Since me and Junko finally found the Hawaiian place yesterday, and because she discovered she'd have to work on Monday after all, I decided to go down there by myself.
I don't remember seeing these giant yellow birds yesterday!
Ordered up a spicy ahi poke x kalua pig plate w/ a Longboard Lager. I guess they had to add the avocados to the poke for Japanese tastes.
Didn't get a receipt, but I think the total was about 1,960円. Kind of expensive, but considering they probably have to import and/or make most of the food, I'll compare it to the prices of 'authentic Japanese food' in Hawaii.
Feeling a bit of a 'kanak attack' coming on I retreated back to the hotel to take a shower and a nap.
Around 6pm, I woke up and decided I needed something small to eat since I'd be eating again 3 hours later, but after walking a few blocks in several different directions, I just got a conbeni salmon nigiri. Kind of nice that, even though the hotel is so close to Ueno Station, it's kind of quiet compared to other parts of Tokyo. But I guess the downside is that there aren't a lot of restaurants nearby.
Around 7:45pm I caught the Tokyo-Metro Ginza line from Inaricho to Ueno-Hirokoji then walked over to the Ueno-Okachimachi station/platform where I transfered to the Toei Subway-Oedo Line until I got to Tsukishima. I could have left at 8:30 and made it right before 9pm but I had nothing else to do and wanted to try and be early (which I was).
Tsukishima is famous for monjayaki and so there was a long street lined with only monjayaki shops (which I forgot to take a picture of). I asked Agasa if there was any shop in particular that stood out, but the answer that came back was "they're all pretty much the same" so we ended up at this one since she had a coupon.
This was actually the second store since the other location was so crowded that the employee walked us (and a few other people) to this one a few stores down the road.
Ordered two types of monjayaki: mentaiko and pizza (sounded interesting). Plus, I think we got some free stuff with the coupon?
Monjayaki is one of those foods that the customer 'cooks themself' like yakiniku or (sometimes) okonomiyaki (even though I rarely if ever do). This is pretty much a given since monjayaki is eaten right off the teppan with tiny spatulas.
Given my embarrassing lack of cooking skills and this being my first time with monjayaki, I deferred to Agasa because "I want to make sure it tasted good".
Apparently, the way to do things is to mix up the ingredients in the bowl on the teppan and then to make a sort of bowl with them into which to pour the batter.
Mentaiko was really good! This is what it looks like when done.
Was getting a little full, but since we ordered the pizza one as well...
Pizza might be good for kids?
Was still kind of early so we went to someplace in Ueno. Apparently, one of the places next door caught on fire earlier in the day. I neglected to take a picture of the scene though. Can't see it in the picture but there was like a rock garden behind Agasa. Such a stylish place (that I can't remember the name of)!
Our special order of "mystery sashimi". Never heard of any of these fish before, but they were good.
(clockwise from bottom left) Tsuzurame （つづらめ）, Madai（真鯛）, Warasa（わらさ）, Mahata（真羽太）, Maguro(?)
