An Unagi Lunch and Vegan Dessert

It was our second day in Tokyo and after a very interesting night exploring Shinjuku, we got ready to go out for something to eat.

Shinjuku

Good Morning, Shinjuku

Shinjuku

View from the Room

I have to mention how much I loved the Japanese-style shower room and amazing Japanese heated toilets. Once you go Japanese toilet, it’s really hard to go back.

Hotel Gracery

Japanese Shower Room

Hotel Gracery

Toilet Controls

Hotel Gracery

Japanese Heated Toilet

We walked out the back of our hotel building and we’re ready to eat. Need a coffee? No problem. You’ll find vending machines all over the streets of Japan. They serve cold and hot beverages, as well as other things like noodles, socks, electronics, fruits, toys, and beer. There are over 5.5 million vending machines throughout Japan.

Shinjuku

Vending Machines

Shinjuku

Filipino Grocery

My sister went back to the vegan restaurant she tried the previous day after her arrival. I walked along a nearby street and decided to try this place. It had a picture of a lunch set on the door that looked really good.

Unagi Lunch

Lunch Time

I walked inside and sat at a table towards the back of the small restaurant.

Unagi Lunch

Tables

The nice lady served me tea and gave me a menu. I just pointed to the picture of the lunch set I saw out front.

Unagi Lunch

Tea

It didn’t take long for the food to appear in front of me. The main dish was unadon which is a bowl filled with steamed white rice and topped with grilled unagi (eel).

Unagi Lunch

Unadon Set

It was served with cold soba noodles. Unlike the hot version that’s served in a bowl with the broth, the noodles, garnishes, and dipping sauce are all separate.

Unagi Lunch

Cold Soba Noodles

I put some of the wasabi and green onions in the dipping sauce. You dip the noodles before every bite. I tried to practice slurping as well. In Japan, it’s actually considered a compliment to the chef and shows that you’re enjoying your food. The louder the slurp, the better.

20171107_132526-02_38296695621_o

Dipping Sauce

The eel was prepared in a fairly common way known as kabayaki. The eel is split down the back, butterflied, cut into fillets, and dipped in a sweet soy sauce-based glaze.

20171107_132634-01_38296696311_o

Kabayaki

Another typical side dish is hiyayakko which is a simple piece of cold tofu. This one was topped with green onions.

Unagi Lunch

Cold Tofu

My unagi lunch was great and it was the perfect portion size. I left and walked around the corner to the vegan restaurant to meet my sister.

Unagi Lunch

Eel and Noodles

I saw my sister sitting at the counter at her new favorite eatery, Ripple. The casual cafe style restaurant serves plant-based cuisine and offers items like burgers, French toast, crispy chicken sandwiches, chili cheese fries, and desserts.

Ripple

Ripple

I tried some of her vegan tiramisu. It was delicious.

Ripple

Vegan Tiramisu

After lunch it was time to head to another one of Tokyo’s districts, Asakusa!


(Lunch Place)
Next to Daily Yamazaki Seibu Shinjuku
#102 Casa Shinjuku, 42-11, 2chome
Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, 160-0021

Ripple
2-46-8 Nissho Building 1F
Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, 160-0021
+81 3-6380-3205
Website

Share:

Leave a Reply


Looking for Something?