I just had the best sandwich for lunch today. A cheddar-cheese tuna melt. Nice crusty bread that wasn't too hard, melty cheese and flavorful tuna salad. This probably doesn't seem like a big deal back home, but I find it pretty hard to get a good sandwich in Tokyo that I haven't paid a fortune for. Then again sandwiches here take on a variation of the theme that I would never dream of at home-- for instance, the potato salad sandwich, the spaghetti sandwich and the fried soba sandwich. The potato salad sandwich is not too bad, but in the eight years I have been here, I haven't tried the spaghetti or soba sandwiches.

Of course people should feel free to put whatever they like on their bread. But the above mentioned sandwiches seem like an over-loading of carbs, especially since it is considered a kind of faux pas to eat rice and bread at the same meal. I suppose other carb combos are a fair go. Then again, who am I to comment when I come from a culture that will serve potatoes and buns at the same meal (but not in a sandwich) and garlic toast with just about everything?

Still and all, it is nice to find a good sandwich when sandwiches are hard to come by. Most of the lunch options are a variation on the rice theme. I love the rice here (which kicks 5 Minute Rice's butt into the '70's) but it's great to have variety. That tuna sandwich was real comfort food and reminded me of home.

I should point out that they have Subway here. That isn't much comfort for me because for some reason, everytime I eat there I get violently ill. Too bad, cause it's pretty tasty. Apparantly, it's a genetic thing rather than an issue with Subway.