Personally, I think the award is well deserved.
There are many excellent restaurants in Tokyo and the choices available range from European to Middle Eastern, Australian to Chinese,Indian to South East Asian and, of course, the full gambit of home-grown Japanese recipes.
The problem that some people face when they visit Tokyo is knowing where to find these restaurants.
Guide books always recommend the same old same old and when you're dealing with a foreign language like Japanese, it can be difficult to find the information that you need.
I've lived here since 2001 and I have been using a website called Bento.
com for the last 5 of those when I want to try something new or find a particular type or location of restaurant.
For a first time visitor, you can put in the location of where you want to eat and the site will bring you back all the Tokyo restaurants they recommend in that area.
Alternatively you can look for Spanish style, Thai style, Lebanese style, and so on, and the site will return all restaurants that belong to this type across the whole of Tokyo.
Users of the site are able to submit reviews of the places they have tried and I've always found these very accurate as a guide for what to expect.
If you want to try this for yourself, the url is http://www.
bento.
com Are There Any Foods Special To Tokyo? Of course, Tokyo food if we are being strict about it is Japanese in nature, still, there is one famous speciality that is particular to the city that you might want to try.
Investigate the back streets of Tsukishima, a district in Tokyo, and you'll find lots of places selling a dish called monjayaki.
Monjayaki is the sister dish to the more popular, and perhaps better known outside Japan, okonimayaki which originates from Osaka and Hiroshima.
Okonimayaki is often referred to in English as 'Japanese pizza' because of its circular shape and the way it is served.
The two dishes are in fact very similar.
The major difference is that monjayaki, instead of being sliced, is eaten straight from the grill and is slightly runny in texture.
I wouldn't describe it as a gourmet meal but it is definitely a taste of Tokyo.
Best Japanese Food To Try Apart from monjayaki, there is of course, some fantastic Japanese food to be had in Tokyo.
Make sure at least one of these dishes is on your vacation menu:
- Sushi or Sashimi - Whether you like it in slices with wasabi and soy sauce or as finger food with rice, raw fish in Tokyo is a delicious treat.
It ranges in price from 200 yen for a single plate and can go up, depending where you eat and the fame of the chef, to 40,000 yen and more for a full meal.
Whatever your budget, give this one a whirl. - Tempura - Lightly battered vegetables and fish dipped in sauce.
When you're served the best, this is a melt in the mouth meal. - Yakitori - Meat eaters will love this one.
Very similar to a kebab and presented in two styles: salty or sweet. - Tofu - I never knew that tofu could be served in so many different ways until I came to Japan.
This one is a very healthy choice for those watching their diet. - Shabu Shabu - A bowl of hot broth, thinly sliced pieces of meat and vegetables to make a stew when you're ready.
Pick up the meat with your chopsticks and then swish it in the broth really quickly to brown it.
If you want to, dip it in sauce and that's it.
You're ready to eat.