This was the coffee shop in Akihabara where we started out most days. It is a chain that serves really good coffee.  Segalfredo's and another chain Veloce serve the best coffee in town.  Our usual was a quadruple shot of espresso over ice.  This took some time to explain what we wanted to the staff as it's not an order they get a lot.  By the time we left, they knew us and had the quad shots waiting!

We had a special lunch today, shabu shabu at a restaurant in Ueno.  And what made it even more special is that we were able to try three different grades of Wagyu beef.  For those who don't know, shabu shabu is a style of eating where raw veg and meat is brought out and you cook it yourself at your table in a light broth.  (kinda like some kinds of fondue).  For the veg you might cook it for a couple of minutes but for the thin sliced beef you don't let it leave your chopsticks and if you like it rare like me you are good after about 7 seconds!


Sorry for bad overexposed pic!  Left plate is the highest quality and right plate contains 2nd and 3rd grade.  (Think O-toro, Chu-toro, Maguro)



Condiments including minced daikon, green onions, shoyu/vinegar, walnut dipping sauce.



Some noodles for adding to the broth.



More overxposed pics!! 

The wagyu was incredible.  Even the lowest grade wagyu was better than any shabu shabu I've had stateside.  It was full of good beef taste.  The fattier cuts were savory without being greasy.


After finishing all the meat and veg, you are supposed to add some of the shabu shabu broth to a cup with some of the shoyu/vinegar sauce and some other condiments creating a little soup to finish them meal.  Oishii!


At night we went to a local udon noodle joint.  They make all their own noodles in house.  One thing I thought was much different from the U.S. is that they had about 10 different types of udon, but ONLY ONE OF THEM CONTAINED MEAT!  In the U.S. you would see like Chicken, Pork, Beef, Combination, and like one vegetarian option.  Here it was 9 veg options and one that just said "meat" (turned out was pork but they didn't even specify).  The options instead were like different combinations of seaweed and other vegetables and herbs. 


I went with the seaweed.  Also they always add one of the delicious Japanese eggs.  At the suggestion of my dining companion, I ordered it cold.  It was definitely refreshing in the summer heat, but after I had slurped the noodles down, it was strange to drink the cold broth, my American palette couldn't finish it whereas I think if I would've ordered it hot I probably would have finished every last drop!



My friend told me that it is a Japanese saying that the perfect number of udon noodles to grab with your chopstick is three!  The noodles were so good!  Best udon noodles I've ever had by far.  Firm, a little chewy, and delicious.  The broth was slightly sweeter than what I'm accustomed to but went well with the other ingredients especially the egg!!