Shibuya is probably the hippest and most vibrant place in Tokyo. It's here where lots of people, mostly young but yes, some elderly people too, hang out, meet each other, shop, and eat. A very famous landmark where people would usually meet each other is the Hachiko exit where one would find a statue of the dog known for his unwavering loyalty named Hachiko as well as murals of the animal.
Just a stone's throw away from the Hachiko exit is the bustling Shibuya Marks Square. A lot of restaurants can be had here, including the famous Midori Sushi-ya, which unfortunately will not be featured here because of the long queue and the fennel bulbs' unbearable pangs of hunger.
Failing to eat legendary sushi brought them to Brasserie Ginza Lions, which turns out to be a discovery worth noting. The restaurant serves some Japanese dishes and some continental dishes, with a Japanese take on Western cuisine, known as Yoshoku (洋食).
Above is a picture of a sizzling plate of sausages, potatoes, bell pepper, and onions (~Y800). Some spring onions are sprinkled on top which is quite a Japanese touch. The dish is just as hearty as it seems to be.
Next is a slender (but still quite for the hefty appetite) plateful of seasoned rice topped with tender garlic beef (~Y1400). The taste is reminiscent of beef teppanyaki, with the typical seasonings of soy sauce and sesame muted a bit giving the garlic more authority over the flavor of the dish.
Lastly are oyster croquettes (かきコロッケ, ~Y1000 with rice and soup). Croquettes are quite a simple dish, but the quality of ingredients can turn the otherwise taken-for-granted croquette into an exquisite piece. The oysters are fresh, tender, almost purifying in its flavor. The croquettes are fried perfectly without burning the oysters inside.
After a day soaking the sounds and bustle of Shibuya, it would be lovely to have a dinner in a bit more upscale place. Still part of the Tokyo metropolitan area, the city of Kawasaki offers a lot to those looking for electronics and is only a short train ride away from the port city of Yokohama. La Zona is a sprawling (and very nice) mall located next to Kawasaki station, and has a lot of culinary delights to offer with its restaurants.
A place the fennel bulbs would love to recommend to those looking for a very nice (rather chic) place, and to those who are not in a very tight budget, is S teppanyaki, located on the top floor of the mall. This restaurant has dim and understated interiors and would be perfect for those on a date.
A quaint appetizer that would get one going is a small rice bowl topped with rarely-cooked and seasoned Wagyu beef (Y900). Yes, this is just an appetizer as the servings are indeed, meant just to put something into an empty belly. The beef is perfect and melts in the mouth. The spring onions add a bit of tanginess to the dish.
The piece de resistance for the evening was King Crab teppan (Y2600). The crab is fresh as it can get, and the meat from the thighs and the claws is just delicious. The seasonings, which seem to be limited to salt and pepper, are minimal, and all there is to taste is pure luscious crab.
S Teppanyaki also serves dessert, which is by no means of negligible quality. Set on a frosted glass dish is strawberry tiramisu (Y650), which made the fennel bulbs very happy.
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