I’m from North Carolina so I’m pretty picky about barbecue. I’m not not a fascist about it, so I don’t just eat our pulled pork BBQ. I definitely enjoy Texas style, Memphis style, as well as various international barbecues, particularly cochinita pibil from the Yucatan in Mexico. This is relevant because in Japan, it’s pretty hard to find Western BBQ. Sure, there’s yakiniku all over the place, and great Korean bulgoki/galbi places…it’s just very hard to find Western BBQ.

One of my favorite things about good barbecue is the way it’s so soft and tender after low-and-slow cooking. A great sign is the way that it falls off the bone when you pull on the meat. I was really impressed with the barbecue ribs at this restaurant. It’s called Kadoyama and it’s on the third floor of a building near Ryogoku station. The flavor was amazing but what really sealed the deal for me was the way that I was able to basically unwrap the meat from the bone with my fork. I only needed a knife to basically hold the ribs in place.

By the time I thought to take a picture of the dish, I’d already finished. Sorry. The website has decent pictures of their food but I really wish I’d thought of it before I ate. The presentation was excellent for a $10 lunch. I mean, back here in DC, a slice of pizza costs $4. Most food trucks run you ten bucks, easy, and you don’t even get a glass of water, or a chair, or silverware (and you can forget about service). It still befuddles me how those silly “experts” claim Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world. This particular dish was served with mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, and bread – all tasted great. In the States, I’d be expecting to pay $25-$30.

Anyway, if you all are making a pilgrimage to Ryogoku and have a hankering for some western food, swing by. Great food.