“cream in pants” non-photoshopped photo. Pork belly & noodles

Above noodle’s inextricable other half. zuh broth

Pork w/noodles and tsukemen broth united in holy matrimony

An alternative order of tsukemen, without the overload of pork. Maybe a smarter choice.

(close up) An alternative order of tsukemen, without the overload of pork. Maybe a smarter choice.

I’m about to go to sleep (2:00 AM) when I come across what I consider is the best non-photoshopped photo i’ve ever taken of pork… an image so titillating, that I would have creamed in my pants if I were a guy.  Therefore, I must post this now.

Nothing can excite me more than an influx of ramen houses. Why?  Because competition = survival of the fittest = better food.

This obviously isn’t your typical ramen.  In fact, it’s not ramen at all, it’s dissected ramen, called tsukemen– dip your noodles into broth.  The end result is pretty much the same; by that i meant yummy-in-your-tummy good.

Tsujita’s tsukemen is my oh my.  I’m willing to awake at the ungodly hour of 10 AM, to get to this restaurant by 10:45AM, 15 minutes before they open!  I really can’t explain the taste.  Partially because I’m delirious and ready for bed and simultaneously hungry now.  I love them eggs too. I love how the restaurant selects the dark yolk variety, which is typical in Tokyo.  The pork belly is how pork belly should be. Fat and ripe for the cutting.

The ONLY thing that may throw you off is the occasional, or frequent “luke-hot warm” broth.  I’m one who loves piping hot broth, but this one is relatively warm to me.  For someone who’s super particular about the temperature of her broth, the dish must release orgasms in the mouth in order to make this exception.  And that’s precisely what it does.

However, I’m sure it’s meant to be kept at that temperature probably for some super scientific Japanese reason.

Order:

• CHAR-SIU TSUKEMEN (lots of pork- photo 1  2 and 3)
• AJITAMA TSUKEMEN (Photo 4 and 5)

Company: Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle
Address: 2057 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (310) 231-7373
Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am – 2 pm (sadly, tsukemen served only during lunch-time)
Mon-Sun 6 pm – 12 am

(I’ll bring my proper camera next time)

My tummy is aching just thinking about the yommy strips of marinated pork belly–8 different types of marinades to be exact!  I don’t know if it’s an Asian thing, but the number 8 sure is lucky in my belly.  Flavours include: wine, original, ginseng, garlic, herb, curry, miso paste, and red pepper paste.  My very favorite marinades are garlic and red pepper paste.  All of them are delicious but I guarantee you you’ll order more of the aforementioned two when you try all of them.  Most people I know love the SMOKED flavor.  But you gotta order that separately.  If I didn’t live so far, I’d knock on Palsaik’s door right now, at this very moment.  Thank the seven gods for pigs.

Order:

• Palsaik Set Menu
• Need to try other things before I can recommend. I usually just eat straight pork and banchan.

Company: Palsaik Samgyupsal Korean BBQ
Address: 863 S Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90005
Phone: (213) 365-1750
Hours:Mon-Sat 11 am – 12 am, Sun 11 am – 11 pm

Thus far, best soul food I’ve had in L.A.  This homestyle chicken originated in Compton, then replicated itself in Culver City. Two piece chicken combo – one thigh and one breast (to stroke my conscience).  Not to worry, the breast is super juicy (any joke here would be too easy).  And I’m a biscuit home girl–SOSOSO good. I like to gobble it down with honey.
Note:  Things are done at a relatively slow pace here, so if you’re in a hurry, be sure to order 30 minutes in advance for pick-up.

Address:
9537 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Phone (310) 202-5453
Fax (310) 202-8063

Hours of Operation
Sunday – Thursday 11am – 10pm
Friday – Saturday 11am – 11pm

The waiter begins by showing you the wagyu goods

Shabu-Shabu option

Wagyu sliced for sukiyaki and a nice wad of butter atop the meat for cooking

The sukiyaki raw ingredients

Cooked product in raw egg

Shabu shabu pot

More sukiyaki

Another view of sukiyaki

Amazing AMAZING sukiyaki AND shabu shabu.  This place is absolutely worth every cent.

Order:

• wagyu beef set for sukiyaki and/or shabu-shabu (depending on your mood. Hopefully you have 4 people or more in your group so you can try both methods of cooking.  Both are sick.

Note:

• OK, you spend at least $200/person for wagyu beef sukiyaki.  If you have one night that you just want to experience true bliss but have to pay for it, this is the place to go. The lovely waitresses do everything for you.  You just need to figure out how to bring the food into your mouth.
• Don’t get freaked out by the raw egg. My friends and I had sukiyaki about 3 times each and came out alive.

If you’re not convinced yet, check out this video I recorded of our waitress preparing our sukiyaki:

Company: Zakuro
Address: As for the address, my friend gave me the coordinates: 35.669367,139.74402 (plug into google maps) or Nihon Jitensha Kaikan B1F, 1-9-15 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
Phone: +81 3-3582-2661
Hours:  TBD

I'm so annoyed this is the only picture I can find of the beef bowl. I took some really good photos, but have no idea where I put them. grr.

Don’t you laugh or hesitate for one second.  Yoshinoya in the U.S. is not Yoshinoya in Japan.  They should really rebrand the one in the U.S. as something lesser because it does not do the original restaurant justice..not one iota.  If you want juicy beef, perfectly cooked juicy rice, and clean ginger & red seasoning, try it once.  Please, you’ll thank me many times over.  How about this, first try a beef bowl in the U.S. just before you go to Tokyo.

Order:

• largest f*ing beef bowl with kimchi side dishes and miso soup if you’re like me; otherwise, just the beef bowl

Note: 

• I’m a sloppy American, so I like to put soy sauce in my rice.  Just a bit. Add a little ginger and sprinkle the red seasoning (furikake?) and you’re golden.
  

Company:  Yoshinoya
Address: Here
Hours: many are 24 hours

Are you in Roppongi and in need of an afternoon shaved ice made with real green tea?  This is the sickest shaved ice I’ve ever had.  Real ingredients, extreme delicacy, awesome.

Order: 

• green tea shaved ice

Note:

• I’m pretty sure this is the correct restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Roppongi hills mall. Basically, enter the grand hyatt, go to the 6th floor.  It’s the restaurant to your immediate right.  Show them the picture and tell them you want that.  Not sure how much it is since we never paid, but will probably be more expensive than your average shaved ice.  The food is exceptional but super expensive.

Company:  Shunbou
Address: Click Here
Phone:  03-4333-8786
Hours:  Lunch 11:30am-OC2:30pm / Sat., Sun. & public holidays -OC3:00pm / Dinner 6:00pm-9:30pm

DELICIOUS salad. Trust me, the dressing is sick.

wagyu beef tongue. mooooo

marinated wagyu beef

lovely almond dessert

I know what you’re thinking, “why go all the way to Tokyo to have Korean barebecue?!”  Well, because the Japanese always do everything better.  Amazing wagyu beef bbq. They’re also famous for the salad dressing on the salad.  I think you can buy the dressing, if so, bring me some too.

Order:

• wagyu marinated beef
• beef tongue (I know, it took me 25 years to warm up to tongue)
• just order a set (point at the pictures in the menu)

Note:

• If you feel like spending about 100-200ish per person on a second meal, then this is def #2 to hit.  #1 is sukiyaki

Address:  This site is in Japanese, but it might help you. Just google maps the Jojoen closest to you when you’re in Tokyo.

perfectly marbleized wagyu

nice waitress

Final product- juicy oral dynamite

I went to two sukiyaki joints in Tokyo and i love them both.  I’m not sure if Imahan has shabu-shabu as well, but the other one I went to had both.  Though, I can’t figure out the other name of the restaurant for the life of me.   Anyway, you’ll never have sukiyaki like this anywhere else, until you do.

Order:

• whatever you see in the picture. Wagyu beef grade!

Note:

• OK, you spend at least $200/person for wagyu beef sukiyaki.  If you have one night that you just want to experience true bliss but have to pay for it, this is the place to go. The lovely waitresses do everything for you.  You just need to figure out how to bring the food into your mouth.
• Don’t get freaked out by the raw egg. My friends and I had sukiyaki about 3 times each and came out alive.

Company:  Imahan
Address, Phone:  Here

Hiyashi Hokkyoku Ramen

I was hesitant to put this on the website for one reason–I’m not sure whether I crave this ramen for a sadistic purpose or because I really think it’s so delicious.  I think its both.  However, the second time I went here, I vowed I’d never return after feeling like I burned a hole through my belly.  One thing is for sure.. the noodles are damn good.  Beware, spicy.

Order:

• Hiyashi Hokkyoku Ramen (Cold Extra Spicy Ramen)–I recommend just getting the ramen with the spicy dipping sauce.   This is the spiciest one, but it’s not all that scary if you have a high tolerance for spice like moi.  I don’t remember if they have a picture of it on the vending machine, so show the picture above to a chef so he can help you select the appropriate ramen.

Company:  Nakamoto
Address: This link gives great directions

Mushroom Broth

Pork Udon

You’ve never had udon until you come here. This is certainly the best place in Tokyo I promise you.

Order:

• I think there are only three udon options – curry (they’re most popular for this one but i’m not big on curry), mushroom dipping soup udon (i tried all of them and this was the tastiest), and pork udon (forgot the name, but it looks like regular udon. I had this one, and it was delicious, but
• the mushroom dipping soup udon option is the best

Company:  Zen
Address:  Koushin Bldg.1F 1-2-14 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Phone:  03-5410-3177
Hours:  Mon-Fri 11:30am-3:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Sat 5:30pm-11:15pm; closed Sun