How to do street food right in Tokyo, according to the locals

Fresh ingredient at Daruma Tsukishima Honten restaurant thereGraydon Herriott

Katsu curry is one of those B-kyū gurume classics that has caught the imagination of diners outside Japan – alongside ramen, udon, gyoza and okonomiyaki, a savoury vegetable pancake from Osaka and Hiroshima. Tokyo’s version, monjayaki, has yet to travel; ditto Spaghetti Napolitan, aka Japanese Ketchup Spaghetti, which was, the story goes, created in post-war Yokohama for American servicemen. I try it later at Hashiya Spaghetti, a father-and-son shop in Hatagaya, where it costs only £5.50. It’s sweet and sour with sausage, peppers and umami-rich ketchup, and genuinely tasty. It reflects the quality B-kyū food found in Tokyo’s neighbourhoods at prices that barely dent the budget.

“The beauty of B-kyū is just how accessible it is,” says Palace Hotel Tokyo’s executive sous chef, Akira Ota, as we sit down that evening for a steak sandwich in the Palace Lounge. “A B-kyū dish may originate in a certain town or region, but wherever it is offered, you can try it and enjoy it. I think of it as hometown comfort food because its accessibility and affordability make it part of my daily life.”

Ota tells us that our meal – Nick’s Special Filet Steak Sandwich – was named in honour of a guest who came here every week for more than 20 years for the dish. “For Nick-san this sandwich is like an old friend; whenever he thinks of it he is reminded of happy times in our hotel,” he says. “It’s wonderfully representative of the approachability of B-kyū gurume – it is the kind of food that lingers in our memories.”

How to do Tokyo B-kyū

Pass at Pannya Cafe CurryGraydon Herriott

Neighbourhoods to try

Certain Tokyo neighbourhoods are known for their signature B-kyū gurume dishes. There’s Tsukishima for monjayaki (Tokyo-style savoury pancakes) or Shimokitazawa for curry houses such as Pannya Cafe Curry. Hatagaya suburb has Hashiya Spaghetti restaurant, great gyoza places (including hipster spot Fil, which also offers coffee) and Torian for karaage, or fried chicken. pannya.jp; @hashiya_hatagaya; torian.jp

Ramen

With more than 5,000 ramen shops in Tokyo, noodles are never far away. Tsukemen Kinryu in Kanda is one of eight highly rated shops owned by the Koike group, each with its own ramen style. And there are recommendations on Brian MacDuckston’s website for bowls of ramen costing less than £5. ramenkoike.com; ramenadventures.com