Category Archives: 酒

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, 居酒屋

Japanese Gastronomy Traditions: O-Tooshi, Tsuki-Dashi, First Snack with First Drink at Izakayas

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Celery and seaweed fried in sake at Yasaitei

Non-Japanese are always surprised to see a light food dish coming automatically with the ifrst drink ordered at most izakayas in Japan.
It is called O-Tooshi/お通し or Tsuki-Dashi/突き出し in Japanese.
It is a tradition in Japan, but misunderstandings may arise as you will be billed for it.
It is not complimentary. In the latter case, the owner or staff will clearly say” Saabisu desu!/サービスです！On the house!”.
Now, why such a tradition, definitely somewhat alien to Westerners?
There are two ways to consider it, the positive way and the negative way.
Like bad and good surprises let me start with the negative way, although I’ve learnt not to be so in this country!

Vegetables, wakame and octopus o-hitashi at Yasaitei

The negative way:

The izakaya can adapt/arrange/recreate leftovers of the previous day/night and serve them for a profit.
It replaces the notorious “cover charge” in clubs and bars.
The unscrupulous izakaya (and that includes big chains in general!) can serve dead cheap food (frozen edamame and the like imported from China) and make an immediate profit especially if the establishement is large and busy.
You may refuse right away the o-tooshi or tsuki-dashi by immediately saying “o-tooshi Katto shite kudasai/お通しカットして下さい！” but you will have to be quick and you will establish a durable tight-fisted reputation among your Japanese friends or colleagues although Westerners might judge you as a sharp guy/lass…
Mind you, there are times when I do feel tp leave the thing untouched and point out later that I didn’t order or eat it, but you must be fluent in Japanese… In any case, I do not patronize such profiteering establishments!

Spicy edamame o-hitashi at Yasaitei

The positive way:

On the other hand, the real and honest, if still driven by economic reasons, purpose is:
First to enable customers to enjoy some food with their first drink while their orders are processed. After all for all the drink you might consume you still have chosen the place for its food (unless you are gravely mistaken!)!
Second, the o-tooshi will give you a very faithful idea of the level and skills of the izakaya (unless you are absolutely unlucky or made yourself a nuisance!).

Grilled kampachi/Amberjack with zucchini and tomato puree at Yasaitei

I personally make a rule to remember and record the o-tooshi served to me at my favorite (and expensive) izakaya and Japanese restaurants. They actually make for great gastronomic study and research. After all, a good establishment will rarely serve the same o-tooshi two days running!

Here are some samples collected in my favorite haunts:

Pan-fried spicy lotus roots and tuna at Hana Oto

Various o-tooshi at Takano

Tuna tartatre at Sushi Ko

Buckwheat tofu with kinako powder at Setsugekka Soba Restaurant

Sake-steamed cockles ar narusei Tempura Restaurant

Seared tuna at Waga

Next time you visit a japanese Izakaya or restaurant you will understand why the first impression is always so important!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2012/07/18): Fish-Tap 12-Year Annivesary Celebration

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Fish-Tap 12-Year Annivesary Celebration

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Sayuri and I opened the Numazu Fishmarket Taproom twelve years ago this week, on July 20, 2000. I will never forget that day. We were filled with nervous energy and driven by a keenly motivating fear — a sort of fear that I had never experienced before. The first customers of the day were, to no one’s surprise, the carpenter, Nagakura-san, and his wife Shoko-chan. Their presence was both calming and reassuring. The first beer poured was Hoegaarden White (Baird Beer wasn’t available until January, 2001); the first food delivered was Sayuri’s parmesan chicken salad. We were officially in the restaurant and beer business!

It has been a long and winding, arduous but enjoyable journey. I have said this on many occasions but it’s worth repeating: our greatest pride has always been the extreme high quality of our Taproom customer base. We are deeply appreciative of the sincere and loyal patronage of our Taproom customer-friends. Thank you for your long-time support and friendship. You are an integral part of the Baird Beer family.

*Numazu Fishmarket Taproom 12-Year Anniversary Celebration (Friday-Sunday, July 20-22):

We will be celebrating the Fish Tap’s 12th birthday this coming weekend, which appropriately enough, kicks off on July 20. Doors open at 5:00 pm on Friday, noon on Saturday and Sunday. Weekend party highlights include:

Debut of two special commemorative brews: Fish-Tap 12-Year Summer Ale and Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale.
Special food and beer menu with all items priced at 500 yen. We will be selling weekend Baird Beer and food cards with twelve stamps for 5,000 yen (12 beer and/or food items for the price of 10). The cards are valid exclusively at the Fishmarket Taproom and only during the three-day celebration (July 20-22).
Saturday and Sunday outdoor BBQ at the brewery (1:00 – 6:00 pm). Chris M will be grilling up burgers, dogs and homemade sausages as well as pouring a variety of specially cellared seasonal Baird Beers. Beer and food cards can be used at the outdoor barbecue.
Baird Brewery Tours: Brewer-guided brewery tours will be held both on Saturday and Sunday at the following times — 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30. Tours are open to all interested patrons.
CODE reunion concert — 7:00 pm kick-off Saturday evening.
New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
In conjunction with our Fish-Tap birthday celebration, we are releasing two commemorative seasonal ales to the broader market. Each is available both in kegs and bottles (360 ml); shipments will begin Thursday, July 19.

*Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale (6%):

Doug Benning was what we would consider a ‘founding customer’ in our Fishmarket Taproom. He first made an appearance the second or third weekend of our operation, visiting together with his wife, Miyuki, and fellow ‘founding customer’, Jason Block. That Doug was a curiously inquisitive and passionate person was revealed to Sayuri and me within minutes. That he was to be a life-long fan of the Taproom and Baird Beer, a future owner-partner in our business, and, most of all, an intimate and fiercely loyal friend, become apparent over the coming months and years.

Sadly, Doug passed away several weeks ago in a fashion as sudden as his life was intense. I understood Doug’s intensity perhaps better than most; we shared what my mother would have called ‘fire in the belly.’ We love Doug and Fire in the Belly is our beer memorial to him.

Fire in the Belly is an explosively flavorful ale, richly malty with a biting hop character. The aroma is spicy and peppery and comes courtesy of dry-hopping with four varieties: Chinook, Cascade, Motueka and Santiam. If Doug were here to toast his beloved Fish-Tap, this undoubtedly would be the beer with which he would do so.

*Fish-Tap 12-Year Summer Ale (4.5%):

There is a word for July in Numazu — sultry. The best antidote that I know to the heat and humidity, other than a dip in Suruga Bay, is a tall pint of a crisp and sprite, light yet flavorful session ale. This is what our 12-Year Summer Ale happens to be. 11.4 Plato of malty goodness (including strategic additions of rye, caramel-wheat and un-malted wheat) is combined with 15 BU of hop crispness to produce an exquisitely clean and refreshing brew. The floral nose comes courtesy of dry-hopping with a combination of Tradition, East Kent Golding, Santiam, Saaz, and Styrian Golding.

Please plan to join Sayuri, John and me, and our entire brewery and Fish-Tap team for a celebration of beer and friends and life and happiness, all of which will be abundantly present.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Traditional Gastronomy: Jisaku Restaurant in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Overall very clean. Superb bathroom
Prices: Expensive but still good quality/price ratio
Strong Points: Authentic Japanese traditional gastronomy. Rich sake and wine list. All the water used comes from own well. Main room entirely non-smoking. Smoking only allowed in efficiently separated rooms!

I sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to visit all the traditional Japanese restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture or even in Shizuoka City!
Most do not advertise themselves much as their clientele is definitely upper-class with the understanding that most bills are footed by companies as executive expenses!

Even the traditional entrance will not tell you much as the privacy of the guests is of utmost importance!

At least the sign is obvious in its simplicity: 日本料理/Nihon Ryouri/Japanese Gastronomy!
Mind you, the wine served there is French!

Once inside you find yourself in a true Japanese surrounding and atmosphere!

I definitely recommend any connoisseur to ask for a seat at the counter in the blessedly non-smoking main room where you can observe the chef at work and admire the products!

The unobtrusive non-smoking sign at the counter!

The sake (many local brands available!) is served in carefully chosen earthenware flasks and cups!

A new menu is brush-written everyday, but don’t worry the owners are very kind people who will explain everything with a smile!

Young chef Mitsuru Nanjyou/南條満at work!

This is a family Nanjyou/南條 affair with young and talented Mitsuru/満 san preparing the food, graceful daughter Atsuko/温子 san under the eyes of smiling mother Sumiko/澄子 san!
Was it not for the superb quality of the food, one could easily think himself/herself in a traditional Japanese home!

You know that ladies are at work there as the place is absolutely spotless clean in spite of its (modern age) 40 years of history!
Incidentally, they still exclusively use water from their own well dug deep in the earth!

As it was my first visit I had a bit of a hard time choosing among the many beauties written on the menu!
But I certainly had no problem ordering one specialty which has made the place famous!

Goma dofu/胡麻豆腐/tofu made with sesame seeds (very hard work!) served with freshly grated wasabi!

Naturally, the next order was sashimi!

Aji/鯵/Horse Mackerel (front), Hirame/平目/Sole and Katuso/鰹/Bonito with grated wasabi, ginger, chopped thin leeks and shiso flowers!

Now, what are these?

Cherry tomatoes in Japanese or tomadillos in English. So sweet!

Now, what was next?

Amadai sakamushi/甘鯛鮭むし/Amadai seabream steamed in sake!

Served with tofu and vegetables! True Japanese traditional cuisine!
So light, tasty and healthy!

And served in such beautiful earthenware!

The Amadai/Amadai Seabream, an extravagant fish even in Japan!

Aka Karei Karaage/赤鰈唐揚げ/Deep-fried Red Turbot!

They naturally serve meat too, but for once I found it a great idea to keep to fish, so superb it all was!

Except for the bigger bones all was scrumptious and disappeared! Fish at its very best!

Gastronomy to please Westerners and Japanese alike!

Instead of dessert I ordered an extravagant Chazuke: Tai Goma Chazuke/鯛ごま茶漬け/Tea poured over a bowl of rice and sea bream!

Probably the most famous comfort food in Japan turned into a supreme dish!

Actually, I was coesced into dessert: home-made youkan/羊羹/sweetmeat jelly, another so traditional dish in Japan!

To be continued…

JISAKU/治作
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Showa Cho, 1-1
Tel.: 054-252-2021
Opening hours: 17:30~21:00
Closed on Sundays, National Holidays and First Monday of the Month
Reservations recommended!
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Cards OK
Main room non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Barbecue, bbq, 牛肉, 美食, 酒, 野菜, 静岡市, 観光, 魚, 豚肉, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

B.B.Q. Gastronomy in Shizuoka City!

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The notion of a B.B.Q./barbecue in Japan is slightly different from that encountered in Western countries.
It is certainly organized with more precision and good service in mind!

Team Kumagusu is a group of like-minded chefs and friends who endeavor to promote the products of Shizuoka through different events. This particular B.B.Q., in its third edition, is the culmination of their efforts.
The number of participants (more than 60 this year!) meant that they had to change the locality of the B.B.Q. for need of more space.

SATO is a space owned by a local timber and architecture company up in the mountains in Ashikubo, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City.
It can easily cater up to 100 people with great outdoors facilities complete with washroom and shower!

They even have wooden lodges for kid’s play!

A view of the company workplace.

Smokers are invited to indulge in their habit far away from the crowd!

First of all let me introduce the characters behind the event by starting with Team Kumagusu’s leader, Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健也, owner/chef of Uzu Izakaya!

Takahiro Nagashima/長島孝博 (and his wife), owner of Nagashima Wine shop in Shizuoka City, the main back-up of the event!

Kazutaka Takashima/高嶋一孝, owner and master-brewer of Takashima Brewery (Hakuin Masamune) in Hara, Numazu City.

Yuusuke Tozaki/戸崎雄介, owner-chef of Hana Oto Chinese Izakaya in Shizuoka City!

Junya Kimbara/金原純也, second chef at Hana Oto!

Takao Shimura/志村剛生, owner-chef of Narusei Tempura Restaurant in Shizuoka City.

Masataka Mochizuki/望月正隆, owner of Kanzawagawa Brewery (Shosetsu) in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City.

Toshiyaki Horie/堀江利彰, owner of Horie Chicken Farm in Shuzenji, Izu Peninsula, the only farm raising Amagi Shamo Chickens!

The day had started under in dry weather but overcast skies.

When it started raining all the charcoal bbq fires could be safely moved under the eaves of the building!

The ingredients of the day were published on brush-painted sheets of paper for all to see!
It certainly made for great reading!
I will send more precise pictures on request!

Red Ore Tomatoes, real fruits!

Organic green and yellow zucchinis from Biofarm Matsuki in Fujinomiya City!

Fresh wasabi roots from Sugiyama Farm in Umegashima, Aoi ku, Shizuoka City!

More organic vegetables!

Plenty of extravagant sake served by our two local brewery owners!

Shosetsu/正行き brand by Kanzawagawa Brewery!

Hakuin Masamune/白隠正宗 brand by Takashima Brewery!

Warm sake for the connoisseurs!

The brewers had even brought water from their own wells for all guests to drink!

Shigeru Sano/佐野茂治 preparing a salad of nagaimo, potato and lotus!

Mr. Keiji Sano/佐野佳治 of Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City who had contributed his own products to the even biding his time!

The guests starting enjoying themselves in earnest in spite of the rain outside. Note that the majority are ladies!

These ladies never miss such an event (I know them well!)!

Grating fresh wasabi for all these guests required a lot of wrist work!

Toshiyaki Horie/堀江利彰 demonstrating how to prepare his Amagi Shamo chickens for a BBQ!

The kids were invited to prepare the sweets of the day!

Extravagant rainbow trout sashimi from Kunugi Farm in Fujinomiya City!

Superlative leaf ginger from Kuno, Suruga Ku, Shizuoka City!

The vegetables, tofu and fish served while the meat was cooking!

The Amagi Shamo chicken cut and ready to be grilled!

Couldn’t wait to savor it!

Pork sausages from Sanoman Co.!

Truly extravagant dry ice-aged beef from Sanoman Co.!

I had pinched an Amagi Shamo chicken neck to grill all for myself! Actually I couldn’t resist the pleas of some friends and gave it away!

Takao Shimura/志村剛生 preparing the organic vegetables and chicken tempura!

Corn and onion tempura!

Now, who is this guy in his cups? LOL (a good friend of mine, actually!)

No need to say we shall meet again next year same place, same time with even more guests!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Izakaya: Takano in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Old fashioned but clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Authentic traditional izakaya gastronomy. Local seafood and products extensively used. Local sake.

Takano is a venerable establishment which has appeared countless times on many a magazine all over the nation.
First opened in 1922 it is actually the oldest existing izakaya in the whole Prefecture!

Takano/多可能 (pronounce the last”no” short) is also the surname of the fourth generation although with different kanji/Chinese characters in the person of Susumu Takano/高野晋さん. Expats will be happy to learn that he speaks fluent English! (his hobby is rock-climbing!)

They even have their own crest!
Make sure to come early or book in advance as the place is crowded right from the moment the door is open!
There is barely space to move between counter, tables and tatami floors!

Open at 4:30 p.m. it is particularly full of patrons by 5:30 coming from the Prefecture Goverment offices and businessmen keen to confirm contacts around food and drink.
Interestingly enough the place is popular with single ladies of uncertain age!I wonder why…

There are of course many drinks to choose from but the sake exclusively comes from Haginishiki Brewery in Shizuoka City!

Even the bottles and cups come from the brewery!
Unusual and very positive collaboration!

The reason why Takano regularly appears on national magazines is that they serve authentic local food, sometimes very difficult to find such as the above raw shirasu/sardine whiting!

Their sakuraebi/cherry shrimps and vegetables tempura kakiage is a must!

The sake tends to disappear very quickly!
Do try the junmai ginjyou!

The sashimi is mostly local and only seasonal!

Aji/Horse Mackerel from the Suruga Bay!

Iwashi/Sardine and Katsuo/Bonito also from the Suruga Bay. Great summer fish!

Vegetable lovers will appreciate such servings as the Yaki Nasu/Grilled Eggplant/Aubergine!

Deep-fried onions!

Negima/Pork and leeks brochettes!

Tororoage/deep-fried grated yama imo!

More than half of the customers are regulars who sometimes come every night!
The reason is simple enough! They can expect seasonal food every day!

TAKANO
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koya Machi, 5-4 (5 minutes walk from Shizuoka JR Station behind Parco Department Store.
Tel.: 054-251-0131
Business hours: 16:30~23:00
Closed on Sundays and National Holidays

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Haginishiki Brewery: Suruga Yoi-Junmai-Homare Fuji

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Haginishiki Brewery sits on its own well in the Southern part of Shizuoka City, a short way from the sea and has the grace to share its own water for free with the locals!

They produce this particular limited brand in June every year and call it Suruga Yoi/Suruga stands for both the Surugay Bay and Suruga Ku/Ward (south of Shizuoka JR Station) while Yoi means “jolly good drunk”!

This is also a “nama/生, that is, it has not been heat pasteurized.
The rice used is Homare Fuji, a Yamada Nishiki strain exclusively grown in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Rice: Homare Fuji 100%
Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 3
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in June 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Vanilla, Macadamia nuts, dark chocolate
Body: Fluid
Taste: Fruity attack backed up by strong junmai petillant and pleasant alcohol.
Complex. needs quite a few cups to catch all the facets.
Oranges, coffee beans, traces of citruses.
Disappears fairly quickly on a deep dry note with nuts.
Turns very dry with food.
Very easy to drink especially with food.

Overall: A great sake for great Japanese traditional food!
Can be enjoyed slightly chilled, at room temperature or lukewarm although my preference was for room temperature in spite of its “nama” status but I suspect many people would appreciate it slightly chilled.
Another great sake for the summer!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Baird Beer, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2012/07/03): New Seasonal Releases: Cool Breeze Pils / Belgian Strong Pale Ale

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

New Seasonal Releases: Cool Breeze Pils / Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

July is the month that we annually release a Baird Beer summer seasonal classic: Cool Breeze Pils. Our beer cellar happens to be brimming with other experimental summer seasonal beers also. Today we are pleased to release one of these: Belgian Strong Pale Ale.

Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Cool Breeze Pils 2012 (ABV 5.5%):

Cool Breeze Pils is Bohemian in style, cleanly malty in body, coquettishly floral in aroma, and crisply dry in its snappy bitter finish. Cool Breeze Pils registers on the imbiber like a fresh ocean breeze does on the perspiring body of a mid-afternoon sunbather. Cool Breeze Pils is unfiltered and re-fermented and naturally carbonated in package where it has undergone an extended maturation. The result, we believe, pays handsome tribute to the glorious history of this storied lager beer style.

Cool Breeze Pils 2012 will be pouring from our Taproom taps beginning Wednesday, July 4. It also is available for immediate release in bottles (360 ml) and kegs to Baird Beer retailers throughout Japan.

*Belgian Strong Pale Ale (ABV 8%):

This Belgian yeast-fermented ale is big in gravity (17.4 Plato), strong in alcohol, and hoppily aromatic (dry-hops include six different European varieties — Kent Golding, Styrian Golding, Spalter, Tettnanger, Hersbrucker and Sazz). The bittering units (IBUs), however, are moderate at 30. This is a remarkably refreshing ale given its strength.

Belgian Strong Pale Ale is available for immediate release — in kegs only.

Upcoming Taproom Events:
*Numazu Fishmarket Taproom 12-Year Anniversary Celebration (Friday-Sunday, July 20-22):

Mark your calendar for what promises to be a fantastic birthday celebration. Weekend celebration highlights include:

Debut of two special commemorative brews: Fish-Tap 12-Year Summer Ale and Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale.
Special food and beer menu with all items priced at 500 yen. We will be selling weekend Baird Beer and food cards with twelve stamps for 5,000 yen (12 beer and/or food items for the price of 10). The cards are valid at the Fishmarket Taproom only during the three-day celebration (July 20-22).
Saturday and Sunday outdoor BBQ at the brewery (1:00 – 6:00 pm). Chris M will be grilling up burgers, dogs and other treats as well as pouring a variety of specially cellared seasonal brews. Beer and food cards can be used at the outdoor barbecue.
Baird Brewery Tours: Brewer-guided brewery tours will be held both on Saturday and Sunday at the following times — 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30. Tours are open to all interested patrons.
CODE reunion concert — 7:00 pm kick-off Saturday evening.
More weekend details will be forthcoming in the next Bulletin.

*Live Irish Music performed by Pat O’Connor and Eoghan O’Sullivan (Wednesday, July 18 at the Bashamichi Taproom and Thursday, July 19 at the Fishmarket Taproom):

Both shows will start at 7:30 pm. There will be a 500 yen music charge — all proceeds going to the musicians. If you enjoy foot-stomping Irish music, you will not want to miss these guys.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Doi Brewery-Ryou Ryou Junmai Ginjyou

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Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City is an ancient establishment that has been forcefully promoting Shizuoka sake for many years.
Their brewmasters have been coming from Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture for a long time and have helped the brewery earn a deserved name far outside the borders of our Prefecture!

Ryou Ryou/涼々 in Japanese means “refreshing”, and this limited brand is made available at the beginning of summer for this very reason!

Doi Brewery-Ryou Ryou Junmai Ginjyou

Rice: Yamada Nishiki 100%
Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in May 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Banana, dark chocolate, vanilla.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very fruity backed strong junmai petillant and pleasant alcohol.
Complex. Vanilla, melon, macadamia nuts, faint almonds.
Disappears fairly quickly warming up back of the palate.
Take a big turn to dryness with food with more almonds and Macadamia nuts.
Marries well with any food.

Overall: A very pleasant and elegant sake conceived for food in spite of its elevated status.
Drinks so easily. Tends to disappear quickly from the bottle!
Perfect sake for the summer as it can enjoyed slightly chilled, especially with food!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2012/06/20): Seasonal Release: Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Seasonal Release: Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

In the aftermath of a rainy season typhoon we find poetic justice in announcing the release of a seasonal brew that is distinctly summer and sunny — Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale 2012 (ABV 5.5%):

A summer mikan (natsumikan) is a grapefruit-like citrus fruit that is tart and sweetly sour in flavor and wonderfully aromatic. The only fruit to make it through the doors of the Baird Brewery, of course, is fresh whole fruit recently plucked from the land. Our summer mikans are Shizuoka-grown, right in the Heda orchard of our carpenter-partner-friend, Mitsuo Nagakura. The bounty of fruit is painstakingly hand-processed by the Baird Brewery team before its introduction into the brewhouse and cellar. You can taste the freshness and wholesomeness of the natsumikan fruit in each sip of this extraordinarily zesty brew.

The refreshing citrus character of Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale is not supplied by fruit alone, however. The natsumikans are complemented beautifully by deft additions of four citrusy-spicy American hop varieties: Summit, Simcoe, Cascade and Ahtanum. This year, in a departure from past versions, we fermented with our house Belgian yeast strain rather than our Scottish ale strain. This has contributed another layer of subtle spiciness. The quenchingly brisk and tart result is summer paradise in a glass! Who cares if its grim and cloudy outside!

Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale 2012 will be available on draught and in bottles (360 ml) beginning Thursday, June 21. Please visit a Taproom pub or local Baird Beer retailer while quantities last.

Please note: We have abandoned the 630 ml bottle for seasonal beers. Henceforth, all seasonal bottle beer will, like the year-round brands, will be of the 360 ml size.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

“Shizuoka Rice Comes of Age”-On Shizuoka Sake by Marcus Grandon

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All pictures and Article by Marcus Grandon.

Shizuoka sake has always had a a special place in the hearts of sake fans both foreign and domestic. Every year, a group of Shizuoka producers hosts a dinner party to showcase their latest offerings. This year is no exception, and marked the 20th consecutive year for the gala event, which for the first time was held in the Aoi-tower in downtown Shizuoka City.

Oumuuraya Brewery sake!

The party, attended by over 500 guests, contained a choice selection from a virtual who’s who of sake makers: Hatsukame, Shidaizumi, Isojiman, Kikuyoi (Aoshima Brewery), and Oumuraya (Wakatake) Breweries.

Oumuraya Brewery

While each and every sip from the various makers pretty much melted into the palate like liquid gold one after another after another, a very big piece of news emerged from the event this year. Shizuoka sake is known as the Champagne of Sakes for good reason. One of the key ingredients in making sake is water, and water in Shizuoka Prefecture is among the purest in the entire country. However, usually the rice used in the brewing process for Shizuoka sake comes from a different prefecture.
The Oumuraya sake company wanted to use local rice to create a 100% local product, and in recent years began experimenting with using local rice in their sake. Conventional wisdom says that it takes ten years for sake makers to produce high quality sake with a new rice. Wouldn’t you know that this year is the tenth year for Oumuraya to be making such sake? And guess what? It’s the bomb! I was able to taste the sake in this bottle, and it was a smooth as any sake I’ve ever had!

Ten years is the charm! People flocked around that bottle like white on rice (Sorry, but I just had to). The sad thing is that I missed the really good stuff:

Oumuraya Brewery sake!

By the time I got here, this bottle was all gone. Not to worry though, it can be had at local department stores for ¥10.500 per big bottle. Not cheap for sake, but certainly worth the price for a 100% local product.
My suggestion? Get it while you can!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

焼酎, 美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shochu, Tourism

Shizuoka Shochu Tasting: Takashima Distillery-Brewery: Dai Ippoh

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Takashima Brewery in Numazu City does not brew only superlative Japanese sake but also distill some incredibly extravagant rice shochu as well!
Their latest jewel is Dai Ippoh!

When you look at the simple calligraphic design you will understand it represents the nearby Mount Fuji!

Dai Ippoh/第壱峰 (old-style calligraphy) means “The First Peak”!

Alcohol: 25 degrees
Ingredients: Rice and rice malt

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Almost sweetish and spicy. Alcohol. Rice.
Body: Fluid
Taste: At first sweetish and complex attack.
Dry dark cherries.
Turns quickly drier.
Does not linger long in mouth or under palate.
Very clean, elegant and fruity approach.
Alcohol impact relatively soft with fruits appearing with each new sip.

Overall: A very elegant rice shochu which should be drunk on its own first at room temperature without ice or water for a true appreciation and taste discovery.
All the qualities and more of a superlative rice shochu.
Varies little with food.
At the most pour it over a lot of ice but there is no reason to mix with anything!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Chinese Cuisine, Chinese Restaurants, 美食, 酒, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Chinese Gastronomy with a Modern Japanese Twist: Quick dinner at Hana Oto in Shizuoka City (Late Spring 2012)!

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Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great general cleanliness. Beautiful toilets
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Great use of local ingredients in beautiful Chinese Cuisine. Great sake and shochu!

The Japanese have two concepts of the Chinese Gastronomy, the tradtional ones, especially with ramen, gyoza and the lot, and a modern one more Japanese as far as the creation is concerned but with Chinese-style condiments.
The latter has become a genre of its own allying the inherent qualities of both cuisines.

A typical example is Hana Oto in Shizuoka City, where it is increasingly becoming difficult to find a seat in spite of their moving to a larger address!

They endeavor to introduce and advertize local products whenever possible!
They have a special affinity for Japanese sake brewed at Takashima Brewery in Numazu City who also introduce local products such a edible seaweed on their labels!

Definitely the Japanese way to enjoy your drink!

The other night I had (would never complain about such a duty!) to pay them a quick visit for dinner with a couple of gentlemen. What did we order?

Spicy stir-fried tuna and lotus root with leeks!

Seared Amagi Shamo chicken bred in Shuzenji, Izu peninsula, whose feed includes local wasabi leaves and soy milk!
Sorry for the fuzzy picture, Hana Oto is a very dark place! LOL

Hot spicy vegetable salad, most of them organic from Matsuki farm in Fujinomiya City!

Organic Oura burdock root chips from Matsuki Farm!
Better than any fried potato!

Now, this is traditional Chinese gastronomy: Feep-fried pork meatballs! A beauty!

Alright, that was a delicious but very brief dinner, so let’s meet soon again there! LOL

HANA OTO/華音
420-0032 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Ryougae Cho, 5-8, Shin Kamogawa Bldg., 2F-D
Tel: 054-273-8591
Business hours: 17:30~24:00
Closed on Mondays

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 車海老, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tempura, Tourism, 天婦羅

Tempura Restaurant: Tempura Naruse in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly, smiling and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom
Prices: Moderate to expensive, but extremely good value
Strong points: Authentic traditional tempura gastronomy at its best with superlative products, a lot them local. Superlative attention and explanations!

There are not many great tempura restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture in spite of the abundance of superlative ingredients be they from the land and the sea.
But at least the best in the Prefecture, namely Narusei, would be on par with the best establishments in Tokyo and Kyoto!

Chef Takeo Shimura/志村剛生 originally hails from neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture and moved to Shizuoka City 10 years ago.

five years he finally opened Narusei in Takajo, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City and has never looked back since then!

The restaurant seating only 7 guests at a wide counter in front of the Chef is a model of traditional Japan all of warm wood and of incredible cleanliness enhanced by the fact that smoking is completely prohibited!

The fresh vegetables of the day!

Chef Shimura and his lady apprentice take care of the food while Mrs. Shimura look after the customers in a very efficient, unobtrusive and ever-smiling manner!

Chef Shimura uses a traditional but extravagant mixture of 90% sesame oil and 10 % cotton seed oil in two different pots at different temperature!

A great attention is taken for the smallest detail.
Pot of tsuyu/soupstock to dip your tempura in!

Great local sake served in earthenware!

Takeo Shimura at work!

I was so impressed with the earthenware that I forgot to take a close picture of the Makogarei/Turbot sashimi!

Crystal salt!

Two kinds of salt, finely chopped dry myoga ginger and freshly grated daikon to use at your discretion and to be replaced if used!

And also freshly pressed lemon juice!
Alright, what did I have for dinner, then?

Wara aburi aji/Horse mackerel seared over straw fire!

Mikawa Bay hand-picked Asari sakamushi/Cockles steamed in sake! Enormous!

Prawn tempura!
I had two actually, but everything was served one piece at a time!

The prawn heads as suage/deep-fried!

Ebi no miso no tempura/The brains of the prawns in tempura!

Aori Ika/Bigfin Reef Squid!

Eggplant/aubergine tempura!

Scabbard fish/Tachiuo and shiso tempura!

Broad beans Tempura!
When I mentioned that I love eating them with my fingers, Takeo Shimura replied it was the actually way to truly enjoy tempura!

Great teamwork!

Suruga Bay Amadai/Tilefish with its scales!

Aomori No Mozuku to Aori Ika no Mimi/Mozuku seaweed from Aomori with the “ears” of Aori Ika/Bigfin Reef Squid!

A second bottle of sake!

Grilled mekabu seaweed!

Shizuoka Onion tempura!

Hamaguri/Common orient clam tempura!

The best-ever fried potato: Shizuoka potato tempura!

Sweet green Manganji Toogarashi pimento tempura with dried bonito flakes!

Anago/Conger eel tempura!

Deep-fried conger eel backbone!

Anago no kimo/Conger eel liver tempura!

O-shinko/Home-pickled vegetables!

kakiage Chazuke/Rice served in hot tea with a kakiage tempura!

Kabosu citrus sorbet for dessert!

NARUSEI?
A special place for a special occasion!

TEMPURA NARUSE-てんぷら成生
420-0839 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 2-5-12
Tel.: 054-273-0703
Opening hours: 17:30~22:00
Reservations highly recommended
Closed on Mondays
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Gotemba City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, seafood, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Tourism, 御殿場市

Sushi Restaurant: Myouken in Gotemba City!

2 Comments

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Great general cleanliness. Superb washroom.
Prices: Reasonable~slightly expensive
Strong points: Oshizushi, local sake, traditional Japanese gastronomy.

The other day when I went to interview a local soy sauce maker in Gotemba City (article coming soon) I found myself with plenty of time at noon and decided to explore the vicinity of the Gotemba JR Station!

A few minutes walk away from the station I found this sign announcing Myouken/妙見, a local sushi restaurant…

Gotemba City at the foot of Mount Fuji is quite far from the sea, but you never know, so let’s have better look…

Founded in 1935! Now, that sounds as a venerable establishment but it had obviously been recently redecorated…

I had noticed one very important detail which encouraged me to enter the restaurant… but let’s take a picture first!

Remarkable decoration of the “lobby” created with real local rice stalks!

Now, these are delicious-looking take-aways!
Remember that Gotemba City is famous for its outlets with a lot of visitors from Tokyo!

Modern seating at the wide counter!

Beautiful Japanese tatami mat room!
Actually, there are more private rooms, some of which can be made non-smoking!

The lobby decoration has the added advantage to offer some privacy even at the central table I had chosen!

The all-important detail which encouraged me to discover the restaurant: Myoken has its own sake brewed by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!

Now, apart of the delicious sake, what did I have for my first visit?
An enormous Hamaguri/蛤/Clam soup!

I opted for the sushi lunch set and one more local specialty!

The local specialty, a must: Fujinomiya no Benimasu Bougata Oshi Sushi/富士宮市産の紅鱒棒形押し寿司!
Rainbow Trout from Fujinomiya City served as pressed sushi, whole!
The founder of Myouken had come all the way from Nara City in 1935, a city famous for its pressed sushi!

For a better look!
I ate the lot, head included (I was complimented for that last detail!)!

The sushi lunch set!

From left to right: Chutoro Maguro/Tuna Chutoro, Tennen Hirame/Wild Sole-Flounder, Maguro Akami/Tuna lean Part and Aji/Horse Mackerel!

From left to right: Uni Gunkan/Sea Urchin as gunkan/mothership sushi, Ikura Gunkan/Salmon’s Roe Gunkan, Akagai Nigiri/Blood Clam Nigiri and Ebi Nigiri/Slightly seared Prawn Nigiri!

And for dessert: Local Japanese-style Yuzu/Lime Jelly!

Simple but perfect dessert!

As I have to visit Gotemba City regularly, expect another visit!

MYOUKEN
412-0043 Gotemba City, Shinbashi, 1983 (2 minutes walk from Gotemba Station Mount Fuji facing exit)
Tel. & fax: 0550-82-0142
Opening hours: 09:00~14:00, 15:30~20:00
Closed on Tuesdays
Credit Cards OK
Car park available

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 観光, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Kakegawa City, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Yamanaka Brewery-Aoitenka-“Jin”-Junmai

4 Comments

Yamanaka Brewery and its main brand, Aoitenka, are not much known in Japan and little away from the Western part of our Prefecture, but they certainly deserve all their praise in spite of their rarity!

This particular limited sake is called Jin/陣. “Jin” is a military term meaning “camp” or “position”.
In the old days the “jin” was marked with banners bearing the Arms/”mon” of the army overlord or commander.
The label features some of these “mon” for a beautiful design!

The “mon” represented with the bottleneck label is that of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to retired to Shizuoka (called Sumpu at the time) at the beginning of the 17th Century!

Rice: Gohyakumangoku 100% grown in Shizuoka Prefecture
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 2.0
Acidity: 1.4
Yeast: No 1401
Bottled in March 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity and fleeting. Nice alcohol. Cocoa, cherries
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up by junmai petillant.
Complex. Dark chocolate, coffee beans, oranges.
Starts soft to finish on a very dry note.
Becomes a lot drier with food with a predominance by oranges.
Dark chocolate making a strong comeback away from food, adding a soft note again all over the palate.

Overall: A sake obviously designed to be enjoyed with food but worth tasting both away and with food for interesting comparison.
Could be drunk at all temperatures for more fun and more discoveries.
A solid and dependable sake for all seasons in spite of its limited production!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery