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Dine Like a Local: Top Tokyo Restaurants to Try Now

Katie Lockhart April 17, 2018 Leave a Comment

The capital of Japan has more Michelin stars than any other city in the world. With a total of 234 stars in 2017, there’s no shortage of incredible Japanese flavors to sample and unique dishes to feast on. From the contentious pufferfish to omakase sushi and Tokyo-style ramen, this city’s fare will wow your taste buds in ways you never knew possible. Book a table at any of these top Tokyo restaurants to see for yourself.

Kaikaya
East meets West at this seafood fusion spot in Shibuya. Fresh seafood is sourced daily from Sagami Bay and prepared in a variety of ways. Choose from sashimi, sizzling hot plates, stir-fried noodles, and much more. Make a reservation at Kaikaya.

Shinsen Kappo Sanoya
Book in advance to score one of just eight seats at this elegant Shibuya restaurant. The tasting menu is made up of seasonal, local ingredients for 64 USD. There is also an optional sake pairing for each course. Make a reservation Shinsen Kappo Sanoya.

Itamae Sushi Edo
Transport yourself 200 years back in time to the Edo period when sushi was invented. The restaurant’s classic decor is the perfect setting to don one of their kimonos to dinner; just ask. When ordering, pick an ingredient and a cooking method from the period. Make a reservation at Itamae Sushi Edo.

Kamon-Imperial Hotel Tokyo
Inside the famously chic Imperial Hotel is the crowd-pleasing style of cuisine known as Teppanyaki. Make a selection from a variety of fresh proteins and watch as it’s cooked in front of you with veggies and rice. The restaurant has just undergone a complete renovation to match its luxury hotel. Make a reservation at Kamon-Imperial Hotel Tokyo.

Sushi Fukumoto
This tiny Michelin-starred omakase sushi house serves up some of the best in the city. The omakase offering features sashimi, grilled fish, 10 pieces of sushi, and miso soup; the sushi course includes 13 pieces of fresh sushi. Make a reservation at Sushi Fukumoto.

Akasaka Fukinuki
Come here to feast Kaiseki-style with a traditional, multi-course Japanese dinner. There are dozens of dishes to try, but this spot specializes in eel or unagi served over a bed of rice. Make a reservation at Akasaka Fukinuki.

OpenTable Survey Reveals Two-Thirds of Americans #WillFlyforFood

OpenTable June 21, 2017 15 Comments

According to our #WillFlyforFood survey of OpenTable diners, you will — and do — fly for food. Pointing to growing interest among Americans in culinary travel, the results indicate that two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans would select a travel destination based solely on its culinary offerings, while more than half (52 percent) have already traveled to the country of origin of their favorite cuisine.

“When in Rome” – An Appetite for Authentic and Local

Travelers are experiencing leisure destinations via their palate, with a majority (58 percent) “significantly” associating a destination’s culture with its culinary scene and dining customs. When deciding on where to dine, nearly 8 in 10 (78 percent) Americans prioritize restaurants that offer “authentic, local flavors.” Further underscoring a strong desire to dine like the locals do, fifty-two percent of Americans say they’ve flown to the country of origin of their favorite cuisine, and nearly 9 in 10 (87 percent) admit they feel more inclined to make adventurous ordering decisions while traveling for leisure.

Dream Dining Destinations – A Top 10 Look

Vacation planning is not something Americans take lightly, especially when it comes to food. An impressive three-fourths (75 percent) of Americans have booked a reservation in advance of a leisure trip. As far as where they’d like to book their next dream foodie trip, the beloved “City of Lights” – Paris, France – takes top prize, followed closely by Florence, Italy. Rounding out the top five dream dining destinations are Barcelona, Spain; New Orleans, Louisiana; and New York, New York.

The top 10 dream dining destinations cited by American diners in rank order are:

Paris
Florence
Barcelona
New Orleans
New York City
Tokyo
Bangkok
San Francisco
Madrid
Chicago

Culinary Passport – 25 Fly to Try Dishes

Just in time for summer travel, OpenTable has curated a list of must-try dishes from dining destinations from around the globe. Those hoping to stamp their culinary passport with new and exciting “dish-tinations” this season might find the below well worth the flight.

Restaurants Ban Food Photography; PayPal to Pay Your Dining Check + More

Caroline Potter January 24, 2013 Leave a Comment

Leash-Me — The canine chefs created dishes that were nothing short of disgusting.

Food and dining news from around the web and the world…

* Don’t shoot. Some restaurants are banning food photography. [Business Insider]

* But if you insist on the point and click. Here are some tips for jerk-free restaurant food photography. [PopPhoto.com]

* Make no mistake. Or at least not these five mistakes that restaurant’s make with their websites. [SmallBizTrends.com]

* Map quest. An Apple Maps error is costing Portland restaurant Metrovino $50,000 in lost business. [CultofMac.com]

* Pay your bill, pal. You may be able to use PayPal the next time your restaurant check comes. [Columbus Dispatch]

* Fancy feast. The top trends from the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. [Mercury News]

* Feliz cumpleanos, Jaleo. The D.C. mainstay by Jose Andres turns 20. [Washington Blade]

* Shhhh! Here are some of New York’s most quiet restaurants. [Bloomberg]

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