I’m Sakurai, one of the staff members.
“Go ahead and make a reservation wherever you’d like” — wow, that’s quite something!
If it were me, I might tackle a high-end restaurant guide from one end to the other, like collecting stamps.
I wonder if they’ve already been to all the usual upscale restaurants. So jealous, so jealous!
This turned into nothing more than me being envious...
The members probably know the best restaurants better than I do, so I’d recommend checking with them.
I’m Flag Maker, a column writer.
If you ever get tired of classy places, I recommend B-grade gourmet spots. At “Motsuyaki Ucchan,” a popular restaurant in Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho, the black-pepper lemon yakisoba is a must-try.
It’s absolutely fantastic with the “Men’s Highball” (they also have a “Women’s Highball”).
My blissful moment is ending a Shinjuku date early and enjoying this combo by myself. Though I’ve only ever gone there alone or with a man…
Incidentally, about half the customers are women.
In Nagoya, the curry udon at “Udon Nishiki” was the perfect way to finish the night.
I’m Paper Airplane, a male member whose daughter once took a day off pretending to be sick, only for her teacher to call genuinely worried.
If you’re looking for a restaurant famous enough to fit that description, you’ll find plenty by checking the Tabelog rankings. The Michelin Guide would work too…
Alternatively, why not look for a stylish, cute place you regularly enjoy, somewhere you’ve always wanted to try but that’s just slightly out of reach, or simply a restaurant you genuinely want to visit—not necessarily somewhere famous or high-end?
To start, Tabelog shows rankings for nearby restaurants in that category on the right-hand side—at least on a tablet—so you can browse around, choose an area and restaurant, and gradually discover neighborhoods with great food. Once you find an area you like, it’s also fun to stroll around and look for favorite places. If it’s an area where you’re both comfortable being out together, walking shoulder to shoulder while searching for somewhere enjoyable can be lovely too.
P.S. The final episode of *Mr. Housekeeper, Nagisa-san* was unbelievably—no, seriously, incredibly—good. It brought tears to my eyes… I’ve already watched it twice, and I may watch it again. It’s packed with the dreams, romance, and happiness of a papa (a man)…
P.P.S. In Kyoto, there are some nice restaurants around Ishibei-koji near Yasaka Shrine. There are fewer people around these days, and walking along the stone-paved alley has a wonderful atmosphere. Sometimes the restaurants are almost empty, making it ideal for two people to enjoy the mood and ambiance together.
P.P.P.S. I just looked it up and found that “Kyoto Ishibei-koji Mamecha” also has locations in Shibuya, Yurakucho, and Nihombashi, Tokyo. I was surprised—and the name even includes “Kyoto”…
The Kyoto location has a lovely traditional Japanese atmosphere, with a calm setting where you can speak quietly. At the counter, you can sit close together and feel as though you’re in your own little world. I wonder which came first, the Kyoto or Tokyo location? Somehow, realizing it might be a chain makes me a little hesitant about going again…
There are several other nice restaurants around Ishibei-koji too.
Maezawa from the CEO’s office here—I’ll answer too.
It may not be the most popular choice among women, but how about a restaurant that serves tai chazuke?
“Tsukiji Kinsui” in Otemachi used to be famous, but I looked it up and apparently closed quite a while ago ＞＜
I’m sure there are other places as well, so maybe tai chazuke would be a nice change of pace once in a while.
I’m Kazu, a male member.
Since I don’t know what kinds of things you or your papa enjoy, you might want to check Gurunavi.
If you’re looking for somewhere fun and unusual, there’s a restaurant called Ebi Bar in Yaesu where customers can catch live shrimp from a tank with their bare hands, and the staff will cook them for you. That’s pretty entertaining. Speaking of shrimp, the fried shrimp at Ebi Dote Shokudo in the underground mall in front of Nagoya Station are absolutely huge. That could be fun too.
Speaking of tai chazuke, I’m reminded of how I once went to a tai chazuke restaurant from some chain and was disappointed by how bland it was.
