Dansan: Pure Gold in Golden Gai, Tokyo

Golden Gai and Dansan

Tiny alleyways of Golden Gai

Originally a den of iniquity when the American soldiers were stationed in Tokyo, I got the impression that Golden Gai is not really on the tourist trail (even though it was in the Lonely Planet) - there were no gaijen (foreigners) on the streets at all.  The tiny alleyways are lined with even tinier bars (around 200) that seat around eight patrons if you're lucky and most of them have their doors firmly closed, or the bar(wo)man gives you a subtle shake of the head as you walk passed.  

Sneak peak into Golden Gai bars

Members only

We were feeling down right intimidated about walking into any of them for a drink until Sander noticed a poster of a rugby team at the foot of a steep staircase.  Ah ha!  If we were going to be welcome anywhere, it was going to be here.

Rugby memorabilia at the foot of the stairs

Sure enough, after some incredibly surprised looks, once we explained we were from New Zealand we knew we were home.

Dansan interior

Dansan is the home bar for the Suntory rugby team in Tokyo (explaining the multitude of Suntory business cards tacked to a small section of the wall) and it's patrons are extremely passionate about the game.  We settled in for a few beers and as curiosity got the better of the locals and the bar staff we became included conversation (albeit a little confused or stilted at times - lost in translation).

Sake from a small wooden cup - it's good luck to overfill the sake glass into the cup

By the end of the evening the Rugby World Cup had been dissected (as had a bottle of sake), Sander had been sketched twice and had the address of the bar to send a rugby memorabilia book once we were back in Singapore (which we have since sent).   We staggered home feeling very lucky to have stumbled across such a hidden jewel.

The artist

Portrait 1:  Frosty Boy - inspired by Sander's t-shirt

Portrait 2:  Sander's portrait - signed, dated (note: 1.05am) and tacked to the ceiling
(hopefully it's still there next time we visit)

The Dansan Team

Tokyo? Hai! Hai!

Firstly, apologies this post is so long in coming.  It's version two.  I was so discouraged when I lost my entire post just before I could publish that it's taken me this long to come back to it.

Tokyo Part 2

My real Tokyo experience occurred over the weekend - work commitments no longer dictate my timetable and I'm free to explore what the city has to offer (in three days) - wander, watch, taste, smell and snap away to my heart's content.

Tokyo has well and truly stolen my heart.  If Singapore was my steady boyfriend, Tokyo is the exotic stranger whom I met in a crowded bar, thinking it would be a weekend fling but deciding to elope when the time came to part.

No, no, fear not, I haven't up sticks and moved there... but I'm keen!

If you have a chance to go to Tokyo, take it and run with it.

My favourite Tokyo image - Shinjuku Crossing

Tokyo has enough to keep you occupied for ever.  Our experience barely scratched the surface, but in case you're looking for some inspiration, read on.

EAT

As you would expect from a nation that boasts more Michelin Stars than France, Tokyo is a culinary pilgrimage worth taking.  From the dizzying heights of fine dining to the more accessible street food, there is so much to sample - dust off those chopstick skills at and going.

Mini baked doughnut balls for when a perk up is required mid afternoon

Garishly iced bananas

Sumibi Yakitori

(A block from the entrance of Shinjuku Station on the Kabukicho side...hmmm... good luck)

Finding a top notch place for dinner can definitely involve an element of luck, especially if you can't read Japanese. When you layer basement and upstairs options on top of street level, dinner becomes a game of ramen roulette. Wandering around Shinjuku we paused at countless door menus, but never settled. Pausing outside Sumibi Yakitori, I decided that I'd poke my head through the door downstairs, just in case. Bingo! A tiny restaurant buzzing with conversation from closely packed tables. Double bingo! Two seats vacant at the bar.

We practiced our Japanese ordering yakitori (including chicken liver!), tuna and avocado salad and lots of Asahi draft.  Feeling energised, we dove back into the Tokyo evening to explore Shinjuku and unravel a few of its secrets.

Embracing chicken liver yakitori

Golden Gai

(North-east of Shinjuku Station)

One of those secrets was Golden Gai and the tiny bar Dansen. It's impossible to do justice to how much fun we had here in a few paragraphs - it deserves its own post (here).

Kyusyu Jangara

(Just outside Harajuku Station entrance, 1-13-21 Jingumae, Shibuya-ka, above a clothing shop)

After a long day of walking off our hangovers (gallantly earned in Golden Gai) along the streets of Harajuku, Aoyama and Rappongi our weary bodies were in need of a hot bowl of nourishment. The ramen here came highly recommended, and after a bit of a search we sank gratefully onto the bar stools (watch out for your knees if you are long of leg!). The menu is straight forward - five different ramen broth bases, then build up your dish from the list of add ons. Despite originating from China, ramen has been whole-heartedly adopted by the Japanese and by me in turn.

Comfort in a bowl

Maisen 

(4-8-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ka)

To celebrate (or mourn) our last evening in Tokyo we decided to treat ourselves to some tonkatsu from the legendary Maisen.  The pork is single breed and carefully selected from one farm only.  The result is a katsu cutlet that is so tender you can part it with a chopstick.  It’s a little on the pricey side, but a wonderful way to wrap up a long Tokyo weekend.

The Last Supper

DO

Get Lost!

Get lost and wander the streets.  We spent hours wandering around Harajuku/Aoyama/Shinjuku gazing at amazing architecture, peering down alley ways and just generally soaking up Tokyo’s vibe.  It lead us to a baseball batting cage (yes, I beat Sander, yes I was jubilant, yes he was gutted), brought us to Golden Gai, made us giggle at the love hotels with their hourly rates featured prominently alongside the nightly ones... the list goes on and on.

Dancing Elvises - I'm still trying to figure out why...

  

Genius!  Umbrella lockers!

Park Hyatt

It’s cheesy, but head up to the Park Hyatt bar and have a drink Lost-In-Translation-style.  It’s an incredible view of Tokyo and the hotel is beautiful (especially compared to our rather more modest *ah hem* digs).

We were really disappointed to miss the Harajuku Girls on Sunday afternoon - oh well, next time perhaps.

SEE

Meiji-jingu (Meiji Shrine)

Dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, who were responsible for opening up Japan to the western world as well as countless philanthropic causes, the shrine is worth a visit on any day of the year.  The grounds and buildings demonstrate how well-loved they are by the Japanese and provide a green break from neon Tokyo.  We got incredibly lucky the day we visited.  As we wandered up the tree-lined paths to the shrine we wondered why there were so many exquisitely dressed Japanese children in full traditional kimono.  Little did we know we'd picked the best day of the year to visit Meiji-jingu - the Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three) Festival.  The festival exists because Japanese believe that children are more vulnerable to misfortune at the ages of three, five and seven, thus each year any children of that age visit the shrine for good luck.  Initially I had to content myself with gazing at these adorable immaculate children and snapping photos from afar, but eventually I mustered my courage and approached a family asking if I could take a photo of their beautiful little girl. Other photographers appeared to have no qualms, snapping away up close. I think this is something I have to work on.

Make a wish

Tsukiji Fish Market

If I had to pick one single activity to be the highlight of my Tokyo weekend, it would be the Tsukiji Fish Market. Bustling, brimming with more seafood species I'd ever seen before, and we weren't even there for the busiest period. The auctions are from 5.30am to 6.30am, so you have to be very keen if you want to see them. We were there around 8am and the activity was frantic. You need your wits about you to avoid the electric carts flying down narrow alleyways between stalls designated only by collections of white-polystyrene bins displaying the daily wares. Wander through the stalls to the back of the market to grasp how enormous this market is and after you've worked up an appetite, breakfast on the freshest sashimi you will ever taste in the outer markets, standing at the pavement stalls with the locals.

No way through!

Asakusa

We'd heard that the back streets and alleys of Asakusa give a glimpse into 'old Tokyo' but either we were on the wrong streets, or looking in the wrong direction because the highlight of Asakusa for us was taking a wee nap on a sun-lit patch of grass behind the temple. Give it a second chance though, everyone told us to go there. We may have just been unlucky.

Tokyo Tower 

Tokyo's Eiffel Tower (Tokyo Tower) is quite a shameless tourist trap, but provides great views around dusk to see Tokyo's neon glow brighten.

Shibuya Crossing

Brought to the western world by Lost in Translation, the Shibuya Crossing is supposedly one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the world. The best vantage point is the Starbucks second level directly opposite the metro entrance.  Apparently it's also one of the busiest Starbucks in the world as well, but that's not the reason you'd head there. Rest your weary feet after a day of sightseeing around dusk when the crossing becomes neon-lit and the people watching fascinating.

Tokyo? Hai!

Tokyo Part 1


Shut your eyes and tell me the first things which spring to mind when you hear the word.... Tokyo!

...Sashimi... Harajuku Girls... Cherry blossom... Neon... Lost in Translation... 

Those were the words streaming in my head when I confirmed my business trip to Japan (lucky huh?).

It probably says something completely ordinary, but Japanese script looks fantastic

Although I was beside myself with excitement, I was also a little intimidated.  I'd heard that everything was very expensive, and that there was very little English in Japan.  For someone who is not content to take a taxi every day (I love wandering), how was I going to find my way around?

Well, I was off to a great start when the guide book recommended having the name of my hotel written in Japanese for the taxi drivers.  "Excellent, Bex", I thought, sitting in my 32A window seat somewhere over Taiwan, "you're very organised".  A quick 'sumimasen' to my neighbour resulted in a Japanese translation and the discovery that my neighbour was a professional snowboarder who spends two months each year in Queenstown and has a photo of Lake Wanaka as the screen saver on his phone.  It's a small world.

Several things have struck me in my first three days in Tokyo.  Everyone is incredibly polite: drivers, pedestrians, road-workers, Joe Bloggs on the street (or maybe Joe Suzuki).  It's a lovely change from Singapore where the status quo is to stick your head down and pretend you haven't noticed anyone.

You'll laugh, but one of the biggest shocks was the toilets (unless you've been to Japan, then you know what I'm talking about).  Toilet seats are heated!  Not just in fancy hotels, but in public bathrooms, office blocks, everywhere!  Fear not if you're feeling bashful in the bathroom - toilets play a soundtrack of a stream running over stones to mask any individual noises.  If you're forming the impression that toilets are extremely technological you're not far off the mark.  With all these whiz-bang benefits, you'll need some instructions right?  That's where it gets tricky... the trial and error method has been employed a few times just to find the flush!

Um... potential for dire consequences if the wrong button is pressed...

One of the highlights has clearly been the food.  Obviously, for Japanese-food-lovers coming to Japan is like a pilgrimage to the culinary equivalent of Mecca.  Japan has more three-Michelin restaurants than any other country - yes, more than France.  Of course, my business expense account doesn't stretch that far, but where breakfast, lunch and dinner provide the opportunity for a culinary experience, I'm diving right in.

Breakfast

Exquisite presentation for the most important meal of the day

Lunch

A lot of pointing, gesturing and smiling got me this curry and soba noodle lunch from a tiny restaurant

Packed lunch, Japanese-style

Vending Machines

Banks of vending machines on every street selling everything from soft drinks to beer

What about dinner?  Well we've been working most nights so dinner has been a very subdued affair.  However, Sander arrives tonight from Singapore for a long weekend so stay tuned for Tokyo Part 2 - sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Tokyo (including dinner).

Until then... sayonara!!

Roast Lemon Chutney

To save my hips from the fallout of demolishing a lemon chia loaf I was scrambling for ideas to use up the lemons in the fridge.  Perfectly timed, I read this post by 101 Cookbooks and was intrigued by the thought of roasting lemons - not something which springs to mind readily when the word 'roast' is mentioned.

Heidi suggests using it as a topping to toast slathered with whipped goats cheese, folded into pasta, with potatoes, in a crepe... many variations to try!  I can confirm the toast option is a good one, and I think I'll try it with fish, wilted greens and brown rice this week for dinner.

I was almost (very rare for me) 100% faithful to the recipe, adding extra mint, less lemon juice (my lemons were very juicy after roasting) and only adding a very finely chopped birds eye chili at the end for a bit of umph.

Delicious!

Roasted Lemon Chutney

1/4 cup finely chopped red onions or shallots
3 small lemons
1/4 cup / 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tablespoon honey, plus more to taste
kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped basil or mint

Heat the oven to 205C with a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

Soak the onions or shallots in a small bowl of cold water to reduce their strength a bit.

Set one of the lemons aside to use later. Slice about 1/4-inch off both ends of the remaining lemons and discard (this part is mostly pith which can make the chutney too bitter). Slice the lemons into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (see photo), and use the tip of a knife to remove any seeds. Arrange the lemons on the baking sheet and brush with a bit of olive oil. Turn and coat the second side with oil.

Roast the lemons, turning every 10 minutes, until they are very tender with just a few spots of brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Don't let the lemons crisp, and keep an eye on the bottoms, which tend to brown before the tops. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Transfer the lemons to a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. If there are any juices (not burned or blackened) on the baking sheet, add these. Drain the onions or shallots, shaking off any excess water, and add to the processor. Add the honey and pulse several times until the lemons are coarsely chopped. Add the juice from half the remaining lemon and the 1/4 cup / 60 ml of olive oil. Continue pulsing until the chutney is fairly smooth and creamy, with just a few lemon chunks. Season generously with salt and pepper and more lemon juice or honey to taste. 

Transfer to a small bowl and let sit for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld. Just before serving stir in the fresh basil or mint, taste, make any final adjustments, and serve at room temperature.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Heidi's Notes:

Wash any waxy residue from the lemon skins with warm soapy water

There may not be any juices left on the baking tray after roasting

Tweak the chutney until it tastes perfect for you - sweeten, add more lemon juice etc