板前心 菊うら (Itamaegokoro Kikuura)

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5250yen dinner course. They only have one prefix course, plus some a la carte menu.
Appetizer: Prawn, abalone, ginger, cream cheese with ika no shiokara, bream and aubergine roll.
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Suppon turtle chawanmushi. This is so good!
Maguro, karei, squid sashimi. Very fresh.
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Uni is not included in the dinner course. Side order is 1500yen.
Grilled Tachiuo and summer vegetables. The fish is smooth and juicy.
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Fried suzuki(sea bass) and aubergine, with ume(sour plum) ankake sauce. Miso soup has fish in it, which makes it sweet.
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2681178290096864855Oeuqqq_fsDessert is panna cotta and almond pudding. Almond pudding is better.

All the food are delicious. I have come here about 3 years ago(see tag) and really loved the experience, so I am glad that quality and value haven’t dropped. I sat in the private room last time while I had the counter seat this time. The atmosphere is casual and friendly, there is a waiter who can speak a little English and is willing to explain the menu to foreigners.

Itamaegokoro Kikuura(菊うら
Tel: 03-5389-5581
Add: 7-16-3, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Five minutes walk from West Exit of Shinjuku Station
Open: 11:30-14:00, 17:00-23:00

今半万窯 (Imahan Banyoh)

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2735855180096864855EASwsg_fs4725yen set with sukiyaki beef, vegetables, rice, miso soup and a small dessert. Expensive but good quality Japanese beef restaurant which is very famous and has many branches. I have never been to the original restaurant in Ningyocho but this branch, located between Yoyogi and Shinjuku stations, is spacious and has comfortable private rooms. And if you ask, the pretty lady in kimono will cook and serve you every slice of beef while you eat – very important service as I have wasted very good beef due to my crappy cooking before….Last time I came(see tag), I had the full course cos I wasn’t the one paying, while this time I had the more modest set which I found satisfying enough. There are also cheaper sets only available at lunch time, but if you make reservations in advance, there is a minimum charge of 2500yen per person.
Imahan Banyoh 今半万窯
Add: Southern Tower Building 4F, Shinjuku Southern Terrace, 2-2-1 Yoyogi Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3375-1919
Open: 11:00-23:00 (No holidays)

UPDATES! (2007 Nov)
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Tried the shabu-shabu too. Too bad I didn’t take pics of the shabu hotpot.

The appetizer and the beef sushi are okay but nothing special. Better to just order shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, or steak, which are the most satisfying.

赤ちょうちん@新宿御苑前 (Akachochin)

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Party at a place specialised in raw horumon(or motsu, i.e. giblets).
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お通し(キムチともやし)。 モツ盛り合わせ。
Kimchi and beansprout. Assorted motsu with sesame oil.
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ハラミ刺し。 シビレの塩焼き。
Harami sashi(raw beef diaphragm). Grilled shibire(lymph gland) with salt.
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豆腐サラダ。 センマイ刺し。
Tofu salad. Senmai sashi(raw beef stomach).
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レバ刺し。 焼きの盛り合わせ ミックス焼き。
Raw liver. Assorted grilled motsu with sauce.
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ガツネギ合い。 タン塩。
Beef stomach(hard parts) and leek. Grilled beef tongue with salt.
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060130 141(辛と普通)牛テールスープ。 仔袋ニラ炒め。
Ox tail soup(both regular and spicy).
Stir-fried kobukuro(my god I just realise this is uterus….) and Chinese chives.

Very good food, if you can stomach raw giblets. No unpleasant smell at all since they are so fresh and seasoned well. Particularly liked the assorted motsu, harami, shibire and the tail soup.

Unfortunately the would-be-great dinner ended with an unhappy incident that, despite we had ordered tail soup enough for everyone in advance, the restaurant told us it was sold out. They managed to deliver the last two bowls of the tail soup, but they were to be shared between 15 people! I had a spoon of each and some people didn’t get to eat it at all. Everyone was really looking forward to it so it was really disappointing. So make sure you order early!
赤ちょうちん

三国一 (新宿西口店)

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061118 018名古屋味噌煮込みうどん、900円。
Nagoya miso nikomi(stew) udon – consisting of thick, hard, chewy, handmade udon noodles served in boiling hot miso sauce. Not bad though the portion of the udon was small. Left with so much of the thick miso soup that I was very tempted to order rice to put into the soup…but I resisted. There were chicken, mochi, dried tofu etc. in it as well.
三国一

DADA CAFE (ダダカフェ)

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060620 095.jpgDADAのしっかりプリン、ごまのブランマンジェ、ライチと木苺のサイダー。
Caramel pudding and sesame seed blanc manger are alright, but lychee and raspberry cider is very good! The jelly on top is lychee and liqueur flavour, so yummy. An old-style Japanese house converted cafe. Can check out the interior here and here. The atmosphere is relaxing, and if you get to sit on the sofa you wouldn’t want to get up for hours, but unfortunately when I went there was some noisy construction work going on right in front of the cafe…well I didn’t have hours anyway. ^^;;