The Japanese do virtually everything better.
Especially when it comes to food. On our gastronomic adventure around Tokyo, we were treated to deliciously fresh food and tasty cuisine everywhere we went. But you know what? Even their fast food is good! I’m a big fan of the Mos Burger chain, that’s all over Singapore but for some absurd reason isn’t available in Australia or China.
Well, whilst in Japan, I discovered another burger joint – Freshness Burger. It’s very similiar to Mos Burger, except that everything is organic. That might explain the high prices, because it’s expensive for a very small portion (the burger is only about the size of the palm of your hand). It’s more like a cafe than a fast food place – with a whole selection of sauces and a chill dining area. The service is incredibly friendly and polite (then again, isn’t ALL service in Japan like that?!) and the food came out pretty quickly.
The burger buns were a curious yellow and were different to the McDonalds-style buns I’m used to. I suppose something to do with the organic wheat or different ingredients that they use, but the buns were really soft and slightly dense – yum! The meat patties were all really good, except way too small/thin. Same went with the fries – great but too small a portion. I’d say it would be enough for a child (or a dieting adult) but NO WHERE near enough for a full-grown adult male. So if you factor that in (ie. the fact you need to order 2 meals to feed one person), it gets very pricey indeed.
A whole array of sauces
That big blob of mayonnaise/cheese? Luscious…
This was vegetarian – just a whole Portobello mushroom. It was great!
YUM!!!
Clam chowder, green tea latte, coffee
In contrast, another fast food restaurant was Tenya. It serves up tempura, quick smart and in a hurry! You give your order to the (again, super friendly) waitress and a mere 2 mins later, all the food comes out.
THE FOOD IS EXCELLENT.
It was restaurant-quality, the same stuff you’d find in Japanese restaurants around the world. Crispy tempura, sitting on top of a (big!) bed of steaming hot Japanese rice, and drizzled with gravy. Oh it is luscious. So so satisfying, and around US$10 for the meal. Still expensive compared to a McDonalds burger meal in the USA, but WAY better ingredients and taste. I absolutely loved it and wanted to go back, but we didn’t have a chance to since we were eating at a different place for every meal throughout our trip 😛
Tenya (though I swear the characters look like they say TNT!)
Deeeelicious tempura on rice. You stir up the soft-boiled egg and pour on top.
Set menu
Happily tucking in
*GLOMPS*
i had tenya when i was there too, cheap and very good 😛
Yeah, I was surprised because it’s meant to be fast food!
We’ve got a Freshness Burger here in HK, in Causeway Bay…agreed, it’s so yummy!
Ooo i never knew that, dont think I’ve seen it in HK!
i had tenya when i was there too, cheap and very good 😛
Yeah, I was surprised because it’s meant to be fast food!
i agree!! just something in the japanese air makes everyone there design better things or think more out of the box! im perpetually squealing there! its always ooo something cute or something interesting!! 🙂
hmmm. cravings for japanese food thanks to your pictures!
Hhaha so true, it must be something in the air that makes the people (and everyting there) superior. So envious!
Your posts make me crave some Japanese food, stat.
Fortunately we had so much of it I’m off Jap food for a few weeks now 😛
I’ve been on the lookout for Mos Burger in Japan. I’ve heard it’s really good. I’ve yet to find one. I have tried Freshness Burger and they’re pretty good too. I think the burgers in Japan are a lot smaller in size. If you go to some restaurants like Wolfgang Pucks, they sell burgers in two sizes – Japanese size and American size. 😛
Ooo Mos is YUMMY. Similiar to Freshness in terms of quality and size!
Heh I prefer American sizing 😉
We’ve got a Freshness Burger here in HK, in Causeway Bay…agreed, it’s so yummy!
Ooo i never knew that, dont think I’ve seen it in HK!
You’re such a great travel writer because you write about all the interesting places, and not about the boring ones! Especially the food… By the way, your trench coat is nice, but where did your mum get that adorable hat with the earflaps?
Hee it’s cos I find anything overseas exciting and interesting!
Ohhh that hat is actually mine, I lent it to her 😛 It’s just a cheap one I found in one of the shops in China, but is sooo warm cos of the fur ear flaps (they also flip up and tie at the top of the head if you dont need em!)
mmm I love those tendon!!!! now I really miss Japan! 🙂
SUrprisingly, Shanghai has good Jap food, there’s a VERY authentic Jap-run restaurant down the road from us… so whew! 😛
The sign says Tenya :S
oh hah I can’t read japanese so made a wild guess
i agree!! just something in the japanese air makes everyone there design better things or think more out of the box! im perpetually squealing there! its always ooo something cute or something interesting!! 🙂
hmmm. cravings for japanese food thanks to your pictures!
Hhaha so true, it must be something in the air that makes the people (and everyting there) superior. So envious!
Your posts make me crave some Japanese food, stat.
Fortunately we had so much of it I’m off Jap food for a few weeks now 😛
That tempura looks amazing! Even their fast food is superior! How did you find the pricing there? I’ve always wanted to go to Japan but sometimes feel daunted by the expense of travelling there.
The pricing depends on the type of place you go.. you really CAN eat cheaply in Japan but if you go to fancy places or touristy places then it’s more $.
But , of course, if you compare to China, it’s ALL more expensive 😛
I’ve been on the lookout for Mos Burger in Japan. I’ve heard it’s really good. I’ve yet to find one. I have tried Freshness Burger and they’re pretty good too. I think the burgers in Japan are a lot smaller in size. If you go to some restaurants like Wolfgang Pucks, they sell burgers in two sizes – Japanese size and American size. 😛
Ooo Mos is YUMMY. Similiar to Freshness in terms of quality and size!
Heh I prefer American sizing 😉
You’re such a great travel writer because you write about all the interesting places, and not about the boring ones! Especially the food… By the way, your trench coat is nice, but where did your mum get that adorable hat with the earflaps?
Hee it’s cos I find anything overseas exciting and interesting!
Ohhh that hat is actually mine, I lent it to her 😛 It’s just a cheap one I found in one of the shops in China, but is sooo warm cos of the fur ear flaps (they also flip up and tie at the top of the head if you dont need em!)
mmm I love those tendon!!!! now I really miss Japan! 🙂
SUrprisingly, Shanghai has good Jap food, there’s a VERY authentic Jap-run restaurant down the road from us… so whew! 😛
The sign says Tenya :S
oh hah I can’t read japanese so made a wild guess
That tempura looks amazing! Even their fast food is superior! How did you find the pricing there? I’ve always wanted to go to Japan but sometimes feel daunted by the expense of travelling there.
The pricing depends on the type of place you go.. you really CAN eat cheaply in Japan but if you go to fancy places or touristy places then it’s more $.
But , of course, if you compare to China, it’s ALL more expensive 😛