Tokyo Restaurant Tips by Rabbityama

Cafe Mermaid: Maid Cafe

I never had much interest in going to a maid cafe, but since I was in Tokyo, it was evening, and all the daytime attractions were closed, I decided to try it. It's a part of Japanese urban culture and I haven't actually done much in that realm, so my friend and I walked around Akihabara and decided to try Cafe Mermaid, because the maid with the flyers seemed more friendly. The costumes here are baby blue but still have the general "maid" look to them.

The staff was quite welcoming and the atmosphere was very lighthearted and friendly. They do separate smoking and non-smoking but you can smell the smoke throughout. They are aware here of the interest foreign visitors have in experiencing maid cafes so they allow you to only order something small and to share food (some won't allow you to order just a drink, for example, or require each person to get something).

They serve complimentary "mermaid tears" (little chocolates). As is typical, many of the menu items and drinks come with extras. Some will get you more attention from the maids, some come with photo ops, etc. We chose the hotcakes, because the maids draw pictures with the syrup. You can request a picture, or let them choose. Our maid drew a bunny. It was fun!

If you WANT to get a lot of attention, it doesn't seem difficult. Just chat and be cutesy. Most maids don't speak English here, although the manager did when we went. There is a system to it though that takes some getting used to in order to learn how it's done. Honestly though, for us it was more fun to watch the other patrons interact with the maids. Those around us were very sweet and polite to their maids. We thought they seemed to come just to have someone to talk to, because they seemed like very nice and normal guys (we had admittedly pictured creepy and perverted anime fans when we imagined who went to maid cafes but we were certainly wrong).

Favorite Dish: The pancakes and foods here were tasty, BUT nobody goes to maid cafes for the food; come for the experience and the atmosphere, because that's what you will pay for. It's expensive to come to actually eat a meal, so if that is your purpose, you should find a real restaurant. At the cafe, ordering foods/drinks you like is fine but also choosing foods and drinks that give you time with the maids is equally important! You can eat here for an affordable price and still enjoy yourself, but there are also options that will really hike up the bill so how much you pay can vary widely but this one is cheaper than many other maid cafes overall.

Address: Nomizu Biru 3rd Floor, 1-8-3 Kanda

Comparison: more expensive than average

Phone: 036-206-9762

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Other

Website: http://cafe-mermaid.com/

Kabir: Tasty Affordable Indian

Kabir is a nice and very cheap Indian restaurant. the single curry set is only 480 yen and includes naan and a small salad. The curry dishes are slightly small, so I prefer the 2 curry set which includes 2 curries, naan, and a small salad (or rice) for 780 yen. They even have curry bentos for 500 yen. The taste is good, and the price makes it even better!

The atmosphere is decent. There are some indian motifs and a large TV. They also sell some curries and jewelry from India for those who are interested. They are open from 11am to 11pm.

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Near Chitose-Karasuyama Station on the Keio Line.

Phone: 033-307-8600

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Indian

Patissier Inamura Shozo: Delicious Local Sweets

The Patissier Inamura Shozo is a small shop that sells cakes, breads, pies, pastries, and other delicious sweets. It seems to be quite popular, because even at midday on a weekday when much of the area had few people, this place had many customers and none of them were choosing just one thing!

I decided to get the Dome Chocolate, which was a creamy, rich mousse-like dome covered in chocolate that was beautiful to look at and delicious to eat! The outer chocolate was not hardened, either, it was gooey and delicious. There were also cherries inside (although I picked them out because I don't like cherries). It was a great stopover on the way to Yanaka Cemetary.

Address: 2-19-8 Ueno Sakuragi, Taito-ku

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: The shop has two locations: This one is on the road to Yanaka Cemetary from Kanneiji/Ueno area. The other is on the opposite side of the cemetary closer to Nippori Station (called the Chocolatier Inamura Shozo)

Phone: 033-827-8584

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Dessert

Website: http://www.inamura.jp/

El Torito: Mexican Food

El Torito is a decent Mexican restaurant in Japan, and since there are not so many Mexican restaurants outside the Tokyo area, it tasted especially good to me!
The food is more Tex Mex than real Mexican but still tasty. They have enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, tacos, and other dishes. The selection is pretty good and the prices are also not bad.

I got the spicy chicken enchilada which comes with 2 enchiladas, some rice, beans, and a bit of lettuce and guacamole. It was 790 yen. Of course, they also have various alchohols which are popular but will raise your bill! It's a good idea to get appetizers though because the portions are not completely filling.

Overall though, it was nice and the decor is Mexicana.

Comparison: about average

Directions: In Shinjuku Southern Tower near Shinjuku Station.

Phone: 035-351-7061

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Mexican

Sultan: Indian Restaurant

Sultan is an Indian restaurant and the Nezu location is where it originated and this is where I ate. I love Indian food, and Sultan's chicken curry was absolutely delicious! I thought the vegetable curry was average. Prices are very reasonable and the specials are actually very nice: I got the "Sultan Thali", which includes naan, two curries, two pieces of tandoori chicken, rice, and salad for 1050 yen.

The restaurant is not a chain restaurant but they do have 2 other Tokyo locations, as well as a few restaurants scattered about from Chiba up to Miyagi Prefecture (10 in total).

Address: Gima Building 2F, 2-12-4 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku

Comparison: about average

Directions: Near Nezu Station on the second floor of the Gima Building (above a Chinese restaurant).

Phone: 033-827-1201

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Indian

Website: http://www.sultancurry.com/