Japan, Japan Gastronomy, Shellfish, Shizuoka City

Shellfish at Shizuoka Parche Fish Market!

April 7, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

I had been long due for a visit at the Fish Market inside Parche Department Store located at Shizuoka City JR Station!
It seems we are in a season particularly favorable for shellfish!
The variety will drive an expat crazy!
OK, let’s have a look!

Sudaregai/すだれ貝: Venus clam!

Tairagi/玉珧 (also called Tairagai/平貝): pen shell!

Shirobai/白蛽、白海蠃、白海螄: white Japanese ivory shell, white Japanese babylon!

Tsubugai/螺貝 (or Tsubu/螺): whelk!

Chigai/稚貝: small Scallops!

Hotate/帆立: scallop!

Hokkigai/北寄貝: Sakhalin surf clam (also called Ubagai/姥貝)!

Honbinosugai/ホンビノスガイ: hard clam, Northern quahog!

Umi Tsubo/海つぼ: Japanese ivory shell, Japanese Babylon（also called Bai (or Baigai)/ 蛽、海蠃、海螄 )!

Kotobushi/床臥・常節: small abalone!

Iso Tsubugai/磯つぶ貝: Small whelk variety Buccinum middendorff Verkruzen, 1882 (also called Ezobai/蝦夷バイ)

Isomono/いそも: Top-shell (also called Bateira/馬蹄螺)!

Asari/浅利: Japanese littleneck, Manila clam!

More Hotate/帆立: scallopｓ!

And to finish, more Hokkigai/北寄貝: Sakhalin surf clam (also called Ubagai/姥貝)!

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So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-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

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Craft Beer, Japan Craft beer, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Craft Beer: Aoi Brewing-Harumi　(2016 version-1st Batch)

April 5, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Last year Aoi Brewing produced its first Harumi craft beer, a fruit craft beer made with real mikan/mandarin oranges grown in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City called “harumi mikan”. Following its great success it will be brewed every year although the quantity is limited due to the restricted availability of the mandarins!

This year’s Harumi will actually be brewed into 3 different batches which are bound to taste differently according to the very difference between the harvested mikan.
The harumi used in this first batch were comparatively small with little juice.

Served on tap
Barley, Pilsner Malt, Maris Otter malt, Topaz hop, Sapphire hop, American Ale yeast
Unfiltered
Natural carbonation
Acohol/ABV: 5.5 degrees
IBU: 17
Production: 450 l
Bubbles: longish head, very fine bubbles, creamy, white color
Color: orange
Aroma: dry and fruity. Discreet. Dry citruses
Taste: deep, dry and fruity attack with just a tinge of acidity.
Plenty of green mandarin oranges.
Drier than previous brewed in 2015.
Lingers long enough on palate for true tasting before departing on more if a bit drier mandarin oranges.
Mandarin oranges will surge even more strongly with further sips.
Changes little with food but for the appearance of more and more dry mandarin oranges.

Overall: very elegant fruit craft beer.
Simply extravagant, although one might think that the following batches will be even better!
Should please ladies and dry fruit beer lovers in particular.
A craft beer for all seasons.
Suggested pairings: vegetable salads, mixed nuts.

Beer Junkie MOTEL

420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 11-5, IMAKKOKO Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-253-6558
Opening hours: 17:00~25:00, 17:00~26:00 (Saturday), 15:00~22:00 (Sunday)
Closed on Tuesday
Parties welcome
FACEBOOK

BEER GARAGE

Aoi Brewing Co.,Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyagasaki Chyo, 30
Tel.: 054-294-8911
Opening hours: 17:00~23:00 (Monday~Friday), 15:00~23:00 (Saturday), 15:00~22:00 (Sunday)
Closed on Tuesdays
COD, Cash On Delivery only for all orders.
MAP
FACEBOOK

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

Some Aoi beers are also available at Aoi Brewery’s restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely

GROWSTOCK

420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koyamachi Naka Building, 5F
Tel.: 054-293-9331
Opening hours: 17:00~25:00 (Mon.~Thurs.), 17:00~27:00 (Fri & Sat.), 17:00~24:00 (Sun.)
Parties welcome (reserve!)
Credit Cards OK
FACEBOOK

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Eels, Eels Restaurant, Gotemba City, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka Prefecture

Japanese Gastronomy: Eel Lunch at Unagi No Hirota in Gotemba City!

April 4, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Shy but friendly and attentive
Equipment & facilities: Old-fashioned but very clean overall. Excellent washroom
Prices: slightly expensive (Japanese eels are not cheap in Japan!)
Strong points: Eels! Seafood and yakitori. All local! Good sake and shochu list.

Unagi no Hirota Restaurant is located within walking distance of the north exit of Gotemba JR Station on the second floor of a somewhat derelict building dating back to the bubble era.
Most of the shops in the building are closed but Unagi no Hirota has survived, a good indication of its quality!

The place is busy even on week days, half with tourists, half with locals, who choose a seat at the counter, around the square central table or on the tatami floor.

I would recommend lunch in particular when the prices are more reasonable as eels are increasingly becoming expensive at restaurants serving Japanese eels, not the cheap imported Chinese variety!

All the eels have been raised in Yoshida Cho, by the Suruga Bay in Central Shizuoka Prefecture for the last 40 years and are prepared form live fish on site, ensuring a safe traceability!

Dragon with a smaller appetite had ordered a “Ieyasu” set lunch!

For a closer view of the main dish!

As for me I ordered the “Nobunaga” lunch set which included an extra length of eel!

My eels!

Side vegetable dish for good balance!

I particularly appreciated the fact that the skin (underneath) was more grilled than greasy as in other establishments, making it not only to easier to eat but also far more tasty!
Moreover the eel was basted with the right amount of sauce, not hiding the taste of the eel but actually accentuating it!

Definitely above average. No wonder it had been recommended to us by the locals!

Unagi No Hirota/鰻のひろ田

〒412-0026　Shizuoka Prefecture, Gotemba City, Higashi tanaka, 870-1, Fashion Plaza, 2F
静岡県御殿場市東田中８７０−１ファッションプラザ 2F
Tel.: 0550-83-3114
Opening hours: 11:00~14:00, 17:00~20:00
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit cards: OK above 5,000 yen
Check their FACEBOOK SITE for more pictures and information!

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Gotemba City, Japan, Japan Tourism, Manhole covers, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 39): Gotemba City!

April 3, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

A fire hydrant manhole cover type found in the whole prefecture but with the emblem of Gotemba City!

The other day I had the occasion to visit again again Gotemba City in the Eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture for the first time in many years and could at last manage to check all the manhole covers in town.
They are quite easy to discover as they all within walking distance for the station north exit!

This the main manhole cover symbolizing Gotemba City and remiding visitors that once a D 52-type steam locomotive used to stop there!

The same manhole cover in color (only a few of them!) with Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms!

This smaller valve cover is fairly new and comes into two different types!

The second type!
I wonder what the birds are?

Small white covers with the original design can be found in many places!
Otherwise many other types, both neutral and colored common to the whole Prefecture can be found along your steps!
Good hunting!

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Fukui Prefecture, One Cup sake, sake, Sake Brewery

Fukui Sake Tasting: One Cup Series 1) Nanbu Brewery-Hanagaki Junmai

April 3, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The other day a good friend of mine, Doctor Michitomo Kawahito brought me st of three one cup sake from Fukui Prefecture!

The set out of it package!

I started their tasting with a junmai called hanagaki by Nanbu Brewery!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15 degrees
Bottled in February 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: golden hue
Aroma: dry and fruity. Prunes, faint bananas
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and fruity attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Prunes, dry apricots.
lingers for a while before departing with pleasant acidity and faint ornages.
Varies little with food.

Overall: pleasant and uncomplicated sake highly suitable to drink with izakaya cuisine and haevy dishes.
Should please the dry sake lovers.
Certainly a souvenir worth taking around.
Suggested pairings: blue cheese, BBQ, yakitori.

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