For a really serious food lover, dining at Michelin-starred restaurants is the ultimate dream. However, all good things come with a price. Most restaurants with Michelin stars are only accessible for the elite, because of the exorbitant price tags on their menus.
Would you believe that there are Michelin-starred restaurants with affordable prices? Yes, there is! In Tokyo, Japan, there is a restaurant called Nakajima, located in Shinjuku. Just a stone's throw away from the Shinjuku JR train station, you can bring in $20 dollars for a hearty lunch and you will be brimming with satisfaction and still get change!
If you see it with your very eyes, it's hard to believe Nakajima is a multi-awarded restaurant. The interior of the restaurant is nondescript, and it is tucked in a basement of a building in Shinjuku. What would make you notice it though is the usual throng of people lining up to get a taste of goodness from this affordable Michelin-starred dining spot.
To get a cheap good deal from Nakajima, it is advisable to go during lunch--as their dinner menu can be slightly expensive. Their set menu lunch only costs $8, and they often feature sardine dishes as their specialty. You can have it cooked in 4 different ways: deep-fried, sashimi style, grilled, or simmered with soy sauce and egg.
Even though the restaurant is always filled with people lining up for lunch, the service at Nakajima is extremely efficient. You don't need to wait long outside to get your turn, and while waiting, servers will already get your order so that when you get your seat you don't need to wait a few more minutes for your meal to be served. Another tip: request to be seated at the counter, so that you could watch the chef prepare the dishes. They're really nice to look at!
Everyone who has been in Nakajima has nothing but praise for the quality of the food and the extreme affordability of their dishes. Tokyo is full of Michelin-starred restaurants, but this place is one of the most famous when it comes to being cheap but brimming with super high quality. When in Tokyo, come try it out for yourself.
