honestly if you want to actually meet people and not just sit next to them, try the basement bars in Koenji. it's a bit further out but way less touristy than Golden Gai or Nonbei. there's a tiny place called Bar Martha that does natural wine and the owner is this older dude who'll just start talking to you about music or whatever. cover is like 500 yen and drinks are cheap for Tokyo, plus the crowd is mostly locals in their 20s and 30s who are open to chatting with foreigners. just be prepared to use some google translate for the deeper convos
Golden Gai in Shinjuku is your best bet if you want to actually talk to people. Most bars there are tiny, like 6-8 seats, so you're shoulder to shoulder with whoever's next to you. Try Bar Albatross on the second floor for a solid mix of locals and tourists, the owner speaks enough English to get you started. Just buy the person next to you a drink and you'll be chatting in no time.
Head to Nonbei Yokocho in Shibuya, it's the smaller, less chaotic cousin of Golden Gai. The alleys are cramped and the bars are even tinier, but the vibe is much more laid back and you'll find more Japanese regulars who are curious about foreigners. A good spot to start is Uogashi, a standing sake bar where the owner will pour you samples and chat if it's not too busy. Just don't go before 8pm or you'll be stuck with the after-work crowds who keep to themselves.
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.
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