japan food diary pt. 1: fukuoka
everything I ate in Fukuoka (& a bit in Oita) during the first half of our trip
Greetings from Fukuoka! I was supposed to send this out on Saturday but I think I overestimated how much time (and energy) I’d have on my hands while traveling. Apologies for the delay and as always thank you for being here. Now, on to the food!
Tuesday night (Feb 6)
Dinner
We landed in Fukuoka at 7 pm and headed straight to our hotel, hungry and eager to meet up with our friends Marla and Anton, who’d flown into the city earlier that day from Tokyo, where they’d spent the prior week.
Eating at a yatai, the popular, though waning in number, makeshift restaurants in Fukuoka, was high on all our lists, so we agreed to seek one out for dinner. Luckily, the ones we wanted to check out were just a 15-minute walk from our hotel.
As we neared Kokinchan, we saw a long line had already formed. Cold and teetering dangerously into hangry territory, we slipped into another, less crowded yatai a few steps away, drawn in by the warmth of steaming oden and the smiles of staff waving us in.
Not pictured:
A campari soda at Brick and a craft gin and soda at Petrol Blue
Mentaiko onigiri, grilled mackerel onigiri, creme brulee ice cream from Lawson for midnight snacks
Wednesday (Feb 7)
Lunch
We planned to get to Uuki before they opened since we heard that their sweet shrimp bowls sell out fast and that there’d be a line we’d have to contend with (what would become the running theme of our trip). The morning was unexpectedly rainy so instead of the nice walk we envisioned, we had to book a car instead. Luckily, our friends were able to get there on time and line up for us. A couple of minutes after we got there, the staff ushered us into our room.
Joff and I split a negitoro bowl and a kaisen don. Though we’d ordered a sweet shrimp bowl, it never arrived. Later on, when we followed up, one of the staff grumpily mumbled that they’d sold out. Anton had managed to snag one of the last few bowls so we were able to try it and, annoyingly enough, understood the hype.
Late afternoon
While shopping, we stopped on the side of the street to try one of these cheese-stuffed coin-shaped pancakes after being drawn in by the smell, but they ended up being kind of bland.
After walking around Daimyo and checking out the neighborhood’s vintage shops, we stopped at an izakaya to get some drinks and snacks. They had a happy hour promo for these lemon fizz drinks, so we ordered them and an assortment of small dishes. The potato salad had a sesame oil chili relish on top that was really tasty.
Afterward, we headed over to Ebi-bar Yatai, a yatai that specializes in cocktails, mocktails, and small bites. I had the best martini I’ve had in years there, and some really delicious accompanying nosh. It was the kind of place where I’d want to be a regular.
Thursday (Feb 8)
Lunch
The morning was a little rough. Joff and I had barely slept due to a mishap with the heater in our room, and by mishap I mean we accidentally turned it on during the night, making the room unbearably hot and impossible to sleep in. Consequently, our plan to get up early and get brunch went out the window.
By the time we left our hotel, Anton had eaten his weight in pancakes, and we were starving. So we decided to make the 30-minute walk to Bayside Place Hakata to see a different part of the city, shake off the lack of sleep, and let Anton work up an appetite again. When we got there, we had to wait another 20 minutes because of course there was a line. It was worth it, though; the sushi was amazing. (Ikura with shiso: a revelation!)
After visiting the Fukuoka Art Museum (where I had terrible coffee), we walked over to & Locals, a sweet little cafe fronting the water that’s known for its matcha drinks and dishes.
Dinner
For dinner, we split up with Marla and Anton so they could get their ramen fix. Joff and I decided to check out Chez Remy, a French-run yatai, after it was recommended by one of our favorite Youtube channels. While we liked the overall vibe, we thought the food was a little underseasoned.
Friday (Feb 9)
Breakfast
It was our last full day with Anton and Marla so we wanted to make the most of it. We had planned to get coffee at the newly opened Fukuoka branch of Blue Bottle but were greeted by yet another ridiculously long line, so we made a beeline for our favorite local coffee place instead, Little Stand. Before heading out, we stopped by the Aeon grocery beside our hotel to grab a pack of strawberries and a tamago sando for breakfast.
Lunch
We had to be at Team Lab: Forest by 3 pm so we couldn’t risk waiting in any lines. We headed to the Daimaru food court and entered the first place that caught our eye.
Dinner
Despite its popularity, thankfully, there were no lines at Anago Hajime, a place known for its grilled saltwater eel bentos. They also do tempura really well, so we shared a plate of tempura eggplant and shiitake. Hands down the best meal we’ve had so far.
Drinks
After dinner, we walked to the excellent neighborhood record bar, Living Stereo, located just a street over from Anago Hajime. The cocktails were as delicious as the tunes were sweet.
Saturday (Feb 10)
Lunch
We went to the Saturday flea market at Gokoku Shrine. There were food trucks scattered about but there weren’t many that sold pescetarian or veggie-friendly food. Finally found one selling pizza and ordered the margherita. Forgot to take a photo of the truck but one of the cooks said that they grow all their produce on their farm and that the truck was really meant to promote that. They were also selling their own honey.
Afternoon
After saying goodbye to Anton and Marla, Joff and I hopped on a train to Oita, where we'd stay for the next two nights. Got some konbini snacks for the train ride since we didn’t have much for lunch.
Dinner
Walked around Oita a bit to get acquainted with the city before we headed off to Beppu. It seemed like the neighborhood we were staying in was on the upscale side since it took us forever to find an affordable meal. We ended up at this bar that served snacks and katsu. I ordered the aji (horse mackerel) furai.
Next Saturday, I’ll be sending out part two of my Japan food diary where I’ll talk about what I ate in Oita, Beppu, Kumamoto, and our last couple days in Fukuoka.
Thanks for reading! 🖤
Wow Chiars! Fantastic food write up! Thank you for this. Definitely in my bucket list treasuring your notes in our “must must” food diary!!👏👏❤️💏😘