Henri Charpentier – Ginza, Tokyo.
This is the first post of several that will focus on Japan, which I was lucky enough to travel to during the Christmas holidays that just passed.
My memorable first visit to Henri Charpentier in Ginza lured me to visit it again and I was not disappointed.
Ivan Ramen – Tokyo, Japan.
Oh yes, it is indeed that ramen shop owned and run by Ivan, also known as gaijin, ramenjunkie and that-white-guy who made headlines in the Wall Street Journal as the first and only ramen shop at the time established by a non-Japanese person. But hey, the fame goes beyond the fact of who owns the place, the ramen here is not too shabby either, rather it has got even locals lining up for it – that’s gotta be some indication of success in the local neighborhood of Minami Kurasuyama.
I got lost looking for the place (whilst using the map on the ramen shop’s website), if you reach a main road looking street, you’ve gone too far. The ramen shop is on a more quiet road before it when you’re coming out of Rokakouen Station. Basically the road you should be turning left from, after walking away from the station, is the one where you are next to a 7-eleven.
Henri Charpentier – Ginza, Tokyo.
My first impression is that this café outright trumps the interior appeal of every café that I’ve visited. It is posh but at the same time very comfortable and a place where you can easily relax those tired feet from walking around the whole day. When I went, there was a queue but we opted to be seated earlier by choosing the smoking area, which we regretted later as the patrons around us were chain-puffing like the world was about to end (though this didn’t spoil the experience).
As you enter Henri Charpentier, this level is where they display their infamous macarons and patisseries for your viewing delight. Downstairs is the café area, which is lead down by a spiralling staircase. The lighting is dim and sets a chill atmosphere. When I went the patrons were all female, myself and my brothers were the only males there – quite an odd moment.