French Cuisine & Restaurants (1)

French Dessert with Shizuoka Ingredients At 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 Tetsuya SUGIMOTO!
But when it comes to serving desserts mainly made up of Shizuoka ingredients, it is simply a tour de force!

For a closer view!

Now what is that dessert made of?
-First the white part is a blanc manger (pudding) made with rice!
The sauce is a combination of honey and soy sauce while the topping of freshly wasabi and the rice popcorn are also from Shizuoka Prefecture!
-The dragonfruit sorbet with its unusual grey colour for a dessert was made from fruit grown in Shizuoka Prefecture.
-The “powder” is actually crumbled sponge cake for a fine last touch in design, colour and taste!

I wonder what is going to be the next Shizuoka dessert!

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
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French Gastronomy: Pacific Saury and Potato Terrine with Aioli at Pissenlit

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products.
entirely non-smoking!

Pacific Saury. or sanma/秋刀魚 (Atumn Sword Fish in Japanese) is very much in season right now when it is fat and easily prepared.
The Japanese love it as sashimi or grilled directly over a fire.

Tooru Arima at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City came up with a typically French creation: terrine!

The organic potatoes had been first boiled and seasoned and then sieved before being laid and seasoned again with ground black pepper in a kind of almost solid puree intersped with very thin slices of Pacific saury. Cutting/slicing the fish can be done only with the proper Japanes knife and skills.

The terrine was then gently cooked in bain-marie and cooled down completely before being served at room temperature.

A succulent aioli mayonnaise and organic greens from Mishima City completed this simple dish but so beutiful in balance and taste!

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
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French gastronomy with local products: Roasted Pork and Organic Vegetables at Pissenlit

The main reason for my choosing a restaurant is whether it serves cuisine made with as many locla products as possible, be they vegetables, meat, fruit or fish. or all of them!

Luckily enough, Shziuoka Prefecture is a mine gold when it comes to local poducts as proved in this latest seasonl creation by Tootu Arima at Pissenlit in Shizuoka city!

The pork is “Yusui Buta/湧水豚” from Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji which was served roasted with a dijon seed mustard sauce.

All the vegetables were organic and grown by Mr. Hirooka in Mishima City (also at the foot Mount Fuji!).
The vegetables represented here are from the top: Okra. Shishito pepper, Shikaku Ingen/squre string bean, and Ingen mame/String bean.

The pork lay partly over a slice of roasted white eggplant/aubergine.
The later is topped with okra and its flower!

For a better view of the okra flower!
Succulent!

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
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Matsutake Mushrooms and Conger Eel Fritters at Pissenlit

If celebrated chefs like Dominique Corby at 6eme Sens in Tokyo (1 Michelin Star and a regular on TV’s) say that Tooru Arima at Pissenlit is a chef is worth the trip all the way don to Shizuoka City, there is little else I can say except paying a regular visit to the establishment!

The cuisine at Pissenlit is always seasonal as his Matsutake Mushrooms and Conger Eel Fritters/Beignets de Matsutake et de Congre.
Matsutake Mushrooms have just appeared on the market, and he announced them as Haya matsutake/早松茸/early matsutake.
Frankly speaking i don’t have a real clue as to the order of the cooking, although I suspect it was done allat one time (maybe not for the mushroom, though) but it is certainly a small tour de force.

Thin strips of congre eel/anago/穴子 were rolled around matsutake mushroom and dipped in a thickish batter. The way of serving it was also a little piece of art.
The batter was solid and slightly crispy, more like a cake than a fritter batter.
The dressing made of olive oil, river weeds extract and matsutake juice was sublime and I cerainly didn’t leave a drop (sponged in a little nread…).
I left the plate absolutely clean!

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Fromage Creme Brulee at Pissenlit

Some desserts are classics wherever you find yourself in the world.
Creme brulee is one of them.
Thinking that it means “burnt cream” in French, one would be excused to question the naming of such a good and simple (in concept) dessert!
Many French restaurants are judged through the way handle so-called easy classics, especially terrines and pates for appetizers and creme brulee for dessert as they often tend to leave a lasting image as the first and last dish of a superb meal!

Whatever their simplicity, they cannot be served with a sophisticated touch.
This is where chefs like Tooru Arima are above the crowds.
The creme brulee comes with a spoon of passion fruit for extra seasoning and a small fruit salad for more decoration and a lightened dessert.

The creme is based on a pudding/custard made with fromage blanc and eggs of the best quality into an unctuous blend under a solid caramel you dleight into breaking after you have smeared it with the passion fruit!

Who said one would kill for such desserts! LOL

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

As mentioned before, Shizuoka Prefecture is famous all over the country for its tomatoes, especially organic and sweet.
These turn easily into real fruit (as they should be), and I just don’t count how many I eat back home just to refresh myself!

Mr. Tooru Arima had finally announced on his menu board outside his restaurant that he received those great sweet tomatoes gron by Mr. Ishitani In Hamamatsu City!

It was very easy to convince the Missus to sample them!

The dish we were served could be classified under many appellations as it could be considered as an apetizer, a salad or even a dssert.

Mr. Arima placed quarters of tomatoes around the centre surmounted with mozarella slices and organic basil.
The vinigrette was more a kind of gaspacho made of fine olive oil, juice/coulis for the tomatoes and other seasoning!

The whole concept became very interesting with (same) tomato jelly in the very centre, soft and light, with a topping of (same) omato sherbet!

The perfect appetizer for thirsty customers in scorching summer!

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French Cuisine: Summer Lunch at Pissenlit (2010)

The weather has turned from hot to scalding and it has become increasingly a real challenge for all restaurants to serve lunches both light, tasty and healthy to ever demanding clienteles (especially when considering that most customers then are ladies spending their husbands’ wages!)!

I though it was about time I sampled what the ladies enjoyed at Pissenlit, one of the best French restaurants in the whole Prefecture (~4,000,000 souls)
The appetizer above was a bit of a puzzle: Ripe Peach Chilled Soup (Vychissoise)
The soup itself was prepared with ripe peaches, vehetables consomme added with milk and fresh cream and a simple seasoning of salt and pepper.
It came topped with a sherbet made with the smae peach.
Very refreshing summer appetizer! I seemed to be caught between sweet and slightly salty notes all the time…

The next appetizer was not on themenu actuallly.
It is a terrine of “ayu/鮎”. a small indiineous (Japanese) trout-like fish coming with the grand Latin name of Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis. It is a very popular fish with river (it also swims in nearby seas) anglers.

It is also called Sweetfish.
As a terrine it a rare treat indeed. The whole fish, head and tail was used.

The dressing is also a rarity as it is concocted with “tade/蓼” or water pepper, vinegar and olive oil.
Why do I feel so spoiled? LOL

I chose a fish for the main dish. Definitely lighter on the system.
The fish from Sagara in Shizuoka Prefecture is called “kochi/鯒”.

It is also called “Sand Borer”. It is typical fish of Shizuoka Prefecture although it can found in other Japanese water.
It is a slightly extravagant fish to order. It is both appreciated raw and cooked, so you can imagine the compeptition between restaurants!

An “end view” of the fish.

It was roasted and later seasoned with a red wine sauce. The meat has definite bite for a white-fleshed fish that would please even meat eaters!

From a different angle for a better view of the vegetables.

The vegetables were bBack Cabbage, Baby Corn, Violet Carrot, Romanesco Cauliflower (in Japanese sango/coral cauliflower), Morroko Ingen/Morrocan String Beans, all organic from Hirooka Garden in Mishima City, as well as more carrot and Chinese greens.
The perfect (and healthy) balance!

I just couldn’t resist some cheese for dessert and consequently brought the whole healthy balance to nothing!LOL
PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK
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French Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at SUGIMOTO TETSUYA-Part 4 (Dessert: Fried Watermelon and Green Tea Ice Cream)

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 this menu feature only produce for Shizuoka Prefecture only.
Since it has turned into a fairly long meal to explain I go about it dish by dish. This is the last part (at last): Dessert! An evry unusual one!

Tetsuya Sugimoto cut out a rectangular piece out a Shizuoka-grown watermelon and fried it on both sides on a lttle oil.
Now, who would have thought of that?!

He placed the hot watermelon on a rectangular plate and seasoned it with vicotto sauce (alright, not for Shizuoka!LOL)

He then put some vanilla (of course not from Shizuoka, but the ice-cream is home-made!) with the idea that it will melt quickly and will become a second seasoning.

On top he placed a large portion of ice cream he made with “Hon-yama” green tea (not matcha), probably the most famous brand of green tea in Shizuoka Prefecture (45% of the total Japanese production!).
He put the finishing touch with fresh leaves of Shizuoka-grown organic mint!

The combination of warm and crunchy watermelon with the unctuosity is the ice cream is difficult to describe as at least four kinds of taste stimulate your palate!

A must try recipe!

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
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French Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at SUGIMOTO TETSUYA-Part 3 (Main Dish: Pork

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!

I chose pork.
This pork goes by the name of LBY TON and comes from a pig raised by Mr. Matsuzawa in Fujinomiya City. It is of supreme quality and taste with little fat inside the meat itself (although the fat around it is also a morsel!) with a great bite reminiscent of top-class ham.

The pork (from the shoilder) was firs rissole/fried on all sides before being cooked inside the oven.

All vegetables are organic and grown by Mr. matsuki of Bio Farm matskui in Fujinomiya (formerly Shibakawa Cho): burdock/gobo, carrot/ninjin, cucumber/kyuri, Morrocan Stringbeans/Morokko Ingen, “Tsurumurasaki”, Inca mezame potato and Red Moon Potato.
All vegetables were irst fried in olive oil with a minimal seasoning and then lightly baked inside the oven.

The whole was served with Mr. Sugimoto’s own mustard dressing!

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
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French Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at SUGIMOTO TETSUYA-Part 2 (Organic Vegetables)

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 this menu feature only produce for Shizuoka Prefecture only.
Since it has turned into a fairly long meal to explain I go about it dish by dish. This time we shall talk about the organic vegetables dish!

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.

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
Were I served this everyday I certainly would become vegetarian!
All vegetables were cooked to perfection to a crispy outside and just tender enough inside thus protecting and enhancing their natural savor while preserving all their nutrients!
No need to mention the tableau they made up!

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
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French Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at SUGIMOTO TETSUYA-Part 1(Appetizer)

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 gstronomic paradise in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Lunch and

dinner can chosen from the chef recommendation menus or a la carte. A la carte means that you can agree on a budget and an individual meal making it fun for both the diner and the chef!

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 this menu feature only produce for Shizuoka Prefecture only.
Since it has turned into a fairly long meal to explain I will go about it dish by dish. This time we shall talk about the appetizer!

The fish is rainbow trout rasied by Mr. Kukuri in Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mout Fuji! It was first marinated and then brushed with delicious (secret) dressing.
The fish was then monted on aubergines/egg plants and mini tomatoes grown by b Mr. Kaneko in Hamamatsu City. The aubergines had been first grilled, then peeled and marinated before being cut in large pieces. More dressing was added with fresh chopped green leaves.
The rainbow trout and aubergines made for a sublimely simple (in concept) and sophisticated (in taste) combination inside the palate!

Organic vegetables dish next time!

French Cuisine: Lunch at Tetsuya Sugimoto (new formula)

Service: personal and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Very fresh local ingredients extensively used. Seasonal ingredients of the best quality only.
entirely non-smoking!

Since the beginning of June, Tetsuya Sugimoto has re-started with the formula he had so much success with in his former restaurant: a one-man (solo) show!
Tell the truth, he was more or less forced to do it, but he admits that he is quite happy as things are now. After all, his clients are slow food fans in the broadest sense!

On the blackboard outside the prices have been done without. Only the new arrivals of the day are featured: Vegetables from Mr. Yano (Hamamatsu City), Bio Farm Satsuki (Fujinomiya City), Mikatahara Kaneko (Hamamatsu City), Suzuki Noen (Hamamatsu City), Milk Lamb from Iida Bokujyo (Hamamatsu City),….

The Menu has also dispensed with set menus and the like,
Actually, the best way to order your repast is to consult Mr. Sugimoto and either give him a budget to work with, or ask him to arrange this and that. The guests and the chef devise the meal together, a rarity in Japan!

As for the seating the 7 tables seating two each can be arranged in any pattern thanks to white partitions ensuring privacy if needed. The latter can be taken out quickly in case of a party.

5 can sit at the counter, my favourite place when coming alone.
It allows me to stand up any time and chat with the chef while he is cooking!

Although Mr. Sugimoto is a bit shy, he will gladly let you take pictures if you ask nicely!

Here are the vegetables we had agreed on to go with the meat.
All are from Shizuoka Prefecture, except the dark carrots from Hokkaido.

The meat was shoulder from a 3-month old lamb.

The appetizer was fish rillettes prepared with Cognac, Pernod, Fresh cream and white miso!

The second appetizer was white asparaguses from Hokkaido.

Boiled to perfection and served with a light sauce made with pheasant bouillon and Japanese fermented butter.

Be it daytime or night time, a couple of glasses of wine are always in order!

Les Airs, Cotes du Rhone red 2007, unfiltered by Les Vignerons d’Estezargues, 14.5 degrees proof of alcohol. Very solid, fruity, rustic wine with big notes of red fruit and cassis in aroma,soft on the palate in spite of its obvious strength, welcome acidity, lingers long enough to be fully appreciated. Well-chosen, if not famous, wine!

Now, for the main dish!

The lamb was cooked rare, barel seasoned and served with Madeira sauce.

The vegetables were slightly boiled before being fried or deep-fried to preserve their crunchiness and flavors.
Eating them one at a time is a true gastronomic experience even for an omnivore.

Desserts are a must at Tetsuya Sugimoto!
Light and full of flavours, they will actually benifit your health!
Creme d’ange made with Hokkaido Fromage Blanc (Hokkaido No Kyodo Gakusha) with vincoto sauce and rhubarb puree and Hon Yama Seicha Mousse made with green tea from Shizuoka!

Great coffee and amuse-bouches to top it all!

Had it not been lunch, I would have ordered a digestif or a glass of Shizuoka Sake that the chef always keeps handy!

Tetsuya SUGIMOTO
420-0038 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Umeya, 2-13, 1F
Tel./Fax: 054-251-3051
Opening hours: 11:30~13:30 (last orders), 18:00~21:00 (last prders)
Day off: varying, please phone beforehand.
Reservations strongly recommended.
Vegetarian or vegan meals on request.
Private parties possible.
Credit Cards OK
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French Dessert: Chilled Musk Melon Soup at Pissenlit

This is the “third part” of my previous lunch at Pissenlit, dessert!

Musk Melons are a specialty of Fukuroi City, where more than 300 farmers grow them in a great environment, most of the time organic!

This dessert for all its simple concept, was a true dlicacy.
Half of it was soup made with flesh and juice of musk melon, and the other half of musk melon quarters you scoope out with yor spoon with some of the grapefruit sorbet wimming on top!

It certainly deserved a separate posting!

This is the “second part” of my previous lunch at Pissenlit.
As it is not fit for vegans or vegetarians, I kept separate, although organic vegetables do figure in this great gastronomic experience!

As for the meat, it is roasted chicken.
But the chicken is very special: Of the shamo/軍鶏 variety, it is some some of the best chicken available in this country.
Moreover, it was kept in a natural habitat in Umegashima, up in the mountains near the source of the Abe River, and fed only with natural food.

As for the vegetables, they are all organic.
The onions on the zucchini slice are confit, and the sauce is Provencal in concept with high quality EV oil and local tomatoes, garlic, and so forth.

The chicken breast with its skin roasted to crunchy perfection was placed atop a grilled slice of aubergine with Okahijiki, Komatsuna and Morokko Ingen/large string beans, all organically grown in Mishima City by Mr. Hideyaki Hirooka.

An “internal” viewof the dish!

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
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Vegan French Steamed Organic Salad at Pissenlit

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!

Bazooka Gourmet is probably going to have another (shooting) field day when he learns that I have just been approached by the local government to help promote the local agriculture through blogging!
Whta can I say? It’s simply a pleasure!

To cut an increasingly long story short, I visited Pissenlit for lunch, and when I saw “Mishima Hirokawa San Yasai no Etuvee”/Steamed vegetables grown by Mr. (Hideyaki) Hirokawa in Mishima City, I knew that no-one could unhook me from my (delicious) doom!

To tell the truth I have nurtured a special relation with chef Tooru Arima (and many others), and he is only too happy to oblige with my sometimes very selfish requests!

He gracefully allowed me to take pics of his treasures! The pic above are greens grown by Mr. Hirokawa!

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

Alright, let me give you at least the names of the vegetables I enjoyed so much:
in above picture you can see:
Front row: Carrot/Ninjin/人参, Red Round Daikon/Beni Maru Daikon/紅丸大根
Second row: Violet Round Daikon/Murasaki Maru Daikon/紫丸大根, Snow Beauty Daikon/Yuki Bijin Daikon/雪美人大根, Day Field Leaf Turnip/Hinona No Kabu/日野菜の蕪, Cauliflower/こりフラワー, and Ayame Turnip/Ayame Kabu/あやめ蕪.

Front row: Violet Round Daikon/Murasaki Maru Daikon/紫丸大根, Stick Junior Broccoli/シティックジューニアブロッコリー, Snow Beauty Daikon/Yuki Bijin Daikon/雪美人大根, Red Round Daikon/Beni Maru Daikon/紅丸大根,
Carrot/Ninjin/人参
Second row: Akakura Daikon/赤くら大根, Day Field Leaf Turnip/Hinona No Kabu/日野菜の蕪, Red Long Water Daikon/Aka Naga Mizu Daikon/赤長水大根, Cauliflower/こりフラワー, and Ayame Turnip/Ayame Kabu/あやめ蕪.
Third row: Small Turnip/Ko Kabu/子株 on top of White Cucumber/Shiro Kyuuri/白胡瓜.

Front row: Ayame Turnip/Ayame Kabu/あやめ蕪, Cauliflower/こりフラワー, Aka Naga Mizu Daikon/赤長水大根, and Small Turnip/Ko Kabu/子株 on top of White Cucumber/Shiro Kyuuri/白胡瓜.
Second row: Carrot/Ninjin/人参, Red Round Daikon/Beni Maru Daikon/紅丸大根, Snow Beauty Daikon/Yuki Bijin Daikon/雪美人大根, Day Field Leaf Turnip/Hinona No Kabu/日野菜の蕪, and Akakura Daikon/赤くら大根.
Third row: Stick Junior Broccoli/シティックジューニアブロッコリー and Akakura Daikon/赤くら大根.

Front row: Small Turnip/Ko Kabu/子株 on top of White Cucumber/Shiro Kyuusri/白胡瓜, Day Field Leaf Turnip/Hinona No Kabu/日野菜の蕪, Violet Round Daikon/Murasaki Maru Daikon/紫丸大根.
Second row: Red Log Water Daikon/Aka Naga mizu Daikon/赤長水大根, Cauliflower/こりフラワー, Snow Beauty daikon/Yuki Bijin Daikon/雪美人大根, and Stick Junior Broccoli/シティックジューニアブロッコリー.
Third row: Ayame Turnip/Ayame Kabu/あやめ蕪, Red Round Daikon/Beni maru Daikon/紅丸大根 and Carrot/Ninjin/人参!

The vegetables were steamed/cooked to perfection providing a satisfying bite with the right combination of tenderness and crunchiness.
The dressing was also vegan, shallots, garlic, olive oil, Guerande salt and vegetables “juices”, providing for an elegant and precise seasoning!

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
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French Cuisine: Mocha Creme Brulee & Panacotta at Pissenlit

These are the desserts we had the other day to finish our dinner on a grand and sweet note!

The Missus chose the Panacotta and red fruit plate. Not so French after all, although panacotta should be translated as blanc-manger! LOL
A great and light combination of tastes and colours!

I’m just a sucker for creme brulee!
This one had the great merit of being flavoure with mocha coffee.
Great presentation, too!

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
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French Cuisine: Vendee Duckling and Morels at Pissenlit

This is the third dish we had at Pissenlit the other day after that great terrine and the lukewarm white asparaguses and Jamon Serrano. combination

This is also a cclassic French delicacy:
Caneton de Vendee aux Morilles fraiches/Vendee Duckling with fresh morels.

Ducklings have made the Vendee (central west France under Bretagne/Brittany) for ages. When you combine them with fresh morels imported from France, it is difficult to beat them!

The duckling was first roasted. The fesh morels were cooked in a suce composed Red wine, Madeira wine and fond de veau/veal stock.
All the other (steamed/etouffe) vegetables were organically grown in the city of Mishima, in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture!

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
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Asperges Blanches Tiedes et Jamon Serrano at Pissenlit

This is the second dish we had at Pissenlit the other day after that great terrine. combination

This is also a combination of two countries this time:
Asperges Blanches Tiedes et Jamon Serrano

The white aparaguses from France werved lukewarm with first class ham from Spain/Jamon Serrano.
The vinaigrette was a lukewarm one based with taragon in particular.

That certainly disappeared quickly!
Just the time to take the pic as the Missus wouldn’t let me linger on it!LOL

PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK
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Pressee de Poireaux sur Terrine de Foie Blonds, Vinaigrette aux Truffes at Pissenlit

You konw that Chef Tooru Arima has achieved a well-earned fame when you learn that such respected local chefs as Tetsuya Sugimoto visit Pissenlit for dinner to enjoy and talk gastronomy, be it Japanese of French!

I have decided that describing a full meal at such establishments does not make justice to their art. Each sampled deserves an article of its own!

This particular appetizer/hors d’oeuvres is actually a combination of two very different terrines:
The base is provided by a slice of Terrine de Foies blonds de Volaille, a terrine made with the “white” livers of poultry raised outdoors in real nature.

The second tier is leeks from Belgium first steamed than pressed into a terrine with a very light jelly.

The leek terrine is seasoned with roughly ground black pepper.
The vinaigrette is made with balsamico vinegar, fond de veau and truffles. A green final touch is provided with small Italian parsley leaves!

Cassoulet

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Generous portions (for a Japanese restaurant), classic French and Italian and unpretentious. “Special” Wine list!

Last night saw cats and dogs falling anew with the unpredictable weather. Neither of us felt going back home and starting cooking. It was about time we visited an od friend of ours at Hana Hana!

The greatest quality of this unpretentious and very friendly restaurant combining the delicacies of Southern France and Italy resides in its succulent fare served in generous portions (for a Japanese restaurant), and all this at reasonable prices (for japan, again!)

Here is what we had last night:

Appetizer: deep-fried /shiroebi/white shrimps/Glass shrimps on a potato chip and amadai/Tilefish tartare on a lotus root chip.

Tilefish or amadai/アマダイ/甘鯛、尼鯛　in Japanese

Glass Shrimps/White Shrimps or shiroebi/白海老 in Japanese.

The Missus ordered a “Country-style” salad, but it was so big that the chef served a single portion on two different plates without even asking us! Great home-made sausages, duck and so on!

As for the beautiful duckling terrine, the two of us had to dig in as the portion was definitely not Japanese-sized! LOL
It certainly wasn’t easy to keep off the bread!

Now, the Missus’ main dish as a great combination of French and Japanese cuisines: Baked amadai/tilefish with wasabi sauce!
Did I tell you that Shizuoka Prefecture grows 80& of all wasabi in Japan?LOL

When I was wondering what main dish I would order, the chef just suggested, Alsation Choucroute or Cassoulet?
Not fair! Being a Burgundian, I was truly caught halfway!
Alright, I’ll take the Cassoulet!
…..
My, my, now, that was big!
The Missus: -I’ll have the finest little piece of each: Duck confit, pork belly cut and home-made sausage!
She could have tried to help me more…. LOL again!
Do you know the hree basic cassoulets? To give you an idea, mine included two of them!
No need to tell you it was perfect!

We don’t make a rule of eaing dessert, but we have never been able to escape from Hana Hana’s offerings!
The Missus had this Creme Blanche (meringue, fresh cream and cottage cheese) with a red fruit soup, a beautiful combination in colours and tastes!

I’ve always been a sucker for Hana Hana’s Creme Brulee!
Just the right amount of cream and plenty of caramel and a beautiful ice-cream on top!

I’ll have to find a reason to go back on my own!
Why?
There is still this Alsatian Choucroute buggering me!

Hana Hana
Open for lunch and dinner. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (open every day at Shin Shizuoka Center)
420-0037 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Hitoyado-cho, 1-3-12
Tel. & Fax: 054-2210087
Credit cards OK
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French Gastronomy: Pigeon at Pissenlit

When I saw the new “noren/entrance curtain” at the entrance of Pissenlit the other day (secret?) I knew it was a lost cause!
I just had to check what was on the menu, which evolves so well with the seasons!

The chef, Mr. Tooru Arima, told me that he had just received pigeon from Ibaraki Prefecture!
-Okay, I’ll go for it!
-It will take some time. How about an hors d’oeuvres first?
-Fine, I leave it to you!

What came was a very unusual combination of North African and Japanese cuisine!
Actually, when you think that Japan imports vast quantities of squid/cuttlefish from North Africa, I shouldn’t have been surprised.
The squid is called “mimi ika/耳烏賊”, meaning squid with “large ears”. It is comparativeley small but with large “ears”.
The dish consisted of a taboule salad with Moroccan couscous and home-marinated, very soft mimi ika squid, and plenty of local trefoil and herbs.
A very sophisticated hors d’oeuvres!

And then the whole pigeon came!
It is prpared in two steps, first a l’etouffee/pan steamed and then roasted before being cut and served with its sauce and vegetables (organic vegetables from Shizuoka).
Cooked to perfection, well roatsed and crunchy on the outside and tender and half raw in the middle. Going through many textures in a single bite!

The head has been cut to reveal the brains, a real delicacy if a bit gross!

Now the “stick” is very japanese in concept. It is simply a yakitori made with the liver and heart of the smae pigeon!
Barabarous again, but so delicious!

It was lunch and I had been ravenous. I therefore finished with a small plate of cheese to go with the red wine:
Aged gruyere, Trou du Cru, Crottin Chavignol, Roquefort and Explorateur!

What’s in next? LOL

PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK
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French Cuisine: Sauteed Landes Duck Foie Gras with Madeira Sauce on Truffles Risotto

Another reason for visiting Pissenlit on a regular basis is that Chef Tooru Arima is capable of using the most extravagant ingredients and still offer them at a very reasonable price.

This Duck foie gras (how about that, Arnie?LOL) from the Landes area, South Western France) was fried/flambe to perfection. It sounds easy, but the timing is extremely difficult. I should know as I cannot count the times I have failed.
Now the Madeira sauce was in perfect balance with the foie gras, whereas the truffles risotto offered the salted counterpoint to the sweetness of the foie gras and sauce!

Alright, how much? Less than 30 US $!

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
————————–
LANDES DUCKLING AND ORANGE SALAD AT PISSENLIT

Tooru Arima is a lucky chef:
He has access to some of the best organic vegetables and fruit all year long in this country.
No wonder he can prepare this succulent salad with duckling from the Landes area in France and cook it to perfection before letting it cool down and cut it thin slices to be served with oranges from Shizuoka. As for the green leaf vegetables inclkuding trefoil, luccolla and others are all organic and from our prefecture.
Customers are lucky, too, aren’t they? LOL

Tooru Arima has a special love for anything vegetables and is constantly on a quest to serve them in an original manner!

Above is a beautiful example of his imagination.
Served with a red sweet pimento mousse, it makes for the best appetizer in town with a great white wine!

The Japanese love horsemeat.
Whereas the French will eat it in the shape of fried steaks or steak tartare (did you know that the real tartare steak is made from horsemeat?), the Japanese will eat it as sashimi. They also will let it mature frozen and thaw justenough before savouring it!

Pissenlit, being a French restaurant in Shizuoka City, the approach is naturally totally different!

The meat is prime horsemeat from Normandie horses raised in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu Island.
Chef Tooru Arima will fry it slowly to perfect tenderness and serve it with a red wine sauce of his own.

He will place the steak on a slice of kooushi daikon and surround it with other organic vegetables: kikabu/yellow turnip, Stick Senior/Broccoli variety, kiiro and aka ninjin/yellow and red carrots, mekabetsu/Brussels sprouts, Milano daikon. All vegetables are grown in Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture except for the Brussels sprouts from Kyoto.

Pissenlit, one of the very best French restaurants in Shizuoka City is rapidly earning a lot of attention, not only because of the supreme quality of all the ingredients Chef Tooru Arima uses, but also because of the originality and concept of many of his creations!

I recently had the fortune to discover and savour a terrine made of the “white liver” of guineal fowls raised in Iwate Prefecture, a region celebrated for its Japanese sake and oysters.
The concept was very similar to foie gras (listen, Arnie!), but lighter and I would dare say, more elegant. The pork fat/lard around it (I d not eat it) preserved the texture and taste to perfection.
Just a little toasted bread, roughly ground black pepper and dry figs made for a simple and perfect complement.

A leaf of Kyoto-grown Italian Funtaretta (chickory) provided for the vital tangy association to the sweetness of the terrine and a healthy dose of Vitamin and fibers!

It just shows you don’t have to go too far to have a taste of France!

The other day, the Missus finally got her wish, dinner at Pissenlit (as for me I already had a couple!)
I already introduced this particular French restaurant time and again as one of the best in town using great ingredients, seasonal only, at really “soft” prices!

Actually we had timed this visit perfectly as the chef was going to call me as he had finally received something I’d been crying for time and time again (tell you later!)

To put things short again here what we had:

First the wine: a very well-priced honest Bourgogne Pinot Noir red by Domaine Malvoissine 2007 distributed by Louis Latour.

Very dark clean red, plenty of nose, a bit young, but just appropriate for the whole meal.

Cute gougeres to help overcome our impatience and start tasting the wine!

As the Missus also wanted to have a try I chose the new white asparaguses with cod sperm sacs sauteed meuniere with Provencale sauce. Something you won’t get outside Japan! Even the Missus who usually can’t face cod sperm sacs appreciated them!

The Missus had been waiting for that!
Cassolette de Champignons et d’Escargots de Bourgogne!
I can tell I had some of these mushrooms and snails!
They were perfect and not overwhelmed with garlic!

The Missus delved into this colourful beef cheek in cassis sauce and Shizuoka Organic vegetables. I also made sure she left me a bit!

Now I was looking forward to these little beauties: Rognons de Veau/Veal Kidneys!
The Missus was not convinced this time. Cooked to perfection, soft outside, crunchy inside flambee with cognac in cream sauce!
My Dad would cross the World for these (a specialty of my brother!)!

To ned it (and the wine with it) I had a small plate of French cheese: Cote, Camembert at Pave d’Affinois.

The Missus went for the specila strawberry short cake. A very light and tasty marvel miles ahead of what we find at cake shops!

Red Fruit Dance!

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Very fresh local ingredients extensively used. Seasonal ingredients only.

Today is Sunday.
As the Missus has to work (for an orthondontist! You can imagine what I’m going though about tooth\eeth hygiene!LOL) and that I didn’t any have sports event to worry about, I just went to my office for some “work”.
I was not that hungry when an idea burst into the back of my head: why not check on my good friend Tetsuya Sugimoto? I knew he was getting all kind of supremley delicious vegatables for all over the Prefecture and beyond.
My hunch had been the right one when I saw the vegetables advertized on their blackboard outside!

Apart of very comfortable tables and chairs, the restaurant has a beautiful counter where loners (and couples!) can enjoy thir meal almost in semi privacy while ogling at the chef working in his kitchen.

The view from the counter towards the entrance!

The other view from the counter looking at Tetsya Sugimoto at work!

Testuya Sugimoto has a wine list all the more remarkable for its very reasonable prices when you consider the taste and combination of the available nectars.
As there was little chance of my guzzling down a full bottle, I just asked for a couple of glass of red wine.

I was served a Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2007 by Chanson et Freres.
A bit young and tannic, but just what I needed!

Now, I didn’t even bother looking at the Sunday Lunch menu and set Courses. I had made sure to come late enough not to interfere with the restaurant’s business and asked Tetsuya in person (if you know him, he is very amenable and will accomodate all your priorities) what he could do with allthe vegetables he had on hand.
“OK!” was the terse reply, but he had realized that I had seen what vegetables were on offer!

The little appetizer above is a combination of two different carrot mousses, red Kyo ninjin and yellow Kyo ninjin (Kyo stands for Kyoto-style, Ninjin for carrots) grown in Hamamatsu city. A dessert if there was one!

And then came the “platter” of sauteed vegetables!

Viewed at a different angle!

And viewed from another angle again!

Testuya explained to me that all the vegetables were sauteed with a little oil, salt and pepper only. The sauce was formed nturally with water and the vegetables juices! Vegans, rejoice!

Now the vegetables were:
Yacon, Kuro Daikon (black-skinned daikon), Yellow and Violet Cauliflower, Aka Kyoninjin (red Kyoto-style carrots), Kiiro Kyoninjin (yellow Kyoto-style carrots), Hina no Kabu/long thin red and white turnip, Petit Vert Lettuce, Shiroi Kabu/White round turnips, andLeek/Poireau from Mr. Matsuki’s Biofarm in Shibakawa-Cho at the foot of Mount Fuji (the other vegetables are from Hamamatsu City).

Tetsuya belatedly said he had forgotten to include the topinambours from Hokkaido Island! He then prepared a small plate of sauteed topinambour in olive oil. Absolutely gorgeous!

The deseert was a beautiful sorbet made with late-ripening apples from Hokkaido. The texture was reminiscent of apple compote. Delicious!

Coffee and mignardises!

For a better view of the mignardises!

My, my, now how much did you pay for that? You might ask.
40 US $, wine, coffe, bread and butter included!
I was so embarrassed I left a 10 US $ tip!

Tetsuya SUGIMOTO
420-0038 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Umeya, 2-13, 1F
Tel./Fax: 054-251-3051
Open for lunch and dinner
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit Cards OK
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New Year Lunch at Pissenlit

Last Monday (I mean the 4th of July), we belatedly visited that favourite French restaurant of ours in Shizuoka City for the lunch out of the year.
I’ve already introduced that particular restaurant and his chef, Mr. Arima.
The prices are not only reasonable but the ingredients are simply extravagant.Moreover they are exclusively seasonal, be they from Shizuoka, Japan or abroad. A great emphasis is done on local bio bvegetables and one can expect a feast of colors!

Here what we enjoyed on tha particular day:

The Missus chose that beautiful plate of sauteed mushrooms topped with fresh truffles!

When I eat French food, I tend to a bit rustic. LOL.
Simple but elegant and perfect chicken liver terrine!

A beautiful kabocha cream for both of us before the main dish.

For once, we both opted for fish.
The Missus ordered sauteed “Sawara/Spanish Mackerel” with cassis sauce. Look at those veg!

As for me, I devoured “Inada or young buri/yellowtail” sauteed and served with a dijon mustard cream sauce. Look at those veg again!

And it was time for dessert:
The Missus delved into Panacotta and raspberry sorbet.

As for me, marrons and almonds tart with cassis sorbet.

Alright, alright, you want to know how much we paid for that?
30 US$ per person, bread, butter and coffee included.
We had 3 glasses of wine each. The total bill was 110 US$.
Worth it, wasn’t it?

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
—————————
French Dessert Combination at Gentil (’09/09/25)

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last night, after we visited Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City, we went to Gentil, the oldest French restaurant in town for cheese (report coming next) and dessert.

The chef at Gentil has just changed and the style is different, but very modern in approach as demonstrated by the combination dessert we were served:

From left to right:
-Caramel ice-cream
-Kabocha/Japanese Pumpkin Creme Brulee
-Fresh kaki/persimmon (my first this year!)
-Banana Cake
-Cassis Sorbet

Definitely extravagant!

Restaurant Gentil
Address:420-0031 Shizuoka Shi, Gofuku-cho, 2-9-1, Gennan Kairaku building, 2F
Tel.: 054-2547655 (Reservations advisable)
Fax: 054-2210509
Opening hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~last orders for meals at 21:30. Bar time 18:00~23:30. Closed on Mondays.
Credit cards OK
Homepage　(Japanese)

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Tetsuya SUGIMOTO (The approach)

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Tetsuya Sugimoto, former owner of Sugimoto Restaurant, has finally come back to us after venturing into unchartered waters to open his new restaurant, Tetsuya SUGIMOTO, in shizuoka City for the great pleasure of his many fans.
I personally consider him, and many friends agree, to be the best French in town and probably in the Prefecture.
As he has only just started again, the menu is still very much under study and is bound to vastly expand. I will only feature the dishes that I and a friend of mine tasted, as well as those that my other friend Marcus took during two quick meals.
A bigger one is coming next week, so stay tuned.

My Pictures:

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Marcus’ pics:

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Tetsuya SUGIMOTO
420-0038 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Umeya, 2-13, 1F
Tel./Fax: 054-251-3051
open for lunch and dinner
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit Cards OK
——————–
LUNCH AT PISSENLIT (third visit!)

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In Shizuoka, during the reainy season, when it rains, it just pours!
The Missus workingon Sunday, and me having to cook in the veening, I just escaped from our stuffy home and took the bus to taown. I already had in mind where I was going to use this rare break from Sunday Cricket: Pissenlit!
This is my third lunch, which might be considered as an overkill, but since I’m going there again on Friday evening with friends, there a couple more things I wanted to check!

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Chablis 2006, Domaine Alain Pautre

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For a moment, I was thinking of ordering wine by the glass, but what the hell, I asked for the full ottle and shared it with the chef and staff!

Melinda, Rachael, Etsuko and Jen are going to kill me for the succinct review, but I’ll make with Friday’s tasting:

Colour: rich golden hue, very clear
Aroma: Fresh, flowery
Taste: Solid attack, flowery, backed with dry, slightly tannic back-up. Longish tail, Stays solide with food.

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This time I didn’t bother reading the menu and just went for the carte (written on a blackboard!).
I had been dreaming about the Foie Gras Marbre (Marbled Foie Gras, sorry Arnie!) for some time. Now, I was going to enjoy it! (If someone wants the Missus to kill me, just tell her, but this will be the end of this blog!)!
Surprisinfly light and supremely elegant affair. Not to mention the organic green tomato!

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It was then I was going to order the Escargots de Bourgogneet Morilles (Morels), when the Chef said “Hang on!”. Blimey I already knew I was going to be deprived of my favourite home specialty! Had better be good!

I was told they had just received this organic Poulet Noir (Black Chicken) bred according to the French Label Rouge regulations. The difference is that it is raisedd in Hamamatsu City, Haruno in a secluded mountainous part near the Tenryuu River by Mr. Mastoshi Uchiyama who has been raising these little beauties for the last 15 years in his farm, Forest Farm Meguri! The chicken is “cooped” in quasi freedom, eating only selected organic food for 120 days.

Akright, alright, I will have the snails on Friday, then! Mind you, it was not difficult to convince me when I was told I would be the first customer in Pissenlit to be served the morsel!

And morsel it was:
Above is a”yakitori” stick of the Black Chicken giblets with shiitake!

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Next came a typically Japanese way and though of cooking: Chicken sasami/Brest fillets, “tataki”/half cooked style marinade with yuzu koshio/lime pepper. I know a lot of French “critiques” who would fall over each other to taste that in an overpiced instiyution back home!

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For the bread lovers, I was served these exquisite and small soba/buckwheat bread buns!

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Tebasaki/Wing grilled with Teriayaki sauce amde with fond de veau/veal stock and balsamico vinegar. To be eaten with your fingers only! (you are allowed to lick them!)

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And ten,…

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One whole breast roasted and served on chou frise with a Sauce Supreme. Simple, exquisite and finger-licking! I usually don’t go much for chicken skin, but I must admit I was convinced this time!

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As for dessert I didn’t want to put my health to risk on their enormous dessert plate and just asked for the creation of the day:
Loquat compote (cooked in Bourgogne White Wine) and vanilla ice-cream (plenty of vanilla bits there!)! The perfect ending to an extravagant lunch!

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LUNCH AT PISSENLIT (REVISITED)

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As promised, here is a short report about the second lunch taken with the Missus. Soryy for the delay, as I had to wait for my other half’s pics!

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I will ignore the same offerings as last time and will concentrate on the new dishes:
The Missus, who had not eaten a hamburger for ages, could not resist asking for the Oven-baked Japanese Beef Hamburger and Spring Vegetables!
Apart of the French wild asparaguses, allthe vegetables are organically grown in Shizuoka: 3 differently coloured mini daikon, mini yellow carrot, Chinese zasai and new yellow potato. I did taste the hamburger. It certainly would make a fan of such delicacy if the same quality could be found in the States! Absolutely extravagant and ridiculously cheap!

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As for me, I had to order that dish bringing me back to my roots: Herb-roasted Vendee (West of France) Duck with Spring Vegetables!
Note the baby corn that I ate whole, ear included, the violet daikon, lily flower buds, yellow carrot, shiitake, and so on.
The Duck was absolutely perfect, medium-rare as it should be, more tender than a loving woman and the subtle herb mixture combining into another world inside your palate!

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Alright, alright, here is the dessert plate (we had to share it, as it is simply too big!LOL)!
All are home-made (of course, some will say): Vanilla Ice-cream filled with vanilla bits, Black Tea Jelly, Cannelle, Pannacota, Strabeery and Cherry Tree Leaf Roll Cake!

Incidentally, I’m going there again for dinner in two-weeks time!
I’m definitely going to order that Marbled Foie Gras!

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Tooru Arima, after working for ten years at Shimizu Hotel Quest, decided it was about time to fly on his own wings and opened Pissenlit with his wife Takako on September 24th, 2008.

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A small restaurant, it sits a maximum of 20 guests.
I visited it at lunch time for the first time last Sunday, a rainy cricket-less Sunday and came back with the Missus for lunch yesterday.
If lunch gives a faithful idea of the level of the restaurant, Pissenlit is bound to become a regular visit.
To the Missus’ delight, the place is completely non-smoking!

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The wine list is more than adequate and offers a good variety from Cremant de Bourgogne to a rare Chateau Chalon. It even features two local sake: hana no Mai and Fujinishiki!

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I ordered a Alsace bottle by Marcel Weiss, Riesling 2007 in the village of Bergheim.

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The tasting notes are for Jen and Melinda!

Colour and clarity: Very clear golden colour
Aroma: Fruity and flowery. Slightly sweet and dee.
Taste: Fresh tingling flowery attack/light, petillant typical of Alsace.
lingers for a little while in back of the palate.
Reveals otherv facets with food. Well rounded.

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They have two lunch fixed menus. I chose the “Creatif menu”, fairly reasonable at under 30 US$:
Out of 5 starters I chose the Aji/Saurel Carpaccio Salad.
The fish come the neighbouring harbour of Yui. Great freshness and perfect with its green and balsamico vinegar!

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For a better look of the fish!

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A soft and pleasing carrot cream soup.

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The main dish: “Yusui” Pork from Fujinomiya City, one of 3 main dishes to choose from.
This main dish is the epitome of Mr. Arima’s cuisine which can be described as an intriguing combination of local ingredients and those of othe regions and countries: Wild asparaguses from France, Green Papaya from Okinawa, organic red beet from Shiuoka, Lily flower buds, etc.

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For a better view of this juicy pork from pigs raised in our Prefecture!

PISSENLIT-9

I’ve heard that many guests come especially for the dessert plate (chaging regularly).
The present assortment includes Macha Roll Cake with Azuki beans, Gateau Chocolat, Pannacotta, Souffle Cheese Cake and Black Tea Jelly!

I will show picture of what we had yesterday in another posting!
Moreover I shall visit Pissenlit for dinner very soon to delve into Mr.Arima’s Carte which includes such delicacies aas Castelnaudary’s Cassoulet, Vendee Duck, Hungary Mangaricia Pork, Foie gras marbre and Bourgogne Escargots with Morel Mushrooms Fricassee!

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)
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HANA HANA (first visit in 2009)

hana-09-4

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great and very large washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value

Hana Hana in Shizuoka City has always been a favourite because you can always expect both their classical dishes to be on the menu while seasonal offerings and creations are constantly appearing around the corner for your great pleasure!

Today being Thursday, the Missus and I visited the place for lunch. Instead of choosing one of the very good value “lunch sets”, we opted for the Lunch Course menu which allows you to choose three courses out of a good eighteen with coffee, bread and amuse bouche included!

Here was what we savoured:

hana-09-1

As I said above, the amuse-bouche is included, and we were served a Hana Hana classic, namely “shirako/Cod Sperm Sacs” (sorry, I’m a blunt savage!) sauteed Italian-style. Even the Missus who usually avoid this acquired taste morsel greatly appreciated it. Crispy outside, melting like foie gras inside.

hana-09-2

The Missus next chose a Hana Hana regular hors d’oeuvre, “Suwa Gani Terrine/Suwa (from Hokkaido) Crab Terrine”. A very light terrine served with a cold tomato coulis and crispy fresh greens.

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As for me, I ordered a new dish, Foie gras stuffed blini with cream sauce mushrooms. Lighter than expected, but very satisfying and succulent. A great simple but sophisticated idea!

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The Missus, a duck addict, could not help try the young duck breast roasted and sliced with a delightful sweet sauce (madeira wine?). She somehow managed to leave a few slices for me to taste!

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Being a galant gentleman (who am I kidding? certainly not my better-worse half!), I asked for the scallops sauteed Provence-style as my poor companion cold not decide which main order to go for. Actually, I was looking forward to the small exchange cited above! Cooked to perfection with delightful petite ratatouille.

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And it was time for dessert!
The Caramel Creme Brulee topped Caramel Ice-cream would have Rich take the next plane to Japan!

hana-09-7

As for the Blanc-manger, the French equivalent of the Chinese almond curd dessert, I can assure you that the next Chinese (and other Asian) tourists to Shizuoka would not miss it for anything!

Saying that I’m looking forward to my next visit is a gross understatement!

Hana Hana
Open for lunch and dinner.
Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (will change in the near future, so please do call!)
420-0037 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Hitoyado-cho, 1-3-12
Tel. & Fax: 054-2210087
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DINNER AT GENTIL

At long last, I found the right occasion to enjoy a full dinner at Gentil in Shzuoka City!
This is the oldest and best (with consequent prices) French Restaurant in town and most probably in the whole Prefecture.
Both the Maitre d’Hote, Ms. Keiko Kubota and her assistant, Ms. Keiko Nakagwa are Wine and Cheese Sommeliers of renown in Japan.
As I mentioned before, Ms. Keiko Kubota is the only the sole Japanese holding the title of Compagnon d’Honneur de Taste Fromage in Japan, but she was asked to choose, prepare and serve the cheeses offered to all these vey important people at the G8 Summit held last July in Hokkaido.

I did not bother looking at the menu and left all the choices of food and wines to Ms. Kubota.

As we were only two of us, I requested wine to be served by the glass from fine bottles, a very rare possibility in this country (it is not much of a problem as customers in Gentil drink a lot of wine!)
The first offering was white Bourgogne, Chablis 2006, Louis Latour, La Chanfleure.
I wil spare you the details about wine as I was busy enough jotting down explanations about food. Just that all the wines were chosen to a perfection!

The amuse bouche consisted of a sakura ebi/sakura shrimp (found only in Shizuoka. Expect a hefty bill if you are served them in Tokyo!) Quiche and a gobo/Japanese burdock soup served as a capuccino.
I will spare you from reading lengthy prose on the taste and so on. I just hope you will understand that sometimes savouring is far more important than erring into tart comments!

The first hors d’oeuvre was a marriage of:

Ishidai/snapper sashimi with fried renkon/lotus roots

Seared (tataki) venison carpaccio topped with fresh and fried Autumn onions.
When land and sea end up in the same fashion on a plate!

The next glass was a white Bourgogne, Macon-Villages, 2007, Les Tilles, Domaine Sainte-Barbe.

The second hors d’oeuvre was Matoya Oyster (considered as the best variety in Japan) slightly sauteed on a bed of spinach.

It was time for our first glass of red wine: Bourgogne again, Saint-Romain, 2005, Sous le Chateau by Pascal Brunion-Bonheur.

Pasta is not the prerogrative of Italians, (as Rowena will agree?) as demonstrated with this cold Kobashira/Round Clam Round Twin Muscles Capellini!

Great fish is plentiful along our coasts as vindicated by this Madai/Madai snapper first sauteed on its skin and then served en nage on top of a succulent vegetables soup.

The next wine saw the apparition of the “enemy” (don’t believe it, I always point out I hail from Bourgogne! I love Bordeaux, too, but don’t tell my family!): Bordeaux Haut-Medoc 2004, Chatau Real.

Time for the Cremant de Bourgogne Granite!

This granite was of a special meaning for me as it was a Cote Chalonnaise wine, my very home: Cremant de bourgogne, Domaine de la Tour Lajole. I do not have to tell you that for once I ate very slowly!

Now, the “main” dish was a rare treat:
Ris de Veau/Sweetbreads and Foie gras both sauteed with a Madeira wine sauce and mushrooms including chanterelles, eringe, and gobo/Japanese burdock. Some people would kill for that single dish!

Before we attacked the Cheese tray featured at the top of this posting (we had a chunk of each!) we were served a (in my case two) glass of Saint-Emilion 1998 (extravagant!) Dassault Grand Cru!

And now the cheese:

Follow the “N”!
Bottom left: Sakura (Swiss Brown Cow’s milk/Hokkaido)
Centre left: Selles sur Cher(Goat’s milk/France)
Top left: Bon de Sologne (Goat’s milk/France)
Top centre: Chevre/Goat Cheddar(Canada!)
Bottom centre: Bleu d’Auvergne (Cow’s milk/France)
Bottom right: Mont d’Or (Cow’s milk/France)
Centre right: Comte Extra (Cow’s milk/France)
Top right: Red Stilton (Cow’s milk/England)

Yes, we had dessert!: Mont Blanc and Cassis Sorbet/Sherbet.

I did have a couple of Banyuls with my coffee, but I gave as far as pics were concerned!
Best dinner of the year!

This is the first installment of a hopefully long seies of cheese plates served at Gentil Restaurant in Shizuoka City.
The Cheese Sommelier, Ms. Keiko Kubota is the not only Japanese holding the title of Grand Chevalier de Taste Fromage in Japan but she was asked to choose, prepare and serve the cheeses offered to all these vey improtantpeople at the G8 Summit held last July in Hokkaido.

I reckon the pic is not too great. The resaturant is a bit too dark for mobile phone cameras. I promise better ones next time!

The cheese featured on the above picture are:
Left top: Mozzarella Miso Zuke, a cheese from Hokkaido that Ms. Kubota matured in miso paste.
Left middle: Tsuki no Okurimono (Hokkaido)
Left bottom: Sakura (Hokkaido)

Centre: Maroilles (France)
Centre bottom: Chabichoudu Poitou (FRance)

Right top: Vieille Mimolette (France, 18 months)
Right middle: Epoisses affine au Chablis (France, very near my birthplace!)
Right bottom: Brie de Meaux (France), matured for 3 months in France and one more month by Ms. Kubota.

Don’t worry, next time I will ask her cheese from Italy and elsewhere!

It did take time after all to finally be able to enjoy dinner with friends at Tetsuya Sugimoto’s new restaurant, Les Cinqs, but it certainly was worth all the waiting!

(Cremant de Bourgogne, Blancs de Blancs, GAEC Rousset)

My friends being wine-lovers, we skipped the great Shizuoka Sake on their special list and explored the extensive wine menu. After some hesitation whether we would go for some Champagne, we chose a Cremant de Bourgogne, which is always yen for yen (or euro for euro) far better value than their overpriced cousins. The only difference being the locale, we were not disappoined and started the dinner on a great note.

The great menu could be described as a course three times repeated as almost came in three varieties.
The first amuse was Gougeres au Pate de Porc. My American friend could not help comment he was eating a mini French hamburger! He genially pointed out it was certainly better value than some famous/notorious brands.

The second amuse was Mousse de Fromage blanc. Light, almost ethereal, it was accented with a touch of Argan oil from Morocco.

The third amuse was a Salade de Calamar: raw cuttle-fish cut in thin strips and decorated with delicately chopped vegetables and a few extra-mini tomatoes. The cuttle fish was counterbalanced with a mixed fish tartare.

The first hors d’oeuvre/starter came in the shape of “Goma-Dango”/ deep-fried sesame ball with Japanese anko/sweetmeat and foie gras inside served with aloe jelly and a small glass of Sweet white Jurancon.

The second hors d’oeuvre was a salad of smoked salmon trout from Fujinomiya City (it takes them three years to reach maturity and your plate!) topped with a salad of fine vegetables and edible flowers grown locally, and topped with an emulsion.

(Gevrey-Chambertin, 2003, Red, Domaine-Rossignol-Trajet)

The Cremant had disappeard by then, and it was grand time to start some serious drinking. We chose a nectar from my (French) sister in law’s village, Gevrey-Chambertin. This is a celebrated wine and does not really need another compliment. Just let me tell you that it was full with red fruits and drnk so smoothly in spite of his young age!

And then it was back to the third hors d’oeuvre: Potage froid de Potiron. The simple explanation does not pay justice to the sublime taste of Ebisu Kabotcha/Ebisu Pumpkin grown in Hamamatsu City!

At long last the first main course: Poelee de Rouget aux Champignons sauvages/skillet red sanpper (amadai in Japanese) from Ogawa Bay and wild mushrooms freshly picked at the foot of Mount Fuji!

The second main course was a discovery: Roti de Pigeonneau/Roasted young Pigeon. This was the first I saw and tasted it under such a concept. Can you see the half head with its brains (cooked). I ate the whole lot, brains, skull and beak! Yes, you read it, and it was a beautiful experience (stop shooting, will ya?)!

The day’s Granite to help us along to the dessert was another discovery: Granite de sureau/Elder Tree Flowers Granite! I might ask fiends in North America for some explanations!

The first dessert was a Gelee de Raisin/ Fresh Kyohou seedless grapes groen in Hamamatsu City in the own jelly. A continuation of the Granite!

The second dessert was a Gateau au Chocolat. Sorry, I did not listen to the explanation lost as I was in the next sight!

(1967 LBV Port/ Real Oporto, P. EALCA VELHA)

Mr. Sugimoto had brought a present from a friend on the table: Port wine! What with the chocolate cake, the mignardises and coffee, it just made for the perfect final combination!

LES CINQS
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-cho, 17-14, Amble Court 1F (along north side of Aoba Park beyond Aoba Park Police Box)
Tel.: 054-251-7728
Cards OK
Reservations recommended (obligatory for the counter and private rooms!)
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Lunch at Hana Hana

Typhoon 13 still keeping me away from Cricket, I decided it was about time to check on one of my favourite Frestaurants in Shizuoka!
Hana Hana has the merit not only to serve good food at very reasonable prices, but also to be very relaxed about it. Thinking of what, if customers relaxed a bit more too it would be the perfect place to enjoy lunch on a rainy afternoon!

Week days or not, they propose three plentiful set lunches for 1,680 yen, but I prefer to raise the ante a little and go for the 3,000 yen (less than 30$) menu which allows to choose one dish each from 5 starters, 7 main dishes and 5 desserts, bread, butter, anuse and coffee/tea included!

Like the menu, the amuse are essentially seasonal. The sweet red pimento mousse was certainly a discovery for all its simplicity. The right little morsel to encourage you ask for a glass of wine. I actually found out that not a single person out of the dozen guests (Hana Hana is a fairly small cozy place) was drinking wine. They don’t know what they miss!

Choosing the “starter” actually took me some time. I finally opted for a light fare, Suwa Crab Salad. Light, tasty and elegant, it spurred me onto a favourite Hana hana dish:

“Stuffed Quail”. I never bothered to ask the Chef what came into the stuffing as it tends to vary. I’m pretty sure that this time it included some foie gras. The quail is raoasted to prefection. The sauce has great sweet and peppery balance. The vegetables are all seasonal, including the new potatoes with their skin.

But one day I will ask the Chef where he finds these enormous quails. I can guarantee you I sucked every bit of flesh off its fat legs to the dismay of my manner-conscious neighbours. When something is good, do not be afraid of using your fingers! I felt in a bit of wicked mood and I made a point of licking my fingers!

Finally it came to enjoy dessert.
Now, I’m sure that Taste Memory Girl, Rowena and all the ladies with a sweet tooth would have liked to kick me out of my chair to steal that one morsel (I will have to find a way to notify you all one day!!
Caramel Creme Brulee tooped with a generous Caramel Ice-Cream!
Need I describe it?
My neighbours had turned envious by then!

Hana Hana
420-0037 Shizuoka City, Hitoyado-cho, 1-3-12
Tel. & Fax: 054-221-0087
Business hours: 11:30~15:00, 17:30~22:00
Credit Cards OK
Closed on Wednesdays
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Lunch at Les Cinqs

Yesterday, Sunday would not usually sees me going for lunch anywhere, but the torrential rains having cancelled all possibilities of sport, I was not going to sulk at home and spend a miserable day in a stuffy apartment.
So, under the inefficient protection of my biggest umbrella, I walked/paddled to the bus stop (I do not drive anyway, and a bicycle ride would have turned into a filthy nightmare). I shall refrain from relating the hazards of waiting for commuters’ transport under a deluge along a crowded road and stick to the real venture of the day, namely my lunch!

Les Cinqs offers two different lunch courses 3,150 yen and 5.250 yen (I opted for the latter) with a succinct but sufficient list of wines served by the glass. Of course you may order a full bottle if you wish to.
Noticing Japanese wines on the said list, I decided to have a go for them as I entirely trusted the restaurant. They were actually priced higher than their French counterparts…
The first to come was a “Kooshu wine” Gris de Gris from Yamanashi Prefefecture concocted by Chateau Mercian in 2007. Of a very rich oaken colour, restrained aroma, it tasted very dry but fruity with a shortish tail.

A plate of amuse bouche consisting of scrumptious, if minuscule, duck liver paste gougeres.

The first hors d’oeuvres was a cold Edamame Mousse with Tomato Sauce. Succulent, refreshing and elegant, it actually a more hearty fare than one would believe.
Having chosen a table by the bay window and somewhat isolated from the other guests, I did not bother too much about my manners and ate at my own (fast) pace. Interestingly enough, only one other table had ordered wine. All the other customers were on cold water or its mineral equivalent. I wonder sometimes why people visit higher class restaurants…

The second hors d’oeuvres was “Aji/Saurel” and “Maru Okura/a round okura variety” Tartare with its greens and flowers salad organically grown by Mr. Matsuki at Bio Farm in Shibakawa Cho and other farmers in Yaizu City. The fish came from Chiba Prefecture as it is a bit out season down here. It certainly would have bettered a lot of offerings served at (good) sushi restaurants!

It was about time to order a second glass and I persevered with Japanese wine, namely a Merlot grown in Nagano Prefecture by the same company in 2006. Of a rich dark colour and pungy aroma, it showed a lot of red fruit with a dry shortish tail. I shall have to revise my thinking about Japanese wine to the chagrin of my Burgundian ancestors…

The fish was a surprise indeed, and that single dish would have earned Chuckeats and Luxeat‘s praises! Pan-fried “kuro mutsu/Scombrops gilberti (Jordan and Snyder) (I do not know the English name)

on a bed of “kushinsai/a Chinese vegetable increasingly grown in Japan/

accompanied with a square piece of grilled watermelon “ridden” by a couple of white aubergine tenpura, the whole accented with a Balsamico and sweet basil sauce.
An exquisite salty and sweet marriage!

The second glass having disappeared, I came back nearer to my roots and ordered a glass of Beaujolais Villages, Jean-Claude Lapalu, Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, “Le Petit Vernay”, 2006. A honest wine of rich red colour and powerful aroma, it did taste rich but dry with plenty of red fruit.
It proved a good choice with the meat:

The pork is local and has been named “LBY Ton”. You will not find it outside Japan, but if you do venture here, you will find it both tender and solid and certainly more satisfying in spite of its very rural image. It was served with large Shishito/Japanese Japalenos from Kyoto, courgettes and three kinds of fried potatoes from Yaizu City and seasoned with a great madeira and porto sauce, contributing the right sweet amount to the spicy approach for the pork.

The dessert, Gateau au chocolat with a lukewarm Creme Anglaise/Custard, was absolutely delicious in its simplicity. A dessert that would have had Nicholas Sarkozy run all the way from the G8 summit in Hokkaido where he had had such a hard time, teetollar as he is, pretending to appreciate the art behind a sake cup!

As a good French man (who am i kidding?), I could not help having a last toast to him and our Europeans bigwigs with a Fonseca Porto 1997!

But like Mr. Sarkozy, I do have a sweet tooth and accompanied it with some succulent mignardises!

LES CINQS
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-cho, 17-14, Amble Court 1F (along north side of Aoba Park beyond Aoba Park Police Box)
Tel.: 054-251-7728
Cards OK (from end of September)
Reservations recommended
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LES CINQS: Grand opening on August 23rd!

At long last, my favourite French Chef in Shizuoka, Tetsuya Sugimoto, is back with us after more than three months of inactivity! Mr. Sugimoto decided to close his highly popular restaurant “Sugimoto” last May after 8 years at the helm, deciding it was time to tackle the next challenge.
The new venture is certainly of a different scale!
He associated himself with Mr. Hideya Nakamura, the owner of Les Cinqs and Mr. Makoto Toi, its General Manager. Tetsuya Sugimoto will have then his hands free to lead a team of four in the kitchen while three more staff will look after the guests and patrons.

Located along Aoba Koen/Park within walking distance from the large Tokiwa Park Fountain the concept of the new restaurant is multi-faceted to cater for different kinds of customers:
At a private counter seating six (above pic) and in two private rooms seating six and four (can be joined to seat 10, below pic) will be served upon reservation a full dinner course for 10,000 yen.

Lunch courses served between 11:30 and 15:00 (last orders at 14:00) will start from 3,000 yen. The restaurant will accept special orders upon reservation according to predeterminate budgets.

Dinner will be served from 18:00 to 23:00 (last orders at 21:00). After 21:00 guests may come just for wine and hors d’oeuvres.

An A La Carte Menu will be available in the main dining room seating twenty-four with Starters/hors d’oeuvres from 1,000 yen up, main dishes from 2,500 yen up and desserts.
Actually from what I have seen, I would recommend taking a seat in the dining room by the large bay windows, unless you prefer the extravagant privacy of the counter!

The wine list is still in process, but I already know the cellar will shelter more than a hundred kinds of mainly French wines!
Yes, there will be some great Shizuoka Sake in the fridge, too!
As for the food, expect my first report by mid September (sorry, I’ll be away for a while!)

I have recently had the pleasure to make a new friend, namely Dominique Corby, a great French Chef who learned his craft at the Tour d’Argent in Paris, among others, before coming to Japan to look after the kitchen of the Sakura Restaurant in the New Otani Hotel in Osaka and of the 6eme Sens in Tokyo.

Dominique is a chef always looking for fresh seasonal natural ingredients for his cuisine which is resolutely a marriage of Japanese and French culinary traditions.
As he recently wrote a post on his blog on wasabi, I took the opportunity to send him a few samples of fresh wasabi grown in Shizuoka City, Utogi, Abe River for the simple pleasure of introducing him to one our great products in Shizuoka Prefecture.

They were almost one metre-high full with stems and leaves (all edible) and freshly uprooted in the very morning (I sent them by cool box just before lunch to reach him just in Osaka just before lunch the next day).
Dominique and his staff appreciated them to the point that a dish was created for the benefit of some customers on the very day.
See above picture. Dominique described it as follows:
-“sur une feuille et tiges de Wasabi, Sawara et Agi abute, kogomi,wasabina, nobiru, mousse de lait au wasabi fraîchement râpée, petite réduction de jus de homard”
-“on a wasabi leaf and stems, sawara and aji abute (grilled large mackerel variety and saurel), kogomi (young ferns), wasabina (a kind of Japanese lettuce), nobiru ( a kind of wild garlic), freshly grated wasabi milk mousse, reduced lobster juice.

A great compliment to a great product by a great chef!
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HANA HANA (2)

I am confident that my new friends at Chuck Eats.Com, Luxeat, Slippers in Italy, Very Good Food and Chrisoscope will agree that you do not always have to visit top-notch and terribly expensive restaurants to experience good, solid, enjoyable cuisine with a great value for the price paid. As I said before, we are lucky here in Shizuoka Prefecture where most ingredients are grown, raised or caught in situ.

As it is customary for my better (ok, I won’t “worse” any more!)half and I, we chose Hana Hana as our weekly outing. The last time we had visited the place was last summer, so we could expect a new menu.
“Shirako Meuniere” (see top picture) was served as a complimentary “snack” to accompany the wine while the food was prepared.
The Duck Terrine I ordered was perfect, light and tasty, but generous and served with a few slices of home-made smoked duck.

My wife had opted for “Saint-Jacques (Scallops) Provencale. Enormous morsels cooked just long enough (she let me eat one, thanks Bacchus!) with a light and succulent sauce with the right amount of olive oil (why do some restaurants have to splash everything with expensive olive oil?).

The stuffed quail my wife had jumped on when she opened the menu was the biggest I had even seen, the size of a small chicken (I had to help her eat it, of course) bursting with juicy fillings. We certainly did not bother with forks when we sucked the legs bare!

As for my main course, my partner simply imposed it on me: grilled “amadai”/seabream served with large oyster tempura. All vegetables incidentally were grown near Hamamatsu City, Western Shizuoka.

The Master of the House chose the moment when we had finished devouring our main course to bring some Shizuoka Sake as he wished to hear our judgement as whereas sake would suit French food.
He served us this great Isojiman Tokubetsu Honjozo, which goes so well with any food, and another brew from Ishikawa Prefecture, Noto Peninsula. I did encourage him to serve it from now on, even if it meant offering it as a complimentary aperitif. He enthusistically concurred. Next step will be to convince him to stock at least three kinds of Shizuoka Sake!
With all that sake, I can tell we did not any dessert!

I generally do not mention prices as this is not the purpose of this blog, but we paid less than 100 US$ for the whole meal (I mean for both of us), including a 35 US$ Louis Jadot Bourgogne Rouge. I wonder how much I would have to fork out in some other places. My wife, who is far from over-generous, declared the dinner “extremely reasonable!”.

Hana Hana
420-0037 Shizuoka City, Hitoyado-cho, 1-3-12
Tel. & Fax: 054-221-0087
Business hours: 11:30~15:00, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Wednesdays

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Lunch at Sugimoto

Sugimoto is may favourite French restaurant for the simple reason he tries whenever possible to use only ingredients grown or raised in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Dinner or lunch, you can expect the same quality, inventiveness and service.

So last Sunday, as I had nothing to do and my better (worse?) was away to work, I rode the bike for a look around and stopped there at around 13:00.
I chose the Lunch Set C for 2,500 yen which included bread, butter and coffee.
The first dish, above, consisted of a salad made with fried scabbard fish/”tachiuo” from Suruga Bay and vegetables from Hamamatsu City.

The main featured Suruga Beef from animals raised in Shizuoka City, away from the agglomeration and again vegetables from Hamamatsu City, including an unusual violet carrot/”murasaki ninjin” with skin. Usually I’m not a great fan of cooked carrots, but this was special. Of course the beef was a beauty!

The dessert would make a lot of people jealous: chocolate mousse (just the right sweetness, nothing cloying), mikan sherbet and Campari jelly.

Needless to say, I did ot mention my wife where I had lunch away from her!

Sugimoto
420-0072 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ni-ban Cho, 4-1
Tel.: 054-2531160
Closed on Wednesdays

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Shizuoka Sake for French Cuisine: Sugimoto

Sugimoto is a true exponent of local gastronomy: his cuisine is ｄefinitely French style, but the difference is that he uses exclusively local products whenever possible. Not only this, but I’m sure he is the only French chef in Shizuoka Prefecture to offer local sake, although it is not written on his excellent wine menu!

For the month of November he has concocted a special menu for the eighth anniversary of his restaurant with vegetables, meat and fish exclusively from Shizuoka Prefecture. I just could not let it pass and my better (worse?) half is certain to kill me if she learned of my gastronomic escapade!

As for the drinks I started with a glass of Kokkou (Fukuroi City) Tokubetsu Junmai. I’m afraid you will have to check my following postings for more details about the sake drunk during this particular dinner, or we will never finish this posting!

After savouring a consomme made with wild mushrooms picked in the forests around Mount Fuji, I sampled a delicious pheasant liver pate astride a bed of yams soaked in white Port and topped with edible flowers.
The pheasant was raised by Mr. Horiuchi in Inasa-cho, hamamatsu City. The flowers and yams are also grown in Hamamatsu City.

By that time I had already downed Kokkou and asked next for Isojiman (Yaizu City) Daiginjo.

It went down perfectly with the plate of steamed vegetables with a supremely light sauce (secret, I’m afraid).
The vegetables are grown by Mr. Kaneko and his “Migata Hara Yasai” friends in Hamamatsu City.

The fish, “matodai” from Suruga Bay, was served atop an extraordinary sauteed “Portobella Mushroom” (about7~8cm diameter!), half of it sauteed as it is, the other half chopped and sauteed lying under the fish.
This particular mushroom is cultivated by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City.

As for the drink to accompany the main dish, I was offered a glass of Tomizzo by Hatsukame Brewery (Okabe Cho, Shida Gun). It is a Junmai Ginjo.

Then came the pheasant roast from the same bird whose liver I was served at the beginning of this repast, a beauty served with bio vegetables grown by Mr. Matsuki in Shibakawa Cho near Mount Fuji and a sauce concocted with Honey Mead from Germany!

By then, I had to give up on any dessert and drank a coffee before “returning home”, replete and happy!

Sugimoto
420-0072 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ni-ban Cho, 4-1
Tel.: 054-2531160
Closed on Wednesdays
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Sugimoto/2

This second vist to Sugimoto has a bckground history:
When I discovered a letter sent to the Laboure Roi in 1862, I thought its rightful place ought to be in the addressee’s hands. I contacted them by mail and offered to send it to them for the pleasure of it. I received a prompt response saying they would actually be very happy to have it. I sent it to them and almost stopped thinking about it when their Vice President Mr. Thibault Garin mailed me that he was having their company in Tokyo send me a good bottle from our homeregion, Bourgogne.
Great! But it was not one “good” bottle that reached me but two magnificent ones!: one a Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru 2002 (white) and the other, an Echezeaux 2001 Grand Cru (red).
I felt compelled to share the pleasure of sampling them at the first occasion.
Melinda, Etsuko and Valerie will be screaming at me but Tokyo is bit too distant, so I left them at Sugimoto with a promise to savour them together with some friends!
We finally managed to meet yesterday at this minuscule but great French Restaurant with Ms. Nakagawa, Sommelier at Gentil Restaurant, and Mssrs. (Doctors) Momose and Miyazaki.
I introduced Hatsukame Brewery’s (Okabe Cho) Tomizoo to my friends and Mr. Sugimoto came up with another beauty, “Morimoto” ByMorimoto Brewery, Kikugawa City, a tokubetsu Junmai, 60% milled rice, +4.5 dryness, 1.4 acidity, 901 yeast, a lot dryer than Tomizoo, but such an incredible pair:

Having left the choice of our menu to our great chef, we opened the Chassagne Montrachet:

A very dry wine with a full body. Still a bit young, needing some stirrind but no need to chill, being perfect at room temperature. A very “adult” wine in perfect accord with:

A typical little Sugimoto appetizer of iberico ham followed by a succulent “shiratai” (white seabream in red beet dressing):

followed by a salad of white vegetables from Hamamatsu and Nagano Prefecture:

By then we had almost finished our Chassagne-Montrachet and decided to open the Echezeaux to let it decant a few minutes inside wide glasses:

We were then serve “Mangenton” pork from Fujinomiya City with a Tasmanian Pepper Sauce:

the perfect balance of sweet, sour and peppery combination all in subtle tones.
We at last could taste the Echezeaux, a magnificent wine with a beautiful balance who does let you talk! We drank it so fast that we had to order (we were 5 of us drinking after all. I wonder how Mr. Sugimoto kept all his wite as he had to cok for two more tanbles at the same time!) another bottle, a Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2002 (where my own sister-in-law was born!)
which we still appreciated in spite of the impossible competition.
Then came another beauty in the shape of “Shizuoka no Isaki” (grouper caught off our coasts) with a “Okinawa kuro su” (Okinawan Black Vinegar) Sauce:

By then we only had a little space left for one Mr. Sugimoto’s Caramel Mousse and Vanilla Ice Cream, the light dessert we were expecting!

Before leaving the five of us agreed to the next “venue” on may 21st. Where? Wait for the next posting!

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Restaurant Gentil

High class French restaurant with consequent prices. Precise service, excellent cuisine regularly varying with seasons and great wines!
I regularly visit this restaurant for the fresh “fermier” (farmer) cheeses tray (the only one to be found in Shizuoka!) selected and carefully stored by Ms. Keiko Kubota and her sommelier Ms. Keiko Nakagawa.

Ms. Kubota is one of the very top cheese sommeliers in Japan and is known outside this country. She is senior judge at all Japanese cheese sommelier competitions and wrote authoritative articles and books on the subject!

A simple order of assorted cheeses you can choose yourself directly from the tray with a glass of wine will be gladly served to you. You will be able to taste not only real French cheese but also Italian and British cheese and other such delicacies from the whole world!! As the tray changes almost weekly, you are in for a surprise every time!
And do not forget that cheese can be cooked into other marvels!

Credit cards OK.

Address:420-0031 Shizuoka Shi, Gofuku-cho, 2-9-1, Gennan Kairaku building, 2F
Tel.: 054-2547655 (Reservations advisable)
Fax: 054-2210509
Opening hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~last orders for meals at 21:30. Bar time 18:00~23:30. Closed on Mondays.
Homepage

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HANA HANA

Last night my better (worse?) half and I decided it was grand time we visited Hana Hana again.
Mr. Jiro Hanabata (half of the name of his restaurant!) opened this charming medium size establishment in 2000 together with a branch at Shin Shizuoka Center (good value lunch sets there!).He has the knack to surround himself with few but extremely capable staff to help him in the kitchen and the dining room, whatever comes first.

We already knew of his prowess with fish and local vegetables, Italian/Southern France style, so we opted for:

“Shirako” (cod whiting, that is unless you want to know the exact common name!) meuniere.
A perfection in cooking and seasoning balance. A favourite of mine!
And:

The fish salad of the day.
A generous amount of thin slices of variuous raw fish artfully arranged on prefectly fresh greens and the exact dressing!
We had some white Bourgogne to accompany those starters after the tasty “sakura ebi” (only in Shizuoka, mates!) quiche as “service” appetizer.
We opted for some Bordeaux to go with the next order:
My hungry half chose:

Sauteed seabream on a bed of sauteed Spring vegetables and scallops.
I had a hard time keeping my hands off it! I noetheless dipped a piece of homemade bread to check the sauce. Great and light, beautifuk olive oil and herbs.
As for myself:

Civet de canette au vin/Wine simmered duck thigh (I mean thigh, it was enormous!)
The meat was so perfectly cooked that I did not need a knife. Just kept peeling off the bones. The veg and potato gratin tidbits were just what I wanted to savour the great sauce (I left a bit for the Missus, don’t worry!).
We had enough for the day (too much bread?), and decided to bypass the dessert and have some cheese instead to finish the wine. But we promised ourselves to try Hana Hana desserts like the one we had last time:

Red fruit Salad and Raspberry Sorbet!
Can’t wait for the next time!

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SUGIMOTO

When Mr Sugimoto,one of the most promising chefs among the new generation, decided to fly on his own wings in November 1999, he bought out a very Japanese restaurant away from the bustle of the center, a great piece of courage in itself, to create one of the very few new fusion cuisine exponents in the city.
When considering the very reasonable prices, I had difficulties to understand how he could come up with such fresh ingredients, especially with herbs and vegetables from grwoers in Shizuoka Prefecture. He prepares dishes which can been enjoyed with chopsticks or western cultlery, pleasing a large clientele which already counts some die-hard officionados. The food is thought according to the season and never ceases to surprise.
This year he decided to do everything by himself and be the sole male on board. That implies, especially at dinner time, that customers will have to learn the meaning of “slow food”!

So I reserved two seats for dinner on the 23rd of March at 7:30 and had half the counter for ourselves (the restaurant can sit 5~6 at the counter and 8~10 in the adjacent room).
Before I ordered anything the chef had a surprise in store for me by offering us a glass of “Tomizoo”, a junmai ginjo (50% milled) brewed by Hatsukame in 1998! A beauty! Must be the last bottle (see pic above).

We chose half bottle of Poully Fuisse by Chateau de Beauregard, a very solid white wine with a lot of character, which does not reaaly need be chilled.

To help us wait for the first course, we were offered a small “sayori/halfneak sashimi” salad with just a trickle of beautiful olive oil and balsamico.

The first course was white asparaguses from Nagano Prefecture baked to the prefection with a cockle sauce.

Next, we had braised pheasant roulade with green asparagus (the pheasant is was raised in Inasacho, Hamamatsu City) and Baked Lamb topped with some very fresh greens (the lamb was raised at Iida Farm, Hamamatsu City). Both cooked to perfection served with the exact amount of fruit and wine sauce.

Before dessert we had the occasion to sample a rarity, “Portobella Mushroom”, an enormous white mushroom variety grown in Fuji City, baked with real breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, and some secret ingredients and the right amount of olive olie. A beauty!

To accompany dessert, we ordered a glass of Seigneurs de Monbazillac, a powerful sweet wine, with a taste to make you blush!

My friend chose the simple and delicious strawberry Mousse Terrune while I ventured into a quaint and exquisite Japanese rice pudding and sirupy caramel sauce!

Care to imitate us?

Chef: Mr. Tetsuya Sugimoto
Address: 420-0072 Shizuoka Shi, Ni ban-cho, 4-1
Tel.: 054-2531160
Opening hours: 11:45~14:30, 17:30~22:30
Closed on Wednesdays
Dinner reservations a must.
Cards OK