Japanese Cuisine: Zensai/Hors d’oeuvre at Tomii

November 6, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

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There is a fine line between cooking and art that the good Japanese Restaurants are happy to cross for the unending pleasure of their customers.
It does require a lot of attention and love for one’s craft.
Chefs at Tomii in Shizuoka City not only work hard to satisfy their clients, regular patrons or not, but will be more than happy to explain and introduce their creations.
Yesterday evening, being starved before the ned of a long working day I just popped in and asked for a “quick fix”.

It came under the shape of two small dishes on an earthenware tray.
The round tray on the left contained “o-kahijiki no hitashi, a typical Japanese vegetable just lightly poached and cooled down served in its own juice with very little (secret) seasoning, and aburaage/fried tofu sheet.

Japanese chefs make a great use of natural decoration to enhance their creations and Tomii is no exception.
We are in the Fall/Autumn when leaves are changing colour.
The momiji/Japanese maple leaves (front) had been picked along the Abe River the day before, while the large kaki/persimmon leaf (under the small dish) wa ordered to a farmer.

The main plate contained what you might expect in the better restaurants in Kyoto:
Kuwai chips.
Kurumi (walnut) inakani and kuromame(cooked sweet black bean).
Kikukabura: a Kyoto-style preparation of a piece of daikon finely cut into the shape of a chrysanthemum and slightly pickled in sweet rice vinegar.
Aka konyaku no ageni: Kyoto-style red konyaku
Tori no matsukaze no yaki: a piece Japanese-style chicken terrine

I can have this every day!

TOMII
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-274-0666
Business hours: 17:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Taky’s: Classic Cakes (1)/Apple & Blueberries Tart

November 5, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

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Taky’s opened last year in September and had always kept teasing my mind.
As it is located very near my workplace, I cannot afford making a mistake!
I could not resist any longer this evening. As I had to buy some cake for a student of mine, I had the right excuse!

Taky’s has only a half dozen cakes on display, but they are extremely appetizing.
I was surprised at finding out that this cake shop doubles up as a tiny cafe cum restaurant cum bar in the fashionable Takajo District in Shizuoka City!
Which means that I will have to come again for another reason!

This apple and blueberries tart would please a lot of my American friends with a sweet tooth in spite of its French accent!
The tart itself has been baked beforehand to the exact crispiness and is thin enough so as not to overwhelm you but solid enough as a support.
The basic filling consists of very light marzipan with a touch of Calvados. The blueberries in the middle have soaked their area to perfection while the thin slices of apple lacquered with a fine jam add the perfect touch instead of taking the lead.

Great with coffee. My student let taste bits of it. Not a good idea as I will find myself wih another battle of the bulge!

TAKY’S
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 1-11-10
Tel.: 054-255-2829
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays

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Indian Restaurant: Lunch at Laxami

November 5, 2008 dragonlife 6 Comments

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So many so-called Indian Restaurants in Japan are either completely walking beside their shoes or a pale copy of an extraordinary epicurean culture that I always warily walk in any such establishment.
Well, this time I needed not worry as I was enjoying the company of my new Indian Cricket friend Deepak who simply said, “just like home!”. The fact that the owner, Mr. Binay Kumar, hails from the same State in India certainly did help!
We had booked lunch as we would be coming between opening hours, which did not seem to trouble the owner, a single proof that pleasing his customers is a rule.
Mr. Kumar had worked for the first restaurant, Kumar in Act City in Hamamatsu cIty, before acquiring it five years ago. Two years later he opened Laxami in the same City, far away from the centre, proving his business acumen.
Lunches come at reasonable prices at 750, 980, 1,450 and 1,500 yen with a 680 yen special for kids. An array of single dishes are avalaible from 630 yen apiece.
Lunnch buffet is on offere on Saturdays and Sundays for 1,000 yen per person.
Not only soft drinks, but also wine, beer and even whiskies are on the menu.
As we were starving we chose the 1,450 yen menu.
I will let judge for yourselves:

Tandoori Chicken and Mutton Kebab

Vegetables Curry (probably a different name!).
Note that there is plenty on offer for vegetarians and vegans!

Mutton curry.

Enormous Naan!
Potato Parantha, Poori, Chapati and so on are also featured on the menu!

Chicken Curry.

Dal Soup. For Vegetarians and Vegans again! Actually Mr. Kumar had a lunch of Dal Soup and Rice later!

Seasoned Rice.
“Don’t break my herat!”, the owner could not help joke!

Laxami Indian Restaurant
433-8122 Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, Kamijima, 2-1-1
Tel. & Fax: 053-474-0300

Kumar Indian Restaurant
430-7790 Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, Itaya Cho, Act Tower, 111-2, Act Plaza B1
Tel. & Fax: 053-451-0154

Business hours: 11:00~13:00, 17:30~22:00
Parties welcome.

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Cheese Plate at Gentil (2)

November 4, 2008 dragonlife 6 Comments

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This is the second installment of a hopefully long series of cheese plates served at Gentil Restaurant in Shizuoka City.
The Cheese Sommelier, Ms. Keiko Kubota is the not 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 improtant people at the G8 Summit held last July in Hokkaido.

This time I was more careful with the picture, and I hope you will see it in a better light!

The cheese featured on the above picture are (from left to right)

-Sakura/from Hokkaido, cow’s milk from a cow breed called Brown Swiss.
-“Murasaki Imo”?viole yam chips
-Craquebitte/France, Loire, goat’s milk
-Crutin/Italy, Piemonte cow’s and ewe’s milk with Piemonte truffles
-Bleu d’Auvergne/France, Auvergne, cow’s milk with dry French muscat raisins.

Rowena will be happy to see an Italian cheese, and a great one (it costs a fortune!) featured:
Crutin.

As for wine, the cheese was beautifully paired with a 2001 Monthelie (France/Cote d’Or) by Gerard Doreau!

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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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (37)

November 4, 2008 dragonlife 5 Comments

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Today’s lunch box is a bit of a repeat, considering it is more a combination of what I had before.
But I’m not one to complain!

The nigiri/rice balls contain beans and hijiki seaweed.
The Missus put the beans and hijiki seaweed on top of the rice before closing the lid and steaming the whole lot. Once ready, she will stir all ingredients before shaping the balls.
Home-made light rice vinegar pickles can be seen in the middle of the nigiri.
On a bed of lettuce she laid some fried veg including soft pimentoes, bricolo and Eringe mushrooms. She added some mini steamed “syuumai” (not home-made!)

The salad consisted of luccola and other light greens topped with plum tomatoes, yakitamago/Japanese omelette and presimmon wedges and mini-kiwi (with a red heart) slices for dessert!

Pretty full, I can assure you!

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Shizuoka Izakaya: Kaze To Matsu

November 3, 2008 dragonlife 3 Comments

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Kaze To Matsu is a great example of a successful Izakaya which shows that a chef’s origins do not matter when recognizing and serving an intelligent combination of produce from Shizuoka and other Prefectures.

Mr. Matsumiya, for all his relative youth, shows a remarkable eclectism when choosing Shizuoka Sake to accompany brews from Gunma Prefecture, his home: Hakauin Masamune (Takashima Brewery, Numazu City), Isojiman (Yaizu City), Shidaizumi (Fujieda City) and Hana no Mai (Hamamatsu City). Naturally, all kinds of drinks, including wine, are available.
The place, seating 11 at the counter and 14 at very comfortable tables, is very popular, and I would definitely recommend anyone to reserve especially on week-ends.
My good friend Patrick and I made a point to come before opening hours to reserve two seats at the counter and we certainly well when the establishment was packed by 18:00!
We are both fans of sushi and ordered the “Special Sashimi Plate”.

From left to right:
“Kanpachi”/Japanese Amberjack, “Tennen Maguro”/Wild Tuna, “Nama Yuba”/Tofu Sheets, “Suwagani”/Suwa Crab, “Kanpachi” again, “Tachiuo”/Scabbard Fish (under the shiso flowers) and “Koushin Daikon”/A red inside daikon variety.

We spotted some fresh seashells on display. I had noticed them before, but I couldn’t remember their name. “Shirogai” is the usual name in Japan, meaning White Seashell.

As they were still alive and appetizing, we opted for a plate of sashimi!
Almost sweet they were, a discovery!

The menu is very extensive and we had to limit ourselves to favourites for our first visit!
The tenpura (above pic) are served one at a time as they should be! Succulent!

Vegetarians and vegans will rejoice to learn that Kaze To Matsu serve “Yuki Yasai Sarada”/Organic Vegetables Salad! Very well-chosen seasonal vegetables only.

A gentle piece of advice:
Whatever you have savoured, do end with their “Tamagoyaki”/Japanese Omelette!
I can assure ou you won’t need any dessert!

Kaze To Matsu
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Hitoyado-Cho, 1-4, 1F
Tel.: 054-251-2004
Business hours: 17:30~24:00
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Food Art: Eiko Nishida, cooltiger

November 1, 2008 dragonlife 3 Comments

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I would like to introduce here an extremely talented young artist named Eiko Nishido I have just made acquaintance with.
She has created posters with designs representig food from the four corners of the World on hands and fingers.

Please do visit here HOMEPAGE!
I guarantee you a great discovery!

Above picture shows scenes from “finger food art” 2-day event in Shibuya:
About 110 people came for two days.

As her art is also for sale at very reasonable prices, do consult her bi-lingual Homepage!

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Vegetarian & Vegan Cuisine: “Mukashi Mushi Pan”/Old-Fashioned Steamed Bread

October 29, 2008 dragonlife 4 Comments

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Although I’m neither a vegetarian or vegan, I make a point to introduce anything I discover here which might help friends out!

Fukasawa Foods in Shibakawa Cho at the foot of Mount Fuji produces all year round an incredible array of soba/buckwheat noodles, udon/wheat flour noodles, ice-creams, cakes and I don’t know what else.

Now, all their food is organic. No artificial fertilizers are used for whatever they grow or buy, and no additives or preservatives are used in any of their product, which means all have to be properly stored and eaten quickly.

Vegans will be happy to　know they use tofu instead of any dairy product.

This particular cake called “Mukashi Mushi Pan” or Old-Fashioned Steamed Bread was made with wheat flour, tofu, brown sugar, raisins, salt, vegetable oil.
That is all!

One cake could have easily been held inside your palm, but it was very fulfilling and delicious!
They have other varieties made with pumpkin and other vegetables.

Fukasawa Foods
Fuji Gun, Shibakawa Cho, Naibo, 3895-8
Tel.: 0544-65-0143
Closed on Tuesdays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Vegetarian & Vegan Cuisine: Ginger as a Vegetable

October 29, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

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Ginger when eaten outside Japan generally comes under its semi-dry or dry root.
Actually here, and in Shizuoka especially, fresh ginger or “Ha Shoga”/Leaf Ginger comes into some great recipes to please any one who does not consume meat (of course ginger is used in many meat recipes!)

Extensively grown in our Prefecture, it can be bought fresh in season in any Supermarket:

There are many ways to prepare and eat it:

Fresh Ginger pickled in miso.
Very practical when you can buy loads in season. Choose your miso paste well so as avoid too much salt!

Everyone knows pickled sliced ginger (use fresh plants only!) served with sushi!

Ginger can be steamed with rice or served very finely cut on top of a bowl of steaming rice!

Ginger is great finely chopped and fried with egg-plant/aubergines, soy sauce and mirin!
(Plan to introduce recipe!)

Fresh thin ginger roots are simply beautiful fried/sauteed with othe vegetables!
(Plan to introduce recipe!)

Enjoy!

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Vegetarian & Vegan Cuisine: Myoga as a Vegetable

October 29, 2008 dragonlife 5 Comments

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Myōga (茗荷) or myoga ginger (Zingiber mioga, Zingiberaceae) is an herbaceous, deciduous, perennial native to Japan that is grown for its edible flower buds and flavorful shoots.

As a woodland plant myoga has specific shade requirements for its growth. It is frost-tolerant to 0F, -18C possibly colder.
Some constituents of myoga have shown promise for potentially anti-carcinogenic properties

A traditional crop in Japan, myoga has been introduced to cultivation in Australia and New Zealand for export to the Japanese market. I’ve always wondered if it were available on American and European Markets.
It is a great plant for use in vegetarian and vegan dishes as it adds lots of soft flavors.
Flower buds are usually found finely shredded raw in Japanese cuisine as a garnish.
But there are many other possibilities:

Tenpura.
Actually some Japanese restaurants will prepare the flowers as well as tenpura.
Vegans should replace the egg white included in the batter with a little cornstarch.

Myoga in Miso Soup.
Cut the myoga into thin strips and just add them to the miso soup inside bowls before serving it.

Myoga Gohan/Myoga Rice.
Cut the myoga in very thin strips and put it on top of the rice before steaming it. When the rice is cokked, mix in the myoga with rice and serve.
Vegetarians and Vegans may use genmai/whole rice for higher nutritients.
Beautiful when freshly cooked!

Myoga Pickles
Wash myoga quickly under running water. Drain and take excess water with kitchen paper.
Best pickled with amazu/sweet rice vinegar. If not available use rice vinegar, sugar and soft umeboshi/Japanese pickled plums.

Enjoy!

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Shizuoka Breweries 8/2: Usami Brewery

October 28, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

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This is the 8th Micro Brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture I finally have ascertained. So far, I have nine confirmed! Usami Micro-Brewery and Restaurant are located in Ito City, Usami in the Izu Peninsula where great water is plentiful!
This is the second tasting:

Usami Brewery: Molda (Czech Type)
Ingredients: Malt and hops
Alcohol: 4.5%
Contents: 330 ml
Unpasteurized

Foam: short head, fine bubbles disappear quickly
Clarity: Very clear
Colour: dark orange, rich colour
Aroma: light, citruses.
Taste: Light attack and tangy, citruses.
Refreshing
Does not vary with food and stays faithful to first taste.

Overall: A beer for the Summer. Thirst-quenching.
Easy and pleasant to drink.
Probably will please the Japanese more than expats, especially Europeans.

Usami Brewery
European ji Beer Company
Ito City, Usami, 3504-1
Tel.: 0557-33-0333
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Keiko Kubota: Bringing the Art of Cheese-making to Classes!

October 28, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

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（Shizuoka Shinbun)

Shizuoka City boasts the only Japanese (and a lady at that!) Grand Chevalier de Tastefromage/Great Knight of the Order of Cheese Sommeliers, namely Ms. Keiko Kubota, the Maitre D’Hote at Restaurant Gentil in the same town.
Last July she was asked to devise the cheese menu and serve it to the World bigwigs at the G8 Summit in Hokkaido.
She could have rested on her laurels, but her passion for her trade impels her to constantly impart her skills to the young, too.

(Shizuoka Shinbun)

Therefore she holds regular lectures for students at Shizuoka Gakuen High School elite Sciences Class.
Her classes include not only the introduction of cheese, but also its manufacture, and endless source of surprises and discoveries for her students! (it looks like tofu!…)

For my part, as a Frenchman, I’m pretty happy with the succulent (World) cheeses plates she serves me at her restaurant!

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (36)

October 28, 2008 dragonlife 2 Comments

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As I need bento on Mondays and Tuesdays, the Missus has began a new pattern withrice on Mondays and home-made bread on Tuesdays. Incidentally bento is always sandwiches on Fridays when I go and teach at university.

Today’s main dish was chicken “sasami/breast fillets” she fried with ktechup, basil and what else (she would never say anything!) served with cornichons, boiled egg on a bed of chopped greens with lettuce and chikory leaves and a few plum tomatoes.
I used dressing stored in the fridge at work.

The bread she made last night waswalnuts bread.
She calls it an open-sandwich bento, but she would be surprised to find out I just break the bread and eat a piece at a time with the main dish.
As for dessert I had “mikan/mandarine oranges” from her family’s garden.

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (35)

October 27, 2008 dragonlife 2 Comments

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Today the Missus definitely combined East and West!

She made “temari zushi”. S
The rice balls are called as such they mean “balls made by hand”. Which does not help!
The balls are smaller and round with their top covered as “nigiri”.
She steamed the rice with knobu/seaweed fro Rishiri Island (Hokkaidou). She made balls and covered them with smoked salmon topped with capers. The home-made pickles are mini-melons.

As for the salad, on a bed of finely chopped greens she put two chicory/endive leaves filled with eggs and vegetables salad, a couple of plum tomatoes and a few wedges of persimmon for dessert.

Just enough to last the day!

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Ekiben/Railway Station Lunch Boxes-Bento 3: Bankama

October 27, 2008 dragonlife 8 Comments

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”Ekiben” or Railway Station Lunch Box (eki=station + ben/abbreviation for bento)in Japan and Shizuoka are a must for travellers who wish to experience real local food!
Shizuoka has a higher average because of the great numbers of railway stations and access to many kinds of food and ingredients.
The Missus purchased that particular one at Ito City Railway Station on October 23rd.

It is called “Bonkama”.

It consists of steamed sushi rice flavoure with rice vinegar, scrambled egg, “Tai/snapper (vinegared)”, “Shiitake Mushroom”, “Ebi/boiled shrimp”, “Renkon/Lotus root”, “kuri/chestnut”, “Tobikko/Flying Fish Roe”, Lemon, and “Amasu Syoga/Ginger pickled in sweet vinegar”

Provided with chopsticks and tooth pick, it made for a great lunch while visiting the Izu Kougen shoreline!