cook like a local Tokijo

From butter-soft seared wagyu to fruit and cream sandos, explore the dazzling night-time flavours of the vast Japanese capital

- BRENDAN LIEW

While the daylight shines on the Tokyo of the past, with its manicured gardens, temples and tea ceremonies, at night is when you see the Tokyo of today. Izakayas fire up their grills and the air fills with the aroma of meat searing over hot coals. There's revelry in the air as salarymen and women congregate over tare-glazed chicken skewers, fresh sashimi and long-stewed miso beef. Another table crowds over a tabletop brazier, searing butter-soft wagyu before quenching in garlicky sesame oil, then devouring it between gulps of whisky highballs.

Another Tokyo staple is the convenience store. In Japan this means stepping into a world of gourmet delights: a wall of 15 varieties of onigiri with fillings such as succulent soy-braised pork or chicken, carefully sourced kombu and sake marinated salmon roe; or a suite of sandwiches (sando) stuffed with katsu pork, teriyaki chicken, ham and egg, or even fruit and cream.

Past midnight, some tired, hungry souls are just staggering home. They crave something fast and tasty but healthy enough not to regret the next day - like a warming ochazuke of juicy salmon, a quick bowl of natto (fermented soy beans) with handfuls of vegetables to cleanse away any excesses, or the late-night classic instant noodles, dressed up but still ready in less than 10 minutes. These are dishes that work at any time, and bring joy and comfort to millions of Tokyo-ites every night.

Instant carbonara

There may be no better way to amplify the flavour of carbonara than this. By using a tonkotsu ramen base, the savoury pork flavour is intensified by the addition of the pork oil and the concentrated tonkotsu seasoning in the ramen.

10 MINUTES SERVES 1 EASY | LC

guanciale, speck or bacon 50g piece, rind removed