Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2012
Picnics, barbecues, beer gardens—Tokyoites certainly love to take their eating and drinking outdoors during summertime. And thanks to all the new takeout counters and windows springing up around town, you can too. Here are a half dozen of our current favorites.
Pizza
New Yorkers consider eating pizza by the slice to be not so much a lifestyle choice as a God-given right. So we’re relieved that Tokyo is finally hopping on the pizza-to-go bandwagon—and in such a big way. First came the debut of the NY-based Sbarro chain a couple of years ago (www.sbarro.jp), followed this spring by Napoli’s, a takeout/eat-in spot in Shibuya (www.napolisjapan.com). Our newest favorite, though, is 045 Pizza Myro in Yokohama’s Motomachi shopping district. With selections from ¥250 and a wide range of pies, it’s the closest we’ve come to enjoying a slice of the Big Apple in Japan.
1-24-1 Ishikawacho, Naka-ku, Yokohama. Tel: 045-264-4045. Open Tue-Fri 11:30am-10pm, Sat-Sun 11:30am-7pm, closed Mon. Nearest stn: Ishikawacho (JR line) or Motomachi-Chukagai (Minatomirai line). www.facebook.com/045pizzamyro
Donuts
It was a brave man (or, as it turns out, woman) who first came up with idea that tofu and fried dough would go well together. But the Kobe-based Hara Donuts manages to pull off the trick. Chewy and slightly sweet, the basic donut (¥120) at this rapidly expanding chain is made with all-natural ingredients like whole-wheat flour, soymilk and okara (tofu lees). Health-conscious snackers will appreciate the “vegetable” donuts (carrot, spinach, etc.; ¥150), but junk food junkies need not despair—chocolate and cocoa varieties are also on the menu (¥130). Hara Donuts operates a dozen shops in the Tokyo area, including a newly opened takeout counter in Yokohama’s Porta department store.
Various locations. Open daily 10am-7pm (while donuts last). http://haradonuts.jp
Onigiri
How do we love thee, Omusubi Gonbei? Bear with us while we count the ways. First, there’s the fact that each of your rice balls is shaped by hand from still-hot rice. Second, there’s the size—the onigiri here are 50 percent bigger than their puny conbini cousins. Third, the preservative- and additive-free menu includes items made from brown rice. But best of all, orders are likely to be filled by a staff member who actually harvested the rice—employees are encouraged to visit the suppliers’ paddies. Osumubi Gonbei has 18 shops in the metropolitan area; the newest, in the Atre Kawasaki complex, debuted May 31. Rice balls ¥100-¥250.
Various locations. Open Mon-Fri 7am-7pm. www.omusubi-gonbei.com
Dumplings
It wasn’t too long ago that even Chinatown junkies like us had never heard of sheng jian bao. Now we’re wondering how we ever got along without them. These soupy, steamed-then-pan-fried dumplings occupy a kind of middle ground between standard Chinese takeout fare like cha siu bao buns, which are easy to eat on the go, and xiao long bao soup dumplings, which are impossible to eat anywhere except a table. Filled with minced pork and generous helpings of scallion, sheng jian bao can be found all over Chinatown these days. The popular Wanfuchin, on the main drag, is our favorite spot for takeout. A generous serving of four costs ¥460.
191-24 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama. Tel: 045-641-1595. Open Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-10pm. Nearest stn: Ishikawacho (JR line) or Motomachi-Chukagai (Minatomirai line).
Taiyaki
The only positive thing about the collapse of Tokyo’s taiyaki boom is the high quality of shops that are still in business after the bubble burst. That’s certainly the case with Kurodai in Shinjuku, whose once bustling Daikanyama location has, sadly, closed its doors. Three simple versions of their anko-filled snacks are available—plain, macha and black sesame (¥130-¥250)—but Kurodai spices things up with optional toppings of honey, butter and cream (¥50 each). Using top-shelf ingredients like homemade bean paste, brown cane sugar and Kyoto green tea, this shop offers a guilt-free takeout experience.
1F Lumine Shinjuku 2, 3-38-2 Shinjuku. Tel: 03-5325-2494. Open daily 11am-10pm. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. www.daikanyama-kurodai.com
Hamburger
Roppongi has often been described as a meat market, and with the arrival of Hot Rocks in April, that statement is now literally true. The takeout window at this burger joint gives out onto the main Roppongi drag, but if you want to take a load off from the dance floor, a few small tables are available inside. Hot Rocks’ eponymous burger (¥980) comes topped with egg, cheese and just about everything else, and it’s accompanied by a handful of what may be the best spicy fries in Tokyo. Pizza and chicken are also on the menu, and Mexican-themed tapas can be ordered at the standing bar upstairs.
3-15-22 Roppongi, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-6804-5416. Open daily 11am-5am. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.hotrocks.jp
