Raydude's favorite places to hang out
Let's be honest, when it comes to finding things to do or a place to get out of control and meet people, TOKYO RULES!
The city has an incredible variety of places to eat, drink and hang out. Here are some of my favorites. Raydude is a vegetarian, so the restaurant selections are limited to places that have good choices for those who opt not to consume sentient beings. If you would like a much more comprehensive guide to Tokyo restaurants, check out my friend Robb's Tokyo food page.
As for clubs and bars, there are literally thousands just in the Shinjuku area where I live. I have listed some places from all over which I think are cool, so check them out when you have a chance.
LATEST PICK
Abyssinia
Shibuya is the home of a ton of great restaurants, but Abyssinia has to be one of the most satisfying places I have found in a long while. My buddy Dave raved about this place long enough for me to decide to give it a try. Abyssinia is, as you probably guessed from the name, an Ethiopian restaurant. The atmosphere is great for a casual dinner or a lot of drinks. They have a cool mixture of tourist bureau photos and Haile Selassie posters all over the walls and this fits in really well with the roots reggae music playing. The place is relaxed and makes you feel good right from the start.
The food is an experience. The more exotic items on the menu include ostrich kebab and crocodile stew, though I can't personally attest to either of these selections. What I tried, however, I highly recommend. The crispy pumpkin is not to be missed. It is laced with a "rocket fuel" pepper which will certainly get your attention. Also, the avocado salad is an excellent choice. We also had the cous cous, a more traditional African dish.
One thing that should be on the must do list to anyone who visits Abyssinia is called Injera. It's a sort of spongy bread which is used as both a plate and a covering. First, you tear a stripe of Injera and put it on your plate. Then you put some curry or stew on top. Finally you tear handfuls of Injera and use them to scoop up the curry or stew. If it's hard to visualize, don't worry. The staff is extremely friendly and will be happy to show you what you need to know.
They have a great selection of curries and stews to light up the evening. I highly recommend trying one of the Wots. Wot, apparently, translates to stew. I had a bean selection called Yemsir Wot. It is listed as "a slightly spicy bean stew" and I suspect the cook used the word "slightly" rather tongue in cheek. It is good, but make sure you have some beer ready.
Which leads nicely into the next topic. Abyssinia is a great place to go and drink. They have a "all you can drink" offer which rocks. You can choose from beer, cocktails, soft drinks, fruit juices and wine and have all you want for 2 hours. It only costs 1500 yen (1200 for women). It's hard to beat that price anywhere. For dinner or just for drinks for starting an evening, Abyssinia is a great place to hang out.
After dinner, they have a great selection of desserts including coconut and pumpkin ice cream. You will not leave this place hungry, thirsty or broke. This place is great value, with each food dish priced at around 500 to 800 yen. For two of us, all we could eat and drink, the bill was less than 8000 yen. I am used to being shocked at the cash register, but not in a pleasant way.
I think you will come of out this place with the reggae tunes still playing in your head and a firm resolve to come back again.
Abyssinia is located on Center Gai in Shibuya, not far from the Tokyu main store. They are open from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. It is closed on Monday.
Here is the address and contact number. This place is relaxed, so no reservations are needed. Drop in and enjoy.
32-7 Udagawa Machi, Shibuya, Shibuya Tose Building, 2F
(tel) 03-3770-2060
Here is a map that might help.
visit:
Fall 2006 for Hawaii Lovers www.hawaiidaisuki.com
