Tag Archives: 海の幸

Lobster: Basic Sashimi Preparation/Langouste : PRéparation standard de sashimi

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To answer Christina’s question (visit her great blog at Lobster Queen!) who asked if a lobster could be eaten raw, here is the basic recipe for preparing it.
Note that lobsters are fine, but spiny lobsters are best, especially small/medium specimens!

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The lobster should be still alive before you start proceeding.
First clean the live lobster under running clear cold water.
Note that live lobsters are very “lively”!

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Use a short and sharp wide blade knife.
Maintaining the lobster securely in one hand, stab the lobster with the knife point deeply just behind the head at a slant forward.

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You should be able to easily twist the tail away from the head.

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Put the head aside (will come onto the plate later).

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Turn tail over and cut bewteen soft underbelly part and hard shell part.

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Cut along both sides.

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You should be able to easily pull out the underbelly shell. If you have problems pulling it out, insert a spoon between the shell and the flesh.
Should come out easily then.

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Pull the flesh out the shell.
Peel off the thin brown skin and discard.

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First cut tail flesh lengthwise through the middle.
Take innards out and discard.
Ten cut the flesh across into one bite size (small size by European/American standards!).

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Drop into iced water and clean off the sticky juices. As the flesh will turn white if you leave it in the water too long, this process should not last more than 1 minute!

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Take water off in kitchen paper.

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Using the shell (cleaned in cold running water and wiped), arrange sashimi as above. Very easy!
You will find out that the flesh is sweet.
A little wasabi and soy sauce (ponzu is even better) is all you need!

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On nous demande souvent si la langouste peut se déguster cru, et voici la réponse avec une recette simple !

Les homards sont utilisables pour cette recette mais les langoustes seront préférées, de petite/moyenne taille de préférence.

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La langouste doit être vivante avant de commencer le processus. D’abord commencer par laver l’animal sous de l’eau propre coulante en continu. Attention car les langoutes vivantes sont très vivaces et frétillants.

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Utilisez une lame courte et bien aiguisée et faites en sorte de bien stabiliser le homard quand vous le tenez de l’autre main, poignardez derrière la tête, celle-ci incliné vers l’avant (voir les photos).

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Avec un mouvement de torsion vous devriez être en mesure de séparer les deux morceaux.

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Mettez la tête de côté (elle servira de décoration !)

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Retournez la queue et coupez entre la partie charnue et molle et la partie dure de la carapace.

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Tranchez de tout le long.

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Vous devriez pouvoir ensuite retirer toute la carapace de la queue. Si jamais cela coinçait quelque part, s’aide d’une cuillère en la mettant entre la chair et la carapace devrait faire sortir tout ce beau monde !

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Sortez la chair, et retirer la pellicule marron et récupérez le précieux aliment 🙂

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Ensuite coupez la chair de la queue comme sur la photo dans le sens de la longueur, retirez les impuretés à l’intérieur.

Ensuite coupez les morceaux de manière à ce que cela puisse faire une bouchée…japonaise (donc petite pour les gourmands que nous sommes).

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Mettez le tout dans de l’eau gelée et nettoyez ensuite tout ce qui pourrait avoir une texture un peu collante. Comme la chair va devenir blanche si vous la laissez dans l’eau trop longtemps, tout doit être fait en une minute maximum.

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Posez le tout sur un sopalin pour absorber l’eau.

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Utiliser la carapace lavée vous permettra de présenter les choses ainsi, c’est relativement facile et en envoie plein les mirettes.

La chair obtenue est sucrée. Un peu de wasabi et de sauce soja ou ponzu permet de varier les goûts !

Bon appétit !

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

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Italian Cuisine: Dinner at Contorno in Mochimune!

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable.
Strong points: Many local products be they from the land or the sea. Organic vegetables. Car park.
no-smoking-logo1 Entirely non-smoking!
Map

Mochimune in Shizuoka City is famous all over Japan for its shirasu/シラス/sardine whiting but it has other treasures to be discovered such as white peaches, oranges, a whole array of fish and seafood and a more than excellent Italian restaurant, Contorno!
I had never visited it for dinner although I had the occasions to enjoy great lunches there.
I finally had the opportunity when the young IT staff of Agrigraph joined me for dinner on a busy Friday evening!

As I had three specialists armed with all kinds of electronic devices with me, for once I didn’t have to worry about taking photographs!

The heat had been hellish that day so a beer was in order!

All vegetables used at Contorno are cultivated organically at Nagomi Farm in Fujinomiya City and the salmon is smoked on site!

24-months old raw Parma Ham!

The same with an organic vegetable salad! Extravagant!

The Italian wine amateurs will be happy to learn that Contorno has a decent list for all tastes and budgets!

For the connoisseurs!

Contorno is also renown for its pizza entirely prepared, fermented and baked in a large oven on site.
The above pizza is a Mochimune specialty: Shirasu and mozzarella pizza!

A second great pizza made with semi-dried tomatoes (organic) and raw ham!

I judge the quality of an Italian Restaurant on its gnocchi more than anything else!
These gnocchi in peperocino sauce and large prawns are a certainly a must in Contorno!

It certainly deserved a closer view!

If you must have pasta, then I would definitely recommend their short pasta!

And don’t go for anything fancy! The tomato peperocino is the best!

Served with a beautiful piquant olive oil for the customers who like their food spicy!

If you can manage some space in your stomach you must try Contorno’s desserts!
The sole lady among us couldn’t resist this chocolate cake in blueberry sauce!

As for the “boys” it was cappucino! Sorry, I had already sipped half when I took the picture!

See you again in the Fall/Autumn!

CONTORNO
421-0122, Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mochimune, 5-1-10, Sunrise Mochimune (5 minutes walk from Mochimune JR Station. Second stop after Shizuoka)
Tel.: 054-2565877
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~21:30
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
BLOG

Lunch sets: 1,480 yen~
Dinner: Appetizers: 500~yen, 1,000 yen~
Pasta: 930 yen~
Pizza (oven-baked): 1,180 yen~
Carte available

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Shizuoka Oden Fair 2011!

Yamako’s miso oden!

The Shizuoka (Shizooka in local dialect) Oden fair 2011 has finally come to us.
It has become a yearly event reported by all TV’s (local and more and more national), newspapers and various media. Actually reporting on such an event turns into a major TV crew dodging exercise!

Unfortunately today was cold and rainy, but it separated the true officionados from the casual visitors!
Sunday promises for clear skies and it will a real tussle!

When it comes to oden, I do have my preferences, some of them very subjective due to the fact I have some friends in the business such as Yamako/山幸 in Mariko, Shizuoka City!

Pose!
The Kondohs are being helped by their friends working at Yamanashi Clinic in Shizuoka City!

They offered one of the most complete assortment with oden, bento rice, tororojiru, soup and what else.

My favourite: Yamako’s miso oden!

Having fun!

The whole event is worth a whole tour and a second one and a benediction for photographers who want to discover real Japanese life!

But there are also a lot of foreign residents in Japan with their own version of oden!
The above stall was selling Korean oden!
They were certainly very loud about it! LOL

Korean oden. Very large!

The stand of the Shizuoka Oden Lovers Association!

They had the merit to serve great Shizuoka sake!

My other favourite stand by Annam, the best Vietnamese restaurant in the whole Prefecture!

Very welcoming ladies!
Actually they were very professional and devoted to their customer who flocked at their stand!

Vietnamese oden!

The oden dish of the day:
Vietnamese oden served with noodles in Pho Soup!

Alright I’ll go there again tomorrow and the day after tomorrow for further investigation!

The event is held in two different locales until the 13th:
-Aoba Park/青葉公園・青葉シンボルロード and Aoba Square:青葉スクエア
Time: 11:00~20:00

-Shichiken-cho Doori/七間町通り and Gofujuku-cho Doori/呉服町通り
Time: 11:00~17:00

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

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

Sashimi: Shizuoka Local Fish at Uosei in Heda, Izu Peninsula

Just came from another visit in Izu Peninsula!
This time another two and half hours car trip took us to Heda, a harbor part of Numazu City at the Western top of Izu Peninsula across from Mount Fuji.

Although a small harbor, Heda is well-known for one seafood I’ll introduce later!
We were not very fortunate today as the skies were overcast. By fine weather you can admire Mount Fuji in its full splendor just through the narrow gullet leading to the harbor waters.

No, this was not freshly caught from the sea!
Izu Peninsula is celebrated for its dried fish/himono/干物!

Here is the place we chose to have lunch.
Can you see the big crab?

The speciality I was talking about: Takaashigani/Long-Legged Crabb/高足蟹!

For a closer view.
These are small to medium-sized specimens.
Takaashigani is the largest crab in the world and it is caught only in Suruga Bay!

Now, this is the real size.
The pincers’s full length is over 1 metre each!

As we came there for work, we skipped the Takaashigani Lunch Set, which simply too big and opted for two different local sashimi lunch sets!

I chose the above: Amaebi/Sweet Shrimps/甘エビ, maguro/tuna/鮪, ika/cuttlefish/烏賊, and aji/hose mackerel/鯵.

My friend chose the single fish sashimi lunch set featuring horse mackerel!

For a side view!
There is need to say that the fish was freshe than anywhere else!
I was about to forget: and so delicious!

Moreover, Heda is worth a visit for its touristic charm!
Can you see the “torii/鳥居” in the distance?
A torii is a gate found at the entry of Shinto Shrine.

Beautiful, isn’t it?
This the torii of a Shrine called “Murokuchi”
The Shrine is there for the safety and prosperity of the local fishermen and households!

Do visit after a nice walk along the small beach or through the pine grove!

UOSEI
410-3402 Shizuoka ken, Numazu City, Heda, 580
Tel.: 0558-94-2114/0558-94-2598
Open from lunch to dinner

Access: Train & Bus= change trains at Mishima JR Station and go to Shuzenji. Get off at Shuzenji Station and take a bus to Heda.
By boat: Take a bus from Numazu JR Station to Numazu harbor and board one of the regular ships.
By Car Ferry: Board at Shimizu harbor and land at Doi, then drive to Heda.

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

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

Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Local Land an Sea Products at Contorno!

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable.
Strong points: Many local products be they from the land or the sea. Organic vegetables. Car park.
no-smoking-logo1 Entirely non-smoking!
Map

Many more restaurants in Shizuoka join the “Local Products” trend for the pleasure and health of their customers.
One does not have to explain why one ought to eat fully traceable food!
But we are on the very lucky side of Japan as Shizuoka Prefecture could manage to live on its own resources alone for at least 6 months, a feat unequalled anywhere in Japan!

Contorno is great place, not only for its gastronomy (naturally!), but because it is so well exposed to the sun in a quiet area not far from the sea of Mochimune whose harbor is famous all over the country for its shirasu/whitebait and other bounties from the sea.

And it has the enormous merit to be completely non smoking!

Their lunches are not only a bargain but a healthy joy!
All vegetables are organic by Mr. Nagomi in Fujinomiya City at the foot os Mount Fuji.
The above antipasto misto vegetables (except for the French cornichon) are all above-mentioned vegetables with a chicken-pork terrine and a shrimps-fish terrine.

The bread is naturally all home-made and served with a high quality olive oil!

For lunch I ordered this black bass (suzuki/鱸) from the Suruga Bay sauteed on its skin and served with Provencal-style organic vegetables.

The Missus opted for this delicious plate of prawn pasta!
beautiful colors! I managed to get a forkful!

And look forward to a great different dessert everyday!

And they serve the coffee the right way!

Dinner report to come next!LOL

CONTORNO
421-0122, Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mochimune, 5-1-10, Sunrise Mochimune (5 minutes walk from Mochimune JR Station. Second stop after Shizuoka)
Tel.: 054-2565877
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~21:30
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
BLOG

Lunch sets: 1,480 yen~
Dinner: Appetizers: 500~yen, 1,000 yen~
Pasta: 930 yen~
Pizza (oven-baked): 1,180 yen~
Carte available

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

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

Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at Aquavite!

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great and very large washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable to expensive. Top-class Italian wines. Private room for~8 people.
no-smoking-logo1 Non-smoking at counter!

Like many restaurants in Shizuoka City and Shizuoka Prefecture, many restaurants are going through changes for many reasons including some unavoidable.
When chefs decide to leave to work under other skies recruiting new and good staff is vital.
Aquavite has had to go through that time and came out for the better!

The new team (Chef: Masaru Aoki/青木優 and Maitre d’Hote: Kazuma Mochizuki/望月計満) is not only young and enthusiastic, but also professional and endeavouring to use as many local products as possible.

Vegetables from Shizuoka Prefecture!

They are always on the lookout for new producers and farmers when it comes to vegetables and fruit!

Antipasto Misto (Broccoli and Cauliflower in Anchovy sauce, stewed red and yellow pimento with dry tomatoes, mizudako octopus and Inca mezame potato and mushrooms and shrimps)

Like all good Italian Restaurants Aquavite bake their own bread!

They also propose a great variety of pasta!

Now, this excellent pasta was made with Barilla N05 spaghetti and a ragu of cuttlefish caught in the Suruga Bay!

Fish and seafood is the true specialty at Aquavite.
The above is matodai/John Dory or St. Peter’s Fish caught of Numazu Harbour fried in Meuniere style with a herb sauce!

This succulent sauteed chicken is “Jidori/地鶏” from Fuji City. All vegetables are Shizuoka-Grown!

Artistic and delicious tiramisu for dessert!

Real coffee served the proper way!

And exquisite home-made Italian biscuits!

Looking forward to the next visit!

Address: 420-0034 Shizuoka Shi, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg. 3F
Tel. & fax: 054-2740777
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 18:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

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

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

Shizuoka Oden Fair Coming Soon!

One of the most celebrated traditional gastronomic events in Shizuoka City (and Japan), the Shizuoka (Shizooka in local dialect) Oden Fair will be held from Friday, February 11th to Sunday, February 12th!

The event will be held in two different locales:
-Aoba Park/青葉公園・青葉シンボルロード and Aoba Square:青葉スクエア
Time: 11:00~20:00

-Shichiken-cho Doori/七間町通り and Gofujuku-cho Doori/呉服町通り
Time: 11:00~17:00

No less than 17 shops, restaurants and izakayas from Shizuoka will sell Shizuoka-Style Oden and 6 shops from other parts of Japan and one foreign will be doing the same in Aoba Park.

One the other hand, 11 shops from Shizuoka will sell Shizuoka-Style oden, and 6 shops from other areas of Shizuoka Prefecture will serve local specialties in Shichiken-cho.

Do come early as it promises to be very busy and crazy like in precedent years (and probably more! LOL).

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

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

Fish: Shizuoka Marine Products from the Ocean; Dried Fish/Himono/干物 at Mochimune!

Houbou/竹麦魚、魴鮄/Bluefin Robbin (Red Gurnard) Himono

Mochimune is known all over Japan for its fishing harbor whose main catch is shirasu/白子/Whitebait. The fishing for the latter will come into full gear in Spring, but that is for another article.

The signs for shirasu/しらす will be floating everywhere soon!

Mochimune is also a fine touristic spot known for its large black pebble beach and great views of the Izu Peninsula on clear days!
Quite a few interesting shops and restaurants (one coming soon!) are to be discovered among the narrow streets.

“Marukai”, a small fish shop

Of course one can discover all the fish and the processed goods at the fish Market beside the harbor, but it is also great fun to wander away along narrow avenues to look at the small shops processing and selling seafood from the Suruga Bay.
One typical product, and Shizuoka Prefecture produces 50% of the total in Japan, is “himono”!
Himono is sun-dried fish that Japanese (and foreigners) are very fond of grilling any time of the day or the year.
Each shop has its own recipes and they are all worth a second and third look!

Saba/鯖/mackerel from Marukai drying across the street!

For a closer view!
I consider it the best way to appreciate mackerel. Perfect snack with a good beer!

You will also find orange trees everywhere (I don’t think their owners will really mind if you pick one to taste!LOL)

These are Houbou/竹麦魚、魴鮄/Bluefin Robbin (Red Gurnard), a true specialty fish from Mochimune.
Also great fresh and prepared at the local Italian restaurants!

Tai/鯛/Seabream form Mochimune. A bit extravagant for a dried fish.

Aji/鯵/Horse Mackerel from the Suruga Bay. You can eat them all. Great source of calcium!

Koshiotai/a small seabream variety from Mochimume. Can also be eaten whole.

Look forward to my next visits and reports!

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

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

Sushi: Shizuoka Marine Products from the Ocean to the Gastronomic table: Ginta!

Suruga Bay Sushi Nigiri Tray!

Caring about local food does not concern only vegetables, fruits and meat from a certain region, but alそ its marine products!
In the case of Shizuoka Prefecture it can safely be assumed this represents half of its total food production!

Ginta

Mr. Hara, owner and chef of this minuscule sushi restaurant in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, has established a name as a reference products when it comes to sushi. Although he also serves marine products from other areas of Japan, it is eminently possible to devise and order solely from the Suruga Bay!

Just in case you did not know, Mr. Hara makes sure that his customers understand this the land (and sea) of Sakura shrimps!

So when we visited the restaurant last week, the Missus and I, we decided to order only locally.
The above snacks coming with Eikun sake from Yui are namako/sea slug/海鼠 lightly boiled and pickled and ika shiokara/pickled cuttle-fish/烏賊塩辛.

Top: Hirame Konbujime/sole marinated in seaweed/平目昆布〆, Tachiuo Ponzu Momijioroshi/Sacbbard Fish seasoned with ponzu and grated daikon with chili pepper/太刀魚ポン酢もみじおろし, Fugu Ponzu Negi Momijioroshi/Globefish with Ponzu, leeks and grated daikon with chili pepper/ふぐポン酢ねぎもみじおし, Kawahagi Kimo Ae/Filefish with its liver/かわはぎ肝和え

Bottom: Kanpachi/Greater Yellowtail-Amberjack/かんぱち, Aji/Horse mackerel/鯵, Ishidai/Barred Knifejaw/石鯛, Sakura ebi/Sakura-Cherry shrimps/桜えび

We both ordered the above Suruga Nigiri Tray composed of 8 different fish and shrimp all from the Suruga Bay on the other side of the quay!
For 1,800 yen/20 US $, a real bargain (considering you will not find it in Tokyo!)!

You can see and check the seasonal tray on small cards on the wall!

We couldn’t resist from ordering the sakura ebi kakiage/sakura shrimps tenpura/桜海老掻き揚げ, the representative dish of the local seafood!
One dish is enough for two, I can guarantee you!

And of course a bowl of sakura ebi shiru/sakura shrimps soup/桜海老汁!

You can be sure that the next visit will come soon!

GINTA
421-3111 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui, Konjuku, 165 (5 minutes walk from Yui JR Station)
Tel.: 0543-75-3004
Business hours: 11:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays

GINTA
421-3111 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui, Konjuku, 165 (5 minutes walk from Yui JR Station)
Tel.: 0543-75-3004
Business hours: 11:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays

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

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Sushi Restaurant: Sushi Ko (’09/09/25)

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Last night, I took two of my students to Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City to introduce them to the highest quality for the best value sushi in town.
Most sushi restaurants in Japan do not advertize their prices, whereas Sushi Ko does so expcept for the sashimi of thday, which are nonetheless of very good value.

Moreover they serve local seafood whenever possible, and seasonl one only. You do not visit Sushi Ko to fill yourself with cheap fat rolls, but to appreciate healthy top class sushi and sashimi.

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My students, being both ladies. we ordered a Chablis bottle to start.
Halfway, I ordered for myself a glass of succulent Shizuoka Sake, “Shosetesu/正雪 brewed by Kansawagawa Brewery (located in Yui, one of the best spots for fihing in the Prefecture!).
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Sashimi: Katsuo/bonito, Shimaaji/Stripde Jack and Kinmedai/plendid alfonsino

Since the last time I visited the place in June with the Missus, the seasonal fish haven’t changed that much yet and we almost ordered the same.
We started with a plate of sashimi consisting of katsuo/bonito, shimaaji/striped jack (a variety of saurel) and kinmedai/plendid alfonsino (a variety of grouper) all caught off Shizuoka’s shores!

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Next we ordered a “tennen-aji” a saurel caught in the wild as a tataki/Japanese-style tartare served with the rest of the fish.

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The fish being extremely fresh, its bones and head were later served deep-fried/karaage!

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Then, it was for the Sushi Ko classics:
Sushi Millefeuille with maguro/tuna, kyuuri/cucumber, avocado adn topped with tobikko/flying fish roe!

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Piri kara hotate maki/spicy scallops roll. A superlative roll made with with finely cut scallops, tobikko, chili pepper, finely chopped leeks and peanuts with mayonnaise and what else.
A must at Sushi Ko!

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A plate of vegan sushi!

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The last order is unfortunately going to creat consternation among some of my friends in the US: kujira/whalemeat seasoned with a little salt and a good amount of goma a bura/sesame oil without any siy sauce. Succulent!

Sushi Ko
shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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5 Star Foodie
Frank Fariello
Mangantayon
Tokyo Foodcast
Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass
Urban sake

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Japanese Seasonal Fish: Buri/Yellowtail

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As explained in a precedent posting on Kampachi we are just between two distinct seasons for Buri/鰤 or Yellowtail, as Hiramasa or young Yellowtail is caught in Summer and Buri/Mature Yellowtail is caught in Winter.

How do you recognize them apart?

BURI-AGO
Buri has a “square chin” as they say in Japanese. Look at the back extremity of the mouth,

BURI-HIRAMASA-AGO
whereas it is more rounded for the hiramasa.

In Japan they are caught south of Hokkaido Island.
They come under many names: Wakashi, Inada, Warasa, Wakana, Hamachi and Mejiro.

Buri/Yellowyail is most popular when caught in rising waters in Winter when called Kan Buri/寒鰤 or “Cold Yellowtail.

BURI-SASHIMI
Buri sashimi after light grill/Aburi/炙り

Young Yellowtails are best eaten as sahimi or

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Buri Sushi

or as sushi as they are leaner then.

Older buri, cotaining a lot of fat, are better eaten cooked

BURI-TERIYAKI
Buri Teriyaki,

BURI-ARA
Buri Ara with the whole head, or

BURI-MOPPONZU
Buri Mopponzu, including innards, especially liver and heart.

In the West of Japan, a New Year Meal cannot be conceived without buri!

Natural Buri catch accounts for 70,000~80,000 tonnes, while human-raised buri accounts for over 130,000 tonnes every year.
Imported buri account for less than 3,000 tonnes.

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Japanese Seasonal Fish: Kampachi/Amberjack

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With the first days of Autumn upon us, Kampachi or Amberjack is appearing on our plates in Japan!

The fish seems to have so many names in any language: Amberjack, Purplish Amberjack, Yellowtail, Greater Yellowtail, and Ruderfish in English, whereas in Japanese it is called Kampachi, Akahana, Kampa, or Shokko among others, not accounting for regional names!.

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It is caught along Central and South Honshu Island, including a lot in Suruga Bay in Shizuoka Prefecture!
It is a very popular fish as it happens to come just in between Hiramasa/Young Japanese Amberjack-Five ray Yellowtail in Summer and Buri/Mature Japanese Amberjack-Five Ray Yellowtail in Winter, making a favourite for the season, but bringinga lot of confusion on foreign tables because of the similar names.
Kampachi (Seriola dumerili (Risso) in Latin) and Buri (Seriola quinqueradiata Temminck and Schlegel in Latin) are very similar but their season is different. Beware of scams! Actually the meat looks different.

KAMPACHI-2BURI-SUSHI
Kampachi vs Buri Sushi

Natural Kampachi is quite rare in Japan these days whereas human-raised are plenty.

Kampachi is savoured in many ways: Sashimi & Sushi, Grilled (Yakimono), Simmered (Nizuke), Meuniere and fried.
Choose comparatibely small specimens. Beware of the large cheap specimens!
Ask for a variation in Sushi called “Kampachi Aburi”?kampachi lightly grilled on one side: a beauty!

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Japanese Seasonal Fish: Shirogisu/Sillago

SILLAGO-SHIROGISU

Shirogisu, or Sillago in English probably has as many Japanese names as English names.
The Sillago found along the Japanese shore is also called sillago japonica, Whiting or Smelt-Whiting in english, Shirogisu, Kisu, Magisu and Kisugo in Japanese.

The best specimen in Japan are caught in Fukuoka (Kyushu) and Ehime (Shikoku) prefectures from Spring to Summer.

SILLAGO-SASHIMI
Shirogisu sashimi

The greatest part of the sillago catch comes from Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, China and other Asian countries.
Fortunately, here in Shizuoka, we do catch a sizeable amount in Suruga Bay guaranting fresheness in season.

SILLAGO-SUSHI
Shirogisu Sushi

If absolutely fresh, shirohisu/sillago makes for an interesting moresl, the more for it as it is quite rare in this form.

SILLAGO-TEMPURA
Sillago Tempura

The most popular way of savouring it is as tempura or breaded and deep-fried, although the fish taste will vary greatly with freshness!

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Vegan Sushi at Sushi Ko (’09/08/31)

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On Monday August 31st, my birthday, the Missus invited me to our favourite sushi restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely Sushi Ko!
There are many reasons for Sushi Ko to be our favourite sushi restaurant that I have mentioned many a time before: supreme fish and vegetables (and even meat), great side dishes, including cooked dishes, originality, great service and willingness to tackle customers’ challenges! On top that add a great list of sake, shochu and even wines! As for the icing the prices are more than reasonable and clearly indicated!
Omnivores should check HERE for the full article!

Although neither of us is vegan, mr. Oda and I have this little game every time of a challenge consisting of a plate featuring at least four vegan sushi.
Here is what the chef came with this time:

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Himenegi/young thin leeks reminiscent of French ciboulette.

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Kaiwaredaikon/Japanese radish sprout, lightly boiled and topped with some umeboshi/Japanese pickled plum.

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Betarazuke/daikon lightly pickled in sweet vinegar. In this cases served with a piece of shiso/perilla leaf between the shari/sushi rice and the neta/topping. Some lime skin was grated ontop making for a sweet sophisticated taste!

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Mitsuba/Trefoil: the stems and leaves were slightly boiled and sparated, making for a bicolour combination accentuated by finely cut kyuri/cucumber!

Sushi Ko
shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Local Sushi & Sashimi only at Ginta!

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The particularity of Ginta, a minuscule sushi restaurant located near the harbour of Yui in the eastern part of Shizuoka City is that it proposes sushi and sashimi plates from fish exclusively caught in Suruga Bay only a few miles and fathoms from the very shore!

The other day I convinced the Missus to pay Ginta a belated (for me as it was a first for her) visit and sample the fish of the moment.

Iforgot to say that the prices are ridiculously low when taking the quality and rarity in consideration!

The “Jizakana/Local Fish” set of 8 above is priced at 1,800 yen/ 19 US $!

Here is a description of the sushi (Picture above):

Above, from left to right:
-Tora Fugu/a popular species of globefish, served pre-seasoned (no need to dip it in the soy sauce)
-Hanadai/A kind of grouper, served pre-seasoned
Mr. Hara actually deep-fries the scales of that particular fish before inserting them under the slice of raw fish!
-Tachiuo/Scabbard Fish, v
-Sakura Ebi/Cherry Shrimps, served in “gunkan” style.

Bottom, from left to right:
-Kanpachi/Albacore
-Kurodai/another kind of grouper
-Kurozawa Aji/Saurel caught in Kurozawa area, next to Yui.
-Kose/a purely local fish also called “kushikinme or goso (in Numazu City). It is apparently a local variety of grouper.

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Having enjoyed kose for the first time, we decided to order it as a full sashimi plate.
A real beauty: firm, almost crisp, not a hint of “fishy taste” and absloutely delicious!

No wonder customers come all the way from Tokyo!
Now, the advantage I have on such customers is that Mr. Hara is so enthusiastic sharing his knowledge with local patrons!

GINTA
421-3111 Shizuoka Shi, Shimizu Ku, Yui cho, Imajuku, 165. (get off at Yui Station and walk to your right. Only a few minutes away)
Tel.: 0543-75-3004
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays
Reservations on the telephone recommended!

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