Tag Archives: 美食

Uncategorized

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

Leave a comment


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

takys1

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!

takys2

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

Uncategorized

Indian Restaurant: Lunch at Laxami

6 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

laxami1

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:
laxami2
Tandoori Chicken and Mutton Kebab

laxami3
Vegetables Curry (probably a different name!).
Note that there is plenty on offer for vegetarians and vegans!

laxami4
Mutton curry.

laxami5
Enormous Naan!
Potato Parantha, Poori, Chapati and so on are also featured on the menu!

laxami61
Chicken Curry.

laxami7
Dal Soup. For Vegetarians and Vegans again! Actually Mr. Kumar had a lunch of Dal Soup and Rice later!

laxami8
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.

Uncategorized

Cheese Plate at Gentil (2)

6 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

gentil-cheese-2008-10-31-a1

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.

gentil-cheese-2008-10-31-b

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

gentil-cheese-2008-10-31-c

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)

Uncategorized

Shizuoka Izakaya: Kaze To Matsu

3 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

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)

Uncategorized

Food Art: Eiko Nishida, cooltiger

3 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

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!

Uncategorized

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

4 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

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)

Uncategorized

Vegetarian & Vegan Cuisine: Ginger as a Vegetable

Leave a comment


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

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!

Uncategorized

Vegetarian & Vegan Cuisine: Myoga as a Vegetable

5 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

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!

Uncategorized

Shizuoka Breweries 8/2: Usami Brewery

Leave a comment


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

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)

Uncategorized

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

Leave a comment


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-


（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!

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

Uncategorized

Ekiben/Railway Station Lunch Boxes-Bento 3: Bankama

8 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-


”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!

Uncategorized

Ekiben/Railway Station Lunch Boxes-Bento 2: Tai Dontaku

Leave a comment


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

”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.
I purchased that particular one at Ito City Railway Station on October 23rd.

It is called “Tai Dontaku”.
“Tai” stands for seabream or snapper, a fish abundant along the Izu Peninsula shores.

The bottom half is steamed rice covered with powdered seabream flesh/surimi.
The top half includes “hotate karaage/deep-fried scallops”, “Gobo/simmered burdock roots”, and “Shiitake/simmered shiitake mushrooms”.


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

Uncategorized

Shizuoka Breweries 8/1: Usami Brewery

2 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

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!

Usami Brewery: Thames/English type
Ingredients: Malt and hops
Alcohol: 5%
Contents: 330 ml
Unfiltered and unpasteurized

Foam: long head, very fine bubbles
Colour: dark brown, rich colour
Aroma: strong, caramel/bread.
Taste: Sweetish attack, bread, yeast
Solid but light
Does not vary with food and stays faithful to first taste.
Drank very easily in spite of its stout nature.

Overall: A pleasant stout-style beer.
Enjoyable for its own sake or with food, however heavy.
Best appreciated at room temperature, although cold beer fans would enjoy it if slightly chilled.

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

Uncategorized

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter

Leave a comment


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #22
bryan-sayuri.gif

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

If you are in search of the beery flavor of fall, seek no more. Baird Beer has captured that autumnal essence in a wonderful seasonal brew set for release today: Big Red Machine Fall Classic Ale.

Big Red Machine Fall Classic Ale (ABV 5.5%):

To baseball fans, October means it’s World Series (also known as the “Fall Classic”) time. To me, the annual Fall Classic invariably brings back boyhood memories of watching and rooting for the great “Big Red Machine” Cincinnati teams of 1975 and 1976 World Series fame. Big Red Machine Fall Classic Ale was brewed initially in 2005 as a 30-year tribute to the Cincinnati Reds World Series championship team of 1975 (they won in a dramatic 7-game series against the Boston Red Sox). We continue to brew it annually because it is such a fine beer and is the perfect libation to enjoy while taking in the Fall Classic.

Brawny in the depth and richness of its malt character (five different malts are used), this malt muscle is balanced beautifully by a wonderfully spicy and sprite hop essence (we use American Magnum, Amarillo and Glacier varieties). Much as the rare combination of power and finesse was a hallmark of the Big Red Machine on the field, so too is it a hallmark of the Big Red Machine in the pint glass!

Big Red Machine Fall Classic Ale (a bronze medal winner in the 2008 World Beer Cup) is now pouring from the taps of both the Fishmarket and Nakameguro Taprooms. It also will be available on draught, beginning Thursday, October 23, at fine Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants throughout Japan. The bottle-conditioned version (360 ml bottles) will be available for purchase at our online estore as well as via the fine family of Baird Beer retailing liquor stores in Japan.

Finally, please note a change in business hours for our Nakameguro Taproom. Beginning Monday, November 1, the Nakameguro Taproom will be open as follows:

*Monday-Friday (2:00 PM – Midnight)
*Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays (Noon – Midnight)

For all you late night drinkers, this is good news as we will be open later. We will not be serving lunch on weekdays any longer, however, although we will feature a lunch service on weekends and national holidays.

Cheers!
Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

Uncategorized

Cheese Plate at Gentil (1)

2 Comments


The Japan Blog List

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

This is the first 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 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: Chabichou du 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!

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