C.O.D. — Restaurant in Tokyo

Tiny little place. Just one long counter. You sit with your back against the sliding glass doors. The music is very chill. First, it's acid jazz funk music, then blues and funk, then alternative British indie funk. Loud enough to dominate the atmosphere, but not uncomfortably. The speakers, mounted in all for corners of the tiny space, look homemade and they sound great. Perfect lofi chill music. The owner acts as digital DJ, constantly adjusting the volume and EQ, choosing tracks and projecting the now playing screen on the wall behind the bar.

He's super friendly. And even though he speaks very little English, he shows me the menu and recommends the avocado cheese chili dog lunch set. It comes with fries, a salad, and a drink. I chose a coca cola, because I want a caffeine pick me up and I figure it would go perfectly with the meal. It comes in a classic 10oz hour glass bottle...a very nice touch.

My food takes longer than I was expecting, but it looks great.

I dig into the salad first. It's delicious: green leaf and romaine with Caesar dressing, Parm and wild mushrooms. A few juicy cherry tomatoes add a burst of sweetness. Some pea shoots add some delicate crunch.

The fries are just ordinary Tokyo fries, the same ones you get almost everywhere. Thin-cut, crisp. They're fine. Nothing to complain about.

The hot dog is a deep beefy smoked sausage, long and thin, enveloped in chili--heavy cumin, and more savory and salty than the sweet tomato vinegar I was expecting. The gritty consistency of the chili's fine minced meat is perfectly complimented by the creamy large-diced avocado and thick-cut chunks of juicy red onion. The finely shredded cheddar congeals around it, adding creamy texture and perfect sour dairy flavor.

I ate slowly, because I loved the music, I was swaying in my seat, almost dancing.  A...

There is no doubt. Aoyama area was the center of the glorious era when the late 80's and early90's. Oh! Oh! What a Glittering Tokyo night!!

Meanwhile, I still remember the Master who worked quietly and unpretentiously without being swept away by the times.

At that time, the only type of hamburger that the master made was plain. In other words, bread, hamburger and ketchup.

I stopped my motorcycle, I order hamburger with beer, and talked about some silly stories with the people who loves the C.O.D.

The Bell Commons are gone now, but the glamorous Aoyama neighborhood and C.O.D at that time are still shining in my heart.

Time has passed. The C.O.D continues to watch over the people who...

Best burger in Tokyo

Having tried several of the better known burger places with a decent reputation, this stands out as my favorite in Tokyo.

I always go for the chili cheese burger, I'm always above and beyond happy.

The lunch set is about 1500-1800 depending on what you get. The portions are great so this is fine with me.

The fries with the burger are cooked exceptionally. Perfection.

This hole in the wall burger place is a step into a time and place where quality of food, service and atmosphere work together to make something outstanding.

Staff are friendly and spoke some English to me today.

Going anywhere else is a mistake.

My thoughts: If you want a burger in...