Start The Day With…
…a bowl of hot soba at the market. There is something about hot soba in the early morning that helps the jet lag. But sometimes I stop by a little French cafe in Ropponghi or Namakeguro and get a croissant and take a walk. That also helps to clear the head.
Try The Street Food
I love the area around Tsukiji market where you can get soba, ramen and tofu dishes as well as sushi early in the morning. Hanging over noodles with the sushi chefs after they bought the fish for the day is also a lot of fun. I love sushi dai at Tsukiji for an early sushi breakfast. You need to be there around 5am to stand in line.
Hit The Markets
We buy direct from farmers in Hokkaido, Kyoto and outside of greater Tokyo. For people passing through, I like Tsukiji to buy fish, vegetables, nori and even green tea!
The Ingredient I Stock Up On…
I always buy green tea, soba cha (soba tea) and fresh sudachi. I can’t find great sudachi in the US.
If You’re Visiting My Restaurants You Need To Try…
At Salt Water you have to try our uni and squid ink pasta. We use uni from Hokkaido and squid from Aoyomori. From my David Myers Cafe in Ginza, you have to try our signature pancake with caramel and strawberries.
One More Restaurant In Tokyo You Need To Book A Table At…
I love sushi and soba and yakitori. You can usually find me late at night at a yakitori joint like Toriyoshi in Nakameguro. The vibe is great and super small.
If I'm Meeting Friends For A Drink…
I love going with friends to Gen Yamamoto. He is chef like in creating his cocktails and my friends are always blown away by his cocktail tasting. His place is only six seats so book early.
My Tokyo Tipple…
I love mugi shochu on the rocks with sudachi. To me this really captures the spirit of Japan.
When I’m Not In The Kitchen…
In the morning I do a run as early as possible through the city trying to run by a temple and stop and reflect for a bit. I also love to just walk through the city any time of day. It has its rhythms that ebb and flow but always there is an energy. Afternoon I love to stroll through Daikonyama and hit some of the uber cool boutiques and finally stop at Tsutaya Bookstore where I seem to lose track of time and leave early evening.
One Thing To Do Before You Leave…
[Eat] sushi. You never really have experienced sushi until you experience it at a great sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Try Sushi Shin.
Where To Get Your Tools
Tsukiji is the best [for Japanese knives]. You can either by from Aritsugu or Masamoto. Both knife shops are in the market and you have a great selection. A lot of chefs buy their knives there. I have bought quite the collection from them.
Follow David Myers at @gypsychef
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