Uchi - Toshima, Tokyo, Japan

I haven't had breakfast yet, but I'm itching for some Uchi. I've heard good things, and I had to work to find it, wading through some pretty suburban-looking streets.

First good sign: I really have to work for a bowl of noodles. The prepaid ticket machine is harder than it looks, and the owner, who speaks not a word of English (second good sign) pantomimes me through quite the ordeal... Which I have to go through twice.

The ticket takes longer than the ramen. It appears almost instantly, and the broth is thick and dark. The pork bone is rich, and the marrow-y warmth cuts deep. A hint of seafood lightens each deep slurp, and the noodles are as thick as a bonsai branch.

You'd think that's plenty for under $10, but surprise, there's a rice bowl, too. Ramen is so filling, how could anyone have ramen AND take down a bowl of rice? Oh but there are seductive little scraps of chashu on the rice, and it's the softest, meltiest chashu I've ever had... wait, who just ate all my rice?

Unagi & Beer - Toshima, Tokyo, Japan

Second dinner. I think Japan is turning me into a hobbit. But hey, I've done 20,000 steps in one day if my Fitbit is to be believed so I'll consider those calories earned! Yes... Yes, I wore my Fitbit to Japan. More on that addiction later.

The addiction of choice here is food. Amazing, perfect, can't-imagine-anything-better food. A gorgeous lid of an exquisite lacquered box smolders like charcoal from a hearth. Thick, premium fillets of grilled freshwater eel are brushed with a deep, sweet sauce, and the flesh slips like silk. The sauce sinks into the rice beneath, and each steamy spoonful lets the flavor linger.

Unagi & Beer is small, and I dare say it's a well-kept secret. it's so local that even Yelp hasn't got wind of it yet. If all second dinners taste this good, I'll never eat just once again.

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.