JS Burgers Cafe

This is my last post of 2010! Wow, I can't believe this year is coming to an end.

I randomly walked by J.S. Burgers Cafe in Shinjuku on my lunch break.

Saw this sign while I was walking around. Sold.

I ordered the Avocado Burger. It comes with a side of seasoned fries, salad bar and a drink for 980 yen. I ordered an iced coffee, an Organic iced coffee might I add. I skipped on the salad bar but the burger definitely fulfilled my occasional craving.

To all my friends who read my blog, Happy New Year! Wishing all of you a fabulous, healthy and prosperous 2011!!

良いお年を！来年もどうぞよろしくね！

Comedor El Camino

Finally catching up on my food updates!

Last month, we went for a date night at Comedor El Camino in Kagurazaka that my boyfriend had found through tabelog. I am so appreciative that he always makes an effort to find new places to try. Thanks D, 来年も探してね！

Interior.

It was a super tiny restaurant but really cozy and intimate. They have a dinner course that comes with an appetizer, main, Arroz Meloso (Spanish seafood Risotto) and dessert with coffee/tea.

They start you off with a little platter of appetizers of Croquettes and Olives. I loved the olives here!

We had this nice bottle of Red that the server recommended. I must add that the server was insanely knowledgeable about both Spanish food and wine.

His appetizer: Ensalada de Escabeche

White fish with vegetable tomato sauce with olives.

My appetizer: Ropa Vieja

Garbanzo beans, homemade blood sausages stewed in tomato sauce.

His main: Cochinillo Asado

Wood oven Roasted Pork with Mashed Potatoes.

My main: Quail with White Kidney Beans.

(This was beyond amazing, loved this!)

The restaurant's specialty, Arroz Meloso.

They cook it and serve it in that pot. Although we were about to burst from all the hearty food, this went down so smoothly. It also comes with dessert (I ordered a plate of fruit) and coffee.

I loved this place. The server was telling us that they aim to serve authentic, home-style Spanish cooking. Every plate was so savory and satisfying. My absolute favorite was the Quail, but everything we had did not disappoint. Oh, and did I mention this course is 4,500 yen? Amazing.

L'occitane Cafe

L'Occitane Cafe is located right next to the "Scramble" intersection in Shibuya. I've always walked by it and had wanted to try. My friend and I went there for dessert after dinner.

Interior.

My friend ordered the Blanc-Manger. I didn't try any but it looked pretty.

I was quite full from dinner so I ordered a dessert drink: Lemon Tea with Framboise Sorbet. This was really refreshing and the perfect dessert. Except it came with a 1,000 yen price tag... It was definitely worth a try though!

La Farine

When my mom was visiting last month, after we had lunch, we were walking down the nearby Platina Doori (Street) in Shirogane. Through our jogs, I had always passed by La Farine, often tempted by the smell of freshly baked madelines. We took a peek inside the tiny shop.

Exterior of La Farine, meaning 'flour' in French.

It's literally a box.

My mom tried their Choux Creme which tasted really homemade. It wasn't too sweet so I really enjoyed it.

Fonda de la Madrugada

For our Christmas dinner, we went to have Mexican food at Fonda de la Madrugada in Harajuku. Like I mentioned in my previous post, all of the restaurants have a "Christmas course".

Interior. There was a Mariachi band that was singing Christmas songs in Spanish and serenading the couples. (Sorry for the dark picture)

Christmas course menu.

Shrimp Quesadilla Appetizer and Fonda Christmas Salad (which had beets, apples, walnuts and raisins). The Quesadilla was more like an Empanada.

His main: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Tequila White Sauce and Mexican Mashed Potatoes. The sauce was really tasty and reminded me of my favorite Mexican restaurant back home.

My main: Baked Stuffed Chicken Leg with Mole Manchamanteles served with Spicy Green Rice. Apparently, the sauce had chocolate in it. The Chicken leg was really tender.

Mango Flan with Coffee.

I think this place was one of the best Mexican restaurants (so far) that I've had in Tokyo. Except I think that paying 7,000 yen for Mexican food is a little overrated... I want to come back again to try their regular menu.

Christmas Eve

For some odd reason, they celebrate Christmas "Eve" instead of the actual Christmas day in Japan. It's also an "event" night for couples. When you go out to eat on Christmas Eve, restaurants are filled with couples and most everywhere has their own course dinners.

So we decided to eat at home because we wouldn't normally celebrate Christmas Eve anyways. Like last year, I cooked Lasagna.

Turned out really well!

Added a lot of Spinach and 2 types of cheeses, Mozarella and Grueyre. So hearty and delicious!

Tonight, for Christmas dinner, we will celebrate the "Japanese" way by going out to eat at a restaurant with a Christmas course. We haven't forgotten our Californian roots though... it's going to be a Mexican course dinner!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Yakiniku Kunimoto (焼肉 くにもと)

A couple of weekends ago, we had dinner at Yakiniku Kunimoto in Hamamatsucho. Since my boyfriend had eaten there a couple of months ago, he could not stop talking about it so I was very excited to try this place which serves Awaji Beef from Hyogo Prefecture. On the website they go into all the deatils of Awaji Beef (link).

There are two Kunimoto's a block away from each other. We went to the newer store which is owned by the younger brother (the other one is owned by the older brother).

They only have omakase courses and it started off with this, Yukke (raw beef)-like dish, which was delicious. I loved the flavor of the marinade.

This was the course platter. I love how each of them are labeled so you know exactly what you're eating. My favorite had to be Misuji (みすじ） on the bottom right which is the red meat of the shoulder area.

 The meat quality was amazing!

Red Bull BC One Tokyo 2010

Last weekend, we went to go watch the Red Bull BC One Championships that was held in Tokyo.

Yoyogi Park.

The line to get in was crazy!

(I didn't realize this event was so huge until I actually got there...)

Entrance.

16 break dancers battling their way to the top.

Neguin (from Brazil) was crowned the champion.

Through the website (linked above), you can check out all the battle videos.

I was never that interested in breakdancing, but watching it live (especially SO close!) was awesome. The championships are held in a different country each year and Tokyo was the first city in Asia that hosted.