Curry Shop C&C – Toshima, Tokyo, Japan

Day 1 was memorable, full of exploring both places and palates, but Day 2’s theme was #getittogether because those shinkansen trains weren’t going to book themselves.

The only thing worse than struggling to buy a ticket is struggling to buy a ticket on an empty stomach. This is when we discovered one of few downsides to Tokyo; You can eat WHATever you want, but you can’t eat it WHENever you want. Most things legitimately lunch won’t open until 11 AM. So what can we possibly eat at 9 AM that isn’t a convenience-store rice-ball or coffee shop pastry?

Curry. Apparently we can eat curry at 9 AM. A generous bowl of rice with Panko-spiked katsu swim in a murky, porky swamp. The curry is dark yet surprisingly light and finishes more sweet than salty.

All that Michelin-approved sushi, and I’m in love with a 7-dollar bowl of curry. At least I’m a cheap date.

Agalico – Toshima, Tokyo, Japan

I’ve always wanted to play menu roulette. Just close my eyes and point and go where ever my index finger takes me. Well Agalico was more than willing to indulge my sense of adventure…or force my hand… as the server placed the specials menu in front of me insistently.

The regular menu was in English and accompanied by illustrative photos, but that one was too easy. The only thing I could read on the specials menu was the prices. But she insisted, and I persisted. Special #1 and special #2 looked like uncostly mistakes to make so I pointed to both, and we got one of each.

I have only good things to say about Agalico’s staff. My first order is met with a polite nod and not even the slightest hint of a smirk as we receive our appetizer… of Mango Sorbet. It’s a bit pricey at 670 yen, or 6-7 dollars, but it is smooth and fruity and surprisingly refreshing on a humid after-rain night.

Special #2 is a lot more substantial for supper. Smoky shreds of what looks and tastes like salty corned beef with an egg yolk in the middle is a sizzling companion to beer-drinking. Sorbet with a side of meat...#onlyinJapan.

A morning of rich sushi followed by a night of heavy meat? Thank goodness for the Sauteed Morning Glory, a welcome veggie break. The hollow stems lighten the dense, down-cooking leaves, and the pungent combination of garlic and natto settles the stomach.

Shrimp Toast. Finally, something we recognize. Toasty, crispy, and light, the shrimpy parts swim delightfully in a mouthful of beer.

A random night of getting lost with a side of awkward adventure as the only non-locals at a buzzing small-plate bar, then thrust into a menu roulette, a most dangerous game. Alright Tokyo, I’ve met my match. Let’s play another round. 

Kanesue Sweets, Ikebukuro Station – Tokyo, Japan

I love the area around my hotel. Toshima is a quiet, urban sprawl of locals where we’re staying, and though this ward boasts the most diversity in Tokyo, we remain sheltered from the American loud-and-proud that slinks about Shinjuku.

Ikebukuro Station is a mere minutes away, and it serves as a Metro hub, a rendezvous point for several trains. We launch ourselves in every direction every day, and there’s always a subway that gets us there in under a New York minute.

The downside of Ikebukuro Station is the stalls. The sweet shops are endless, and the choices are infinite. I don’t know how I can eat so much food every day and still need a couple of snacks, but on this day I was famished…again.

Kanesue Sweets allows you to sample the Warabimochi, a softer, lighter, less chewy variety, with a thick layer of kinako, a toasted soybean flour reminiscent of powdered peanuts.

It’s hard to get fruit in Japan, but a behemoth strawberry of perfect proportions jammed into a sweet pink mochi takes care of that craving.

A soft, pasty cake is a random option, but I grabbed it just to try. It looks like manju minus the filling, except this cake is moist, dense crumbles bound with a hint of honey-sweet.

So many dessert stalls, so little time. There’s a whole strip along one of the corridors, and some are scattered amongst the shops. No one is safe from the beckoning as the snacks’ call is strong. Then again, at $2-3 a snack, indulging never seemed so easy.