First, let me introduce a friend of mine. His name is the man.
The man is accepted everywhere.
I go to a 7-11, and I want a can of coffee, a rice ball, and a Weekly Famitsu. It comes to 1180円. Then I slam down a man, a 10,000円 bill. The clerk doesn't hesitate for a second, smiles and takes the man and returns to me 8 sen. Then he hands me the following:
1 500円 coin
3 100円 coins
2 10円 coins
I smile, say どうも, bow slightly, and make my leave. I put the 8 sen in my wallet. That is now the money I "really have". The change, well, that's just change.
This is how I wind up with 800円, about $10, in my pocket, going completely unnoticed.
This sounds awesome though, doesn't it? I mean, no one here questions the use of, essentially, $100 bills to pay for $15 bucks worth of crap at a convenience store. They don't even bother holding it up to the light to make absolutely certain that it's not counterfeit. And, if you plan around having only what's in your wallet you can make yourself a pretty pot of gold back home. Which is what I've found that I had.
Here, I have divided my change pile in half. This is what was accumulated in about one month's time of utterly ignoring change (outside of buying drinks from the vending machine downstairs).
Now, to those unaccustomed to American currency, it'd be easy to pull a fast one and make one large mound of nickels and pennies, and one tiny one of quarters and dimes. This is, precisely, what I've done here. However, the difference in value is staggering. Mind you also, these are completely standard coins. There's no "uncommon" coins in either pile.
Left value: 3,750円 ($45.18)
Right value: 172円 ($2.07)
Amazing. I'd have assumed 1,000 or 2,000 at most, but nearly 4,000円 going completely unaccounted for, gathering dust in my turned over DVD spindle cover. It is a boon of dinner like proportions. Tonight, we dine out.
Dining out in Tokyo can mean a cornucopia of various dishes and atmospheres. However, as Julie can attest in her (much more frequently updated and picture laden) blog, having the courage to try new food is NOT her forte. Try as I do to expose her to new experiences, we've settled into a groove of food choices.
Option #1: Cafe Gusto
The old failsafe. Gusto is part of a family of restaurants owned by Skylark. You can find these and it's other variations all over Tokyo. Jonathan's, Bamiyan, Yumean, they all have the same pricing and atmosphere. Be seated, get an enormous menu, push the call waiter button when you're ready, get a meal in 5 minutes. While each of the different names offer a different style of food, Gusto seems to deal mainly in hamburg. It's not exactly like american hamburger but closer to salisbury steak, right down to the sauce, the side of tater tots and corn.
Every once in a while, they offer something new and wild. Sometimes they're wonderful. I had a great kimchee bowl no more than a few weeks ago that goes toe to toe with some specialty diners. Then there are the disasters like the cheese-in burger. Imagine a salisbury steak patty that was injected with far too much processed cheese. After the first bite, globs of oil and cheese-esque slop came raining out of the burger, soaking the plate in nightmarishly off-white coating. I tried to salvage the burger by wringing it like a towel, expelling the vile infection, but no amount of effort would make the burger worth the effort. Since then, both Julie and I have played it safe, ordering no meals that cross lines man was not meant to overstep. Pictured above is a wiener plate and the uncommon steak.
It's hard to get too upset about one bad meal though. Gusto has many other plusses. They're literally one block away, so it takes no effort to go out, even on chilly winter days. They're also open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To top it all off, if we were truly so desperate, they deliver. Great stuff.
Average price of a meal and drink per person: 1250円
Option #2: Nakau
Nakau is located about 8 blocks away, north towards Ekoda station's Seibu Ikebukuro line. Despite being a bit further out from home, it's a cosy affair. It's another 24 hour slop shop, this one dealing more in soba and gyuudon bowls. You order from the vending machine in the front of the store, inserting money and picking your meal by pushing buttons. The machine spits out some tickets, which you hand to the cook, who in turn seats you and offers a hot glass of green tea. Additionally, machine lets you set the tickets for take out, providing decent take out meal. Which we actually prefer, because the radio blasts the Nakau theme song every 3 minutes.
Check this guy's video for an example of how this place works. Note how the man is accepted even in a vending machine.
Also, someone else captured that damn song (and not much else) in this vid.
Credit to the original uploaders.
Average price of a meal and drink per person: 750円
Option #3: Masala
God bless you Julie for being able to tolerate Indian food. While you can't seem to stomach the contents of most bento boxes, sushi, anything remotely spicy, or almost everything in the vegetable block of the food pyramid, you redeem yourself ten fold by liking curry and nan. Credit for finding this place is entirely hers too. It's in the maze of shopping that is the Ekoda Ginza (not to be confused with Ginza proper). Our shopping arcade is hardly as classy as its namesake would lead you to believe, but I love it just the same. In the basement of one building is this really comfortable, warm, Indian bistro that has good prices, generous portions, thick mango lassis, and comfy chairs. On top of all that, the waiters spoke English, or at least enough so that I could ask some questions and compliment the staff. Recommended.
Average price for a meal and drink per person: 1200円
Option #4: Burger King or McDonalds
Don't laugh. This is real treat for us. There's no BK close by to us on foot. The closest ones that we know of are in Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, both are about a 10 minute ride by train or subway. Is it worth the extra 270円 just to eat American Fast Food? You bet your ass it is. There has been literally nothing lost in the transition to Japan. The food tastes just as it should. You'll notice in the picture something else as well: beer and highballs are available to drink for a measly 70円 more than a soda. Going there always puts a smile on our face. The last time we went, they were offering what is, in my opinion, the single most Japanese innovation that BK could've mustered:
Because this is what Americans eat. This not-quite-pizza/not-quite-burger frankenstein costs a whopping (pun) $20, and set is nearly $36. According to the BK in Ikebukuro they will actually deliver this set. Good lord. I mean, it looks pretty delicious, don't get me wrong, but this almost deserves a place on thisiswhyyourefat.com.
Wait. It is: http://www.thisiswhyyourefat.com/?p=553684318
And what do you know, it IS an American meal, "exclusive" to New York City's Whopper Bar. Maybe I should go back and edit my entry now that I've done some research. Eh. Nah.
On the other hand, McDonalds is right in our neighborhood, only about a block further down from Masala. What can be said about マクドナルド that hasn't already been said? I think the internet does a good enough job giving you the gist: it looks and feels and smells (yes) like any other Micky D's, but has peculiar specials (way more eccentric than the NY Pizza Burger) and ludicrous commercials. Just google it.
Let's see now, the last two months, they had these wonderful iCon Chicken sandwich specials rotating every week or two.
First up, the iCon Cheese Fondue Burger (the word "burger" is used pretty loosely here).
This one had come and gone by the time we started visiting McD's, so I can't vouch for its taste. Suffice it to say that anything that's been dipped in cheese, sprinkled with cheese, and put on a bed of bacon, lettuce, and a slice of cheese is maddeningly close to being a weapon.
Next up, the iCon German Sausage.
The iCon Chicken Diabolo.
For something so impressive looking, I'm mostly neutral about it. The chicken is dipped in a hot sauce of a sort (lots of it), has bacon (Japanese bacon is not bacon, it's just luke warm ham), American cheese, and a toasted bun. Looks better than it really was. I still preferred the mainstay of the menu, the iCon Chicken Salt and Lemon.
Last, they had the iCon Chicken Carbonara.
Which I had been looking forward to trying until I saw the picture. I love a chicken carbonara, but this looked like the cheese fondue all over again, but with...what is that...corn on the top? I gave it a miss.
Average cost for a meal and drink per person: 750円
Option #5: Mr. Donut
This one is pretty conditional on the time of day or what "meal" it's supposed to be. Me and donuts have a pretty amicable, if not strictly professional relationship. I will order one, and I will eat it, and I will not have any qualms about it. That's about as far as we go though (save for that one box of Krispy Kremes that surely ruined our future together).
So no, I'm not crazy about donuts. Doubly so for Japanese donuts. They're either too bland or too sweet, but never right in the right dose. Take those in the picture. The glaze is almost unnoticeable in flavor, but the frosting on the cupcake had a bold kick of strawberry that begged the mouth to take some of the cake along with each bite, lest the frosting shock the nervous system.
The part that grinds my gears abut this place is the prices. I'm used to spending under a dollar per donut, but these bounce between 120円 and 270円. That and the coffee, while not bad, is expensive for the amount they offer. Dunkin' Donuts has really spoiled me with those 32oz hot coffees, which are about the same price as the 6oz cup pictured above.
Complaints aside though, Julie deserves a sweet every now and again, so I'm happy to indulge her. It's not terribly far away, just two blocks down from Nakau, and has ample seating.
Average cost for a meal and drink per person: 270円 for each drink, about 150円 per donut.
Until the next time I have anything worth talking about. Dan out.
This one's for you Bob
