This is a review of the supermarket near Akasaka Station, the branch of "Yoshiike" in Ueno Okachimachi. The half-basement store is on one floor and offers a wide variety of products in a well-stocked space. The owner is from Niigata Prefecture, so you can find Niigata products here just like at the Ueno Okachimachi store. The seafood section is particularly impressive, with a selection of fresh fish on display. This time, I purchased Niigata-produced "dried fiddleheads". Sometimes this product can have a slightly earthy smell, but when cooked in a stew, it has a fluffy texture that is delightful. Overall, it's a great store.

Squid price increase from 380 yen to 680 yen due to high demand.

Morinaga's Baked Pudding Crumble.

Last night, my boss who watched the secret Kenmin Show asked me if I had ever eaten the curry at the bus center. I told him that I had tried it when I went back to Niigata during the Golden Week. He asked if it was delicious, and I replied that it wasn't outstanding but had an addictive quality to it. He then asked me to buy some retort curry for him next time I go back home. I was surprised, but I told him that they sell it at a supermarket near my place, and I would buy it for him. I bought two packs as a gift for my boss who I am grateful for.

After work, I went to the nearby supermarket Yoshike Akasaka store to find some snacks for tonight's drinking session. I came across wild vegetables from Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture - 2 bundles of warabi and akedara shoots. I also bought baking soda just in case I needed it for removing the bitterness, but it turns out I already had some at home. I dissolved the baking soda in hot water, added the warabi, and left it overnight to remove the bitterness. I'll save the warabi for tomorrow's dinner and tonight, I enjoyed the akedara shoots with raw egg yolk and soy sauce. The slightly bitter and crispy texture of the akedara shoots made for a great snack with my drink tonight.

When I stopped by the nearby supermarket Yoshiike, I found that they had the popular Niigata summer specialty, Juzen eggplant pickles, just like last year. They were being sold individually, which is convenient for those living alone due to work assignments. Whenever I go back to Niigata, my whole family loves them, so I always make sure to buy some. In Niigata supermarkets, a pack of 3 costs 398 yen, but in Tokyo, it's only 100 yen per piece, so I feel like I got a good deal. Sliced and enjoyed with beer, the juicy deliciousness is enhanced, and even a little soy sauce drizzled on top makes it even tastier.

I had lunch at a random place and then went for a leisurely walk to start my diet. While wandering around, I stumbled upon a store called "Yoshiike" in Akasaka, which I didn't know about before. This store is known for selling fish in Ueno, but this branch had a more general supermarket vibe. I bought a large grilled mackerel for dinner and continued exploring Akasaka. When I got home, I grilled the mackerel and it turned out perfectly crispy on the skin and juicy inside. The flavor was rich and delicious, and the fatty parts were especially tasty. I enjoyed the mackerel without any additional seasonings, as it was already so flavorful. The bloodline was the best part for me, and overall, it was a delightful meal. Thank you, Yoshiike!

After seeing a post about eating chrysanthemum, I suddenly felt like eating oysters. So, after finishing work, I went to the nearby supermarket, Yoshike-san, and sure enough, they had Niigata-produced oysters. I bought 2 bags, boiled them quickly in vinegar water, cooled them in cold water, and then marinated them in vinegar for a delicious side dish with my evening drink. While lounging at home, I tapped a button on a food review app that I don't usually press, and found information about a nearby restaurant from my current location. I discovered Yoshike-san, the neighborhood supermarket, and saw a post about smoked pickles. I plan to have lunch with a friend before my trip to Niigata, so I thought it would be a good souvenir. When I went to the pickles section, a familiar face, the store clerk, mentioned that they saw my review on the app. They asked if I frequented a standing bar in Okachimachi, and were surprised when I showed them my phone. They were impressed. The smoked pickles that came with the Inaniwa sushi I received recently were smoked daikon radish, which goes well with rice and sake as a snack. Since they are vacuum-packed, they make a perfect gift. The familiar store manager came out and said, "I'll be waiting for the souvenir from your trip to Niigata" with a smirk. ( ･᷄ᄇ･᷅ )笑 ===========

Strolling around Akasaka Mitsuke. I found Yoshike, a well-established department store in Ueno. Is this a branch with the same logo? Let's see what they sell and for how much in this prime location in Akasaka. The store is on the first floor, a few steps down from the road, slightly larger than a convenience store. They have a wide variety of products, some of which are not commonly found in other stores. I bought some fried foods like karaage for 165 yen and harumaki for 108 yen, as well as dried firefly squid for 260 yen. I enjoyed them with beer in a nearby large park. The fried foods were average, similar to supermarket quality. The dried firefly squid instructions said to grill it, which would be cool with a Zippo lighter. I grilled it at home on the gas stove. It goes well with sake or hoppy. It was a nice meal.

After getting off at Tokyo Metro Akasaka Station, cross Akasaka Street and walk towards the direction of the Akasaka 2-chome Police Box. Just before the police box, there is a semi-basement-like store called "Yoshiike" Akasaka branch, with its main store in Ueno. It is not a high-end supermarket like Seijo Ishii or Kinokuniya, but it offers rare food items compared to mainstream supermarkets. The deli section is impressive, and there is a fishmonger for fresh fish, a great selection of wines, spices, cheese, vegetables, meats, and more. The aim of this visit was to buy smoked pickles and cream cheese to recreate the dish I had last week at Jokai Soro, "Smoked Pickles and Cream Cheese." The reason for choosing this store was that I was attending a Bangladeshi vegetable cuisine event at Shonaruga nearby at 5:30 PM. Akasaka on Sundays is quiet and serene, with few people around due to many establishments being closed on Sundays and public holidays. Taxis pass by without stopping, and the area near Akasaka Hikawa Shrine seems to have many American families living in US military housing. The store is open 10:00-20:00 on Sundays, like a regular supermarket. The staff can engage in simple English conversations, as there are many American customers. I found the smoked pickles under the name "Smoked Takuan," a product from Akita, priced at ¥594. For the cream cheese, I chose Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese in a cup for ¥432. I paid a total of ¥1,026 for both items. I am looking forward to enjoying the smoked pickles and cream cheese combination at home.

This is a supermarket located in Akasaka. I entered the store around 20:20 on a weekday. At first glance, it looks like just a regular supermarket, and in reality, it is just a regular supermarket. There is no seating area for dining in. There were only a few customers already inside. I purchased a discounted clam onigiri (100 yen → 80 yen) and a discounted egg sandwich (250 yen → 200 yen). I paid with my mobile Suica. The food was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I was honestly disappointed with the sashimi at Marusho's temporary store in Yotsuya-Sanchome. When it comes to sashimi, I usually go to Tsukiji to get the good stuff, but today I found some nice frozen tuna here. They had a tuna trio set, but while the lean tuna and medium fatty tuna were good, I wasn't in the mood for the fatty tuna belly for dinner. I decided to go for the more affordable offcuts instead, and got some tuna and horse mackerel for about ¥1,000. Time for a relaxing evening drink! First up was the seasonal horse mackerel. The large, bony head side is usually sold as tataki, so I went for the tail side for sashimi. The firm flesh was a sign of freshness, and it was delicious! The tuna offcuts may not be perfectly shaped, but each piece was a good size. While there was some lean tuna, most of it was medium fatty tuna with hardly any sinew. The fine-grained flesh had a great texture and was full of flavor. It was a bit more fatty than Marusho's fresh tuna, but it was still delicious. Both the horse mackerel and tuna went well with cold sake. It was dangerously delicious! While Marusho is out of the picture for now, this place might just be the new favorite.

Tonight's appetizer search led me to a sashimi platter with sazae (horned turban) already included, but I opted for the rare seasonal marbled flounder, striped horse mackerel, and the classic bluefin tuna platter priced at 1,598 yen. Enjoyed with a drink, the marbled flounder, also known as "mako-chan," was thick and delicious. It has a clean aroma that is far superior to farmed flounder. While marbled flounder is typically associated with winter dishes like simmered with roe, when served raw, it is known as "amate" and is considered a high-quality summer delicacy. The farmed striped horse mackerel had a firm texture and a delicious fatty taste without any unpleasant odor. The medium fatty tuna was consistently delicious. All of them paired perfectly with Japanese sake, leading me to unintentionally enter a tipsy mode. That's all for the review.

After working hard at the gym on my day off, I was too tired to go out for dinner. So, I decided to head to the store to pick up some food and drinks for a relaxing evening at home. I went to the fresh fish section and couldn't resist getting a platter of tuna sashimi along with some grilled ayu. All of this cost me less than 2,000 yen. I paired it with some chilled Japanese sake and enjoyed a delicious feast. The isaki had a nice firm texture, the tuna was incredibly tasty, and the kanpachi was fatty and flavorful. Even the engawa was chewy and full of flavor. Lastly, I tried the first ayu of the year, which had a firm skin and a hint of bitterness from the liver. Overall, it was a great evening of food and drinks.

I found the essential household item, Asahi Ponzu, at the nearby supermarket, Yoshiike, which was introduced on the secret Kenmin Show as a must-have for Kansai people, just like a takoyaki maker. I also purchased a tofu and condiment set together. Tonight's dinner will be delicious yudofu. ٩(˃̴̀ᄇ˂̴́ ๑)۶

Recently, I have noticed people who seem to be Olympic officials wandering around. Even though alcohol service has been allowed, dining out is still avoided. To enjoy the feeling of an izakaya at home, I decided to order from Yoshiike-san. I got a sashimi platter with 5 types of fish, Nagasaki horse mackerel sashimi, grilled sweetfish with salt, and spinach with sesame dressing to finish, all for around 2,000 yen. I chilled some premium sake in a cold sake vessel to enjoy with it. The horse mackerel was fresh and deliciously firm, while the sweetfish had a unique fatty richness even with the liver removed, and the summer aroma was delightful. The sashimi platter was dominated by tuna, with Yoshiike-san's selected lean tuna as the star. The thickly sliced lean tuna had a moist and light umami flavor that paired well with sashimi soy sauce. The seasonal kanpachi had a good amount of fat, making it perfect for drinking. By this point, I was already in my usual tipsy mode, so that concludes today's review.

When I asked the staff, they said that the Tenzen Nasu pickles, which were quickly sold out when they were purchased in August, were found at a nearby supermarket after lunch. I immediately bought them for tonight's drinking snack. d(ᵒ̴̶̷͈̀ㅂᵒ̴̶̷͈́ )