Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu | Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan

If you’ve seen the movie Kill Bill, then you’ll see similarities in this restaurant. Apparently, it was the inspiration and model for the “House of Blue Leaves” restaurant in the film. I have my friend Kimberlina to thank for this last minute recommendation. It somehow came up in conversation shortly before our trip to Japan and I quickly made a reservation on their website. Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu is very popular with tourists and it was quite obvious when we showed up for our reservation. We were in Tokyo during the Rugby Worldcup so the place was full of Australians in town to support their team. Usually, Markus and I try to avoid the more touristy restaurants and sites, but there was something about Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu that we couldn’t resist.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from the food and that the real draw would be the ambiance. I’m happy to say that I was very pleased with the meal. Markus and I both ordered two different courses one at 3,500 yen and 5,500 yen (about $35 and $55). We enjoyed an assortment of dishes ranging from yakitori, sashimi, tempura and soba noodles. It was a nice mix of food and I felt like a good value for the price. The more expensive set came with miso glazed cod and tempura shrimp and those were two of my favorite things we ate. I’m glad we decided to go, because I really enjoyed our meal and time at the restaurant.

Izakaya Toyo | Osaka, Japan

If you’ve seen the Netflix show Street Food, then the man in the middle should look very familiar. In the Osaka episode, they focused on Izakaya Toyo and it’s unique owner and chef Toyo. Just from that one episode, I knew that we had to go no matter what. Our schedule for Osaka was pretty jam packed, but I somehow fit into our first day. We took a bus and a train from Kawaguchiko that was about a 3-4 hour journey. After we checked into our hotel it was around 3:00 pm. We hoped that since it was an off time, there wouldn’t be too many people. We were wrong, there was a line of about 15-20 people and we waited for 40 mins, but it was worth it.

The seafood was so fresh and delicious and Toyo is exactly how he was in his episode. He was loud and boisterous and so sweet. He brought out the torch multiple times and everyone clamored over to get video and photos. I didn’t bother because I could always see it up close and personal on Netflix. They were unfortunately out of uni the day we went, but everything else was really delicious and the perfect afternoon snack. After our meal, we walked away and I was a little sad that we didn’t get a pic of Toyo. We ended up going back because Markus forgot to get video footage. When we got back, he was standing in front and we were able to snap a quick selfie. He was so tiny and cute and said thank you to us for visiting. I’m so glad we were able to fit a visit into our schedule and it was definitely a highlight of our time in Osaka.

Le Train Bleu | Paris, France

Le Train Bleu is a stunningly beautiful restaurant that was built for the Exposition Universelle in 1900. It's located in the Gare de Lyon station and is a full service restaurant. Le Train Bleu is an incredible restaurant that takes you back to another time period. The restaurant is covered in elaborate and ornate decorations and 41 original paintings from popular artists from that time period. Markus and I kept talking about what it must've been like to travel by train and stop in for a meal. It must've been a stunner in it's heyday. 

When I saw photos of the restaurant, I knew that I wanted this to be where we spent our last night in Paris. We couldn't have chosen a more magical and perfect place. I knew the minute we walked in that it would be a meal and experience unlike any other I've had before. We ordered the foie gras, liver mousse, veal cutlet, roasted leg of lamb, blue cheese potato gratin and ended with the rum baba, which came with a whole bottle of rum. You know I liked that part! Our meal was so decadent and really delicious. My favorites were the foie gras and the blue cheese potato gratin. If you know me, you know I love pate, liver mousse and foie, so that was a no brainer. The real surprise was the gratin because I don't normally go for potatoes, but these were a game changer. We kept ordering and eating even though I was stuffed. I think it was because I didn't want to leave. It also helped that the servers were hilarious and kept telling funny jokes. Overall, our experience at Le Train Bleu was unforgettable and I'm pleased that it was where we spent our last evening in the City of Lights. 

Notre-Dame and Shakespeare & Company | Paris, France

When you visit Paris, it's almost guaranteed that you'll make a stop at Notre-Dame.  I know if I didn't my parents would've been quite sad and disappointed. We only intended to stop by and take a look outside, but the line was quite short, we couldn't say no. Once inside, we realized why the line was moving so fast. They were packing everyone inside. It was quite impossible to get a good look at anything, but we still walked around for a bit and then headed out. Notre-Dame is a beautiful French gothic cathedral that is unlike any I've seen before. 

Afterward, we crossed the bridge to Shakespeare and Company. I've always wanted to visit the independent bookstore because many famous authors used to gather there. Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and many others would gather and spend heaps of time there. Since it's such a popular and well-known spot, it was just as crowded at Notre-Dame. It was impossible to look at books and soak in the atmosphere. Still, I'm glad we stopped by because it's been on my bucket list since I was in high school! 

Mini Tour of Montmartre | Paris, France

Since Montmartre is a bit further away from all the popular sites we decided to spend our first real day in Paris in Montmartre. We woke up decently early and had breakfast at Cafe des Deux Moulins from the film Amélie. Afterward we decided to take the 15 minute walk to Sacré-Cœur. We passed the Moulin Rouge and it definitely wasn't what I was expecting. Maybe it was because it was daytime. I didn't get the full effect and maybe I needed a bit of help from the Green Fairy? I did look up tickets and they were around 115€ and up. Maybe one day we'll be able to catch a show! It was our first taste of Paris and it was really lovely. The real star of Montmartre is the Sacré-Cœur, but that will be a post for the future. Just for now, enjoy all the photos from our mini tour of Montmartre!