Monthly Archives: May 2008

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Rouge Et Piquant: Classic Cakes (1)

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Rouge Et Piquant is definitely an off-the-beaten-tracks cafe/cake shop.
The opening hours (14:00~24:00) are definitely not the norm in Japan. Ms. Kanae Tunogai’s confectionery concept shows some courage and determination in a very stereotyped country in spite of all its creators. The accent is not on the sweetness, but on the true taste of the ingredients. So do not expect mountains of sugar or sweeteners. Her cakes are definitely for an adult audience in all the senses of the expression!

The other day I decided to order an old favourite: Framboise (Raspberry) Cake with Ice-cream.

The Framboise Cake is Framboise Mousse laid on a Genoise (Short Cake) base with Chocolate and Almonds Pranile to give it a steady solid core. The whole topped with Raspberries and a cut fof strawberry. Very precise and balanced work, and very feminine in its concept, although I’m sure macho males will fight for it!

The “ice-cream” is simply extravagant: Framboise/Raspberry Sherbet, Fraise/Strawberry Ice-cream and Banane/Banana Ice-cream balls with a syrup-coated Cherry Apple Slices artfully adorning a sublime Feuillantine Tartelette. Naturally all ice-creams and sherbet are home-made!

Memory Taste Girl and Rowena are going to kill me (into a sugar-coated coffin?)!

Rouge Et Piquant
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-Cho, 2-4-29, Aspis Bldg. 2F
Tel.: 054-221-4538
Business Hours: 14:00~2:00
Closed on Mondays

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Sushi Sets: Futaba Zushi

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Yesterday, on our way to The Taproom in Numazu City, Lojol and I decided to try some of the sushi this city is celebrated for. After some soul-searching we opted for a traditional Sushi Restaurant with a long history, namely Futaba Zushi.
As we had no intention to interview the owners and staff of the place we settled at a table instead of the counter and asked for one of the sushi sets as pictured above:

We were served:
– Akami/Lean part of Toro, Hirame/Sole, Toro/Fatty part of Tuna, and Ika/Cuttlefish
-Anago/Conger Eel, Ebi/Boiled Prawn, Tamago/Japanese Omelette
-Tekka Maki/Tuna, Kappa maki/Cucumber Roll
Very fresh, tasty and reasonable!

We decided to order a few more individual sushi from the menu as we were still hungry and did not wish to drink on an empty stomach.
We chose:
-Aji/Pike Mackerel-Saurel, Torigai/Surf Clam
-Kohada/Small Sardine and Uni/Urchin
Succulent!
And very kind service!

I definitely have to visit the place and write a full posting!

Futaba Zushi
Numazu City, Senbonminato Machi, 121-8
Tel.: 0555-9620885
Business hours: 11:00~20:00
Closed on Tuesdays

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LE CAFE-LABO: Traditional Cakes (1)

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Le Cafe-Labo in Shizuoka City does not produce only Classic Cakes but graces its customers with quite a few traditional offerings including an extravagant Mont-Blanc!

As everyone knows Mont-Blance has been called so for the mountain that stands in French Savoie (Rowena, Silmadeff, did you know it was in Italy until the second half of the 18th Century?).
At first, the cake really looked like Mont-Blanc. I still remember eating it as a kid. It consisted then of a small “mountain” of Creme de Marrons/Chestnut Cream topped with a “snow-peak” o Chantilly Cream.

But now, instead of the simple dessert it once was, it has turned into a cake the other way round: the snow has been hidden by the mountain!
Maybe Memory Taste Girl could enlighten me?

In any case, Le Cafe-Labo make their own chestnuts cream and cake with natural ingredients of the freshest quality only (with consequent prices, but still very good value!) and I’m not one to complain about eating the mountain first especially when it’s decorated by a home-made marron glace!

LE CAFE-LABO
424-0886 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Kusanagi, 46
Tel.: 054-3441661
Also available at Isetan Dept. Store, Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-Cho

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Shizuoka Izakaya: Villa d’Est Quisine (2)

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Last Monday, due to insistent requests from my “Monday Night Out Friends”, I finally could not postpone my next visit to this old favourite of mine, Villa d’Est Quisine in Shizuoka City ( 2 minutes walk from my work, actually!)

Toshiharu Matsuura’s establishement has always been a gastronomic experience to look forward to since September 1997 as his cuisine almost exclusively makes use of seasonal produce.


What makes the experience even more pleasurable is that you suddenly find yourself inside such a traditional Japanese setting with wood everywhere, be it at the counter, at a large table (very practical for long-legged expats!) or on the tatami (usually I don’t mention it, but the toilets are a little beauty!) and where all the food is served in Japanese pottery (The owner has many friends among artists!) with wooden utensils.

The menu changes practically every day, depending on produce avaibility in the local markets (I know where Mr. Matsuura buys his vegetables, fish and meat, and I can tell you you will not find anything fresher!).

It can be very simple such a green salad with parmesan cheese,

to fairly complicated such as ” Cold Shunsai Chyawanmushi”.
Although the oyakata works by himself and is very busy, he will always oblige and explain his cuisine.
This is a very rare place where both omnivores and vegetarians can enjoy food together!

As for the drinks he will please anyone with his excellent assortment of sake, shochu and wines.
Moreover he makes a point of serving Shizuoka Jizake such as the brews from Morimoto/Sayogoromo Brewery (Kikugawa City) and Takshima/Hakuinmasamune Brewery (Numazu City)! And do not forget he also has some organic drinks in store!

Especially recommended for ladies, couples and loners alike.

Villa d’Est Quisine
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 3-10-1
Tel.: 054-2514763
Business Hours: 17:00~24:00
Closed on Thursdays

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Real OMU-RAISU/Japanese-style Omelette Rice

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As I explained to Rowena in my last posting, “Omu Raisu” or Japanese-style Omelette is a very popular dish, hot or cold among Japanese, young or old. When I said that the Missus was not too keen on having her own creation pictured on this blog was because it looks so much better hot just served on your plate.
The basic way is to fry leftover rice with bits and pieces and seasoning, and preferably tomato sauce. But this is entirely open to personal preferences. When served hot, the omelette is prepared very much French style, elongated, thick and with a soft core.
The trick is to place it on top of the rice, make a shallow cut along the middle and let the omelette open and spread/fall over the rice!

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Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12)

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Today’s bento was very simple, but very Japanese in the sense that leftovers were used (The Left Over Queen might get interested!)>
The Missus had plenty of rice from the evening before:

She prepared “Omu Raisu” (Omelette Rice) by frying the rice with small cubes of chicken, tomato sauce and I don’t know what (I’m not allowed inside the kitchen then!). Then she made a thin omelette and covered the rice with it. She made a cut in the omelette to allow excess humidity to escape. Omu Raisu is a typical Bento fare in Japan (and the Missus was not so happy about my taking pics of it for the blog!) popular with children and grown-ups alike.
The rice amounting for quite a lot she added a simple salad with fruit.
I certainly had a bellyfull!

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LE CAFE-LABO: Classic Cakes (2)

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The Japan Blog List

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Following the greedy (LOL) comments of Taste Memory Girl and Rubber Slippers in Italy among others, I’ve decided to run a couple of series of cakes created by Shizuoka Patissiers which deserve a special mention. There are many actually, for the simple reason that our Prefecture has a sizeable population (4 million) and a mild climate propitious for lighter cakes and a larger scope of tastes.

LE CAFE-LABO is the kind of Patisserie which rests on its (deserved) laurels and always endeavours to reveal another facet of its chef’s talents.
A typical example is its new creation, Art Nouveau:

I will explain from the top this time:
-Coconuts Blanc-Mange with a couple of berries.
-Between two layers of White Chocolate Biscuit, pineapple, banana, Blueberry in fruit sauce.
-Pistachio Brule (pudding)
More of a cake for adults than children, it is particularly deliciously light and gratifying with the first heats of the year!

LE CAFE-LABO
424-0886 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Kusanagi, 46
Tel.: 054-3441661
Also available at Isetan Dept. Store, Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-Cho