Tokyo Guide: Part 1 & What I Cooked Last Week
Tokyo Recap + Recs, Healthy Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa and Chipotle Crema, Wonton Noodle Soup, Perfect Pan-Seared Steak
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a great week! Doug and I are back in LA but still buzzing from our trip to Japan. By the end of it, we were joking about moving there. (Doug’s watching me write this now, shaking his head like, “it wasn’t a joke!”) We had the best time in Tokyo. The food was incredible (not a single bad meal), and we were blown away by how thoughtful, organized, and pristine everything was.
I’ve split up my Tokyo recs into two parts—there’s just too much good stuff for one newsletter—so I’ll be sharing them this week and next. Below, you’ll find some general travel tips and reflections, plus two neighborhood guides. Even if you don’t have plans of going to Japan any time soon, I hope my notes can give you a little taste of it.
First, here’s a recipe for my shrimp tacos with mango salsa and chipotle crema. They’re sweet and spicy and made with my favorite cassava flour tortillas from Siete Foods. I hope you love them!
What I Cooked Last Week! ↓
Healthy Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa and Chipotle Crema
These tacos have sweet mango, tangy lime, and a creamy chipotle crema that brings just the right amount of heat.
You can download the PDF recipe above and watch the video here :)
Wonton Noodle Soup
In my family, this is total comfort food. You can make your own wontons or use store-bought to keep it easy—either way, it’s super soothing and delicious.
Perfect Pan-Seared Steak
Salt the meat ahead of time to dry the surface for a great crust, then flip every 30 seconds for even cooking—a juicy center and charred edges.
Part 1: Tokyo Guide 🇯🇵
One of the first things we noticed in Tokyo was how respectful and thoughtful everyone is. The city felt so clean, civilized, and perfectly organized. Public spaces were spotless, and when it rained, they put little “rain jackets” on our shopping bags—clear plastic covers, meticulously taped so our stuff wouldn’t get wet. So smart and cute.
As we explored more, Doug and I kept saying Tokyo felt like a mix of New York and LA. Probably because those are the cities we know best, but still. It reminded us of New York with its density, hustle and bustle energy, and of course, the extensive subway system. But in terms of size and layout, it felt more like LA—really spread out with tons of distinct neighborhoods. Even though Tokyo is more densely populated, it has that same sprawling vibe.
If you’re jet-lagged on day one (we were up at 5 am.), the Toyosu Market tuna auction is a fun and kind of wild thing to check out. It’s a little tricky to find, but there are people outside who’ll point you in the right direction. Every morning, 100 to 200 giant tuna fish get auctioned off—for tens of thousands to over a million dollars. It’s definitely a memorable way to start your trip!
Getting around
The subway in Tokyo is incredible—super clean and easy to navigate. Definitely download a Suica card to make things even smoother. Once you’re in Tokyo, open your Apple Wallet, press the plus sign, and it should show up under transit cards. After you add it, you can load money right onto your phone. It works like Apple Pay—you just tap to enter and exit, no need to deal with ticket machines every time.
Uber is also available in Tokyo, and we found it wasn’t crazy expensive, so it’s a good option if you need a cab.
Food
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