Rained Out at Kappabashi

When I was a kid, we had candy called Pop Rocks. It sizzled and popped in your mouth. Of course parents were against it, but we loved it. So, after reading and seeing Mana's description of a certain food item only sold at Ministop, I had to check it out. Lucky for me, there was a Ministop only a few blocks from where I was staying. So I was able to try their grape Halo Halo. 

Halo Halo is a specialty sweet that is a combination of shaved ice, jelly and ice cream. It is only sold around summertime, and the flavors do sell out. This was really interesting to eat! There was the cool waves from the ice cream, a feeling of juicy grapes from the jelly, and the "pop pop" fizz mixed in with the shaved ice. I can say Mana's Kitchen Aristocracy description of this was accurate. I look forward to trying another flavor, since grape is now sold out.

I needed that refreshing Halo Halo because the lives the day before were a physical work out and I was feeling it. Still, I wanted to get out since I only had a few days left in Japan. So I headed over to a place I had not been to before. Kappabashi Street. On my walk there I came across this Inari Shinto shrine.

Unfortunately I can not find a name on Google maps so I will have to do a little research. For now, here are a few photos, taken in the rain.

Graceful looking kitsune here.

A smaller shrine at this location.

Just a few sights on my way to Kappabashi.

I reached Kappabashi street. Welcome to rainy season.

I wasn't aware that most of the stores would be closed since it was Sunday. So I contented myself by taking a few photos of the more amusing places.

Heading back to the station I was lucky enough to see this view of Sky Tree. If it had not been raining I would have walked over to see more. But I was worn out from all the fun the day before. And thinking of dinner.

Getting back to Ikebukuro, I was hungry. And wanting curry. Luckily I had discovered a really small place that offered a lot of selections. I decided to go for the "Fish Butter Masala".

They offered me an extremely cold glass of Kirin beer. Seriously the coldest glass of beer I have ever had. And really good.

Papadum anyone?

Really big plate of rice pilaf. Which I did not finish.

It went really well with the "Fish Butter Masala". The curry was delicious. I may stop in here again in the future. I will have to think about what I want to order since they have so many items.

The place is Great India in Ikebukuro. Really small, and the guys working there, when not cooking, spend their time watching everyone on the street. But the food was good.