Category Archives: Sushi restaurants.

レシピ, 美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Non-smoking restaurants, Recipes, Restaurants, seafood, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism

Sushi Restaurant: New Concept at Sushi Ko-Miue in Shizuoka City!

April 22, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very kind and easy-going[
Facilities: Impeachable cleanliness. Superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Unusual and happy combination of Sushi and French gastronomies. Shizuoka sake and even shochu!
Entirely non-smoking (extremely rare for a sushi restaurant!)!

Only a few weeks ago Chef Yukitoshi Oda/小田幸寿さん, formerly of Sushi Ko Sushi Restaurant opened this new sushi restaurant in an entirely new concept for Shizuoka: A traditional sushi restaurant combined with a French restaurant!
The establishment is divided into two distinct adjoining parts: a 8-seat sushi bar-counter where customers who are interested in sushi should sit and a room with holes built in the floor to sit easily under low tables where one should sit if he/she wishes to enjoy a combination of both cuisines or only French gastronomy. The kitchens, althoug tiny, are clearly separated and they don’t interfere with each other.
The food, naturally is top-class with a strong accent on local fish and vegetables in particular and of superb freshness. As for drinks, sake, beer, wine and even local shochu are available!

And the icing on the cake, it is totally non-smoking!

To cut a long story short let me show you what we had for dinner the other day, a combination set of both cuisines!

The o-tooshi/snack coming with the first drink: naga-imo/long taro root and hotaru ika/tiny フィレｆｌｙｓくいｄ。

Basashi/馬刺し/horsemeat sashimi coming into two varieties: lean and fat!

The fatty variety.
Served with olive oil and grated garlic!

Sashimi plate: kinmedai/Splendid Alfonsino, hotaruika/firefly squid and madai/true seabream!

Minami magurao/South Pacific tuna, tachiuo/Scabbard fish, sayori/Japanese halfbeak, sakura ebi/cherry shrimp and hotate/scallops!

Nanban-style deep-fried chicken!

Japan and France meeting: maguro oshiri/tuna tail with cabbage, tomatoes and renkon/lotus roots!

the tuna is also minami maguro and sauteed.

Shizuoka City is famous for its succulent lotus roots!

The sushi plate!

Kuruma ebi/large prawn and minami maguro.

Minami maguro and uni/sea urchin! The latter, a creamy beauty!

Hime soba/buckwheat sprouts!

Buri/Japanese Amberjack!

The desserts are also a fusion concept: banana omelette/pancke and vanilla ice cream!

Dekopon oranges with their jelly and sorbet!

You can bet this is only the first (actually second, but it is a secret!) visit!

Sushi o Miue/寿し幸実宇栄
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, kooya Machi, 13-6
Tel.: 054-221-3888
Opening hours: 17:30~indeterminate
Closed day not yet decided
Credit cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: 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

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism, 寿司

Sushi Restaurant: Dinner at Sushi Ko (Spring 2013) in Shizuoka City!

March 21, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Sushi “Charlotte Cake”!

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake and shochu

Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん at work!

The beauty of true great sushi is that it follows the seasons and the sea catches.
It is not that evident in the large metropolises where sushi is more or less “disguised”, but here in Shizuoka with a constant and abundant supply to complement seafood coming from other shores we are never short of new discoveries and truly extravagant sushi gastronomy and this at comparatively reasonable prices!

To cut a long story short let me have the pleasure to show you what Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん served us during a “short visit” the other day!

Sazae/Turbo Shell salad as a snack with the first drink!

Anago yaki/grilled conger eel served basted with its tare/sauce!

Of course served with plenty of freshly grated wasabi from Utogi, Shizuoka City!

hamaguri yaki/Grilled clams!

As it is! So fresh and delicious!

Shirako yaki/Grilled cod sperm sacs!

With a texture similar to foie gras!

Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん’s specialty: Sushi Charlotte Cake as as an imitation of a French Charlotte Cake!

The little details that show the great attention!

The cake itself conceived with salmon and tuna strips!

Extravagant ikura/salmon roe topping!

Exploring the insides of the “cake” with avocado, cucumber and so forth!

Hotate/Scallops nigiri sushi!

One of my favorites: Tachiuo/Scabbard fish sushi nigiri lightly seared, topped with momijioroshi/daikon with chili pepper and seasoned with ponzu!

A favorite everywhere in Japan: Negitoro Maki/Roll containing grated tuna and chopped scallions!

For a closer look!

Now, what’s inside this small pot?

As a hot “salted” dessert: Chyawanmushi/Japanese-style steamed salted pudding!

To be continued…. You bet!

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)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, seafood, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism, 寿司

Sushi Design by Chef Kenta Birukawa at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City: The Other Tidbits!

December 11, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Following the two previous blogs on Sushi Gunkan Feast and Sushi Charlotte here are the other tidbits we enjoyed thanks to Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん!

Beautiful kawahagi/カワハギ/Thread-sail filefish or Leater Jacket alive in the tank!
For next time, though!

An extravagant plate you will find only in Shizuoka (I mean the combination of the two!): Sayori/細魚/Japanese Halbeak and sakuraebi/桜海老/Cherry Shrimps!

The sayori! In full season, now! tender and sweet and so beautiful!

How about that for design!

I asked for the fish bones and head to be deep-fried!
Not usually done, but the Chef is a friend!
Crispy and yummy!

The cherry shrimps served with freshly grated ginger!
Note that in the gunkan they had been “straightened”. here they are in their natural appearance!

Hirame/平目/Sole-Flounder sushi nigiri seasoned with a little salt and yuzu. No need for soy sauce!

Grilled/seared oysters!

Cute cucumber!

New menu on that day: 3 fish “zuke” set!
Each fish was marinated in soy sauce and sake!
From left to right: Katsuo/鰹/bonito, Shake/鮭/Sea salmon and maguro/鮪/Tuna!

Sushi for Christmas/
Ikura/イクラ/Salmon’s roe gunkan sushi nigiri with mini Syake/鮭/Salmon rolls!

To be continued….

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Food, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism, 寿司

Sushi Design by Chef Kenta Birukawa at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City: Sushi Charlotte!

December 10, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

As promised in the report on the gunkan feast here is another example of Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん’s ingenuity which demonstrates why he received an award as best sushi designs from his peers this year!

Actually I had asked him to come up with a new version of his acclaimed sushi Millefeuille and instead created a Charlotte-like sushi cake!

The whole was conceived inside a metal ccircle by lining the inside first with raw salmon and tuna and then filled progressively with sushi rice and other ingredients!
The tail is grilled salmon skin! A crunchy and tasty tidbit of its own!

Once filled Chef Birukawa partly closed the top by fording the fish inside before topping it with other ingredients!

The topping consisted of ikura/salmon roe, thinly sliced cucumber and grilled salmon skin!

It was such a sinful pleasure to open it and find out what was hidden inside!

Perfect balance in taste with avocado and cucumber pieces inside and so healthy!
A cake for the health conscious gastronomes!

“Tidbits” coming soon!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism

Sushi Design by Chef Kenta Birukawa at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City: Gunkan Feast!

December 7, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Last night we visited our favorite sushi restaurant in Shizuoka City, Sushi Ko, and have once again challenged Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん into something different!
We just asked off the cuff to produce five dufferent “gunkan/軍艦/”Mothership” sushi nigiri but we attached no conditions to ingredients!
Now, what did he offer us?

Can you guess?

Once againn, can you guess?

Alright, here are the answers! LOL

Mekabu Seaweeed/和布蕪, Uzura Tamgo/Quail Egg/鶉卵 and Katsuobushi/Dried Bonito shavings/鰹節!

Male Cod Sperm Sacs/Shirako/白子!

Flesh Grated off the Inside of the Skin of a tuna and Chopped Scallions/Negi Toro/葱トロ！

Sea Urchin/Uni/海栗!

Now, you can have this fresh only in Shizuoka Prefecture: Cherry Shrimps/Sakura Ebi/桜海老! Served with grated fresh ginger!

Another Sushi Design by Chef Kenta Birukawa at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City coming very soon!

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, 酒, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism

Sushi Restaurant: Local Fish at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City!

October 22, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake

Shizuoka City is located right in the middle of Suruga Bay in Shizuoka prefecture, a bay known in Japan for producing the largest number of seafood varieties in the whole country!
If you happen to come to Shizuoka City, don’t hesitate and visit Sushi Ko in Aoba Koen/Aoba Park Street in Aoi ku, Shizuoka City!
There you will be hard-tried to sample all that is on the menu! And this at reasonables prices clearly shown for all to see!

Now what did we have during our last visit the other day?

Negi toro/葱トロ appetizer coming with the first drink!

Very fat katsuo/鰹/bonito sashimi!

Traditionally served with grated ginger, chopped thin leeks and sliced red onion. You may also order grated or sliced garlic!

Now what is the chef trying to catch alive inside the tank?

We had ordered some fresh Shima Aji/縞鯵/Striped Horse Mackerel!

Beautiful Shima Aji/縞鯵/Striped Horse Mackerel sashimi plate!

The grilled tail from the same fish with grated daikon and lemon!

Kaki Aburi/牡蠣炙り/Seared oysters!

Beautifully sliced cucumber!

Tachiuo Aburi/太刀魚炙り/Seared scabbard fish nigiri with momijiorosi/紅葉下ろし/grated daikon with chili pepper and ponzu!

Piri kara Hotate Maki/ピリ辛帆立巻/spicy scallops Roll!

Piri Pon Kara Maguro/ピりポン辛鮪/Deep-fried tuna cubes served with momiji oroshi and ponzu!

Magurozuke/鮪漬け/Marinated tuna nigiri. A must!

Another chef caught a live lobster for our neighbors!

The perfect vegan sushi: Menegi/芽葱/Scallion Sprouts Nigiri!

Itaria Maki/イタリア巻/Italian Roll for the Missus: leeks, squid and spicy pickled cod roe!

And Ankimo Gunkan/あんきも軍艦/Frogfish Liver Paste Gunkan for me!
Note that the frogfish/monkfish liver was first steamed in sake!

To be continued…… You bet!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,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:

美食, 観光, 魚海の幸, 貝類, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, sashimi, Scallops, Shellfish, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi restaurants., Tourism, 帆立貝

Japanese Shellfish Species 2: Scallops-Hotategai-帆立貝

March 20, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Hotategai/帆立貝, or Scallops, is another worldwide favourite and also a source of dispute caused by illegal poaching, international or domestic.
The season is summer and the shellfish is sometimes called Akitagai/秋田貝, as of Akita Prefecture.
They are caught off Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures.
The domestic production/catch is over 300.000 tonnes a year, while 400 tonnes are imported from China as whole Scallops and 700 tonnes as the muscle part only (“kaibashira/貝柱”). Japanese scallops will be significantly larger than the Chinese.

Of course, they are much appreciated as sashimi, but also as sushi:
HOTATENIGIRI

(pic taken at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City)

They are also much appreciated cooked/grilled in the shell with just a little shoyu and sake:
HOTAGE-GRILLED

Actually, a good-class sushi restaurant will serve the muscle part as sashimi or sushi, and will serve the rest of the shellfish cooked in light broth inside the shell later!

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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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism

Sushi Restaurants: Shizuoka Seafood at Sushi Ko (December 2011)

December 11, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

December has seen the cold weather settle in at long last!
This is good news for sushi lovers as a marked change of weather means new seafood varieties coming in!
Naturally, we visited our favorite sushi restaurant in Shizuoka, namely Sushi Ko in Aoba Koen Street!
Here is what we enjoyed!

Snack coming with the first drink: Kanpachi aburi/環八炙り, seared Amberjack.

No need to say that sake was on order: Masu Ichi Brewery from Shizuoka City!

Little beauties from Shizuoka and Akita Prefectures!

Sakura ebi/桜海老/Cherry shrimps from Yui!

Shirauo/白魚/Icefish from Akita Prefecture!

Hirame/平目/Flafish sashimi from Suruga Bay!

Seguro Iwashi/背黒鰯/”Black back” Sardine sashimi from Suruga Bay!

Buri/鰤/Yellowtail chu toro and toro sashimi from Ishikawa Prefecture!

It’s not all raw fish at Sushi Ko!
Among their cooked specialties we have a special fondness for their Ponkara Maguro/ポンカラ鮪/Deep-fried tuna cubes served with momijioroshi/紅葉下ろし/grated daikon with chili pepper!

Kampachi Tataki/環八タタキ/Amberjack filets that have been seared well before being plunged into cold water and later served as sashimi.

Sushi Ko’s specialty: Sushi Millefeuille!

I cannot visit a sushi restaurant without asking for Maguro Zuke/鮪漬け”/marinated tuna akami/lean part

Comfort dishes for a cold winter: Hotate guratan/帆立グラタン/Scallops Gratin!

Chawanmushi/茶碗蒸し/Japanese hot salted pudding!

Geso karaage/ゲソ唐揚げ/Deep-fried squid tentacles!

Back to raw food! Hotate nigiri/帆立握り?Scallops nigiri!

Ama ebi/甘海老/Sweet Shrimps

Sushi for vegetarians: Yama Imo Gunkan/山芋軍艦!

A universal favorite: Piri kara hotate kariforunya roru/ピリ辛帆立カリフォルニアロル/Hot scallops California Roll!

Tamagoyaki/玉子焼き/Japanese omelette for dessert!

And kinoko miso siru/キノコ味噌汁/miso soup with mushrooms, and plenty of seaweed, to wash it all down!

To be continued…

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)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

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, 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)

September 16, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

“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…

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With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
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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, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism

Sushi Restaurant: Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City (June 2011)

June 21, 2011 dragonlife 7 Comments

Umazura tsukuri/ウマズラ造り/Filefish sashimi plate!

Sushi Ko in Aoba Park Street in Shizuoka City is the sushi bar owned by Sushi Ko Main Sushi Restaurant in Ta-machi in the same city.
Mr. Oda has just been asked to take charge of the main restaurant while his very capable second, Mr. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん has been promoted Head of the Sushi Bar in Aoba.
The Bar is as good as ever, but now I will also have to check the main restaurant!

While the Missus drank her Chardonnay, I was sipping my sake brewed by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City. The above shows the snack coming with the first drink: octopus/tako/蛸 served with seaweed, momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper, chopped thin leeks and ponzu!

We managed to get our favorite seats at the counter, but one half of the tatami room was busy with a group of 11 hungry salarymen!
Loads of consecutive work!

Our seats gave us the perfect view of the chefs at work!
They know us well, so they actually welcome the photography (without flash!), but make a point to ask for permission if you are a new customer (the latter applies for any restaurant!)!

On the menu of the day they had umazura tsukuri/ウマズラ造り/Filefish Sashimi Plate.
This fish whose name literally means “Horse face” is a kind of filefish found in Suruga Bay.
It was taken alive out of the fish pond!

Filefish in general is not that popular in other countries, but it definitely deserves attention.
Although it has not much meat, it makes for beautiful sashimi!

For a closer view!

Here it is, served with a dip made with its fresh liver and ponzu!
A real morsel!

Its cheeks were served deep-fried!

Chef Birukawa has kept a little to serve the perfect filefish nigiri topped with its liver and momijioroshi and some thin leeks and wasabi between the neta/topping and the shari/rice!

The Missus always asks for the maguro ponkara/鮪ぽんから/deep-fried tuna served with momiji oroshi, ponzu and sliced red onions!

Whatever the sushi restaurant we always ask for magurozuke/鮪漬/marinated tuna as each establishment has a different recipe!

Sushi Ko always have great botan ebi/牡丹海老/large sweet prawn from Hokkaido in season!

Their freshness means we are guaranteed their deep-fried heads. They make for beautiful crackers!

When we asked for anago/穴子/conger eel, they came in the perfect combination of one piece shio-aji/塩味/salted and the other one, tare-aji/たれ味/brushed with sweet sauce!