Honest Bao

After conquering the world of deep-fried pork, it was time to level up to Tempura. Forget the soggy stuff you get with supermarket soba; to do this properly, you have to go to the specialists. It turns out that at this level, the difference between "good" and "legendary" is like day and night. 1. The Legend: てんぷら 近藤 (Tempura Kondo) When a place holds two Michelin stars and a monster score on Tabelog, expectations are dangerously high. Tempura Kondo in Ginza doesn’t just fry food; they essentially "steam" it inside a whisper-thin, golden crust. This was another level entirely. The tempura is impossibly light—the outside shatters while the inside remains incredibly moist. It’s precision engineering in edible form. My only "wait, what?" moment was the signature sweet potato. It’s a massive stump of a vegetable, and while it's famous, mine felt a bit overcooked and slightly burnt on the edges. Still, the rest was exceptional. Just be prepared for...