The Curry Trail

A boutique Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant with only six tables, BYOB keeps it affordable and Sainsbury's is directly across the road. Don't skip the poppadoms.

A neighbourhood wine bar on Broughton Street that does charcuterie and Scottish cheese properly. The boards are generous and well-sourced, accompanied with a bottle of house white wine (Chenin blanc) that proved they knew their stuff.

An all-day Leith spot that earns its keep from morning coffee through to late evening wine and boards. The meze-style sharing plates are worth exploring alongside the charcuterie; they even do a veggie board. Extra bread was provided throughout without us asking, which made it even better value for money and added an impressive touch to the customer service.

Our first ramen in Japan eaten late at night in Roppongi after landing. You order on a vending machine at the entrance and hand your ticket to the staff. The tonkotsu broth was deeply flavourful and umami-rich. A great introduction to ramen and a fantastic way to begin our culinary journey across Japan.

Located in Asakusa — the neighbourhood best known for Kappabashi Street, Tokyo's famous kitchen knife and cookware district. The tantanmen (spicy sesame ramen) uses Kobe beef rather than the traditional pork. The broth felt richer and more intensely flavoured than a standard ramen with a butteriness that meshed well with the intensity of the spice. This was a top contender for our favourite ramen during the entire trip and is an undeniable recommendation.

Japanese curry exists on a level of its own and this blew any Western-style katsu well out of the water. The portion was substantial and the sauce made for a thicker and tangier experience than the curry sauce found in the UK. Go Go Curry near the Tsutenkaku Tower is a no-frills chain nestled amongst the vibrant Shinsekai Lunar Park. Great value, unpretentious, and the perfect place to get a break from the bright lights and funfair craziness.

Napolitan pasta might not be the first thing on your food hit-list when exploring Japan but hear me out. Functioning like a standard ramen spot, you order on a vending machine, hand your ticket to the staff, and receive a plate of thick tomato-sauced spaghetti with your choice of toppings. We tried it with a fried egg, bacon and karaage fried chicken (yes, really). Served in an aesthetic that felt straight out of an old-school American-Italian diner from the 80s; complete with a red checked plastic tablecloth. It's a strange combination that somehow works, and the portion sizes are certainly built with authentic Italian heartiness.

Next door to Spaghetti No Pancho but might be worth a return visit to let the food settle. I had the skirt steak rice bowl, the meat grilled and slightly charred and served over rice with sesame and spring onion. Nothing short of excellent with a good mix of smoky flavour while also being super tender. We also ordered the roast beef bowl and it was exactly what it said: thin slices of traditional roast beef, draped over rice with a raw egg yolk on top. Like a Sunday roast but completely different.

We took a day trip from Osaka specifically to eat Kobe beef, which tells you everything you need to know about our priorities. The lunch set includes salad, rice, vegetables, a drink and your steak. The chef cooks it in front of you on a large flat teppan grill and asks how you'd like it cooked; with the results being degree perfect. Go at lunch for better value; it gets busy fast even on weekdays. The beef was the most tender either of us had ever eaten. It's on the more expensive side for a meal out in Japan but the quality, variety, and quantity make this a must-try if you're exploring Kobe.

Less a restaurant review, more a recommendation for an experience. Buy a bento box from one of the platform stalls at Shinagawa before boarding the bullet train. Ours had cold karaage chicken, rice with umeboshi and black sesame, tamago, pickles and a small pot of mayo — cold, perfectly portioned and eaten at 300km/h with Mount Fuji somewhere out the window. The self-heating bento boxes exist but are harder to find. We didn't manage it this time but will definitely be giving our thoughts once we get our hands on some.

We went on a Saturday night and the place was absolutely packed. The atmosphere is sensational with an undeniable buzz complimented wonderfully by the food. The yakitori is grilled over live charcoal on a robata grill and the chicken was perfectly juicy with a satisfyingly smoky flavour. Wash that all down with a Suntory "mega beer" and you've got yourself an unforgettable night out in one of Tokyo's most bustling areas.

Not food, but drink, and certainly worth a mention here. We went to a Nippon Professional Baseball game in Osaka on a whim supporting the Orix Buffaloes. While the team's performance left a little to be desired, we had a fantastic time sampling a wide range of ice-cold beverages served out of portable kegs worn by the staff members. Forget warm cans of Tennent's at Murrayfield — these were refreshing with a strong selection of beers, shochu, and whisky highballs for overwhelmingly reasonable prices. As people who always ask "isn't baseball just rounders", this is an experience we would happily go to again for the atmosphere, the crowd energy, and the drinks.

The Myeongdong night market runs along the main street of one of Seoul's busiest shopping districts and is exactly as chaotic as it sounds. Stalls sell everything from tteokbokki to lobster, even croc-shaped cookies. But we went straight for the Korean fried chicken — multiple flavours and sizes, from honey soy to spicy to cheese powder. We tried the garlic and soy: crispy battered chicken, sticky with sauce and garlicky in the best way possible. Worth multiple visits and make sure you stock up on cash as there's always something extra to catch your eye.

This is one of the more decadent options on our trip with a price that shocked us for all the right reasons. 5 star hotel, room service, ordered in a suite; it had all the early signs of an overhyped breakfast with an eye-watering price. What arrived, however, was far beyond the decadence we expected. Our own private dining table was wheeled into our room and, piled high atop it, a ridiculous selection of fresh pastries, breads, granola, yogurts and fresh fruits; oh, and the entire French toast we had ordered each that came lathered in rich maple syrup. Despite our best efforts, we were defeated with enough pastries and fruit left over for an entirely separate and satisfying breakfast the next morning. For the equivalent of £25, a price that would maybe get you an eggs Benedict and a coffee in the UK, this was a very welcome surprise.