Best Meal While Travelling - Travel linkup

So many yummy dishes, so little time! I have eaten my way through some places but the one place that really takes the cake in every regard, flavour, presentation, price, ambiance and service, is Japan. I did not a have a single bad or below par dish. So what is the most memorable? Funnily enough it had nothing to do with the food at all.

Dishes from a Kaiseki dinner - see the little green bird?

I was in the Akihabara district in Tokyo, Japan with my friend trying to find a place for dinner. We came across a wooden shopfront that looked like it was transported from rural Japan and looked busy, warm and welcoming. We stepped inside.

Tempura nettle leaves and soba noodles

A sweet waitress greeted us and apologised saying they had no tables then, as a second thought, asked if we'd mind sitting at the back. I had no problems with that, the smell of food was intoxicating and I wasn't going anywhere.

Okonomiyak - a type of savoury pancake

It turns out that the 'tables' at the back were sunken tatami mat seating. I think maybe she thought foreigners preferred tables, but not me, this was exactly what i wanted :) I clambered into my seat, ordered a bunch of food and then sat back to take in my surroundings.

Vegitarian Bento Box

The walls were covered in traditional Japanese murals, and the entire space was filled with 'Salarymen' (office workers) getting drunk and creating a ruckus. Some were passed out, their heads resting on the tables, some were getting more drinks, some were slurring lines to the karaoke playing on one screen and others were watching some sports game on another.

Did i mention dessert? They tasted so good!

They would call to each other from across the room, faces red, swaying slightly before getting distracted with another drink. All of them were in almost identical suits, jackets off and tossed aside with their bags in a heap, ties loose, shirts rumpled. It was hilarious and fascinating to watch. I'd heard about this work tradition but seeing it was entirely different.

Crab miso soup and clam rice

I don't remember the food. I think there was a fish and some sushi and I'm sure it tasted great but my attention was on these guys. It was really brilliant. Id never seen anything like it and haven't seen anything like it again.

Clam miso soup and chicken teriyaki with rice

Since I was so distracted I didn't take any photos of the meal. Instead, here are some photos from other meals I had around Japan which were all absolutely delicious. And now I'm craving Japanese...

What was your memorable meal while travelling?

As always thanks to the lovely girls Emma and Kelly and Rebecca for this travel link up.