Rub shoulders with government officials at cheap eatery that feeds minister.
Our recent lunch and dinner was the way we enjoy staff food at cafeterias which serve staff, but also open to the public.
These hidden gems usually only known by people who work and eat there but weve been sharing our secret finds with you and now we have another great discovery, over at Tokyo Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
We had high hopes this staff cafeteria would be our best yet as the administrative body overseeing all food-related issues in Japan – so we sent our reporter Mr Sato over to Kasumigaseki ministry to try it out.
M. Sato calmly told security guard Shokudo ni ikitain desu kedo (Id like to walk to the cafeteria).
Personal called in the guard’s direction, he told him to go to reception desk to fill out a form with his name, contact details and showed staff his license as a photo I.D.
Back to the home, he had to send out a brief text for the minister in small print to just use the staff cafeteria, enter the returns box, then leave.
Afu Shokudo cafeteria near first basement floor of building, greeted by humble entrance.
Sighing the signboard, Mr Sato saw his stomach start to rumble at all the fantastic food options.
Restaurant’s official website says the dishes here use locally sourced ingredients as much as possible, in particular fukushima products. From Monday to Friday, two meals per week for three and all are prepared for a weekly meal.
Fukushima Prefecture fresh harvested rice currently used in meals.
Make sure to leave high lunchtime days to avoid queues of employees as always, so Mr Sato encourages stopping by before 12 p.m. or after 1 p.m. Mr Satovisited before midday and didnt have to wait to get the Special Afu Set Meal he picked and paid for at the vending machine.
Youll have a food ticket to hand to the kitchen counter staff once you select and pay for your meal at the machine.
Mr SatosSpecial Afu Set Mealwas on $1200 yen, limited to only 30 servings per day. Theset meal was theFukushima Hayama Plateau Butadon (pork rice bowl), along with two small sides and soup when he came to visit.
Hayama Plateau Pork, a premium, proven pork thats producing exclusively by designated farms within the prefecture, is made with carefully chosen, pure plant-based feed, which said to suppress the odour of the meat.Raised with carefully selected, carefully selected and carefully selected feed, said to remove the odor of the meat, the premium brand has earned a reputation for being particularly delicious.
Despite the smooth texture and lack of pork odour, Mr Sato had been impressed with its soft texture. This juicy and tasty flavour was also well known for its sweet soy-based sauce and mild seasoning despite being odourless.
The whole meal was well balanced and M Sato felt recharged in a proper way. Mr Sato wished to show the respectable talent and pride in the well crafted meals at the staff caféteria.
Mr Sato stumbles to store in cafeteria after eating off his lunch, cant resist buying a T-Shirt for 2,900 yen as souvenir of ministry visit.
No rice no lifewas printed on the front of the T-Shirt and on the back
the kanji for rice!
Its an unusual and fun fit thatll turn heads on the street, but Mr Sato will soon have a nice dinner at the cafeteria to add an extra feel to the meal. Mr Sato would spend 650 yen if he stayed somewhere, but for now hell have to make do with the school cafeteria for adults in Shinjuku.
Afu Shokudo / Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku 1-2-1, Kasumigaseki Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Main Building B1F 1-2-1 B1F Hours: 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Closed: Saturdays,Sundays, and holidays Website (Instagram)
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