Our favorite hotels when we are traveling in Tokyo

Tokyo can be expensive. And so it depends on how you want to do it…5 star hotel experiences are definitely available. We like the Grand Hyatt Roppongi for a truly luxe hotel experience. But we also discovered you don’t have to spend a fortune on hotels (save it for 5 star dining!). And in less expensive category, we like the Granbell Shibuya. Here’s why:

The Grand Hyatt Roppongi
¥43,000 – 50,0000 / night ($430 – 500 USD) for a double / king room for 2 people

This high-end hotel is well-situated in the hopping Roppongi district of Tokyo famous for its international dining and nightlife and right next to the exclusive Roppongi Hills Mall, so you won’t be far from the action…. that is if you want to leave the hotel. It’s truly stunning.

The rooms themselves are plush, chic and extremely comfortable. They have thought of every detail in terms of where you would want to place a water glass or a book, switch on a light or plug in a computer…and while these things may seem trivial on the surface, they are super annoying when not properly done. And despite Tokyo’s space challenge, the room is rather ample…really perfect if you are on a long trip with lots of luggage.

Beyond the room, there is an amazing gym and spa…and even though you are in bustling Tokyo, you should really make a point to take some down time here. The fitness center features the absolute latest in high-tech equipment from Life Fitness and its spotlessly maintained. And the NAGOMI spa offers a really luxurious spa experience should you want to splash out on a decadent treatment.

We actually cannot comment on the restaurants as we took most of our meals outside, trying to get in as much of Tokyo as possible. I will say though that every time we walked by a restaurant in the hotel it was totally packed, so I am guessing they are up to the same standard of excellence as the rest of the hotel. And we did really enjoy our room service breakfast every morning.

Which leads me to my next point…service. The service was impeccable, world-class even. From the details considered in delivering our room service to the absolutely tireless assistance of the Concierge, who helped Paul get tickets to the Tokyo Giants, we were impressed. I stay in a lot of hotels (and Grand Hyatt’s in particular) in a lot of cities and the service in this particular Grand Hyatt pretty much outshone them all.

Insider tip: Right next to the hotel is a liquor store, Suzusake (Phone: 03 3408 5851). They have an amazing selection of international beers, wines (US / Austrailian / Italian / French / South American) , cigarettes and other…at notably reasonable prices. Vueve Cliquot for ¥5180 ($52 USD), a bottle of Hoegaarden for ¥375 ($4 USD), a Duvel bottle for ¥572 ($6 USD), etc…

The Granbell Shibuya
¥15,000 – 18,000 / night ($150 – 180 USD) for a double room with double bed for 2 people

The Granbell Shibuya is one of those small, mod boutique hotels that every major international city is now quite saturated with. Clean, sparse and modern design can also be cost efficient thus leading to better prices for the visitor. This is a trend that Accidental Epicurean adores…thoughtful aesthetics and attractive prices, what is not to like?

Two people recommended this to us before we booked….my friend Matthias who is often in Tokyo on business and a Japanese friend Emu who is from Tokyo. I have to admit (sorry Matthias) that it was the our Japanese friend with local knowledge who really pushed us over the edge to book it.

The Granbell Shibuya is also well situated just a couple of blocks away from the famous Shibuya intersection and the Hachiko exit featuring the well-known dog statue Hachiko that is now a symbol of loyalty in Japan. You will be surrounded by major department stores like Isetan and x, not far from a Don Quixote or Krispy Kreme, and just a short stroll to our favourite yakitori place. Point is…its pretty darn central to everything.

The rooms themselves are small in basic. But they have made some nice design choices, like partially clear walls for the bathroom and built-in closets that lend a feeling of spaciousness to an otherwise small space. And the clean colour schemes and graphics keep it looking tidy.

Internet and breakfast are included. Breakfast is pretty basic…no choices except Japanese or Western, and you just get what you are served. We skipped it most days and went to the local Doutor Coffee or Good Honest Grub.

The service is OK…probably a case of you get what you pay for. There is no Concierge but the Front Desk can help you with taxis and transfers. Their English is fairly limited so don’t expect detailed descriptions.

Overall though, I while it might come off as a little pale in comparison to the Grand Hyatt above, honestly it was a lovely little place to rest one’s head. A very good value in a very expensive city.

Insider Tip: a few interesting tidbits about this hotel neighborhood

1. Since it is right around the corner from the posh Cerulean Tower Hotel you can walk next door and treat yourself to a cocktail in the Bello Visto bar with a panoramic view of Tokyo
2. there are a surprising number of serious guitar stores in this neighborhood with the best prices Paul has seen outside of America… no joke
3. directly across the street there is a hair salon where they do really amazing blow outs at a good price, and the salon owner speaks English

So if the fear of expensive hotels was holding you back from visiting Tokyo, check out the Granbell Shibuya. And if you are looking for luxe (or are on expense account ) the Grand Hyatt Roppongi is a must do.

I personally cannot wait for our next trip to Tokyo.

Shibuya Granbell Hotel
15-17 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo, Japan
Telephone: +81 3 5457 2681

Grand Hyatt Roppongi
6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-Ku,
Tokyo, Japan
Telephone: +81 3 4333 1234

Japan = Cute.
Japan = Cosplay.
Japan = Rockabilly?

A Sunday stroll through Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park is unlike a visit to any park anywhere else in the world. Sure you can find couples enjoying the day quietly on blankets, dad’s playing catch with their children, hippies whipping about frisbees in many parks… but there’s so much more on show at Yoyogi Park. I’d go so far as to say it’s a must visit for any traveler to Japan as it offers a unique glimpse into the wackiness that can only be found in Japan

There’s not much to say about Yoyogi Park. It’s a park. It’s super easy to access. Just head for the Harajuku Station and/or Meiji Shrine in Shibuya. Enter the park and enjoy the wonderful sights. Including:

Rockabillies
I’d heard of these guys before coming, but nothing quite gets you ready. They mill about in these tough looking groups, combing their hair and generally looking tough sitting in front of their large amplifiers. Then suddenly, without warning they crank the tunes… and start to dance. Most are completely lost in their own little world while dancing too. It honestly doesn’t seem to be about the performance as much as loving this music.

This guy has it figured out in my book. All the other “teams” or “gangs” were just large groupings of guys. This older guy in the red jacket had a large group of ladies in poodle skirts

Normal Looking Musicians Who Actually Only Have 2 Teeth (sorry I don’t have a picture of the teeth & how long does it take to get the hair teased up like that?)

Performance Athletes

Cute, Dressed up Dogs

Creepy Obama Magicians

Cosplay (unfortunately not as many as I’d heard about and they’re all super whiny and annoying…”don’t take my picture” most were saying. Well, why did you come, fully costumed, to a location known to all tourists as THE spot to come see freaks in costumes? I mean really, if you don’t want people gawking at you I’m sure there are tons of local locations foreigners wouldn’t ogle you at.)

Daddy Issues

And my personal favorite. A pervy old cowboy guy who’s questioning why I’m wanting to take their picture… umm, because you’re a pervy old Japanese guy dressed up as a Cowboy with a gaggle of costumed schoolgirls?

Seriously, visit Yoyogi Park. There’s much more on offer in way of people watching and it’s a very relaxing area of Tokyo. I would have snapped away till my camera broke, but tried to only take pictures of people who gave me a nod or smile as if to say it’s OK to shoot (rather than the other tourists jamming cameras in everyone’s faces… some people just want a day with their tuxedo-clad poodle at the park LOL).

So maybe all the meals weren’t adventurous while in Tokyo. Sometimes one simply needs junk comfort food… particularly one that’s been missed for over seven years! So yes, we broke down and chowed down at Krispy Kreme in Shibuya, Tokyo Japan.

I missed the whole Krispy Kreme movement due to growing up in “rural” Abilene, TX. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts were only ever something eaten slightly stale…sold rarely on early morning weekends in church parking lots when a youth group needed to raise money for a ski trip. Years later I stopped by a location once while living in Dallas, Texas and marveled at a melt-in-your-mouth fresh doughnut.

Cut to a few years later. We’ve been walking around Tokyo all day in the rain. We’re hungry, tired, in need of coffee. We round the corner to stop off at a local coffee shop and see a passing Japanese person briskly walking off with a Krispy Kreme logo’d bag. The possibility was too enticing to ignore.

We walked a bit in the direction of the female carrying the bag, and our eyes slowly began to make out the glow of green, red, and white. Our pace quickened and soon we were shaking off our umbrellas and staring in amazement at a fully operational, production line Krispy Kreme. This was a moment of weakness on a long trip, but oddly we were the only foreigners in the restaurant… the rest were all slightly pudgy Japanese people (well pudgy by Japanese standards ).

The line to order doughnuts was long, but our patience was rewarded with a steaming, hot sample fresh from the line. It vanished from my hands in a matter of seconds… a couple spots of white glaze stuck to the corner of my mouth the last signs the doughnut had ever existed.

I won’t say how many we ate, but I will say none topped the original. Sadly the fancier versions lacked the freshness of the plain ole original. Some were even sickly sweet, but thankfully I had smartly not sugared my coffee before eating and so enjoyed the duel between bitterness of the coffee and the saccharine sweetness of the doughnut.

Soon we were back out in the rain, but with extra energy (and probably an extra pound or two). Krispy Kreme may not be the most regionally specific thing to eat whilst in Japan… but that doesn’t make the doughnuts any harder to swallow.

Krispy Kreme Japan

Paul

Cocktails with a panoramic view of Tokyo

Every big city has one – the high-rise hotel with the sweeping, panaromic view of the skyline. In the case of Tokyo, one of our favourites is the Bello Visto Bar on the 40th floor of the Cerulean Tower Hotel in Shibuya.

Have a seat at the bar or in one of the clubby leather chairs and soak up the views of the Shinjuku skyline and the Roppongi skyline including the Eiffel Tower shaped Tokyo Tower. There is a 180 degree view from nearly every seat in the house and Bello Visto is replete with a live piano player to fully realize the clubby, luxe-hotel vibe.

As one would expect of hotel bars, drinks are a bit pricey. A Sapporo bottle will set you back ¥1200 / $12.50 USD while a Cosmopolitan and other martini cocktails are about ¥1300 / $13.60 USD. And dish of nuts and chips is ¥1200 / $12.50 USD – unfortunately in a town where a registered hotel guest has to pay an extra fee to use the hotel fitness center and pool, it is not a surprise that bar snacks are also not complimentary.

So while we wouldn’t recommend it as a place to hang out for the night, it is a good place to kick off your evening with a posh cocktail and get in the mood for a night on the town.

Bello Visto
Cerulean Hotel, top floor
26-1 Sakuragaoka, Shibuya
Tokyo, Japan
+81 (0)3 3476 3000

Photography not allowed inside so pic is from the Cerulean website.

Organic & macrobiotic…not your average Izakaya

Eating healthy is important to me…so when I heard that there was a healthy version of an Izakaya, I was eager to try it. To put this in perspective, an Izakaya is basically a pub serving food to complement the drinking…so in its simplest terms, a bar serving bar food. While the food is quite good in izakayas, healthy is not a word one would necessarily associate with this style of eating. And macrobiotic to boot? – well we had to see it for ourselves.

Gaya is committed to an organic and macrobiotic offering – and in typical Japanese style, if it is worth doing, it is worth doing well. No detail is overlooked in considering how each dish can be made more healthful and wholesome – the Caesar Salad features dressing made with tofu, the ice cream is soy-based and all the rice-based dishes use brown rice. In talking to the manager Momoe-san, we learned that the owner had actually changed the direction of the izakaya 5 years ago following a heart-attack. His health scare inspired him to change his life and his food…and today he is running marathons and sharing his view on healthy eating at Gaya.

Fresh squeezed organic veggie and fruit juices are on offer and even the sake is organic. Vegan options are available alongside organic pork and chicken – there is indeed something for everyone.

I opted to try the Vegetable Sushi with brown rice (¥1380 / $14.15 USD). There were 7 types of sushi presented on the plate – and beautifully so. Some even resembling real sushi – the sweet seasonal Japanese ginger known as myoga, shiny and pink in appearance, appeared surprisingly fish-like perched upon a perfect rectangle of rice. The enoki mushroom roll was clever and tasty as well as the sushi of green and yellow strips of pepper. But my favorite was the tempeh and sesame roll. It was full of nutty goodness with the delicate flavors of brown rice, tempeh and sesame blending artfully in the mouth and tasting a bit like tahini.

Paul got the Cheese Risotto with brown rice (¥1250 / $13.10 USD). He was a little dubious at the idea of brown rice replacing the traditional Arborio rice, but curious enough to give it a go. I must admit when I saw Paul’s dish arrived at the table, I was immediately jealous. Presented tableside in an actual block of Parmigiano Reggiano, the risotto is scooped into a bowl and then the block of cheese is scraped by the serving spoon to yield large strips of Parmigiano Reggiano to garnish the dish. The presentation was impressive and so was the taste. While I really enjoyed my dish, I wanted my last bite to be Paul’s risotto ?

Given the success of the entrees we were interested to see how Gaya would do in the dessert area promising dairy free and sugar free desserts. Paul ordered the Cereal / Soy Ice Cream / Coffee parfait while I opted for the Cinnamon Donuts with Soy Ice Cream (both ¥700 / $7.65 USD each). Paul again, dubious…ice cream without cream? Whole grain cereal as dessert? But he was happy to be proven wrong – the soy ice cream (a chocolate orange flavour) was rich and satisfying. It was served with soy milk on the side, and when combined with the parfait, it yielded a healthy and delicious sort of milkshake. We both agreed though that mine was the best…whole grain donuts with the same chocolate orange soy ice cream on the side. Crispy on the outside and moist and cakey on the inside, the donuts made me forget we were eating healthy!

Beyond the food, it also bears mentioning that the staff was incredibly welcoming and attentive…wanting to make sure we were comfortable, explaining the dishes, and just exhibiting an overall hospitality that uniquely set them apart from some of the other dining experiences we have had. Even getting the bill was a pleasure – as it was presented beside an origami swan on a lovely piece of washi (decorative Japanese paper) with a handwritten note full of smiley faces. In fact everyone was genuinely warm and happy and seemed to want to share their good vibes with the customers – maybe it is the wholesome, healthy food that makes them feel so good?

Gaya Organic Izakaya
Basement floor, Kurusu Building
2-2-5 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo, Japan
+81 (0)3 3498 8810

A homey Western-style brunch in the heart of Tokyo

I may have mentioned before that breakfast is my favourite meal. So it is no surprise then that breakfast or brunch has become a weekend ritual for me – whether at home or abroad. And while I have had the most magnificent Japanese food while travelling in Japan, when I woke up this Sunday, I had an intense craving for a western-style breakfast… creamy eggs, hot coffee and buttery toast. Nothing else would do, not even Yakitori! And so we set off to find a place that had come recommended for a homey Western brunch, Good Honest Grub, in the heart of Tokyo’s Shibuya area.

Located just off Meiji Dori in the cutest little townhouse, sits Good Honest Grub. The owner, Don Foley, is from Newfoundland, Canada and has lived in Tokyo for 20 years running various restaurants. He has operated Good Honest Grub since 1999 serving a loyal group of customers the yummy brunch foods that keep them coming back.

We decided to try the classic Greek omelette with hash browns and toast (¥1600 / $16.80 USD) and the Grubwich, a breakfast sandwich of scrambled eggs, bacon on a toasted English muffin with bean salad and green salad (¥1300 / $13.75 USD).

Paul’s Greek omelet hit the spot. The classic flavors of spinach and feta cheese folded into light and fluffy eggs was well complemented by the rosemary scented potato hash browns (not the southern-style grated potato hash browns, but bite-sized oven-roasted red potatoes pieces with skin). A multigrain buttery toast completed the combination perfectly.

My Grubwich breakfast sandwich was also simple but well executed. I mean what better combination is there than scrambled eggs and bacon? And living in Asia now for a few years, it has been a while since I had an English muffin – what a treat to enjoy the combination of crispy edges and soft nooks and crannies filled with butter. It made me a little homesick by reminding me of my favorite breakfast from my local corner diner in NYC, Joe’s Jr diner on 6th Avenue in Greenwich Village.

Just when we made up our minds to get the check, Don told us about the desserts. We were all set to go, but after hearing descriptions of Apple Crumble with ice cream, Chocolate Zucchini Bread and the “you-gotta-try-it-cause-it-is-just-amazing” Carrot Cake, we changed our minds and stuck around for dessert. We tried the Carrot Cake (¥600 / $6.20 USD) and Don was right, WOW! It was both dense and chewy with crispy, buttery edges…topped off with just the right amount of rich, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake frosting. This may just win my award for best-ever Carrot Cake.

We sat outside on the deck enjoying the fresh morning air, sipping our bottomless coffees and chatting with Don when he ambled over to give refills. We learned that Don, besides being the owner, also has a hand in every detail from doing a lot of the actual cooking himself to tasting every dish before it goes out to the customers…”if it isn’t right, it doesn’t go out,” Don says. And it is this combination of the homey, welcoming vibe and the good, solid food that keeps his regulars and other wanderers like ourselves coming back week after week.

Homey, hearty and yummy, everything brunch should be. And don’t forget to try the Carrot Cake!

Note: Don gave the best and simplest directions to find….look for the Lawson’s 100 on the corner of Meiji Dori, and then see the signboard on the corner. Just 10 meters up lies Good Honest Grub.

Good Honest Grub
2-20-8 Higashi, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo, Japan
+81 (0)3 3797 9877

NOTE: Open 10:30-4:30 on Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holidays so plan accordingly!

Tasty grilled meats and veggies on a stick, Japanese-style

Seems every culture has its meat on a stick – from Thai moo ping to Turkish shish kabobs, these are always an international favourite. When we were living in Bangkok, it was ubiquitous…grilled chicken, fish balls, and the aforementioned moo ping, grilled pork. But the Japanese raise it to another level – as it seems they do with everything – in their version called Yakitori.

Yakitori, usually chicken and vegetables, is a popular snack or after work meal enjoyed by the Japanese. A very casual meal eaten on the fly, although still in the restaurant (you never see Japanese walking around with food and eating like one might in Thailand or even America). In these tiny places, most people choose to sit around the counter and watch their items be grilled to order over the charcoal fire, but there are also usually small rustic tables and stools upon which one can perch while munching.

The best way to start, if you have never eaten Yakitori, is to order single skewers of several items and then order seconds (or thirds) of those that you really enjoyed. Yakitori is best accompanied by a local beer but if you are not in the mood to drink, green tea will do nicely as well. Also an etiquette tip…it is polite to remove the items from the skewers with your chopsticks and put onto the plate, eating the bites from the plate with your chopsticks rather than putting the skewer to your mouth (this is quite rude). And further…look around the table, there is often an empty cup specially designated as a place to discard the empty skewer sticks.

While grilled chicken is the “normal” Yakitori order, there are many other items to try:

•    kawa – chicken skin (Yum!!! This is incredibly delicious, but maybe not so healthy)
•    hasima / negima – white meat chicken combined with leeks, the leeks are also yummy on their own…mild and delicate but adding that extra zing that makes it irresistible
•    shiitake – Japanese mushrooms
•    tsukune – ground chicken meat formed into a meatball with some seasoning
•    reba – chicken livers
•    piiman – these are small, bitter Japanese green peppers
•    gyu niku – grilled beef

You may be asked if you want a salt or teriyaki marinade…we prefer the salt because it lets the flavour of the meat / vegetable shine through. Also, if served with lemon, it is not a decorative garnish – use it, and you will see how it enhances the grilled flavours.

While these are everywhere, when in Tokyo we like the ones in the Shibuya area. Near the famous intersection by the Mark City Mall there are 3 well-known, established Yakitori places in a row. Look for the Pachinko parlor as a landmark and just keep walking. Our favourite is Toritake, look for a has a cartoon icon of a chicken on its sign. But don’t worry if you have trouble to locate our recommended spot as our Japanese friend living in the area commented, “all the food in this area is good…so you really cannot go wrong, even if you just randomly pop in to a place.”

Toritake
Shibuya, across from Mark City shopping mall
Tokyo, Japan
Telephone: +81 (0)3 3461 1627