Went up to Midtown today to pick up the Cookie Contest trophy! But after a bit of a mix-up and weird attitude at the trophy shop, I walked around for lunch while they figured it out. Stopped into Yagura Japanese Grocery. Part grocery market, part hot food to order (udon, donburi, Japanese curry, etc.). Nothing pretty about the place. They had plastic flaps at the entrance trying to keep the cold out while the door was left open. But for some reason, there were plenty of people in there.
While everyone waited for their food, I saw an office guy try to pick up an Asian girl. After a few minutes, they exchanged numbers and she left. Then after a minute more of him waiting around, he left. He never even ordered food. He just went there to pick up Asian chicks.
I got the Ginger Pork ($6.45). When I opened the box, it definitely didn’t look as good as the picture on the menu …and that picture didn’t look good to begin with. I expected a whole pork chop, dark & glazed and a lot more outside of rice. That’s a green piece of decorative plastic in the photo below, not vegetable. As I was eating, more and more people were piling in. I was impressed with that.
Then I walked a few doors down to Cafe Zaiya (another place for Japanese lunch). My first time in there. So much nicer, clean, a ton more variety that looked really good in person and about the same price as Yagura. I suppose the only drawback is that it’s too hectic in there to be able to pick up chicks.
Yagura Japanese Grocery -24 E 41st St (btw Madison and 5th Ave) New York 10017
yea, this plate doesn’t look very appetiting. STree vendor’s looked better than this (and cheaper), but it’s good you get to eat under a roof without paying tips. You should try their noodle bowls then.