Category Archives: Shizuoka

美食, 駅弁, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Gastronomy: Katsuo Tataki at Waga!

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Service: Very friendly and easy-going! Slow food!
Facilities: Very clean overall. Large and clean washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great list of sake and shochu. Typical izakaya gastronomy with a personal touch!

Shizuoka Prefecture, thanks to its long shores along the Suruga Bay, the richest Bay in Japan, and around the Izu Peninsula is replete with fish and seafood all year round. Comparatively little fish is imported from other shores and people here keep to seasonal fish.
Katsuo/鰹/Bonito, also called skipjack tuna, is a very popular fish in Japan and probably the only sustainable tuna species these days. It is also extensively eaten in the Maldives, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, France and Spain.
At the beginning of the Fall large schools swim across the Suruga Bay and the quality of the fish in Shizuoka supermarkets, sushi restaurants and Izakaya is simply extraordinary!

Naturally, it is delicious consumed raw as sashimi or cooked as “nimono”, “teriyaki” or in curries, but my preferred cuisine is tataki!
Although the method is simple enough, timing is crucial!

Freshness is also crucial.
Instead of preparing it beforehand, the chef at Waga, upon receiving the order, will cut out a large chunk from a fresh skipjack filet and grill it directly over the flame just long enough to sear the fish a few mm deep. He will then plunge it into icy water to stop the cooking and wipe it dry. Simple? Yes, but try it, and you will find out a lot of little details have to be taken into account!
The chef will then cut the katsuo in large slices and serve them artfully arranged on a plate with a light cold sauce/dressing.

For a perfectly balanced and beautiful dish he will prop the fish atop plenty of lettuce and decorate it with finely cut white leek and a quartered large plum tomato, all grown in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Of course, the dressing is a secret but it is based on soy sauce, ponzu and lime juice with soft spices!

WAGA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, takajyo, 2-1-20, Kuroyanagi Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-271-7121
Business hours: 17:30~23:30, 17:30~26:00 (on Fridays, Saturdays and National Holidays)
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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

Baird Beer, Beer, 美食, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/09/28): Newest Seasonal Release: Belgian Pale Ale

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Newest Seasonal Release: Belgian Pale Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

We brew ten distinct year-round varieties of Baird Beer, incorporating three different yeast strains. Eight of these varieties are fermented with our house ale yeast, which is a Scottish ale strain; one with a lager yeast from North America; and one with a yeast from Belgian, supposedly a wit strain. Each of these yeast strains possess a distinct personality which imparts unique flavor and aroma attributes to the fermented beer.

We often brew single-hop beers when first using an unfamiliar hop variety in order to fully understand its character contribution in isolation from other hops. Well, in order to more fully comprehend character contribution from an individual yeast strain, would it not be interesting to brew an established year-round recipe only ferment it with a different yeast than normal? We have done just this in our newest seasonal beer which is being released today: Baird Belgian Pale Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Baird Belgian Pale Ale (ABV 5.5%):

Rising Sun Pale Ale is one of our most beloved year-round beers. It is an interpretation of a hoppy American west coast pale ale bursting with fresh citrus flavors. Baird Belgian Pale Ale is Rising Sun all the way to the fermentation tank, where we pitch it not with our Scottish ale yeast but rather our Belgian ale strain. The final flavor difference is really quite deliciously profound. Come in for a pint and experience this yourself!

Baird Belgian Pale Ale is being poured from the taps of each of our Taproom pubs beginning today (Wednesday, September 28). It also will be available at fine Baird Beer retailing pubs, restaurants and liquor shops throughout Japan beginning Thursday, September 29. Kegs and bottles (633 ml) both are available.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

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

Bento, 美食, Eggs, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/49): Gomoku Takigohan Bento!

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The recent typhoon has created havoc in the local supermarkets with less vegetables available and at steep prices! This might continue for some time unfortunately!
“Gomoku Takigohan/五目炊きご飯” means a steamed rice (takigohan) cooked together with 5 ingredients (gomoku)!

So the Missus steamed the rice with two kinds of mushrooms, shiitake and enokitake, carrot and chicken and their juices as well as a little soy sauce and whatsnot. That accounts for 4 ingredients!

As a fifth ingredients she decorated the rice with boliled black beans!

As the rice box was quite copious she kept the side dish to the strict minimum!

The missus’ specialty: Tamagoyaki with parsley and cheese accompanied by some lettuce!

For the fibers and vitamin C: mini-tomatoes, lettuce, violet cabbage and marinated cucumber with fresh ginger and golden sesame seeds!

A very healthy and tasty bento considering the weather and the availability!

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With a Glass,
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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

美食, Ekiben, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento:　Aki Chisen

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Aki Chisen/秋千扇 measn the “Thousand Fans of Autumn”.
This is the third ekiben of a year-long limited series I already have introduced in Spring and Summer. I can’t wait for the Winter edition!

The ekiben as it was sold to me this morning at Shizuoka City Railway Station!

As usual Tokaiken has clearly written the contents on their wrap!

Some collectors will want this box!

As usual a film of rigid transparent paper protects the contents!

Now, what do we have?

Rice steamed with the juices of shiitake, shiitake mushroom, chestnuts and carrots. The Japanese love chestnuts with rice!

Chinese-style sweet and sour cashew nuts, chicken and red and green pepper. A small bottle of soy sauce and a small cup of wasabizuke/wasabi leaves and stems pickled in sake white lees.

Cucumber, fresh ginger and wakame seaweed marinade. Deep-fried sakura shrimps.

Taro/sato imo boiled and cut in the shape of a mushroom, tofu flower, steamed shiitake mushroom, Carrot, konnyaku jelly and gobo/burdock root.

Salmon deep-fried in cornstarch and lettuce.
Dessert consisted of a goma dango/sesame ball containing sweatmeat and mochi rice and rolled into sesame seeds before being deep-fried and a slice of kiwi fruit!

Nice way to learn about Autumn food!

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

美食, Eggs, 駅弁, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Tourism

Healthy Gastronomy: Lunch at Capu (September 2011)

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

There are times, even if you do not have any food priorities, that you wish for a light, healthy and tasty meal!


Capu is a quaint cafe and craft shop away from the centre of Shizuoka City but still within easy distance from the Railway Station.

It is minuscule with a single table on the first floor but enough seating on the non-smoking second floor.

Whenever possible I sit on the first floor among a cute bric a brac!

Have a good look as there are indeed some very interesting crafts and cakes/bicuits to purchase!

They always serve at least two vegetarian lunch sets but I opted for an omnivore offering this time: Melting Cheese abd Egg Curry Set!

Very healthy rice complemented with dark violet rice and sesame seeds.

Local vegetable salad.

Melting Cheese and Egg Minced Meat Curry.

Jasmin Tea.

The dessert of the day.

Vanilla ice cream and oats.

Now if you come in between lunch and dinner, that is at cafe time have a good look at their biscuits, cakes and drinks!

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

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

Beer, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Shizuoka Beer Tasting: Wind Valley Brewery-Izu Ale

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The Wind Valley Brewery does deserve its name in Kannami, Mishima City.
It is actually tugged between two precipitous slopes and it can be extremely windy there, especially in winter!
The brewery is still relatively young founded as it was in 1997, but is steadily making a name for itself!

The Brewery is putting out 3 regular beers all year round apart of 3 more seasonal ones and Izu Ale is one of the former.
Izu is the name of the Peninsula of the same name and the Brewery is located in the very Northern part.

Ingredients: Barley, hops, yeast and water from Mount Fuji. Barley molt from own barley and British ale malt
Contents: 330 ml
Alcohol: 5.5%
Yeast: live

Clarity: Smoky
Color: Amber orange
Foam: Fine, lingers for a while
Aroma: Bread, yeast, faint oranges
Taste: Deep and solid attack with oranges. Finishes on a dry note on the palate with bread.
Complex from first sip and even more from second sip.
Dry oranges and bread linger on.
Tends to become drier and drier with further sips.

Overall: Very solid and satisfying brew to be enjoyed on its own as well as with heavy food or pickles.
A beer for all seasons!

Wind Valley Beer (Oratche), Rakunou Oukoku Co. Ltd
Shizuoka Ken, Mishima Shi, Kannami, Tanna, 349-1
Tel.: 055-974-4211
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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

Beer, 美食, Desserts, 酒, 野菜, 魚, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Fuji City, Fuji-Takasago Brewery, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Microbrewery Beer, Restaurants, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism, 富士市, 有機野菜

Fuji No Kuni Gastronomic Fair in Fuji City (September 2011)

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On September 22nd another “Fuji no Kuni” Gastronomic Fair was held under the auspices of the Shizuoka Prefecture Economy & Industry Bureau at Maison De Anniversaire in Fuji City to support the local food and producers.

As the event started at 7 p.m. I arrived a bit early at Shin Fuji Station where I was greeted by a beautiful sunset!
As the site of the event took place high at the foot of Mount Fuji I did well to reach the Station at 6 p.m.!

Arriving early gave me ample time to greet some friends and acquaintances like Mr. Sano, owner of Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City!

It also allowed me to survey the dining room and have a look at the menu and appetizers on my plate before exchanging business cards with many another guest. Actually most guests, representing companies or coming as individuals, had some kind of direct relation with the economy and agriculture of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Incidentally, the appetizers were Mangenton ball in escabeche from Sanoman Co. and the chicken roulade was made with Koshamo chicken from Aoki Farm in Fuji City!

The beer that day was brewed by Stephan Rager at Bayern Meister Beer Co. in Fujinomiya City!

And the Japanese sake was provided by Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomya City!

A honjyozo called “Raku/楽/Enjoy Yourself!”

Guests including some celebrities taking their seats in all informality.

The MC of the day: Mrs. Kyouko Ishigami, a Shizuoka sake expert!

The dinner started with a vegetable and salmon trout jelly terrine and organic salad!

The salmon trout was bred by Kunugi Fish Farm and all the organic vegetables were grown by Mtsuki Bio Farm, both in Fujinomiya City!

Each producer involved in the preparation of the repast introduced their venture on the mike: Mr. Sano of Sanoman Co.

Beautiful mushroom soup with imo/taro. The mushrooms were cultivated by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City!

Madai/Seabream (brought from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City) poelee with a galette of sakura shrimps from the same harbour. The vegetables are of course from Matsuki Bio Farm and the bacon from Sanoman Co.

For a closer view!

Charcoal-grilled Izu Venison Roast from deer meat processed by the Izu City Food Processing Center!

Very French in concept! And delicious!

The representative of Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

The dessert!

Shizuoka Fig Millefeuille with blueberry sauce!

Financier!

A very interesting dinner indeed introducing all the good ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture!

I wonder where they are going to hold this monthly event next time!

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

美食, 野菜, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Japan, Shizuoka, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Shizuoka Seafood and Vegetables at Chez Satsukawa!

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

Chez Satsukawa has the great merit to both provide relaxation at their counter and sophistication in their dining-room for the pleasure of individuals, couples and groups alike!

Even in a comparably relaxed atmosphere it is the attention brought to the little details that make the difference!

Natural source water “Wasan” collected in Numazu City at the foot of Mount Fuji!

They bake their own bread!

The Chef/Owner has always had a preference for seafood as shown above by a carpaccio of “kinnaku/金無 sole” caught off Miho Peninsula in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Prime fish served with prime olive oil and condiments!

Beautifully chopped fresh Shizuoka leeks and home-made myoga pickles for a great color contribution to a succulent dish!

Being Japanese, Fujio Satsukawa has a great love for raw seafood but his real love is for Southern France Cuisine when it comes to cooking the catch of the sea such as the above red cuttlefish from the Suruga Bay prepared with a ratatouille!

Splendid red cuttlefish!

Having cleaned the cuttlefish and filled it with Shizuoka vegetables prepared as a rough ratatouille, he flambeed it before cooking it in olive oil until the flesh was tender but not overcooked. Great balance in bite and savors!

More Shizuoka-grown vegetables were lightly deep-fried to add more bite and flavors to the whole dish!
This is the kind of manipulation/marriage you can expect form a top-class chef working from a multinational vantage!

To be continued…

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED 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, 観光, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, seafood, Shizuoka, sushi, Tourism

Sushi Dilemma: Real Sushi vs. Conveyor-belt Sushi (Kaiten Zushi)

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Ikura Gunkan Sushi at Sushi Ko, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

True to say conveyor-belt sushi restaurants (kaiten Zushi) seem to be very popular these days in Japan wherever you are, be it in a large metropolis, a harbor city or a place up in the country.
Judging from the attendance and the plorifiration of such establishments, even in cities like Shizuoka renown for its sushi and sashimi in general, one starts to wonder about the wisdom of apparently spending more money on a good sushi place when you have cheap sushi available almost everywhere.

Ikura Gunkan sushi at Kaiten Karato Ichiba Sushi, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture (man-made ikura!).

I’m not really refering to Tokyo or major metropolises in Japan (neither to New York, London or Paris for that matter) where you either have to spend fortunes on cleverly manipulated “gastronomic sushi” or spend hours waiting overfilled diners machine-gunning leftovers from the local fish markets.

To illustrate this article I chose two places I have visited in two major fishing areas of Japan:
!) Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City where all prices are clearly stated or where the staff will gladly explain the amount of the “day’s value” for some items, especially sashimi. Shizuoka Prefecture is a major fishing area in Japan thanks to the Suruga Bay and Izu Peninsula. Apart of ikura/salmon’s roe there is no much need to “import” seafood from other shores.
2) Kaiten Karato Ichiba Sushi, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Shimonoseki is a major fsihing city and Kaiten Karato Ichiba Sushi is a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant inside the enormous fish market by the sea. You do have to wait at least 30 minutes at off-peak times and the double on holidays.
The same applies for the fish supply and ikura!

Hirame/sole-grouper nigiri at Kaiten Karato Ichiba Sushi.

Now, except maybe if you are a big family and on a limited budget (even so it would be far cheaper and more interesting to organize a “do-it-yorself” sushi party at home!), would you be ready as an individual or couple to wait untold amounts of time to be finally ushered inside a crowded place sitting elbow against elbow, putting up with the cries of unruly children (or noisy old ladies and gentlemen) and looking at the best bits being repeatedly being grabbed before they rach you?
Can you expect attentive service from an overworked staff worrying if the next batch of rice will be ready on time?

Hirame/sole-grouper nigiri Sushi Ko

On the other hand, in a real and decent sushi restaurant with prices clearly advertized you will have the chance to eat at your leisure and if you sit at the counter (where the prices are the same, contrary to the general belief) also benefit from great discusions with the chefs and even your neighbors (good sushi restaurants are great places for socializing with strangers!). Mind you, the same cannot be said from “upper-class” sushi restaurants in great cities where you more than often are obliged to order sushi on a set-menu basis only, and expected to vacate the premises once finished as soon as possible! That is, if you are not a celebritty or an extraordinarily rich individual!
So obviously, there is a big difference in atmosphere and service, but would it be enough to help you decide between the two?

Maguro o-toro (cheapest tuna variety, though) nigiri at at Kaiten Karato Ichiba Sushi.

Shall we talk about quality then?
First the “shari” or sushi rice: in a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant the nigiri will be made machanically at high speed for obvious economical reasons. It does take a few seconds at a time to form the balls by hands whereas the “chefs” (I’m sorry to say that a chef who cannot make a good sushi ball by hand does not deserve the title of sushi chef!) at conveyor-belt establishments have to learn how to quickly grab the balls spitted out by the machine!
Sometimes you may be lucky to eat more or less oval balls, but you will usually end up with hard-pressed squarish contraptions which tend to dry faster. i do not need to point that there is a vast gap in rice quality (and accordingly real value)!
You can and are even encouraged to ask for individual orders at kaiten zushi restaurants but the prices will not be the same, so be careful!

Maguro zuke 8made with bluefin tuna akami)

Now, let’s talk about the “neta”/topping:
First don’t expect freshly grated wasabi root in a kaiten zushi (except maybe in Shizuoka which produces 80% of all wasabi in Japan!), although the paste used contains 100% pure wasabi!
Whereas most of the fish will be cut in front of you, chefs at Kaiten zushi will pick up the toppings from stacks prepared beforehand. The latter more than often (especially maguro) will be cut from frozen blocks to attain greater thinness (and better profit). Consequently the fish will appear glossy and fresh but is in fact only in the late stages of thawing.
Generally speaking the offerings at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants will be far thinner than those ordered in real sushi restaurants nothwithstanding the difference in grade and freshness, although the latter can be guaranteed in Shimonoseki!

Sashimi Plate at sushi Ko: Shirasu (sardine whiting), Katsuo (bonito), maguro (tuna) and kinmedai (Spledid Alfonsino), all from Shizuoka Prefecture!

Now thare are a few things you will usually not obtain in a kaiten zushi:
1) a plate of sashimi.

Super California Roll at Sushi Ko!

2) a good quality sushi roll.

Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelet at Sushi Ko

3) a fresh tamagoyaki made onsite.
Tamagayaki in conveyor-belt sushi is either prepared and sent in bulk by the company factory in case of a chain, or made on order by a separate company in the case of an independent establishment.

Although this is in no way an attempt to coersce people into my view, I prefer to spend a little more money on an occasional visit at a decent sushi restaurant or to prepare my own sushi at home! Preparing sushi rice is no big deal (although the Japanese Missus will not let me to…) and finding decent fish (and vgetables) at a local decent supermarket will guarantee a better quality!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery-Sayogoromo Koshu Roman 2003

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Hidetoshi Morimoto, owner-masterbrewer at Morimoto Brewery In Kikugawa City, began making koshu/古酒, old sake back in 2002 shortly after the taxation law changed from dues being perceived upon making sake to being levied upon sales only.
But typically he used some of his best sakes to experiment in this new venture as demonstrated in this brew made in 2003 and released only this month: Junmai Ginjyo Genshu!

Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Brewed in 2003
Bottled in 2011
Limited to 300 bottles (720 ml)

Clarity: Very Clear
Color: Light amber color (normal for old sake)
Aroma: Dry, reminiscent of dry sherry
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry attack backed by junmai petillant. Very deep, complex snd fruity.
Coffee beans, dark chocolate, oranges, dark cherries.
Turns slightly sweetish and deeper inside the palate.
Disappears a bit slowly with a comforting feeling.
Taste and texture closer to wine than sake.
Extremely pleasant and intriguing.

Overall: One might feel he/she was drinking wine if he/she hadn’t been told beforehand.
Very reminiscent of a half dry sherry or even a Sauternes wine.
Extremely complex and intriguing.
This is the second time I sampled this sake, although of a different year and I must admit I was flabbergasted!
I drank it chilled, but I’m sure it would explode with more facets and faces if sampled lukewarm/nurukan!
As it is a very limited edition I might have to order a few bottles and keep them sitting inside the fridge!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Lunch at Il Paladino (September 2011)

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Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great and very large washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable to expensive.
Specialty:Sicilian Cuisine. Top-class Italian wines and great collection of Grappa.
no-smoking-logo1 Non-smoking at tables. Private room can be made non-smoking!

It was about time I paid a belated visit to one of my favorite Italian Restaurant In Shizuoka City, namely Il Paladino.
They serve some excellent lunches at reasonable prices considering the quality, so I didn’t hesitate yesterday when I didn’t have the time to come back home!

They have a big kitchen you can look into from the counter and certainly need as lunch time see the place crowded early!
Now, what did I order?

First, a big salad with plentyy of local and Italian vegetables, succulent eggs and prime parmeggiano cheese!

Appetizing colors, aren’t they?

Focaccia bread baked on site every morning!

The main dish was an enormous prime pork steak in Madeira Sauce!

Wait until I show you the cut!

What do you say!
The right dish for a big appetite!

You must absolutely try Il Paladino’s home-made gelato/ice creams!

This semi-freddo with lods of crucnhy nuts and nougatine is simply a sin!

And coffee served as it should be, even at lunch!

To be followed…

Tratorria . Il Paladino
420-9839 Shizuoka City, Aoi-Ku, Takajo, 2-8-19
Tel.: 054-253-6537
Opening hours: 11:30~13:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK (Dinner only

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Organic Vegetables, Shizuoka, Tourism

Where to eat locally grown organic vegetables in Shizuoka City

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Salad of organic vegetables from Bio Farm at Uzu

It is one thing to know that Shizuoka Prefecture is getting deserved fame for the quality and variety of its vegetables all year round and especially organic vegetables, but it is another to know where, or more precisley in which restaurants, to savour them in good company.
We are presently blessed with three restaurants in Shizuoka City (still looking for more in the whole Prefecture!) which not only serve them but can arrange full vegetarian and vegan meals on request!

UZU

Deep-fried organic potatoes from Bio Farm

Service: excellent, easy-going and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: very reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Very fresh local ingredients, especially organic vegetables extensively used. Local sake. Home-made umeshu. Great shochu list.

Uzu is arguably the best Izakaya in the whole Prefecture having won accolades from its peers, national medias and gastronme writers.
Although they serve all kinds of food, vegetarian and omnivores, they make organic vegetables their specialty. Most of them are grown at Matsuki Bio Farm in Shibakawa, Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Check their homepage as they update it as the menu changes, which is almost everyday as they serve only seasonal food.

UZU-4

Vegetables Shabu shabu

UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00=23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

———————

TETSUYA SUGIMOTO

Ranking：
Service: Highly professional and friendly
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices:~
Strong points:Freshest produce and ingredients only, mainly from Shizuoka Prfecture. Organic vegetables. Seasonal food only
Map (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

If you happen to visit Shizuoka City, you will find many restaurants and izakayas serving and mainly using produce/products and ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture. There are many treasures to be discovered in this hoard!
One of them is the French restaurant going by the name of Sugimoto Tetsuya!

If you can read Japanese you will know what is waiting for you inside!
A gastronomic paradise in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Mr. Sugimoto does everything by himself: chef, waiter and entertainer! This is real slow food in its true and best meaning!
Almost all ingredients are from Shizuoka Prefecture, be they vegetables, fruit, meat or fish!
But his specialty is organic vegetables from Shizuoka Prefecture!
I requested that particular dish to feature only produce for Shizuoka Prefecture only.

All these were organic vegetables grown by different farmers in Hamamatsu City.
The dish included egg-plants/aubergines, 3 varieties of zucchini, tomato and “manganji” Chili pepper.

To give you an idea how Mr. Sugimoto works, all vegetables were first sauteed separately and cooked in the oven before served with two different dressings:
-Olive oil and orange juice
-Framboise/raspberry vinegar

Tetsuya SUGIMOTO
420-0038 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Umeya,, ２－１３，１Ｆ
Tel./Fax: 054-251-3051
Opening hours：１１：３０～１４：３０，１７：３０～２１：３０
Holidays: undecided
Cedit cards OK
ＨＯＭＥＰＡＧＥ

————————

PISSENLIT

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

Great food is great food!
Be you vegan, vegetarian or omnivore, one can only appreciate and being thankful for savouring vegetables not only of the best quality, but local and organically grown to boot!
I will never tire of saying to everyone how lucky we are here in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, a region renown nationally and increasingly internationally for its exceptional gastronomy!

Pissenlit, with Uzu and Tetsuya Sugimoto is is generally considered as one of the “Shizuoka City Triumvirate” when it comes to healthy, local and sublime gastronomy.
Chef Tooru Arima has many contacts in the Prefecture and it is always a good idea what’s available as it can change very quickly. He is particularly fond of oraganic vegetables grown by Mr. Hideyaki Hirokawa in Mishima City

Even if I have nurtured a special relation with chef Tooru Arima (and many others), he he is only too happy to oblige with his custon\mers’ selfish requests!

The above is a sample of the greens grown by Mr. Hirokawa!

And these the other organic vegetables grown by the same farmer!

If you have the occasion to visit Mishima City this is the address of our great farmer!

Mr. Hideyaki Hirokawa, Mishima City, Kawaharagaya Yamada, 765
Tel.: 055-973-2702

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

————————-
LOCOMANI

Service: Very friendly although a bit shy!
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Vegetarian menus. Healthy rice flour cakes.
Completely non-smoking!

If I had a friend asking me where he/she could eat vegetarian food without a hassle all year round in Japan, I would be proud to say: Shizuoka (Prefecture and City!)!
These days, because of the heat and the necessity to keep healthy (read: lose weight) I tend to fall back on restaurants which serve such food especially in Shizuoka City although I might have to look in the whole Prefecture seriously. Actually, this article initiates a series of articles on healthy Vegetarian Lunches!

All conditions were set today for a visit to Locomani where I hadn’t eaten for almost 3 months.
I checked their wholly vegetarian meal on their menu and this is what they served me:
Look at the top picture for the whole set!

Vegetable and tofu miso soup and 3-year old organic tea.

Bowl of rice. Half of the rice was plain white while the other half was genmai/whole rice. The whole was sprinkled with kuromai/black rice.

The plate consisted of:
1) Boiled kabocha pumpkin and konyaku/elephant’s foot tuber jelly.

2) Fresh chopped vegetables salad and its vinegar-based dressing.

3) Two typical Japanese side dishes consisting of one, a lukewarm mixture of kiriboshi daikon (daikon strips first dried then cooked again in dashi), thinly cut carrots, shiitake and tofu karaage/deep-fried tofu sheets, and the other of lightly boiled spinach in soy sauce-based dressing.

4) Tempura.
The tempura was made without eggs and comprised koyadofu/pressed tofu with a batter containing small bits of herbs and vegetables, broccoli, okra and string beans.

For once I managed to keep away from their cakes!

To be followed…

LOCOMANI
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 1-10-6
Tel.: 054-260-6622
Closed every Wednesday and one Monday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

————————–

STILL LOOKING AROUND!

————————-

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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

Baird Beer, Bars, Beer, 美食, 観光, 農業, Japan, Shizuoka, Tourism

Oktober Fest at Beer No Yokota Pub in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly if a bit shy
Facilities: Very clean. Superb toilets for a pub!
Prices: Appropriate
Strong Points: Baird Beer!
Entirely non-smoking!

All beer lovers, let it be known that Beer No Yokota Pub in Shizuoka City are holding an Oktober Fest!

The event will be held from September 17th (Saturday) through October 3rd (Monday)
The beer on tap for the whole period will be different from the usual!
They will offer no less than 15 beers on tap featuring 6 by Baird Beer (Numazu City) and other delicious nectars from Munchen, Nagano Prefecture and others. Plenty to explore for your palate!

And plenty of good grub to go with the beer will be available. Plan a long evening!

BEER NO YOKOTA PUB
420-0031 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Gofuku-Cho, 2-5-12 (2 minutes on foot from Gofuku Cho Scramble. Check map on homepage)
Tel.: 054-255-3683
Opening hours: 17:00~24:00 (from 15:00 on weekends and National Holidays)
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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, 農業, Fish, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, seafood, Shizuoka, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism, 寿司

Sushi in Shizuoka City: Sushi Ko (September 2011)

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“Super California Roll”!

Service: Very friendly and attentive. Always ready to please
Facilities: great overall cleanliness
Prices: Appropriate. Good value
Strong points: Great blending of local and all-Japan seafood. Great list of Shizuoka sakes! Both modern and traditional sushi.

We are entering the Autumn season, albeit a very hot one, and new fish are being caught.
It was time to visit Sushi Ko, my favorite sushi bar/resturant in Shizuoka City to check on the new arrivals!

The present Master of the Place, Mr. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太 has just been rewarded with the Gold Medal at the Japan National Sushi Design Contest, an event held every 4 years!
Mr. Oda, the former Master, who is presently in charge of the mother company, was also rewarded the same prize 4 years ago!

So, what did we enjoy?

Kinmeidai/金目鯛/Splendid Alfonsino sashimi (Izu Peninsula).

Beautiful colors!
Notice the edible shiso/perilla/紫蘇 flowers!

This is the season of the katsuo/鰹/bonito which swim across the Suruga Bay!

Usually served with freshly grated ginger, chopped scallions and thinly sliced red onions.
Thinly sliced fresh garlic is another option!

A wink to America: Super California Roll! Can you guess what’s in it?

Sake from Masu Ichi Brewery in Shizuoka City!

Chyawanmushi/茶碗蒸/ Japanese steamed salted pudding!

Hirame/平目/Sole-Grouper (Shizuoka) just seasoned with a little salt and lime juice. No need for soy sauce!

Sazae/サザエ/Turbo Shell!

the whole flesh is first taken out, sliced and cooked inside the shell!

The liver of the turbo shell!

Tachiuo/太刀魚/Scabbard Fish (Shizuoka) served as aburi/炙り/grilled on the skin surface seasoned with ponzu and served with momijioroshi/grated daikon and chili pepper, and chopped scallions.

A sneak view of the sashimi plate prepared for a group of five at a table!

Magurozuke/鮪漬け/marinated tuna (lean part), a real dessert!

Ikura/イクラ/salmon’s roe served as “gunkan nigiri/軍艦握り/Mothership Nigiri. Notice the small empty “boats” following the mothership?

A cute fleet, isn’t it?

How about that for tamagoyaki/玉子焼き/Japanese omelette design?

Anago/穴子/conger eel (Shizuoka), a universal favorite!

A vegan sushi nigiri with lightly boiled Chinese cabbage and Japanese hot mustard!

A real dessert: Home-made fig Wine Stew!

To be followed…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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, Dessert, Desserts, 野菜, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Japan, Shizuoka, Tourism

French Dessert: Grilled Eggplant/Abergine Ice Cream and Balsamico at Chez Satsukawa!

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

Fujio Satsukawa who has plied his trade independently in Shizuoka City since 1989 and formed many a chef under his tutelage is still actively exploring new avenues when other chefs would think of retirement!
He has always shown a very special proficiency for desserts, but his latest creation that I tasted the other day for my utmost enjoyment was totally out of the ordinary!

In Japanese this dessert was announced as Yaki Nasu Ice-Cream/焼き茄子アイスクリーム/Grilled Eggplant-aubergine Ice Cream!
One of the traditional Japanese ways of preparing an eggplant is to grill it directly on a metal mesh over a live fire. The burnt skin will be then peeled off leaving a nicely colored soft and juicy inside that can be served in many ways.
Fujio did exactly the same and having cut the flesh into small pieces he made an ice cream with its juices and vanilla. There were many little secrets left unsaid of course.
The ice cream was not only complex and intriguingly delicious in taste but its texture too was quiet extraordinary. Have you ever experienced the feeling of actually “eating” through an ice cream?

But the adventure did not halt there!
The top-class balsamico vinegar generously provided in its small cup added another dimension to the whole taste and texture depending on how much you added…
The only reason to live to a grand age as far as I’m concerned is to discover such new gastronomic delights!
Incidentally, I’m convinced it could be served not only at the end of a meal or on its own, but also as an appetizer or as a way to prepare you to the next dish in the middle of a full course!

To be continued…

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED 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