Tsukiji Fish Market

Oh Japan :( my heart goes out to you in this time of difficulty!

Anyway, I wanted to continue my posts for Tokyo even though I started blogging about local places again :)

I had wanted to go to Tsukiji Fish Market since my first time in Tokyo but I never woke up early enough. If I had, I would be able to see the tuna auctions! The tuna auctions were closed in January. So sad! Speaking of Tsukiji Fish Market...and tuna auctions, I heard Sushi Ran in Sausalito have fish from Tsukiji. Curious! How do they participate in the tuna auctions? Are they silent???

This time around, I still didn't wake up early as intended but my sister and I still went.

The trooper :D can't even tell she was suffering from a fever!

There was a crazy line at Sushi Dai and the other sushi places but it was about 4k yen per omakase box so sister and I opted to go to this chirashi zushi place. It was about 1.5k-3k yen per bowl and it came with some kind marinated squid and seaweed miso soup.

The mysteriously stuffed squid. So delicious. My sister initially said they were some kind of female part of a fish. Thinking about it now, that doesn't even make any sense!!! I asked the chef what it was and all I heard was "ika" and the lady next to me confirmed that it was ika but still, what the hell was inside??

The miso soup was also really tasty. Seaweed was fresh and a little crunchy :3

Didn't get good shots because I was in a rush to eat! Hahah. We got otoro and maguro over sushi rice. I was also feeling sick so I'm unsure, but I think there was too much vinegar in the rice. Oh brother.

Now that I've visited Tsukiji, I would not recommend going and that the restaurants are a sure tourist trap. They have nice lunch sets for ~2k-3k yen in Shibuya in Mark City. I say, you can probably get a few good snaps the wholesale market is open~! Though, as B says, "at least you can say that you went." :)

Food wise, rather than sushi or sashimi, I think Tsukiji is more famous for their tamagoyaki! I was being a fail and didn't get any photos of the millions of tamagoyaki and kitsune places. Although tamagoyaki is easy to make, I would pick one up as you're walking around the market. They are as cheap as 100 yen for tamagoyaki on a stick. It shouldn't be more since eggs are cheap. There were also quite a few donburi places. If they had oden with mochi kinchyaku, I would revisit for sure.

Chez Maman (brunch)

I came here on a nice Saturday afternoon with someone that has been pretty amazing. Brunch was just alright. I thought my poached egg with salmon and goat cheese was a little salty. Gargh, I really need to stop ordering salmon at brunch. I usually order it "just to be safe" or if there is nothing on the menu that seems appealing. The company said that the garlic aioli was overpowering but that's how I like my garlic so when I'm craving a giant burger on a roll with too much garlic, I will be coming to Chez Maman. Chez Maman has been my favorite place for the past few months but I think I'm happier slurping oysters while sharing fish and chips with a sparkling sauvignon blanc from New Zealand at Woodhouse. Yeah, that night was perfect.

the popular burger topped with brie.

salmon, goat cheese cocotte.

cappuccino :)

and finally! my favorite pain perdu drizzled with an apple chantilly with berries and cream.

welcome, welcome, SPRING!!

Technically springtime isn't here yet but my love knows no bounds!

A few day shots! I actually took this a couple weeks ago. The evening shots mean more to me (even if they look like shit). I know it's silly, but I post immediately because they do mean so much to me. So these shots were really special to me (here and here). I'll take some time to take some more (day and evening) before the leaves grow out. Hmm! I think it would be nice if I developed some flower photos for my dad! :)
Gahahah, oh yeah, a week ago, my sister pulled one of the flowers out and she ran into the tree. That's mother nature fighting back. How dare you steal my blossoms! :p

I love the spring.