Bentornato! Maggio (ベントルナート!マッジオ)

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One of my favourite lunch spot in Jimbocho area! Lunch is 1000yen, including salad, bread, but not coffee. Small dessert is 200yen. Occasionally they serve free wine at lunch.
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春野菜のラグースパゲッティ。
Spring vegetables ragu spaghetti.
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メカジキとカリフラワーのラグー ドライトマトのオリーブオイル スパゲッティー。
Mekajiki(swordfish) and cauliflower ragu, dried tomato, olive oil.
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新ゴボウのクリームソース ペンネ バルサミコ風味。
Penne with Gobo(Burdock root) cream sauce and Balsamic vinegar.
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インカのめざめとアンチョビのオリーブオイルスパゲッティー パルメザンチーズがけ。
胡桃ペーストのクリームソース ペンネ。
“Awakening of Incas”(Japanese potato) and anchovy, olive oil sauce with Parmesan cheese.
Walnut paste cream sauce penne.
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牛スジとレンズ豆の辛いトマトソース煮込み スパゲッティ。 カッサータ。
Beef tendon and lentils, spicy tomato sauce. Cassata.
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パンチェッタ(豚バラ塩漬け)とマッシュルームのオリーブオイルスパゲッティー。パンナコッタ。
Pancetta and mushroom, olive oil sauce. Panna Cotta.
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カニとフレッシュトマトのオリーブオイルスパゲッティー。フォンダンショコラ。
Crab and fresh tomato, olive oil sauce. Fondant chocolat.
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豚の柔らか煮と玉葱・松の実のオリーヴオイル スパゲッティー。ティラミス。
Stewed pork, onion, pine nut, olive oil sauce. Tiramisu.
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小海老とキャベツのトマト煮込みソーススパゲッティー。
蓮根のクリームソースペンネ。
Small prawn and cabbage, tomato sauce.
Lotus root cream sauce penne.
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地鶏ミンチと青唐辛子の香草風味オリーヴオイル。 ポルタゲーゼ(白いプリン)。
Minced chicken and green chilli and herb olive oil sauce. Pudding.
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焼きワケギと牛スジのトマト煮込みソース。
砂肝のコンフィとルッコラのオリーブオイル。
Grilled wakegi(green onion) and beef tendon, tomato sauce.
Sunagimo(chicken gizzard) confit, rocket, olive oil sauce.
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彩り野菜とフルーツトマトの冷たいカッペリーニ、¥1300。
ホワイトソースのラザニア(ナス・地鶏ミンチ・ポルチーニ・エリンギ)。
Cold cappellini with vegetable and fruit tomato. This one is 1300yen.
White sauce lasagne(Aubergine, minced chicken, porcini and eryngii). This one is always in the lunch menu.

Phew~I’ve been to this place so many times that the staff definitely recognise me. Quality is amazing and the lunch menu changes weekly and always have at least 3 choices available(tomato sauce, olive oil sauce and cream sauce) so you just never get tired. 1000yen lunch is available from Mon to Sat – busy on weekdays but usually pretty empty on Sat. I always sit at the counter but there are tables too. The portion isn’t so big but it always tastes so good that it is satisfying enough for me. +300yen for large portion.

Menu: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Bentornato! Maggio
Add: 3-24-17 Ogawamachi, Kanda
Tel: 03-3518-0357

志な乃 (Shinano)

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A friend recommended this little soba place in the middle of an office area. There is always a long queue at lunch hour.
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合盛(大)、¥1250。けんちん汁(並)、¥400。
Aimori(soba+udon). Soba is thick and hard type, while udon is soft and springy type. Both are homemade and are very good. Eat with a light dipping sauce, and also spring onion, wasabi, shiso, grated radish and grated ginger. Kenchin-jiru with lots of root vegetables in it.
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冷麦、¥1500。
Very cooling Hiyamugi. Though I ended up ordering a small portion of hot Kenchin-jiru.
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けんちんそば(並)、¥1150。五色そば、¥1050。
Kenchin-soba. Hot soba in Kenchin-jiru.
Five-colour soba. Hot soba with kamaboko, aubergine tempura, quail egg, shiitake mushroom and leek.
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とろろ合い盛り、¥1350。
Tororo Aimori: soba and udon with grated yam and quail egg.
In general, I like the soba more than the udon, and menu that are served cold are better than the hot ones. The staff are very friendly and the atmosphere is warm.
Lunch menu(J): 1, 2.

志な乃(Shinano)
Add: 3-1-4 Higashi Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku
Tel: 03-3664-9795

伊勢廣 京橋本店 (Isehiro)

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(May 1, 2008)
Famous yakitori place offering yakitori rice bowl at lunch time. The kitchen is partitioned with windows so the smoke(scary amount of it) won’t touch you even if you sit at the counter(though you still smell a bit afterwards).
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手羽、¥600。
Chicken broth. Side order “Teba”(chicken wing).
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焼き鳥丼(5本:ささみ、皮身、もも肉、肝、団子)、¥1800。
焼き鳥丼(4本:ささみ、皮身、もも肉、団子)、¥1500。
My 5-skewers yakitori-don on the left: sasami(chicken breast), skin, thigh, liver, and meat ball. My friend’s 4-skewers yakitori-don doesn’t include liver. My favourites are skin and thigh!
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(Oct 20, 2004)
焼き鳥丼(4本:ささみ、葱巻き、だんご、もも肉)、鶏のスープが付いて、1500円。
Yakitori rice bowl. Delicious!

伊勢廣 京橋本店(Isehiro)
Add: 1-5-4, Kyoubashi, Chuo-ku
Tel: 03-3281-5864

神田ルー・ド・メール (Loup-de-mer)

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The chef of this curry/yoshoku restaurant used to work in Brasserie domPierre in Kyobashi which I used to visit often for its delicious European-style curry and omurice. This branch in Kanda is much more casual and cheaper in price.
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ドライカレー・オムレツのせ+スープ、¥1000。
Dry curry with omelette. Soup comes with lunch set.
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北海道産黒毛和牛カレー、¥1100。特選ビーフカレー、¥1600。
Hokkaido black-haired wagyu curry on the left. Special beef curry on the right. The “special” version is 500yen more expensive but the quality of the beef is much better.
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メンチカツ・カレー、¥1500。
Not your usual Menchikatsu but more like fried hamburger with melted cheese in the middle. Very good!!
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チキンカレー+サラダ、¥1000。
Beef tendon terrine salad that comes with lunch set. Chicken curry.
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ハンバーグ・カレー、¥1500。ハヤシ・ライス、¥1600。
Hamburger curry. Patty is solid, made of mainly meat.
Hayashi rice. The beef in it is very soft.
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ポークカレーセット、¥1000。
Pork curry.
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チキン・オムライス、¥2000。オム・ハヤシ、¥2500。
Chicken omurice.
Omu-Hayashi. Fried rice with chicken and tomato sauce underneath the omelette. The sauce is the same as Hayashi rice.
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ビーフ・オムライス、¥3000。
Beef Omurice. This dish costs a whopping 3000yen so I was seriously hesitating whether to try it or not…but I am glad I did. It is very good! The rice is fried with soy sauce with generous chunks of juicy beef in it. Chicken omurice and Omu-Hayashi both cost 2000yen and more and although they are nice, they are nothing too special. To splurge on one dish, definitely go for the Beef Omurice.

I have only been to this place for lunch and I notice that the quality on weekdays is better than on weekends…the main chef is only present at lunch time during weekdays but not on weekends(though a younger chef is always there). I am sure that is not the case for dinner. Also, as can be told from the pictures that they give you a lot of sauce but not that much rice. I ordered “extra rice” once for 200yen but I usually just leave the extra sauce.

Menu(J): 1, 2, 3.

神田ルー・ド・メール (Loup-de-mer)
Add: 2-14-3, Uchi-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku
Tel: 03-5298-4390

菩提樹 (Bodaiju)

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A yoshoku/tonkatsu place located next to Tokyo dome and kourakuen amusement park. Very spacious with forest-ish wooden decor(in a theme park sort of way).
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Pickles. A massive bowl of salad. Other than the yuzu and soy sauce dressing on the table, there are three types of salad dressing(menu) you can request for free: sesame seed and miso, grated vegetables, sour plum shiso and mayonnaise. I like sesame seed one the most.
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0706220050黒毛和牛ハンバーグ定食、¥2100。
“Black-haired” wagyu hamburger steak set, 2100yen. Also came with beansprout. The waiter rolled out the huge hotplate on a wagon, poured the demi-glace sauce and cut the hamburger in front of you. Rice is mixed with green shiso(aojiso). Salad, rice and miso soup are all refillable.

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3種盛り定食、¥1500。
Wagyu hamburger, crab cream croquette and fried prawn.
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特製カツカレー、¥1500。牛ステーキ定食、¥1600。
Special katsu(cutlet) curry. Curry sauce is a bit salty but the pork loin katsu is nice.
Beef steak is soft and tender, very good!
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てごねかつ定食、¥1260。替わりかつ丼、¥1500。
Minced pork katsu is delicious!
Donburi with pork katsu, tororo(grated yam), pickled veggy. All the ingredients are seasoned so the salt content sort of adds up and overall a bit salty.
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海老カツ丼、¥1200。豚ハンバーグ定食、¥1300。
Donburi with prawn katsu, veggy and half-cooked egg. The prawn katsu is very good.
Pork hambuger(with grated radish topping) actually tastes better than the more expensive beef hamburger.
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石鍋焼きかつ丼(ロース)、¥1500。盛り合わせフライ定食(串かつ、カニコロッケ)、¥1500。
Donburi with pork katsu in a hot stone pot. The staff pours the soup to the katsu(also udon at the bottom) and you add the raw egg and seaweed yourself. Choose it only if you like katsu soaked in soup…
Assorted fry: Kushi-katsu(kushi means skewer) with pumpkin, shishitou pepper, onion and pork. Crab cream croquette.

Overall the food is good. Service very friendly. Opens on Sunday and holidays. Only thing is there is no non-smoking seats. The sister restaurant Katsu Kichi next door is non-smoking at lunch time and the menu is similar.

菩提樹 (Bodaiju)
Add: 1-14-3, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku
Tel: 03-3818-1020

丸香 (Maruka)

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月見山、¥500。おむすび、¥120。
Tsukimi-yama: cold udon with raw egg and grated yamaimo. Nice sanuki udon with chewy and solid texture. In my first visit, I didn’t expect the tsuyu sauce for the udon to be that salty and I added too much without tasting it first….it was my fault but the waitress was kind enough to change the whole thing for me. Considering it was packed at lunch time, service was friendly!
Omusubi: rice ball cooked with the water used to boil the udon.
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カレーうどん+野菜天ぷら、¥785。
Curry udon(winter menu) and vegetable tempura.
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釜たま+かしわ天、¥680。肉うどん+とりめし、¥945。
Kama-tama: hot udon with egg. Kashiwa-ten: chicken tempura.
Niku-udon: udon with pork. Tori-meshi: rice cooked with chicken. Niku-udon and Tori-meshi are Saturday-only menu.
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かけ(大)、丸天、げそ天、¥785。
Kake: udon with hot soup. Maruten: Satsuma-age with squid in it. Geso-ten: octopus leg tempura.
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ぶっかけうどん、えび天、¥730。釜揚げ、¥470。
Bukkake udon. Ebi-ten(on the side). The staff told me Ebi-ten is kamaboko with “whole shrimp” in it, but I didn’t expect it to mean “whole shrimp with shell and head and everything”. Not used to eating shrimp’s shell….
Kama-age: hot udon to eat with warm dipping sauce.
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釜玉山、ごぼ天、¥730。 つけ、鯛ちく天(磯辺揚げ)、¥570。
Kama-tama-yama: Hot udon with raw egg and grated yamaimo – this is my favourite! Gobo-ten: I thought it was tempura of gobo(burdock root) but it was actually a cold kamaboko with gobo inside.
Tsuke: cold udon to eat with cold dipping sauce. Tai Chiku-ten: chikuwa tempura. The fish used is “Tai”.

As common for this kind of cheap udon places, the tempura are not made on order – only if you are lucky that your tempura will come hot. Once I tried asking the staff “Can you bring me whatever tempura that are just fried and still hot?” and she said she couldn’t do that. ^^;;; From what I have tried, the vegetable tempura was hot, octopus leg tempura and Tai chiku-ten were warm, but the chicken tempura was already cold and didn’t taste so good. There is always queue at lunch time and you will usually have to share the huge long tables with strangers.

Menu(J): 1, 2.
Also an English review here.

丸香
Add: 3-16-1 Ogawamachi, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku

すずらん(Suzuran)

0706160053味噌チャーシューそば(平打)。
Miso chashu soba. Slightly spicy soup, lots of vegetables, and very very nice flat noodles! There are about 5 kinds of noodles in different thickness to choose from. I always have the flat and thick fettucini-like ones, which is 100yen more expensive. You can check out the photos outside the shop showing the available types of noodles.

Last time I had tsukemen(below), which you can really enjoy the taste and texture of the noodles itself, but normal soup noodles is also tasty.

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味噌角煮つけそば(平打)、1250円。
Miso tsuke-men with kakuni(simmered pork). I love the flat noodles!! Even though the miso soup doesn’t stick so well to flat sheet noodles but still like it. Many people ask for “soup-wari”, i.e. adding soup into the tsuke-soup(which is too strong to drink by itself) to finish it off. They have a large menu, e.g. curry ramen, chicken soup ramen, clam soup ramen etc. Want to go back to try others!

Suzuran すずらん (review)
Add: 3-7-5 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku.
Tel: 03-3499-0434