Category Archives: 観光

Vegetarian Cuisine: Shizuoka Agricultural Products at CAPU

Service: Very friendly
Facilities: old but clean
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Vegetarian and ethnic cuisine. Easy-going atmosphere for all ages and trends. Home-made umeshu and biscuits.
Non-smoking on Second Floor!

In Shizuoka City (and elsewhere in Japan) many young people come up with interesting small cafes/bars/restaurants reminiscent of the hippy (and happy) years that most people have either forgotten or never experienced (I’m becoming to feel like an old, but happy, geezer!).

One such place is CAPU. It is not easy to find as the facade does not really reveal the interior and the purpose of the cafe. Actually it advertizes itself for food and craft.
The first floor is a real bric a brac with only a few seats.
But if you want to eat or drink away from the smokers go to the second floor (don’t forget to take off your shoes!) where you can consume at any time of the day.

Alone or with friend(s) you can choose your own (small) seating and read while you eat or drink (a good place to bring your own book!).

Lunch can be very busy, and as this is slow food par exellence you might do well coming in the afternoon.

Slow food and slow life. Not only ladies, but a few gentlemen do patronize the place.

CAPU both serves vegatarian and omnivore food, most of it ethnic (from Thailand to Western Africa and Mexico).
This time, a friend and I concentrated on vegetarian food.
I chose the above, Vegetarian Thai Curry.

All vegetables are cooked with coconut milk. Vegans can surely ask for their own priorities there.

Rice is always mixed with almost half a dozen cereals, making for a very healthy offering!

Cooked and raw vegetables are all seasonal from Shizuoka.

My friend opted for the West African maffe with couscous. Couscous and chick peas are obviously improted but it still contains plenty of vegetables from Shizuoka!

These very tasty vegetables reminded me of soft Indian curry.

But the couscous is defeinitely African. Great mixed with the vegetables!

Plenty of greens and Vitamin C for a well-balanced meal!

The dessert comes with the set menu and I know a lot of ladies who will find enough space for it!

Food & Craft cafe CAPU/カフエカプ
3-6-13, Tokiwa-cho, aoi-ku, Shizuoka City, 静岡市葵ときわちょうー6-13
Tel.: 054-252-5343
Business hours: 12:00~21:00 (Sat. & Sun. ~22:00)
Closed on Wednesdays.
Private parties possible.
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
With a Glass,
Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Soba Restaurant: 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!
no-smoking-logoentirely non-smoking!

Mototsugu Kawabe/河辺基次, after graduating from the celebrated Kyoto University decided to go back to its roots and help with his parents’ soba shop in Fujieda City. But he did so with a remarkable difference!

Mototsugu and his parents.

First of all, like many young people of his generation, he decided to go “local” as much as possible.

Choose you cup for your sake!

But he went one and two steps ahead: The soba served at the their restaurant are all made with buckwheat he grows himself in Fujieda City!

Yamahai Junmai by Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City!

He also grows most of the vegetables used at their restaurant and all the chicken served there comes from an average of 240 Ikkoku Shamo Chickens, a very valauble species in the whole of Japan, as they also specialize in chicken served with their soba and also in yakitori. He must be a rarity not only in Shizuoka Prefecture but in the whole of Japan for taking the pains of using so many local ingredients!

Japanese and expats alike will grow fond of the place for its traditional Japanese atmosphere!

A bottle bag from Sugii Brewery, Fujieda City! Soba Sake Kawakatsu serves no les than 6 of their brews!

I’m sure you will get tempted to take the bottle out and ask it to be filled!

As it was my first (and certainly not the last!) visit, I knew what to ask for: Ikkokoku Shamo (Chicken) eiro (chicken in stock with large leeks) Soba!

The soba are made with 100% own buckwheat!

One dips his/her soba in the broth and eats the leeks and chicken in between!

The dashi Tamago Yaki/出し卵焼き is made with the eggs of the same chickens!

Beautiful both in looks and taste!
I know quite a few expat friends who would travel all the way for it!

The restaurant serves not only 6 different sake from Sugii Brewery in Fujieda but also 3 different shochu from the same brewery!
The above shochu was made with buckwheat grown by Mr. Kawabe!

Kawakatsu Buckwheat shochu private label bottle!

蕎麦酒 /sobashyu means buckwheat shochu!

An to appreciate and finish my shochu. a beautiful plate of “okamisan no nuka zuke”/vegetables pickled in rice bran by his Mother!

Next time, see you there for dinner!

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
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Soba Restaurant: Soba No Mi

Service: Friendly
Equipment: a bit old but clean
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Very fresh ingredients. Old-fashioned atmosphere
no-smoking-logoentirely non-smoking!

It’s been some time that a lot of friends have advised me to pay a visit to Soba No Mi, one of the most-established soba restaurants in Shizuoka City.
I finally managed to find some time on this afternoon lunch to check on the establishment!

It is a bit small in spite of the large entrance, but it certainly looks authentic!

I love the sober-looking nore/entrance curtain!

Another large noren inside makes for a clever partition between the guests sitting at tables (12) and those sitting on the tatami at the front of the establishment (~8).

The menu was larger than expected, and I chose a favorite I can find in all soba restaurants worth their name: Momioroshi Soba and Tempura.
Notice that all soba are over 95% buckwheat, a pretty high level by any standards!

For lunch (except on Sundays) you will be offered an additional small bowl of rice mixed with buckwheat seeds. Tasty! Of course you will also be served some o-shinko/Japanese pickles.

I do have a rule of the thumb for any soba restaurant worth reporting on: they must at least serve one local sake!
After all, in Edo times people drank sake at soba restaurants!

Masu Ichi, Junmai Ginjyo by Masu Ichi Brewery in Shizuoka City!

The buckwheat noodles were served with colorful buckwheat sprouts/hime soba, and dry seaweed, finely chopped thin leeks, and plenty of momijioroshi/grated daikon mixed with chili pepper.

The tempura consisted of beautifully fresh kogomi/Ostrich fern (sansai/mountain vegetable) and succulent shrimps!
I ate the tempura as it is first (it doesn’t need any seasoning) with the rice. Later I poured the soba sauce into the soba and mixed it with the seaweed, chopped leeks and momijioroshi. I finished my meal by pouring some soba dashi (stock soup) into the leftover soup to drink the lot as a beautiful soup!

Definitely worth a second trip!

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Japanese Izakaya: Shizuoka Local Products at Bu Ichi!

Service: Very friendly and easy-going
Equipment: Very clean overall. Spacious and beautiful toilets
Prices: reasonable to slightly expensive, but very good value!
Strong points: Extensive use of local land and sea products. Great sake and drinks in general!
Map

I just cannot remember how long I have been a fan of Bu Ichi. It is the kind of establishment I always keep in my mind as a reference.
Why is that?
Simply because its Oyakata/Chef, Mr. Takeshi Satoh, attaches so much importance on obtaining the best products locally, be it from the land or the sea.

Not only food is chosen with an extra care but the sake (mostly local), the shochu and even the wine have been selected to pay full tribute to the essentially Japanese gastronomy served in a very friendly atmosphere.

There will always be a small detail to make you realize you are patronizing a true Japanese izakaya of a different level!

Since most of the food is local, you will not find anything fresher.
To cut a long story short, the other day I simply asked Mr. Satoh to serve me local food only, be it sashimi or vegetables.
Here is what we were served:

All the seafood came from the Suruga Bay!

Octopus/Tako/蛸, Hanadai (also called Chidai)/kind of grouper/とだい, both from Mochimune/用宗.

Isaki/Chicken Grunt/イサキ, from Sagara/相良.

For a better view of the hanadai (front)!

Don’t miss Bu Ichi’s tempura!
Fukinotou/ふきのとう/Giant butterbur and Na no Hana/菜の花/Rapeseed flower, both form upstream Abe River, Shizuoka City.

For a better view!

“Shizuoka Yasai No Moriawase Sarada, Wafu Goma Dressing”/静岡野菜の盛り合わせ和風胡麻ドレッシング/Shizuoka Vegetables Salad, with a Japanese-style sesame dressing!

From a different angle.
There were no less than 10 kinds of vegetables, all from Shizuoka City!

We finished that particular (light) dinner with a typical Japanese soup: Wakatake No Suimono/若竹の吸い物/a delicious light broth containing young bamboo sprouts for upstream Abe River in Shizuoka City!

We did accompany this dinner with a couple of great local Shizuoka Sake. Actually I’m planning to survey their whole range but that is for another report! LOL

Bu-Ichi/武市
Chef/Owner: Takeshi Satoh/佐藤武史
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-6-10, Dai 2 Matsunaga Bldg. 2F
Tel.: 054-2521166
Business hours: 17;30~22:00
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations advisable
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
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Italian Cuisine: Horie Farm Amagi Shamo Chicken at Aquavite!

Masaru Aoki opening the “sample box” sent by Toshiyaki Horie

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great and very large washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable to expensive. Top-class Italian wines. Private room for~8 people.
no-smoking-logo1 Non-smoking at counter!

Mr. Toshiyaki Horie had promised me during his interview that he would send me samples of the great chicken, Amagi Shamo/天城軍鶏 he raises in the middle of the Izu Peninsula, and I had promised I would put these to good use!

I finally received the samples by “cool box” delivery on Saturday morning!

Toshiyaki had already undressed the (enormous) chickens (I’m sure there were two of them inside!) and separated the “fleshy” parts from the “bony” ones!

I left complete free reins to Masaru’s imagination and just asked him to prepare some dishes he would prepare for his own clients at Aquavite.
That is what he came up with:
Amagi Shamo Sasami and Tomato Marinade.

The “sasami/breast fillets” were very lightly seared before being tossed/marinated with Little Summer Kiss Tomatoes (organically-grown by Shizen No Chikara Garden) with the minimum of seasoning. The almost raw chicken melted in your mouth.

Amagi Shamo Warm Salad.

The small turnips/Kokabu/小蕪 and wasabina/wasabi flavor lettuce/山葵菜 were also organically grown at Shizen No Chikara Noen.

The chicken having very little fat under its skin, the latter turned quickly a crackling brown when pan-fried, making for a very tender flesh and a crispy skin to be savored together with the vegetables for best effect!

Small flesh and skin pieces of Amagi Shamo sauteed with organic vegetables.

The carrot and very young spinach were grown at Nagomi Organic Farm in Fujinomiya City.
The small pieces were reminiscent of Japanese-style crispy karaage/deep-fried chicken! A great snack for wine (or beer, or sake!)

And finally the pasta dish!

The “chirimen” cabbage and all the other vegetables were from Chizen no Chikara in Shizuoka City!

The pasta are tagliatelle.
No need of any sauce I can assure you. Such a natural dish with the true savors exploding from the pan-fried chicken flesh and crackling skin mixed with the vegetables fried to a minimum to capture their essences and the softness of the tagliatelle. Extravagant and so simple in concept!

Looking forward to the next place serving this Amagi Shamo Chicken!

AQUAVITE
Address: 420-0034 Shizuoka Shi, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg. 3F
Tel. & fax: 054-2740777
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00 18:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

HORIE CHICKEN FARM/堀江養鶏
410-3203, Shizuoka Ken, Izu Shi, Yaguma, 296
Tel.: 0558-87-0644
Mobile: 090-7449-5655
Fax: 0558-87-0763
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

French Cuisine: Shizuoka Agricultural Products at Chez Satsukawa!

Service: Very friendly and easy-going, more professional in the “room”.
Facilities: very clean and beautiful washroom!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: French food in Izakaya style. Great sake and wines!

Fujio Satsukawa for all his experience is not afraid of new challenges.
Concocting and serving French food independently (our relation started before that!) since 1989, he is re-inventing himself with third restaurant which he had just opened on the 18th of December last year.

The concept obeys to the trends of the day with a combination of French bistro and Japanese Izakaya with a counter and tables in two different areas.

A collection of great vintage labels that a lot of officionados would like to lay their hands on!
It also means that he can offer both quality wines and top-class Shizuoka Sake with French dishes conceived either separately or as part of a course.

A cozy corner for patrons wishing for more privacy.

French gastronomy in a Japanese atmosphere!

Fujio Satsukawa gives preference to local products whenever possible.

Daikon, orange and pimento marinated in amazu/sweet vinegar.

Open vegetables quiche.

Now meat dishes are truly extravagant (and reasonable priced!): This grilled chicken comes all the way from Mr Aoki’s farm in Fujinomiya City! This chicken variety raised in our Prefecture is called Fuji Tori/富士鶏!

Shizuoka has been developing top-class meat for quit a while and a great part directly goes onto the Tokyo tables.
This pork is called Mangenton/満幻豚 and is raised by only two farmers in the city of Fujinomiya! This particular one was raised by Mr. Kuwahara!

For a closer view. The concept is definitely French although I had Japanese sake with it!

The roasted stuffed eggplant could be served in any restaurant!

Looking forward to start again a long relation!

CHEZ SATSUKAWA
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Kooya Machi, 4-9, Matsunaga Kooya Machi Bldg, 2F
Tel.: 054-205-5133
Business hours: 12:00~14:00, 17:00~23:00
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/04/11)

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Seasonal Release: Pacific Century Citrus IPA

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

We brewers of Baird Beer love the citrus character imparted by certain Pacific hop varieties. We also are fortunate to have access to a wide variety of fresh local citrus fruit here in Numazu. We combine this love and this fortune every year in the brewing of a special seasonal beer: Pacific Century Citrus IPA.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
Pacific Century Citrus IPA 2011 (ABV 7%):

In this 2011 version we have raised the bittering units to 75 and augmented our traditional use of daidai fruit with additions of Shizuoka-grown dekopon fruit. These fruit additions combine with several citrus-character hop varieties (Columbus, Motueka and NZ Cascade) to yield an uniquely fruity and refreshing India Pale Ale.

Pacific Century Citrus IPA 2011 is available in limited quantities in both bottles (633 ml) and kegs. Consumers can purchase bottles direct from our brewery online E-Shop (http://bairdbeer.com/en/shop/).

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

———————————
Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Vietnamese Cuisine: Shizuoka Agricultural Products at Annam

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Very clean and beautiful washroom.
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Authentic Vietnamese cuisine prepared by all-vietnamese staff!
Great use of local products.
Entirely non-smoking!

Owner: Ms. Le Thi Hong Vinh
Chef: Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Mai

Good authentic Vietnamese Restaurants are only found far and between in Shizuoka Prefecture, but here in Shizuoka City we are lucky enough to have the real (and probably the only one!) article: Annam!

It has become such a reference that they will have to move next June to a better suited location right in the middle of downtown Shizuoka in front of Nakajimaya Grand Hotel where they will find like-minded company.

Their menus offer a great variety and they do make a true effort to use local ingredients, especially vegetables. Shizuoka Prefecture being an agricultural treasure trove, it explains why we are blessed with so many top quality establishments!

Actually, they can devise you an entirely vegetarian (or anything else) repast given enough time in advance. By definition, Vietnamese food is healthy and one ought to sample its authentic form (as opposed to fast food oriented diners) regularly.

Since my work is to make discover restaurants that serve high quality, healthy and local food, it was only a pleasure to visit Annam once again, the more for it that their menus keep pace with the seasons!

As I was having lunch by myself I decided to sample at least three dishes and stay away from the carbohydrates!
My first dish ( a pretty long name in Vietnamese) was Sauteed Seasonal Vegetables.

Pan-fried with just the right amount of seasoning, the local vegetables including delicious Jew’s Ear mushrooms were scrumptious, cooked to perfection to allow you to enjoy their true taste and savors.
They also certainly made for great appetizing colors!

The second dish could have been called a “meat” dish, although the latter has nothing to do those big lumps of greasy meat served elsewhere: Sauteed Herb Beef!

The beef is cut into small enough pieces and wrapped in herbs before being fried.

The herbs will trap the beef juices and make for a really tender and delicious morsel.
It is such pleasure to pick the wrapped pieces one at a time with your chopsticks and have all the savors spread through your palate as you bite into them.

My last dish was Chicken sauteed in Lemon Grass.
A curry note was also added to them for the perfect spicy balance.

Everything was cut into the proper dainty size for maximum enjoyment.
I do agree some rice would have been welcome to top it with, but I said I was here to taste!

But I couldn’t escape a dessert: Violet Sweet Potato “Cie”!
A typical Vietnamese dessert, it is concocted with violet Sweet Potato, coconuts milk and tapioca. Just the right sweetness, and plenty of satisfaction without being overwhelmed.
Make sure you keep some space for one of these desserts!

Looking forward to report again in June!

ANNAM
420-0858 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-250-2266
Fax: 054-250-2323
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Monday (or next day if National Holiday)
HOMEPAGE
Credit Cards OK

NEW ADDRESS FROM JUNE
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koya machi, 6-6, Mitsuhisa Blg, 2F

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

French Cuisine: Local Shizuoka Land & Sea Products at Pissenlit

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products.
no-smoking-logoentirely non-smoking!

When one wishes to sample products both from the land and sea of Shizuoka Prefectures, there are many establishments worthwhile to visit, but Pissenlit and Chef Tooru Arima are certainly a top reference among them.

I recently had the opportunity to share lunch there with some friends, so let me describe what we sampled:

Organic carrot (Hirokawa Farm) soup for starter.

Organic spinach quiche and its organic vegetable salad. All organic vegetables used at Pissenlit come from Mr. Hirokawa’s Garden in Mishima (I will soon pay him a visit!)!

Some of my friends opted for the pan-fried suzuki/鱸/black bass caught in Sagara/相良 with its organic vegetables.

For a different view of the vegetables especially!

I personally opted for the fried/baked wild boar (hunted in Shimada City) in wine sauce with its garnish of organic vegetables.

A single will not give you a complete idea of the full dish, so here is one more!

And another one!

No so many explanations this time as I was busy socializing to note down everything, but I will make an extra effort next time!

No dessert?
Yes, but it was the same as in my last report! LOL

PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Shizuoka Agricultural products: Italian Cuisine at Via Del Borgo!

Service: professional and friendly
Facilities: Extremely clean overall and beautiful washroom
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Local products extensively used. Good Italian wine list. Private rooms available.
Private rooms can be made non-smoking with full isolation!

During the past 3 years, Via del Borgo and its Chef, Takahiko Katoh have established a solid reputation as one of the best Italian restaurants in a City and Prefecture replete with them. His secret is simple enough: top-class local products whenever possible complemented with top-class foreign ingredients and a will to experiment!

Chef Takahiko Katoh/加藤隆彦 and Manager Mieko Kozawa/小澤美江子

The service is all done with a smile great attention.
Do not hesitate to ask if something not available on the menu can be prepared for you!

The restaurant stands in a quiet district of Shizuoka City by a small park.
The place certainly looks more Italian than many!
So do come in and relax!

But before entering, do not forget to read the “Specialties of The Day” board!

On that day they had a favorite Italian wine of mine!: Mastremilio 2004 Villa Caprareccia in Toscana. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes.

Broad beans and Mozzarella Crostini for the appetizer.

The fish carpaccio was madai/真鯛/Red Seabream from the Suruga Bay with tomatoes pieces, pomegranate and violet daikon sprouts!
The whole seasoned with top-class olive oil!

The bread and others are naturally all baked in situ!

The vegetable dish was Organic vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm in Fujinomiya City. Cooked/steamed in “cocotta/heavy wrought iron pot”, they were served with a Baniacanda sauce made of anchovy, crushed garlic and olive oil!

Beautiful, aren’t they?

Chef Katoh is famous all over the city for its risotto!
There are always at 5 to choose from on his menus!
This superlative dish was made with broad beans and mozzarella!

Shizuoka Prefecture is steadily and surely establishing itself as a producer of top-class meat in Japan.
This pork comes from the west of Shizuoka Prefecture and fed with cereals: Enshyuu Mugi Ton/遠州麦豚 (“ton” for pork, “mugi” for barley or cereals, Enshyuu for the West of Shizuoka Prefecture!). A pork that many Italians would cross the seas for!

The pork and the organic vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm were simply grilled with the minimum of salt, pepper and herbs for the best flavors!
The orange “potato” is an Anno sweet potato!

We had enough for the day. The desserts will have to wait for our next visit!

VIA DEL BORGO
420-0034, Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 3-2-7
Tel.: 054-221-7666
Business hours: 11:30~13:30, 18:00~21:00 (last orders)
Private rooms available.
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

April 4th: No radioactive emissions found in Shizuoka Prefecture

No radioactive emissions today! All agricultural products in Shizuoka Prefecture are safe.


Original Report

【 Environmental Radioactivity Measurements Results inside Shizuoka Prefecture】
□Tap water radioactivity determination (nuclide analysis) results
【Sampling collection locality: Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Kita Ando】
Iodine 131: none
Cesium 137: none

□Radioactive fallout determination (nuclide analysis) results
【Sampling collection locality: Omaezaki City, Ikeshinden】
Sampling duration: April 3rd , 09:00~ April 4th, 09:00
【Observed radiation levels】
Iodine 131: none
Cesium 134: none
Cesium 137: none

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Hatada Garden Leaf Ginger at Yasaitei!

Ms. Aki Suzuki/鈴木朋, chef at Yasaitei.

I said in my previous article that there are many Shizuoka products worthwhile introducing not only to the general public but also to restaurants who work hard promoting food originating from our Prefecture.
Another such place is Yasaitei in Shizuoka City!

Like in the other article, after having interviewed Toshikatsu Hatada/畑田敏克 at Hatada Garden/畑田農園 in Kuno/久能 in Shizuoka City, I called Ms. Suzuki to tell her I was bringing fresh leaf ginger and I wished her to create some dishes with it to which se immediately genially agreed! Yasatei thus the second restaurant I visited on that day!

I had my usual (I’m a regular there, too…) glass of Doman Shochu (brewed by Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery in Hamamatsu City) with a snack consisting of kogomi/こごみ/ostrich fern in sesame dressing.

Aki keeps things simple with a respect for the natural taste of ingredients.
The first serving was the leaf ginger cut and served with red miso paste. A great snack for the shochu!

Keeping in mind I wanted something light to accompany the drink, she lightly fried in olive oil and a minimum of salt and pepper thin strips of leaf ginger, bacon and strips of yellow sweet pimentoes.

Great balance between the salty taste of bacon, the sweetness of pimentoes and spiciness of the ginger!

She was back in true vegetarian mode for the last dish:

A salad of very lightly fried strips of leaf ginger and cucumber topped with thin strips of raw radishes for an interesting and slightly piquant salad!

Did I say I was enjoying my work at Agrigraph? LOL

YASAITEI/野菜亭
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-Cho, 1-6-2 Green Heights Wamon 1-C
Tel.: 054-2543277
Business hours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended
Seating: 6 at counter + 14 at tables
Set Courses: 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 yen
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Hatada Garden Leaf Ginger at Mando!

Mr. Takeshi Hirai/平井武, Manager of Mando Restaurant

There are many Shizuoka products worthwhile introducing not only to the general public but also to restaurants who work hard promoting food originating from our Prefecture.
One such place is Mando in Shizuoka City!

Mando, Neo-Japanesque Bar, is the third restaurant of the BECK Co., Ltd with Cafe & Bar Cherry Beans and World Beer Restaurant GROW STOCK.
Mando is particularly interesting to me as they serve food in tapas style and are always looking for new products.
After having interviewed Toshikatsu Hatada/畑田敏克 at Hatada Garden/畑田農園 in Kuno/久能 in Shizuoka City, I called Mr. Hirai to tell him I was bringing fresh leaf ginger and I wished him to create some dishes with it. He genially agreed and I was no my way to his restaurant!

Mr. Hirai usually does not work inside the kitchen, although he is a fully-qualified chef, but he wouldn’t let anyone taking care of a product he knew, but not that of a producer he was aware of.

He marinated some of the fresh leaf ginger into hot amazu/sweet vinegar for later use, although it could be eaten right away as a snack with a drink, which I did. beautiful combination, like eating a dessert on a stick!

The Japanese love their leaf ginger fresh as they are with some miso paste. Mr. Hirai served some to me with white sweet miso. They didn’t last long! They go well with any drink!

He then came up with sawara/鰆/Spanish Mackerel (it the season in Shizuoka right now), fried with Japanese sake and a little yuzu koshio/柚子胡椒/lime pepper paste and served with a stick of leaf ginger marinated in amazu. Perfect marriage for a great fish!

Leaf Ginger Pork Belly Roll Fritters!

The last dish was a delicacy that Japanese and expats alike would kill for!
Using thin slices of Shizuoka-bred pork belly, he wrapped them around leaf ginger before dipping them in batter. The whole were deep-fried and served with a beautiful salt and pepper mixture.

For a different view!

Decidedly, my work for Agrigraph is becoming sheer fun!

Mando, Neo Japanesque Bar
420-0031, Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Gofuku Cho, 2-4-6, Mori Blg, 1F
Tel/Fax: 054-221-5103
Business hours: 17:00~26:00
Parties possible on 2F
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Japan Bazaar Supermarket in Shimada City

Aki Suzuki/鈴木朋 doing her Sunday shopping at Japan Bazaar!

Contrary to other Prefectures, Shizuoka Prefecture does not so much grow in large mass-producing farms but more in a myriad of highly specialized agricultural ventures.
Which means a lot of cooperation needed for marketing.
The good side of it all is that buyers can visit the supermarkets selling the products of so many small farmers in one single place for the pleasure and convenience of all, especially restaurateurs.

Such a place (there are many others of course!) is “Japan Bazaar” in Shimada City!
My good friend, Ms. Aki Suzuki, Chef at my favorite vegetables restaurant Yasaitei, regularly (that is, on Sundays) drives all the way from Shizuoka City to buy her ingredients there. A must destination for her when you realize they retail the products of more than 260 local farmers!

They even sell wooden fence poles and shiitake wood logs!

It is actually located in the middle of a very scenic spot in Shimada City next to immense tea fields and not far from the Oi River.
Now, let me show what they were selling on a Sunday at around lunch time (yesterday):

Flowers in pots.

Cut flowers for ikebana/flower arrangements.

Flowers is actually a major business in our Prefecture and all year round at that!

Leeks!

These little seeds on the left are actually gardenia/kuchinashi/梔子 seeds, mainly used as natural colorant!

Broccoli!

Winter/Spring onions, tender and juicy!

Shiitake mushrooms.

Daikon. I just couldn’t help taking a pic of that strange one!

These are daikon, too!

Great traceability!

Mini tomatoes.

Great eggs from Kikugawa City. Aki would come for them only!

Organic eggs from the same producer!

Shizuoka is strawberry country!

Potatoes.

Amanatsu/甘夏 oranges.

Pampeyu! The largest citrus in the world?

Suruga Elegant oranges.

Kintsuba/sword guard cakes.

Home-made bentos!

More of them!

Shizuoka Prefecture is growing more and more of its own rice!

Great traceability again!

Rice powder/Komeko/米粉, great for wheat allergics!

Home-made soap (not for eating!).

Home-made jams!

Tokoroten/Agar agar jelly and konnyaku jelly!

Shimada beef and pork!

Aki’s basket!

Traceability again: the hens that lay the eggs on sale!

Sake made with sake rice (gohyakumangoku) grown in Shimada City and brewed by Oomuraya Brewery (next article!)

(Farmers Market) Japan Bazaar
427-0111 Shizuoka ken, Shimada Shi, Sakamoto, 4245-3
Tel.: 0547-5505
Fax: 0547-38-5507
Business hours: 09:00~17:30
50-car park
Closed on New Year only

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
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Atami, The Hot Spring City of Yore 3

Atami resort harbor/marina.

Strolling in Atami City, that is in the downtown area by the sea can be interesting indeed if you know where to look!

Don’t look up but down for directions!

Difficult to get lost!

There 7 hot springs (including the one in fornt of the JR station), but I couldn’t find them all…

3rd one. Don’t put your hand inside!

4th one. The temperature was alright!

The 5th one. A little beauty!
I couldn’t find the last two. Pity, when you realize they have been used for hundreds of years!

The other major Atami attraction is the Baien Koen/梅園公園/plum tree Park!
It was created more than 120 years ago and subsequently doanted to the city!
let’ have a stroll!

I forgot to chck how many kinds. I can assure you you need a few visits to exhaust theme all!

Now, this is Japan!

Take your time and enjoy the sights!

Flower trees everywhere. You should come on bright sunny day!

A man-made waterfall! Great in summer!

A view from “inside” the waterfall!

Plum tree blooms…

Interesting tree…

Beautiful color!

Can you see the daffodils?
Spring is near and we shall to think and come back again in the summer!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi