Bananas, 美食, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Fruit, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bananas In Shizuoka City! By Patrick Harrington

November 21, 2013 dragonlife 1 Comment

Guest writer, Patrick, here by kind permission of the cycling gourmet.
I must confess that I am no gourmet, but I do happen to live in the beautiful city of Shizuoka.

While taking a stroll through some green tea fields a few days ago (and this scenery is only about 20 minutes drive from downtown Shizuoka), I came across a very rare sight for these parts.

As regular readers will know Shizuoka is blessed with extremely high quality local produce, especially its fruit and vegetables, but one thing you don’t expect to see is a banana tree, and that is exactly what appeared behind the tea bushes.

And the bananas were starting to grow.

Green tea and green bananas, a certain symmetry, which made an already pleasant day even better.

Dear Patrick, as always thank you so much for your great insights!
Also read LOCAL, GREEN, SOCIAL AND SOCIAL, ATAGAWA HOTSPRINGS DAI ICHI HOTEL, ALL YOU CAN EAT/VIKING RESTAURANTS by Patrick Harrington!

Do visit Patick’s blog at THINK TWICE!

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-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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Shizuoka Sake tasting: Negami Brewery-Kinmei Tokubetsu Junmai Genshu Nama

November 21, 2013 dragonlife 3 Comments

Negami Brewery in Gotemba City have always been ahead of the other breweries in Shizuoka due to the fact they practically brew all year round at an altitude of 550 metres on the slopes of Mount Fuji, hence this very early shiboritate/just pressed sake!

the bottle as it is marketed!

Not only it is a tokubetsu junmai but it is also a genshu and nama, meaning it hasn’t been “manipulated”!

Rice milled down to 50% for koji rice and 60% for kake rice
Dryness: + 4
Alcohol: 16~17%
Bottled in November 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Dry and very fruity. Pears
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and very fruity attack backed up with pleasant alcohol and puissant junmai petillant.
Complex.
Pears and custard with hints of dry nuts/macadamia.
Disappears quickly on a drier note.
Almonds appearing with later sips with notes of grapes, dark chocolate and coffee beans.
Gets very dry with food.
Junmai petillant stays strong all along.
Calls for the next sip. Drinks like a dry white wine.
easy on the palate and tongue in spite of the high alcohol content

Overall: A superb and complex sake typical of Negami Brewery!
Will drink as a wine although the alcohol content is high.
Preferably drink it with solid food.
A sure value!

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Shizuoka Tourism Autumn Campaign Posters in Shizuoka JR Station!

November 21, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

It took a long time but finally the Shizuoka Government pledge to promote Shizuoka Prefecture Tourism seems to switched to action mode!
To all visitors (and residents) to Shizuoka City and Shizuoka Prefecture it would be time well spent to stop for a few minutes and have a good look at the posters the Government has put in the middle of Shizuoka JR STation for all to see!
And have a good look at the bottom of each poster which gives 3 good reasons to enjoy our Prefecture!
So let’s start with the first one!

The SL train running from Kanaya Station/Oigawa Steam Locomotive/大井川ＳＬ to Senzu Station and its hot springs in the Japanese Southern Alps is feature known of all train buffs in the country!

Sakura Ebi! Cherry Shrimps/桜海老 which are exclusively caught in the Suruga Bay in Autumn and late Spring are a delicacy that the Japanese are ready to travel a very long way just to taste fresh and raw!

Kunozan Toshogu/久能山東照宮 is a Japanese Natonal Treasure with the relics of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Overlord of Japan who retired to Sumpu/Shizuoka at the beginning of the 17th Century!

The second poster!

Okuni Shrine/小国神社 is a beautiful Shinto Shrine in the middle of beautiful forest in Mori Machi in Western Shizuoka Prefecture.
Now is the best time to visit it with all the leaves changing colors!

Hamamatsu Gyoza/浜松餃子are famous all over the country and are served in a peculiar crown shape with plenty of fried beansprouts in the middle!

For people interested in Buddhism a three day Buddhist Monk Life Experience can be enjoyed in Fukuroi City!

The third poster!

For Japanese hot spring lovers do visit one of the many hot springs by the sea in Kitagawa, Izu Peninsula!

And you cisit Izu Peninsula do not forget this is the season for succulent spiny lobsters!

For history amateurs visit Nirayamあ in Northern Izu Peninsula to have a look at the only existing ship gun foundry/hansyarou/反射炉 (Meiji Era) in Japan!

The fourth poster!

near Mount Fuji you will discover Kakita Gawa/Kakita River/柿田川, one of “Three Clear-Flowing Rivers in Japan”!

Shizuoka Prefecture is famous all over Japan for its eels/unagi/鰻!

For people interested in Shinto and Shinto Shrines do visit the Sengen Shrine by Mount Fuji!

Looking forward to the Winter Canmpaign!

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Soba: Shizuoka Native Buckwheat Noodles at Teuchi Soba Tagata in Shizuoka City!

November 20, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Friendly, attentive and informative
Equipment & Facilities: Very clean overall. Superb washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Only native buckwheat from Shizuoka and rest of Japan used. Great use of local seasonal ingredients. Great sake and shochu list.
Entirely non-smoking!

Soba or buckwheat noodles is one of those underrated products in Shizuoka which ought to deserve more attention especially when you take in account that Shizuoka has produced its own soba for imemmorable times well before Tokugawa Ieyasu came to love them so much when he retired to Sumpu/Shizuoka in the beginning of the 17th Century!

If one needed a single reason for patronizing Teuchi Soba Tagata would be that Chef Osamu Tagata/田形治さん not only uses exclusively Japanese native buckwheat/zairaishu soba/在来種蕎麦 from Shizuoka Prefecture and elsewhere in the country but also takes a rare pleasure extolling about his soba and other cuisine to whoever is interested or might ask!

Of course I ordered “mori soba” made with native buckwheat grown in the mountains of Iwata in Central Shizuoka prefecture!
But I can assure it is not all about soba but more true Japanese gastronomy!

You could always order a set menu but poring through the menu and choosing tidbits according to your whims is far more fun!

The place is superbly clean but the dark wood color does not make photography easy! LOL

What I enjoy at soba restaurants is looking at all the utensils served a few at a time, a good indication of the level of the establishment!

On my next visit i will have to ask what secret brew is hidden inside that pot!

The “mori soba” have come!

Now, this lacquered box is a “mempa bento box” made only with cherry wood from Ikawa in the north of Shizuoka City!

Soba made with native buckwheat from Ikawa, Shizuoka City as a “juwari/100%”!
Absolutely beautiful!

Actually, Teuchi Soba Tagata in Shizuoka City is not only famed for their soba and cuisine but also for the superb sake (including Shizuoka, of course) and its beautiful shochu which also includes a beauty from Shizuoka Prefecture!
The above is sake brewed by Haginishiki Brewery in Shizuoka City!

Deep-fried rekon/lotus roots grown in Asabata, Shizuoka City!

Now, this is a bit special: these sato imo/taro roots are a native variety grown for centuries in Ikawa!
Served as tempura with a special miso paste, a must try!

Soba yu/soba soup to mix with whatever soupstock/soba sauce you have left and drink to wash down your meal!

I had to try another favorite: soba miso yaki!

Buckwheat seeds grilled with miso paste!

The last details are so important!
Wine-stewed figs and ice-cream!

More coming soon!

TEUCHI SOBA TAGARA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 2-6-7
Tel.: 054-250-8555
Opening hours: 11:30~13:30, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Mondays and Thursday lunch
Parties welcome
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE
Entirely non-smoking!

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Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 4

November 20, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Fire Department water hydrant manhole cover in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

I already know of many blogging friends in Japan taking pictures of manhole covers all over this country.
The reason is simple enough: as there is little chance of them being stolen (I can’t say the same thing back in our countries!) the local/municipal government often use them as touristic advertisements !

I keep on looking for them during my many travels through the Prefecture.
I must admit this time I have become a bit “technical” but I supposed it is needed!

Another municipal (probably electricity) manhole cover blended wit its pavement surroundings!

i discovered this slightly surprising one in Kikugawa City belonging to the big private National Electric Company!
It states that it can bear up to 250 kg from human pedestrians!
I’ll have to call a sumo wrestler to check that!

I found this one bearing another foundry name inside Kikugawa JR Station!

Kojima Seisakusho Co!

A new pattern found in Okitsu, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

An old surviving pattern and shape used when Shimizu Ku was still Shimizu City!

Another foundry Company found in Okitsu, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Kaneso Company!

A different and ancient pattern I discovered near my home in Aoi ku, Shiuoka City!

I also found this one near my g\home with still another company name!
It seems there is a lot of competition for making them!

Osaka Drainage Industries Co. Ltd!
Now that comes from far away!

Interesting seal!

These day new manhole covers tend to become more inconspicuous as the city have them blended into the pavements patterns such as this one above and the three following I found lining up along renovated Komagata Street in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

“Double-door” manhole cover from Chubu Electrics Company!

NTT/National Telephone & Telegraph cables!

Another one from Chubu Electrics Company!

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Wall Paintings in Okitsu, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

November 20, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

I was walking back from Seikenji Temple (report coming!) to Okitsu JR Station when I felt the pangs of hunger.
As most restaurants were closed for lunch on that day in this neighborhood I decide to see what a local supermarket had to offer when I espied a wall painting in the distance!
I couldn’t investigate it as I don’t know when I will be able to come back to Okitsu!

It had been painted quite a while ago but I suspect that the government is Shimizu Ku is behind it and probably had it done before they were merged into Shizuoka City!

Just before the “Map” Mount Fuji and various fish had been painted.
I’ll show you later why Mount Fuji was so prominent!
As for the fish Shimizu is a major fishing harbor (it also has a major industrial harbor!)!

I carefully checked and the fish represented there are really fish caught offshore!

Right half of the picture:
Interestingly enough most of the fish are solitary!
Can you recognize them: True Seabream, File Fish, Puff Fish/Globe Fish, Scabbard Fish, Grouper, etc.

Left half of the picture:
Here the fish are mostly in pairs!
Can you recognize them: Grey Seabream, True Seabream, Horse mackerel, etc.

Crabs!
We do have quite a few in the Suruga Bay, and some very rare!

The Map!

The right half also featuring local products, such as citruses and tea!

The Okitsu River is famous for its wild Ayu trouts!

The right half with plenty of oranges!

Can you see it?

Mount Fuji beyond the supermarket!

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Tip of Mount Fuji at Okitsu Station, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

November 19, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

This is a season to keep your eyes well open as the cold and crisp air helps with photography when the sky is cloudless!

mount has a knack to turn out in some interesting places!
I caught it from Platform 1 (you can’t from the others!) at Okitsu Station in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!
I’m sure to come with more as I often take the train across the Prefecture!

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Weird Japan 39: Baked Heart!

November 19, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Talk of half-baked jokes!
I discovered this I went out of Okitsu Station in Shimizu, Shizuoka City!

Mind it seemed to be a decent enough bakery which goes as far as announcing the baking times of its various breads and cakes!
No wonder!
They probably meant “baked with a heart”! LOL

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Recommended Lunch Restaurants In Shizuoka Prefecture: Asian (November 2013)

November 19, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Bain Seo, the Vietnamese equivalent, but a lot lighter, of a Japanese okonomiyaki at Annam, Shizuoka City!

Many people only have time to visit restaurants at lunch and it is certainly not easy to find a restaurant with a better lunch with all those cheap diners around!
Here is the sixth installment of a series of reports on recommended lunch restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture which will be classified as follows:
-French
-Italian
-Western (American, European, et al)
-Japanese
-Asian
-Vegan & Vegetarian
-Ethnic
-Healthy
-For families

NAMASTE NIPPON

Service: Very friendly, polite and smiling
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean overall. Spacious washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A great blend of Indian and Nepalese cuisines. More than sufficient drinks list. Vegetarian set or single dishes available. Very generous portions!

NAMASTE NIPPON Nepalese-Indian Restaurant
420-0845 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Oda Cho, 31-1, Ono Bldg, 1F (along the Kitakaido Street, 10 minutes walk from Cenova Department Store)
Tel. & Fax: 054-247-6775
Opening hours: 11:00~15:00, 17:00~22:30
Closed on Thursdays
Credit Cards OK
Paries welcome!
Take outs OK!

ANNAM

Service: Very friendly, smiling and attentive
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Superb separate washrooms.
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive.
Strong points: Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine prepared and served by Vietnamese staff. Great use of local products. Vietnamese shochu!

ANNAM
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Kooyamachi, 6-6, Mitduhisa Building, 2F
Tel.: 054-250-2266
Fax: 054-250-2323
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~22:30
Closed on Mondays
Parties welcome
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

SHIKINJO

Service: Friendly and attentive!
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean overal. Clean washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Authentic Chinese gastronomy. Great dimsung/gyoza in 3 different forms!

SHIKINJO
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo Machi, 3-21-20, Kawai Bldg 1F
Tel. & fax: 054-2742727
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 11:30~13:30 & 17:30~22:00
Saturdays, Sundays & National Holidays: 17:00~22:00
Closed on Wednesdays.
Parties welcome
10 minutes walk from Shin Shizuoka Station in Cenova Department Store

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Kura: Japanese Traditional Warehouses in Shizuoka Prefecture 3-Galvo Gallery in Shizuoka City!

November 18, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

“Kura” (in japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditonal Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.

I have been chasing “kura” in Shizuoka for some time but I had never realized that the most beautiful of them stood along my daily cycle trips in Shizuoka City!
There is a simple reason for that: I was always cycling past the front facade without bothering looking up!
And then yesterday as I was cycling around in search of a totally unrelated spot I espied the back of a grand kura across a large car park. Mind you, the car park is fairly new and lays in a spot formerly occupied by old buildings!

So I got off my bicycle, leaving my bag in its basket (Japan is so safe, but I realized later that was border limit!), and practically ran across the car park (not really allowed, LOL!) to have a closer look.
How could I have missed such a big kura (enormous by Shizuoka standards) and the more for it being built of ancient red bricks? The roof had been restored and the fact that red does not really stand out in the city might have been other reasons!

It is now owned by Galvo Gallery, a high end ladies fashion shop.
The great clothes in the display window tend to keep your eyes away for a more deliberate view of the building itself!

Since the windows upstairs are kept shut they probably use the upper floor as a storeroom!

GALVO GALLERY「ガルボギャラリー」
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 8-4/静岡市葵区七間町8-4
Tel&Fax 054-251-6611

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Traces of The Past….. (Shizuoka City, Japan)

November 18, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Japan is a continual contradiction. Or a dichotomy?
If you just keep looking out enough you will find an incredible amount of themes for photography in a country both so hit-tech and still so analog in all fields!
I was cycling (a good method to find “sites”) in Ryogae Cho and Shichiken Cho in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City when my eyes stopped on this big building that no one thought of cleaning a long time after an adjacent buiding had been pulled down to leave place for a car-park!

The traces left by the defunct building are so vivid that the facade seems to wear its own ghost of the past…
At night nobody woule notice but it really uncanny in the morning by a bright late fall day!

A zombie house?
Maybe.
Natural art?
Definitely!

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Soba Restaurants In Shizuoka Prefecture (As of November 2013)

November 18, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

TEUCHI SOBA TAGATA

Service: Friendly, attentive and informative
Equipment & Facilities: Very clean overall. Superb washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Only native buckwheat from Shizuoka and rest of Ja@an used. Great use of local seasonal ingredients. Great sake and shochu list.
Entirely non-smoking!

SETSUGEKKA

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: High quality soba. Beautiful tempura. Great local sake

SETSUGEKKA/雪月花
Shimada City, Hontouri, 2-3-4
Tel.: 0547-35-5241
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Monday and third Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking for lunch!

TAGATA ZAIRAI SOBA

Service: Smiling and friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Overall extremely clean. Superb washroom if a bit small
Prices: Very reasonable
Strong points: Only native buckwheat used. Good sake and shochu list

TAGATA ZAIRAI SOBA (make sure you understand the address as Tagata is a very common name for restaurants in Japan!)
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 3-3-4　(left of Tokai Bldg across the street)
Tel.: 054-251-0707
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~21:00
Closed on Sundays

SOBA SAKE KAWAKATSU

Service: Friendly
Equipment: traditional. Clean. Beautiful toilets
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Very fresh ingredients. Most ingredients not only local but sef-grown or self-raised! Local sake and shochu!
Entirely non-smoking!

Sake Soba Kawakatsu
426-0034, Fujieda Shi, Eki mae, 1-8-4
Tel./Fax: 054-645-1770
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Mondays, 1st & 3rd Tuesdays

SOBA NO MI

Service: Friendly
Equipment: a bit old but clean
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Very fresh ingredients. Old-fashioned atmosphere
Entirely non-smoking!

Soba No Mi
Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Kawabe Cho, 2-2-3
Tel.: 054-251-8000
Business hours: 11:00~21:00 (or until soba are exhausted)
Closed on Tuesdays and third Wednesdays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

YOSHINO

Service: Shy but friendly
Facilities: old but clean. Traditional
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: 10 wari soba. Good list of Shizuoka sake.

YOSHINO
420-0839 Shizuoka Shi, Takajyo, 1-7-10
Tel.: 054-255-3277
Business hours: 11:00 until they run out of buckwheat!
Closed on Tuesdays

KUROMUGI

Service: Friendly
Equipment: Old but clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: 100% soba noodles (ju-wari soba). Traditional Japanese Soba Restaurant.

422-8078 Shizuoka Shi, Suruga Ku, Satsuki Cho, 8-15
Tel.: 054-287-8539
Fax: 054-287-8309
Business hours: 11:30~15:00, 17:00~21:00; 11:30~21:00 (Saturdays)
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
MAP(Japanese)

IWA ICHI

Service: Very friendly and easy-going.
Facilities: Very clean overall. Excellent amenities
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Soba of course, but traditional Japanese gastronomy on the whole. Excellent all-rounder.
English spoken!
Non-smoking at tables.

IWA ICHI
420-01816 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Kutsunoya, 3-4-22
Tel.: 054-293-4151
Business hours: 11:30^14:00, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Mondays

TSUDONO ZARU SOBA

Service: Very kind and a bit shy
Equipment & Facilities: Spotless clean. Superb washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Soba! Very Japanese atmosphere.

TSUDONO Zaru Soba
421-2121 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tsudono, 514-2
Tel.: 054-294-1005
Opening hours: 11:00~15:00 or until the soba are sold out!
Closed on Mondays (except on National Holidays)
Car parking available
Entirely non-smoking!

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レシピ, 美食, 野菜, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Indian Gastronomy, Indian Restaurant, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Recommended Lunch Restaurants, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Nepalese-Indian Gastronomy: Vegetarian Lunch at Namaste Nippon in Shizuoka City!

November 18, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Namaste Nippon Nepalese-Indian Restaurant and its bright colors have been standing along the Kitakaido Street in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, 10 minutes walk from Cenova Department Store, and had often been recommended to me by friends.
I took advantage of free time at lunch yesterday to pay them a belated visit!

The owner and the staff all hail from Nepal but the chefs graduated from a cooking school in India, allowing them to combine the two cuisines with even a little Japanese twist at times!

Lunch time is particularly busy and they do have a hefty menu!
One can choose from set menus or single dishes.
I already know I’ll have to plan a few more visits!
A good idea, since they serve a great variety of drinks including Shizuoka sake, would be to g there for a drink in the evening and eat their food as snacks!

I chose the vegetarian set lunch which should give me a good idea of the chefs’ skills!
It includes a lot!

But first of all I had to taste a “Nepal Ice” beer!

Enormous potato samosa with vegetable salad!

It would be enough as a great snack in the evenings!

The Vegetarian Lunch Plate, which includes the aforementioned samosa and a drink!

You can choose 2 out of 3 curries (sorry, this is how it is written on the Jpanese menu! Mind they all speak fluent English):
I opted for the above “Parapanilu” spinach and cttage cheese curry!

Dahl/beans Curry!
The third one was “Alparaku” Potato and Cottage Cheese!

Turmeric rice!
One can opt for plain rice, too!

“Achar” home-made Nepalese vegetable pickles! Very tasty!

“Papado”!

And a great freshly baked nan!
Actually they bake many kinds of nan, chapati and so on!

I couldn’ help taste an Indian Legend beer!

Meet you in the evening there again!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Negami Brewery: Kinmei Yamahai Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi Genshu

November 17, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Now is the season for “Hiyaoroshi” that is the outpu of sake that have been pasteurized only once.
They could be considered as halfway between nama/unpasteurized and normally twice-pasteurized sake.

Due to its location at more than 500 metres on the slopes of Mount Fuji in Gotemba City Negami Brewery brews practically all year round, and this Yamahai was conceived during the summer partly with rice from Hiroshima and mainly from Shizuoka Prefectures!

The fact that it is a genshu/no water added and a junmai:no alcohol blended in means that this particular brew is the genuine product!

Rice:
Koji rice: Hatan Nishiki (Hiroshima Prefecture) milled down to 50%
Kake rice: Iwamizu (Shizuoka Prefecture) Milled down to 55%
Yeast: k901
Dryness: + 2
Acidity: 2
Alcohol: 18~19 %
Bottled in November 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden
Aroma: Assertive, dry and fruity. Almonds, persimmons, chestnuts
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry and fruity attack backed by pleasant alcohol and puissant junami petillant. Welcome acidity.
Complex. Oranges, persimmons,
Lingers for a while late hints of pears and coffee beans.
Varies little with food but for getting drier with more persimmons. Dark chocolate and milk coffee appear with later sips.
Marries well with food, especially heavy izakaya fare.

Overall: A very solid sake unusual by Shizuoka standards.
Obviously designed to accompany food, especially izakaya fare.
Although only a + 2 dryness is stated, it does feel far drier probably due to the comparatively high acidity.
A “macho” sake by Shizuoka standards to be enjoyed with oden for example!

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Wall Painting: 183 Popular Paintings in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City: 161~183!

November 17, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

No 161) Riverside Scene by “Tomoko and Yuko”!

SYNOPSIS

The other day in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, just as I was about to cross the bridge over the Tomoe Riverjoining S-Pulse Street and Jirouchou Street I noticed a long low wall on my left covered with paintings apparently left there by illustrious unknown amateurs!