Tokyo Observations

My favorite city in the world to eat these days.

• Kanda Yabusoba: discovered many things at this institution, a restaurant that has existed on the site for a few hundred years; for starters it was tsukidashi, a miso served with sake or beer; then it was asari sakamusi, the classic little neck clams steamed in sake; then it was the seiro soba, for which the restaurant is renown, with tsuyu (the cold sauce for dipping made with soya, konbu, bonito); finally and most interestingly the soba-yu or the a pot of hot water in which the soba was boiled offered as a remedial last course.
• Maru: a second or third visit with highlight being smoked mackerel, umeboshi sauce and tiny shiso leaves all on top of a bed of finely shredded savoy cabbage dressed in a mirin-based vinaigrette. Two observations: get the contraption that makes wasabi paste from fresh wasabi and when cutting avocados, slice avocado halves thinly with skin on (this holds avocado slices in place before peeling skin off)