“Please find a seat before ordering.” That was the first thing I read after walking into J.S. Foodies at LaLaport mall, not far from the east side of Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo.

While scanning the restaurant for an open table to accommodate my mom and me and our shopping bags, I noticed that the interior resembled a stateside food court. We chose part-booth, part-table lounge seating near the back and grabbed two menus.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a variety of offerings — from pancakes and burgers to smoothies and coffee — that would appeal to both kids and adults.

As a starter, we decided to split the fish and chips for 580 yen (or about $5.10). For our meals, mom chose the Maple Butter B.L.T (880 yen) and I settled on the Fried Chicken Waffle (also 880 yen).

Both dishes came with a side of fries. For drinks, we ordered water and a Coke, though I later regretted not trying one of those smoothies (400 yen). We ordered near the register and were given a pager to take back to our table.

J.S. Foodies has a noticeably calm and relaxing vibe. The music was neither too loud nor too soft. There were a few kids running around, and a gentleman worked on his laptop while eating his meal. A group of women chatted over coffee, smoothies and soft drinks. The atmosphere was a welcome break from LaLaport’s crowded and hectic shops.

The first food to arrive was the fish and chips. The fish was crispy but not too greasy, and steaming hot — so much so that we had to wait for it to cool before attempting another bite. The fries were thin, resembling shoestrings rather than chips. However, there were so many that we easily filled up on them.

About 10 minutes after we finished the starter, our entrees arrived. I saw this as a downside to the experience, but the food was worth the wait.

The chicken with my waffle was garnished with fresh parsley. The chicken was crunchier on the outside that I’m used to; however, this added texture and flavor. The meat was perfectly tender.

J.S. Foodies offers waffles with a variety of toppings, but I ordered mine plain. It was golden brown, crispy on the outside and soft and warm on the inside.

Mom’s B.L.T. came with a piece of paper folded into a triangle shape that said: “The perfect way to eat a burger is to bite into it.” We later learned that she was supposed to place her sandwich inside the paper, sort of like a taco, to hold everything in place.

Mom enjoyed her B.L.T. and said she’d consider ordering it on a return trip.

As we neared the end of our meal, we both realized we would be too full to finish our fries. If I could do it over, I’d probably stick with just getting a waffle since the chicken was a little too filling for me, and I am by no means a light eater.

I recommend that anyone — especially families — looking for a light lunch or fulfilling meal go in and find a seat.

Migrated