so you think godzilla would kick gamera's ass (who wouldn't? even mothra would be a 3-1 favorite...), you relish the gatling-produced carnage of 'spriggan', and your favorite character in dbz is piccolo. that's right, it's time for you to skip the chinese/japanese/american dinner buffet at fortune garden and head to a place that puts the yo in tokyo.

kawasaki is for you, japan lover, and whether you practice shinto or not, the food here is top of the line. from real sake (not the crappy stuff that tastes like tequiza gone bad) to service that practically seems deferential, no other japanese place in town comes as close to recreating an authentic vibe. sure, the menu's nearly incomprehensible (if you want to be specific rather than just let the chef choose your sashimi) and when my comrades went there last, it took us about ten minutes to get seated even though there were only two people in the entire place - it still doesn't matter. because the sushi is without peer, the atmosphere feels cramped even for dc, and you feel like a outsider from step one.

no exoticizing the other here, my friend, and no scrimping on the tip, because you should pay by the bows. it starts pricey and ends outrageous (but who could leave without three bottles under a personal belt?) but you will enter the muggy district climate feeling as refreshed as an 18th century englishman leaving feudal japan. so press pause on your region 2 version of 'yojimbo' and join me down at kawasaki. even complete cell needs to take time off, right?