Category Archives: sake

観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Shizuoka, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Fair: 19th Shisa Heiya Bishu Story 2011

June 10, 2011 dragonlife 5 Comments

Junmai Ginjyo created by Oomuraya Brewery (Shimada City) with Hyakumangoku Rice, Yeast and water all form Shizuoka Prefecture (limited batch!)!
Courtesy of Marcus Grandon

On the 9th of June 2011 the 19th Shida Beya Bishu Monogatari 2011 was held in Yaizu City at the Hotel Ambia Shyofuku!
”大１９回志田平野美食物語２０１１” means “19th Shida Plain Beautiful Sake Story 2011”!

Welcoming 400 guests through the lobby!

My friend Marcus and I have been invited at the event for the last 4 years and we can afford (politely) to take some liberties.
After having gone through the reception motion we decided to take a quick peek before the official entrance!

Getting the sake tasting space ready before the rush!

Preparations for the meal by the hotel staff were almost completed!

Almost finished!
About time we made ourselves scarce!

The sake kegs from the 6 participating breweries in front of the entrance hust be fore the official entrance!

400 guests patiently queuing up…

Guests seated and everyone waiting for the official beginning of the festivities…

Isojiman Brewery in Yaizu City!

Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City!

Hatsukame Brewery in Okabe, Fujieda City!

Oomuraya Brewery in Shimada City!

Sugii Brewery from Fujieda City!

Aoshima Brewery in Fujeda City!

Still looking at the “wrapped” food before the brewers’ presentation…

Official speech and presentation!

And then… Tasting Battle Royale!

The yearly attendance by John Gauntner proves this is a major sake event in Japan!

The dessert was sakekasu/sake white lees mousse!

Growers of the Shizuoka Homare Fuji sake rice!

This emblem was created by a university student!

See you next year!
But before that be assured I will pay a few visits to these 6 breweries!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, Fujieda City, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Sugii Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Suginishiki Junmai Yamahai Homare Fuji

June 7, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

The beauty of Japanese sake (like wine) is that, regardless of the same methods, same ingredients or same skills, the same brewery will not be able to reproduce exactly the same brew as the precedent year!
And when it comes to making Yamahai it is simply, and luckily to my own mind, impossible!

Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City has never been afraid to experiment.
Once again they used the Shizuoka-grown Fuji Homare rice and brewed it with a yeast not from our Prefecture to produce a very interesting Yamahai!

Sugii Brewery; Suginishiki Junmai Yamahai Fuji Homare

Rice: Homare Fuji (100% Shizuoka-grown)
Rice milled down to 70%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 4.5
Acidity: 1.6
Yeast: Association No 7
Heated only once
Bottled in April 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue (normal for Yamahai)
Aroma: Dry and fruity: custard, macadamia nuts
Body: fluid and slightly syrupy
Taste: Dry fruity attack backed up by strong junmai petillant
Custard, oranges, almonds.
Stays very dry but fruity all along.
Lingers for a short while before leaving with a warm note and dry nuts.
Pleasant, although the final dry note might surprise a few people.
Changes little with food.
Further sips end with a dry note of apricots and oranges.

Overall: A sake conceived to be enjoyed with food, especially heavy izakaya food, the dry note compensating the heaviness of sauces.
Typical sake from Sugii Brewery, a favorite with food!

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

美食, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Tourism

2nd Great Shizuoka Local Food Meet by Nagashima Liquor Shop!

May 30, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Shizen No Chikara Organic Farm was participating!

A great consciousness of the merits, both gastronomic and healthy, of locally produced foods, drinks and processed foods has developed into a veritable revolution in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Uncountable events are organized and eagerly participated to all over the Prefecture, and one such event of note is the “Chisan Chishou.Shindofuji-Umai Mon Kai
./地産地消.身土不二・旨いもん会/ Locally produced and Consumed. Good Food Slogan and Association organized on May 29th by Nagashima Liquor Shop (Shizuoka City) at Fugetsuro/浮月楼, the former last residence of the Tokugawa Shogun Family.
Shindofuji/身土不二 was a slogan created in 1907 to exhort citizens to produce and eat local food!

Nagashima Liquor Shop was also contributing part of the fees paid by guests to help the victims of the recent terrible earthquake and tsunami in the north east of Japan!

As usual I came a bit early to check the preparations and take pictures of all participants before the guests would be in the way!

Amano Shoyu/a producer of great soy sauce made with the water of Mount Fuji in Gotenba City!

Local processed foods by Suzuyo Stores from Hamamatsu City!

Naturally the sake from Shizuoka Prefecture were well represented:
Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City!

Fuji Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

Eikun Brewery from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Sanwa Brewery from Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Kanzawagawa Brewery from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Suruga Brewery from Suruga Ku, Shizuoka City!

Isojiman Brewery in Yaizu City!

Hatsukame Brewery from Okabe, Fujieda City!

Oumuraya Brewery in Shimada City!

Morimoto Brewery from Kikugawa City!

Hana No Mai Brewery from Nishi Ku, Hamamatsu City!

Aoshima Brewery from Fujieda Citry!

Sugii Brewery from Fujieda City!

Sorry, but I did not have the time to take a picture of Takashima Brewery, Numazu City!

Shizuoka wine was also represented by Naka Izu Winery all the way from the Izu Peninsula!

Wines from Yamanashi Prefecture were represented by three guest wineries!

Superlative organic vegetables from Shizuoka Prefecture were introduced by Shizen No Chikara farm!

All the food, cold and hot, was prepared by Fugetsurou!

Roast beef salad!

Japanese appetizers!

More Japanese appetizers!

And more Japanese appetizers!

Chirashi Sushi!

I finished my round of pictures just in time before the guests made their entrance!

The place was soon crowded with more than 120 guests!

Some well-known faces!

Well, after that I was very busy for the next two hours tasting, eating, chatting and introducing many friends to each other.

At the end of the party Nagashima Liquor Shop and Kasai Izakaya expressed their sincere thanks to all the guests for a very successful party again!
More of the same is planned in the very near future, I can tell you!
Anyway this will lead to many interviews in the near future!

Nagashima Liquor Shop/長嶋酒店
420-0804, Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryuunan, 1-12-7
Tel.: 054-245-9260
Fax: 054-245-9252
BLOG (Japanese)

美食, sake, Sake Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Doi Brewery-Hana no Ka Homare Fuji Rice Junmai Ginjyo Nama Genshu

May 28, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Doi Brewery has been already been producing this Hana no Ka/華の香 for the past few years according to old traditional methods
This particular brew was concocted with Homare Fuji Sake Rice grown in Shizuoka Prefecture and is the untouched product as it is nama (no sterilizing) Junmai (no alcohol added) muroka/unfiltered, a true connoisseur’s delight!

It also comes with plenty of comments: kasumi ka kumo ka nigori zake/霞か雲かにごり酒/A sake like a haze or a cloud? (referring to the presence of sakekasu/white lees!

Rice: Homare Fuji (100% Shizuoka-grown)
Rice milled down to 55%
Yeast: Shizuoka Yeast
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Bottled in March 2011

Clarity: very clear when at rest, slightly smoky when stirred
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Pleasant. Alcohol. Fruity. Pineapple.
Body: fluid and siruppy
Taste: Strong alcohol and junmai petillant attack which quickly disappears.
Fruity: pineapple, custard, almonds.
Makes a complete turn from sweetish to dryish, a telltale mark of sakekasu/white lees
Lingers for a while with alcohol leaving a somewhat marked impression.
Marries and changes little with food.

Overall: A sake obviously devised for food in spite of its ginjyo status.
A sake for the connoisseurs as it is absolutely left untouched.
Great for a Japanese izakaya-style party!

藤枝市, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, 杉井酒造

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sugii Brewery-Yaoyorazu Yamahai Junmai/Homarefuji Rice

April 29, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

There are now 19 out of 28 breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture producing brews made with locally-grown sakamai/sake rice.
Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City has been experimenting with Shizuoka-grown Homarefuji/誉富士 rice right from the very beginning.
Now, they have come up for the last couple of years with a traditional brew that a lot of other breweries avoid because of its difficulty: Yamahai/山廃!

It does have a peculiar name: Yaorazu/八百萬 that even Japanese have a hard time to read! It is an allusion to a Shinto Shrine whose history dates back to the 8th Century!

Sugii Brewery: Yaoyorazu Yamahai Junmai Homarefuji Rice/杉井酒造ー八百萬山廃純米誉富士

Rice: Homare Fuji (Shizuoka-grown)
Rice milled down to 70%
Dryness: +6
Acidity: 2.3 (vry high for Shizuoka!)
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in Novemwber 2010

Clarity: Very clear
Color: faint yellow hue (normal for Yamahai)
Aroma: Light, sweetish. Custard, banana, macadamia nuts
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack.
Complex: dry oranges, almonds.
Turns a little sweetish later to make a quick dry comeback.
Disappears quickly for a yamahai.
Alcohol pepping up later.
Changes little with food.

Overall: More distinguished than expected for a yamahai.
A sake designed for food? Very probably as I found it in many izakayas in Fujieda City.
Strong and solid sake.
Perfect for food, especially that in izakaya.
Can be enjoyed slowly at home with a snack!

Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka agricultural products

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Takashima Brewery-Hakuin Masamune, Fujisan No Hi

April 10, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

The actual and very long name for their sake is:
Takashima Brewery, Hakuin Masamune, Heisei Nijusannen (2011), Fujisan No Hi (Mount Fuji Day), Asashibori (pressed in the morning), Homare Fuji (rice variety), Junmai (no alcohol added), Genshu (no water added), Origarami (natural pressing)!

Takashima Brewery has always been keen to create limited brews for local events and this particular one was not only made with Shizuoka-grown sake rice but also for Mount Fuji Day!

Rice: Homare Fuji 100%
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Pressed on February 23rd, 2011

Clarity: very clear
Color: Transparent if not stirred as it contains white lees
Aroma: Sweetish, custard, banana. Very pleasant
Body: fluid, light
Taste: Sweetish attack. Complex. Welcome alcohol. Turns dry later.
Lighter but deeper than expected.
Pineapple, macadamia nuts, custard, dry almonds.
Lingers only a little with a very dry note.
Changes little with food. Especially great with fresh vegetables.
Junmai and white lees (sake kasu) very present for some extra impressions.

Overall: A very interesting sake with a more complex taste than expected.
Light enough in spite of its high alcohol content.
A sake that should please true sake lovers in search of unusual brews!

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oumuraya Brewery-Jyuube Junmai/Shimada City Gohyakumangoku Rice

March 29, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Oumuraya Brewery in Shimada City has encouraged local farmers for a long time.
They have been recently brewing sake with sakamai/酒米/sake rice by local farmers.

I’ve just found this bottle called Jyuube/重兵衛 at (Farmers Market) Japan Bazaar in Shimada City.
The rice grown is of the Hyakumangoku variety.
They went as far as decorating the bottle with pictures of the very farmers!
How about that for traceability!

Rice: Hyakumangoku (100%)
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Strong and fruity: custard, vanilla
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong and drier than expected attack.
Fruity: Custard, bananas. Junmai petillant.
Disappears quickly with dry almonds.
Light and dry, almost discreet with food.
Dry pineapple appearing later.

Overall: A straightforward sake.
Very pleasant, fruity with a dry note.
Accompanies food well.
Very pleasurable on its own or with food.
A sake for all seasons!

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

観光, 農業, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Supermarkets, Tourism, vegetables

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Japan Bazaar Supermarket in Shimada City

March 28, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

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

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

花の舞酒造, Hamamatsu City, Hana no Mai Brwery, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, 浜松市

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Hana No Mai Brewery-Junmai Shiboritate Genshu

March 7, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Hana no Mai Brewery in Hamamatsu City ‘ the largest Sake Brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture and export a sizeabkle amount abroad.
For quit some time they have been breweing their sake with their own ingredients. They grow their own Yamada Nishiki rice in the same city, uses Shizuoka yeats and the local water!

They produce also many limited brews such this nicely warpped “shiboritate/newly pressed” Junmai (no alcohol added) Genshu (no water added!

Rice: Shizuoka-grown Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: +3
Acidity: 1.8
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Bottled in October 2010

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity and asserive. banana, pineapple, custard
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong fruity alcohol attack.
Warms back of the palate.
Dryish and strong junmai petillant.
Lingers for a short while with lots of almonds and coffee beans. Oranges, Macadamia nuts, hints of dark chocolate.
Drinks well with food with more Macadamia nuts.

Overall: Unusually strong sake for Hana No Mai Brewery.
Straightforward and fruity.
Tends to vary with food.
Best appreciated with strong taste food, although the latter might influence the taste.
A good sake for Izakayas!

—————————————-
日本語のブログ

Fuji-Takasago Brewery, Fujinomiya City, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, 富士高砂酒造

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji-Takasago Brewery-Tokubetsu Junmai Diamond Fuji

March 7, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Although the Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City is part of a larger conglomerate, all the staff is from Shizuoka Prefecture and the sake there are made exclusively according to methods prevalent in the Prefecture.

Moreover, they are active in promoting sake rice grown in Shizuoka Prefecture.
In this particular case half of the rice used for this brew is Homare Fuji, a Yamada Nishii hybrid developed in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Rice: Yamada Nishiki and Shizuoka-grownHomare Fuji
Rice milled down to 60%
Dyness: +6
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottlled in November 2010

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity: pineapple, custard. almonds
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack backed up by Junmai petillant.
Fruity: dry almonds, custard.
Quickly disappears with a soft custard note.
Very soft and easy to drink in spite of its softness.
Turns dry with food.
Goes very well with fish and sashimi.
As nurukan/lukewarm: Turns sweeter with a short strong junmai pang with a quick comeback on the drier side.
Oranges and custard.
very pleasant as a warm sake.

Overall: Very pleasant and easy to drink sake.
Goes well with any food, raw or cooked.
A sake to please everyone!
A great sake for a great party!

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shidaizumi Brewery, 志田泉酒造

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery/Organic Sake-Junmai Ginjo

March 7, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City has been conducting some very interesting experiments with organic ake rice for some time.
With Aoshima Brewery in the same city, a new movement has been started for a new and growing trend: Organic sake.

Shidaizumi Brewery hence received the Ecofarmer License from the Shizuoka Prefectureas a member of the JA Oigawa Yaizu Sake Rice Research Committee.

The Brewery used organic rice of the Yamada Nishiki strain cultivated by 11 farmers in Yaizu City:
Kohji Ohata, Toshiyuki Umehara, Masamitsu Masuda, Tatsuo Muramatsu, Teruo Matsumura, Toshiyuki Sone, Hirao Noda, Masashi Suzuki, Naomi Yamamoto, Riji Yagi and Kazuyuki Ishikawa.

Rice: Organic Yamada Nishiki all grown in Shizuoka Prefecture
Rice milled to: 55%
Yeast: NEW-5 (Shizuoka)
Dryness: +5.0
Acidity: 1.2
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in December 2010

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Bananas
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry attack with junmai petillant.
Soft but complex.
Warms up back of the palate and ends on a dry note.
Banana, almond, apricot, memories of coffee beans and dark chocolate.
Dry melon appears with food with more nuts and dark chocolate.
Elegant, easy to drink.

Overall: Ever talked of a “feminine drink”?
A sake not easy to discern.
Ladies would be screaming for it?

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

sake, Sake Brewery, seafood, Shizuoka, Taisaku, Tasting, Uncategorized, 大作

Shizuoka Izakaya: Taisaku

July 26, 2007 dragonlife 2 Comments

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

It certainly took me a long time, but I finally paid a visit to Taisaku, the third oldest Izakaya in Shizuoka City! It has entered it sixty-ninth year of existence and is still going solid thanks to a strong sense of tradition nurtured by the family down to the present 3rd and 4th generations.
It has alway enjoyed a great reputation and certainly deserves it!

Taisaku prides itself in serving, whenever possible, products from the local seas and lands. The sashimi are true delicacies, especially raw sakura shrimp (large pic above), not easy to serve so fresh unless you have a direct contact in Yui City, or katsuo/bonito thanks to Yaizu City fishermen. The aji/horsemackerel was a beauty, too. I had to limit myself to those three raw servings this time and will have to come regularly to sample the whole menu changing every day (impossible!). I had time and stomach space left to sample their “kisu to anago no satsumaage”, a fish paste made from two fish caught in Suruga Bay and cooked to perfection.

Now, if you know me well, there need be another reason for my introducing an Izakaya: the local sake!
I gave up on posting the labels for the simple reason that the list is too long! Here you are:
Garyubai Dai Ginjo (Sanwa Brewery, Shimizu Ku)
Isojiman Junmai Ginjo + Hionjozo (Yaizu City)
Hatsukame (Shida Gun)
Kaiun (Doi Brewery, Kakegawa City)
Matsu Ichi, including Taruzake/sake from the cask and “kan”/warm (Shizuoka City)
Shosetsu Junmai (Yui City)
Kokkou (Fukuroi City)
Karakkaze (Hana no Mai Brewery, Hamamatsu City)
8 Breweries for 11 types of sake, all from Shizuoka Prefecture!

As Taisaku is located in Central Shizuoka just behind Shin Shizuoka Center, expect it to be full with patrons of all ages, genders and status!
If you wish to talk about local history, you will find the master of the house quite amenable indeed. Not only did he took out old books for me, but he also gave me the name of another Brewery that existed before WWII!

Taisaku
420-0858 Shizuoka City, Aoi-Ku, Tenmacho, 1-10 (entry on 1F, restaurant on 2F)
Tel.: 054-2531639
Business hours: 17:30~?
Closed on Sundays
Parties up to 20 possible on 3F

sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Soba, Soba Restaurant, Tasting, Uncategorized, Vegetarian cuisine, Yoshino Soba, 吉野そば

Soba/Buckwheat Restaurant: Yoshino

July 1, 2007 dragonlife 3 Comments

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

I love soba, and many Japanese and expats do too!
It is not only great for health (vegetarians, listen carefully), it is tasty and satisfying!
Unfortunately there is soba and soba. Meaning: a lot of places do have to be avoided…
What makes Yoshino special is that they are very exactting about their quality and serve only soba on the day. If they run out, they simply close the place!

For the connoisseurs hey serve both ni-hachi (80%) and ju-wari (100% which tend to run out quickly!)
Although Mr. Hiromichi Yoshino opened his restaurant only in 1999 after serving his time in another famous soba restaurant, Kuromugi in Shizuoka, the place has become so popular you do have to choose your time of the day to enjoy the food. Actually, you ought to take your time as this is a real “slow-food” soba restaurant. As it sits only 22 plus a few at the counter, you will understand it could become a scramble sometimes.
The more for its side dishes (“tsumami”):

The “tamagoyaki” (fine, some vegetarians might not agree!) and the:

“yakimiso” (soba/buckwheat powder mixed with miso and cooked under the grill), a must in any good soba restaurant.
But people who really know me would not be convinced if I fail to mention that also serve Shizuoka sake!
They serve no less than 8 kinds!:
Fujinishiki/Arabashiri (Shibakawa Cho)
Hatsukame/junmai + Kame dai ginjo 3 year-old koshu (Okabe cho)
Isojiman/ dai ginjo + junmai ginjo (Yaizu City)
Kikuyoi/daiginjo (Fujieda City)
Onnanakase/Oomuraya-Wakatake daiginjo (Shimada City)
Kokkou/junmai ginjo (Fukuroi City)
Now, a little secret for the sake lovers, these high-quality sake certainly come cheaper than anywhere else!

Apart of the whole gamut of cold and hot soba, they serve exquisite tempura, satsumaage, oniage, yakimiso,and so on.

Last but not least it becomes a no-moking place at lunch!

Yoshino
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo Machi, 1-7-10 (just behind Shin Shizuoka Center)
Tel.: 054-2553277
Business hours: 11:00~22:00 (or until run out soba)
“Kaiseki course” on reservations

sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Uncategorized

Tanuki No Ana

June 22, 2007 dragonlife 2 Comments

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Tanuki No Ana (“The Racoon’s Lair”) is a must if you wish to tell later that you have tasted Shizuoka Prefecture’s best sake wherever you might want to boast about it!

Mr. Makoto Naruoka and his wife Chieko moved to the present address in 1997, but have been serving Shizuoka Sake since 1980!
Actually, if you check the labels posted on their window, you will find out that some breweries have gone out of existence!
A regular customer there, I hallenged the following brews on that day:

Denichiro by Kokkou Brewery (Fukuroi City), Hakuin Masamune by Takashima Brewery (Numazu City) and Fuji-Takasago Brewery.

Served with some hearty food perfect with sake, I had a hard time to limit myself once again.
I will spare you from viewing all thos labels again but just know that Tanuki No Hana has no less than 20 breweries fro the following 18 breweries:
Oomuraya (wakatake-Shimada City), Kokkou (Fukuroi City), Isojiman (Yaizu City), Syosetsu, Haginishiki, Yoshiya-Chummasa, Sanwa-Garyubai, Kumpai (Shizuoka City), Kikuyoi, Shidaizumi, Sugii-Suginishiki (Fujieda City), Fuji-Takasago (Fujinomiya City), Takashima-Hakuin Masamune (Numazu City), Fujinishiki (Fuji Gun), Moriomoto (Kikugawa City), Hatsukame (Okabe Cho), Doi-Kaiun (Kakegawa City).
Sake-lover, what are you waiting for?

Tanuki No Ana
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-Cho, 2-2-5
Tel.: 054-2556704
Business hours: 17:00~23:00
Closed on Sundays
Credit cards OK

sake, Sake Brewery, sashimi, seafood, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Yukichi, 居酒屋

Izakaya: Yukichi

June 10, 2007 dragonlife 3 Comments

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

The city of Fujieda have seen a lot of changes these past years with more people coming to live there due to the crowding of nearby Shizuoka City. The old JR Station has disappeared to be replaced by a whole urban complex around both exits. It means that the city has more or less become the “bedtown” of Shizuoka City. It is not all negative as it has encouraged businesses, especially in the restaurateur’ field, to set shop for the benefit of returning workers and company employees.
And some of them are definitely worth visiting.

So, Patrick of Think Twice met me last Friday at Fujieda Station and we went to Yukichi I had a checked an hour before.

Yukichi is an izakaya of a better standard opened in 2005 and it is extremely popular. We were very lucky to get our seats as most were already reserved! Most customers are in their early 30’s.
Now as a general rule, one should patronize only izakaya who serve local sake/jizake. We were not disappointed: Yukichi has some great ones on hand from Aoshima Brewery/Kikuyoi (Fujieda City) and Hatsukame (Okabe Cho)!
I also always make a point to order a chef’s sashimi set recommendation.
The one we were served (see pic above) included not only great fish but succulent chicken sashimi. An acquired taste for some I must agree, but such an unusual combination.

Now, the fact that especially makes you want to come back to Yukichi is that the Lady in charge, Ms. Yoko Naruoka will come to show you a tray with the fresh fish of the day for you to choose from before the “banchyo/chef”, Mr. Masaki Kobayashi prepares your choice either as sashimi or cooked fish as you wish. We opted for “kisu tempura” and “maguro no kama yaki”!

As we had planned to visit another place later, we limited ourselves to a glass of each sake cited above with an extra serving of “tamago yaki” and took our leave with the promise to come back very soon!