DAI REN

* Cuisine: Chinese
* Where: Mita
* Tel: 03-3541-4664.
* English Menu: Pictures but no English.
* Cost: 4,020 for 2, no alcohol
* Ohishi: sweet and sour chicken
* Ordered: gyoza (steamed, boiled and fried), ramen, Kimchee cha han.
* Rating: ---

Renowned for their gyoza and well-patronised because of it, seating was at a premium on a Thursday night. Service is lightning fast and a little more smiley than similarly-priced establishments. Portions are generous and every dish was palatable and value for money. The style is a little more take-away than ideal and even the chicken singled out was batter and sauce heavy but at these prices the value for money was not an issue. However, considering Kei Chin Rou with its next-level cooking and competitive pricing is right opposite, and the myriad of other Mita options around the corner, it should be a while before the next visit here.

LAI-KA

* Cuisine: Chinese
* Where: Ginza
* Tel: 03-3541-4664. Click the pic for directions.
* English Menu: ?
* Cost: ?
* Ohishi: nothing
* Ordered: lunch course
* Rating: --

Small portions with a generous variety of flavours at this Higashi Ginza spot. Everything here has a flower motif and the fare seems squarely pitched at the female market. Bite sized, lightly spiced dishes were interesting and tasty with a little unexpected twist here and there - pumpkin and sharks fin soup, for example. No particular problems but no real reason to return.

RHYMES INDIA

* Cuisine: Indian
* Where: Mita
* Tel: 03-5440-7521. Click the logo for website.
* English Menu: Yes
* Cost: 3,700 for two - no alchohol
* Ohishi: nothing
* Ordered: onion rings, butter chicken, samosa, saffron rice, naan bread, dal curry, prawn curry.
* Rating:

Despite the fact that we were the only patrons and a sixth sense suggesting we shouldn't expect too much, somehow I was still looking forward to every Brit's five Indian staples (plus the prawn and dal). But at the sight of kitchen staff getting a late cookery lesson from the waitress, all remaining hope drained away. Now, I'm such a bad cook that I'm banned from my own kitchen but I believe we would have been better off with a trip to Nissin and a can opener. From the fake nan to the powdery curries, everything tasted packaged and microwaved. Apparently this place has had some glowing reviews so maybe the chef had the night off. But why take the risk. There's a good word to describe this place and it rhymes with 'trap'. Nil points.

SCOT

• Cuisine: Japanese - Teppanyaki
• Where: Yurakucho
• Tel: 03-3216-2030
• English Menu: Yes
• Cost: 9,800 yen pp (top price course)
• Ohishi: fish, oysters, garlic rice
• Ordered: Sirlion course
• Rating: ---

Located in the posh part of Yurakucho among the fairy-lit trees and in the shadow of the impressive Kosusai Forum but once down in the B1 location the ambience is more main station shopping mall. Likewise, the Scot's decor has seen better days but somehow it justs adds to the friendly and homely feel. This is a place to have fun in not to write home about. So it's no surpeise that even when ordering the top level course, the steak is nowhere near the exquisite sensation of a top level teppanyaki place. But the rest of the course probably was on a par. Fish, oysters and garlic rice (including the second bowl) were all delicious. There's still no better teppanyaki experience than at Sazanka (Hotel Okura) but for those times when you don't want the accompanying okanjo experience, kicking back at Scot fits the bill just fine.

KISOJI

• Cuisine: Japanese - shabu shabu
• Where: Ginza
• Tel: 03-3574-8806
• English Menu: not sure, but its easy to just pick a course
• Cost: 6,500 yen pp (course menu)
• Ohishi: nothing especially stood out.
• Ordered: shabu shabu set
• Rating: -- 1/2
  
  Kimono/yukata-clad staff were attentive, helped with the 'cooking', never let our glasses run dry for long and disappeared at the end so we felt no pressure to leave. Food was plentiful and portions generous. Perhaps it's these attributes that make it as popular with gaijin and salarymen alike, because the food itself is standard shabu-shabu fare. Nothing lets the side down and nothing particlularly sets it above the multitude of similar spots. The Marks & Spencer of shabu-shabu.

KEI CHIN ROU

• Cuisine: Chinese
• Where: Mita
• Tel: 03-3457-6808
• Picture menu but no English
• Cost: 2,600 yen for two without alcohol
• Ohishi: won ton, steamed gyoza, sweet & sour rib
• Also: leek cakes, ramen
• Rating: ----

Fantastic value for money on the backstreets of studentland. Ignore the typically Chinese service and feet-picking porter in plain view because Kei Chin Rou serves fare as fine as most of Hong Kong's best. This was the third of what is sure to be many more visits. No problem seating on a weekend evening (although Sunday is more entertaining if the kids are waiting tables again) and no problem parking at off-peak meters down the street.