16 April, 2009

Oishii Japan Series Part 2 - Tempura Daikokuya (Ten Don) @ Asakusa

5 minutes ride from Ueno Park via the Ginza Line brought us to our next destination – Asakusa. It is over here that one will find Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist Temple – Sensoji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple. When approaching the temple, visitors first enter through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), the outer gate of the Sensoji and symbol of Asakusa.

And what awaits one is a 200 metres shopping street known as Nakamise, where you can pick up local snacks.


This one came deep fried with red bean filling within and a pop will set you back a couple of hundred yen – it’s really yummy and definitely worth a try, if not more!


Make a left turn at the last T-junction and walk a couple of hundred metres and one will be greeted by a Japanese ten-don restaurant - Tempura Daikokuya (Ten-Don) – do look out for the dodgy “大黒家” signage outside the shop!


It is said that locals will queue up and wait for more than an hour to get a seat for a meal. Thankfully, luck was with us as HFB arrived for a late lunch at 2pm and only waited 20mins for a place.


We were ushered upstairs to a Tatami Room and we were probably the only foreigners around – do ask for the English menu if you have to and you will be served a pot of Green Tea and some side upon ordering.


HFB waited quite awhile for the food to arrive as the food was prepared fresh but let me tell you that it’s definitely worth the wait! A bowl of ten-don, containing Two Prawn Tempura & One Mixed Tempura with a bowl of Japanese Steamed Rice, cost one JPY1,700 ~ SGD26. I sampled similarly ones at Tenya, so I am not surprised that the tempura came more black than usual as black sweet sauce was poured all over, but this probably tasted 10 times better! The batter is slightly less crisp than usual, and more succulent within.


HFB will also highly encourage you to go for the Three Prawns with One Kisu Fish (a type of Whiting) Tempura-only combination to share (JPY1,650). HFB didn’t quite take to the fish as it comes with a delicate taste, but the prawns are *censored* orgasmic!


Without the sauce, one could really taste the freshness of the gigantic prawns – taste of the sea is probably the closest description HFB could fathom.


This is truly the Holy Grail for prawn tempura lovers!

Rating

Food: 5/5 (Best Tempura EVER!)
Service: 3/5 (Long waiting time)
Ambience: 4.5/5 (Tatami room, big seating area)
Price: 4/5 (Expensive but worth it!)
Total: 16.5/20
1-38-10 Asakusa, Taito-ku
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10 comments:

Steve said...

Tempura Daikokuya must be good - it's the first time I can recall that you've had to censor your own post!

missklicious said...

Oh yummm! I'm so jealous!

His Food Blog said...

Steve: Oh yes! It was THAT *censored* good~ Heh! Say, when are you heading back to Tazzy?

missklicious: :) This was my favourite trip thus far - not only the food, but the people, the place and the weather was good as well!

Kuek said...

*censored* lar....now i am super hungry....

Online Healthy Diet Meal Plans said...

nice blog ans best part is the pictures you have shared with us. keep on posting.

His Food Blog said...

Kuek: Haha! How was the food in Thailand?

OHDMP: Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Well I don't Know if you are still in japan, but before you return, if your plane is at narita airport please take the time to go to narita village 1 stop before the airport i believe the train ticket should be 180yen then go walk the street up to the famous temple there in the middle of the street there is this plae selling Fresh Unagi freshly killed and skewered and bbqed wel worth Every penny paid and best ever unagi i've had in my life.

Anonymous said...

Another meal you must have is to go to tsukiji market and have otoro.... best ever shashimi u can have. and cheap too. just any stall next to the market would be fresh. if u can speak japanese even better.

His Food Blog said...

Hi Anon 05:14pm,

A pity that I am already back in Singapore. But the thought of sampling a freshly killed and skewered bbqed eel makes me wanna fly back there straight away.

A waste that the unagi I tried in Kyoto was nothing extraordinary, which therefore meant it would not be mentioned here on this blog.

His Food Blog said...

Hello again! I reckon you are the same Anon - perhaps you might wish to leave your nick next time - HFB always love to know who he is talking to.

BINGO! Next post coming right up would be the Tsukiji Market! Look out for it.

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