Tag Archives: Brasserie

Italian Gastronomy: Lunch at Osteria Porta Porta in Shizuoka City (May 2012)

Squid Ink Pasta!

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great general cleanliness. Superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great appetizers. Mainly local vegetables. excellent wine list.
Non smoking at lunch time!

Osteria Porta Porta and his young chef, Hidetake Suzuki/鱸秀武 are slowly and surely achieving a well-deserved fame in Shizuoka City for the homey but inventive Southern Italian gastronomy served in a very informal and so friendly, if a bit shy, manner!

I make a point to pay them regular visit as they use only seasonal products mainly from Shizuoka, but also from Italy and Europe!

My favorite place at the small counter by the window!

The pasta served at Osteria Porta Porta!

Even at lunch look at the “carte” on the blackboard!
You will get tempted away from the regular menu!

Interesting traditional pasta making tools!

A painting of Puglia houses!

Reasonable Italian red wine and beautiful home-baked bread!
I was very hungry at that particular lunch so I ordered the biggest lunch menu!

Antipasti misto plate!
Always so generous at Osteria Porta Porta!

If I hadn’t been so hungry that would have been enough, what with caprese salad, pork terrine, fish escabeche, quiche, ham, and vegetable salad!

Squid ink pasta with plenty of local squid! So fresh and delicious!

Fujinomiya RYB Ton (pronounce “Louis Vuiton!) pork steak and vegetables!

From another angle to show you the attention to details!

I love lentils!

The dessert!

What do we have there?

Non wheat flour hazelnuts cake!

Home-made dry fruit cassata ice-cream!

And coffeee served asit should be!

Alright, alright, i promise another report at dinner next time! LOL

Osteria Porta Porta
420-0839 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 2-13-11, Topia Takajyo, 103
Tel./fax: 054-266-7320
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30^22:00
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

French Bistro Gastronomy at Patina in Shizuoka City-Poached Chicken Salad

Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day.

The shy but ever-smiling lady Chef!

I do have a special fondness for Patina in Shizuoka City for the simple reason that they serve delicious French-style Bistro/Brasserie food in such an easy-going but elegant atmosphere!

And they have the immense merit to serve both red and white wine from my hometown/village Givry, Cote Chalonnaise, Bourgogne, France!

Their lunches are a real bargain and they change every week!

The Lunch plate is particularly interesting with two main dishes to choose from every week!

The Plate Lunch menu includes a soup + 1 main dish + the pickles of the day, a salad, bread or rice and one drink!

They started their own (Japanese) Blog!

I often order from the carte but this time I ordered the Plate Lunch!
What did I have?
First a hot bacon and vegetables consomme soup.

Of course I had a glass of wine (extra) with it!
Poached chicken salad with bread!

Actually they write it “boiled chicken” in Japanese but it is definitely poached chicken ham!
Very tasty and healthy!

Beautiful bread and Red Moon potatoes!

Delicious potato and kabocha mash with fresh vegetables!

I couldn’t resist and extra order when I had a look at their desserts!

Apple and banana Tarte with vanilla ice cream to accompany my coffee!

I still haven’t had dinner here yet! LOL

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 10:00~15:00, 17:00~20:30 (last orders)
Holiday not decided yet
BLOG
Non-smoking but for a small table away from the other patrons at the end of a long hall before the washroom

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Bistro Gastronomy: Croque-Madame at Café Brasserie Patina in Shizuoka City!

Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day.

As promised in the presentation of Patina’s Croque-Monsieur I visited the establishment for lunch yesterday to sample their Croque-Madame!

But just as I was ordering lunch my eyes fell on the wine bottles on the counter… one was of a special interest to me!

Givry! My home town in Cote Chalonnaise in Bourgogne, France!
Do try it for its great reliabilty and light touch!

The Croque-Madame!

Great balance with plenty of local baby leaves and vegetables!

Topped with a beautiful egg fried to a perfect softness and seasoned with ground herbs!

The running egg yolk with the great bread, ham onions and Mornay sauce was a little sin!
Now, this is real bistro gastronomy!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 10:00~20:30 (last orders)
Holiday not decided yet
Non-smoking but for a small table away from the other patrons at the end of a long hall before the washroom

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

Bistro Gastronomy: Croque-Monsieur at Café Brasserie Patina in Shizuoka City!

Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day.

The Croque-Monsieur’s first recorded appearance on a Parisian café menu was in 1910.
It was probably the first true fast-food snack served in French cafés and bars.
Originally a Croque-Monsieur is a hot ham and cheese sandwich sometimes served with Bechamel or Mornay sauce on top.

But frankly speaking, I prefer Patina’s version which is both more elaborate and lighter than the Parisian one!

And it certainly looks more appetizing!
And it was fulfilling enough!

And the generous portion of baby leaves and other leafy vegetables made for a very healthy and well-balanced lunch!

Patina serves it with a crunchy slice of superior bread first covered with Mornay sauce, then a thick slice of delicious ham before topping it with a slice of yummy hard cheese.
It is then toasted (slow food!) to attain a crunchy bite all around and top with a soft inside.
The last touch is added by sprinkling it with ground spices and finely chopped herb out of the oven!

Next time I will introduce its counterpart, a Croque Madame!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 10:00~20:30 (last orders)
Holiday not decided yet
Non-smoking but for a small table away from the other patrons at the end of a long hall before the washroom

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

Bistro Gastronomy: Pâté de Campagne at Café Brasserie Patina in Shizuoka City!

Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day.

After a long lull made the more boring for the overwhelming number of so-called cafes of a dubious taste and quality, one can at long last feel a general return to simpler and more honest values.
When one young lady endeavors to re-introduce the simpler and far more satisfying cuisine that was prevalent in bistros, be they French-style, Japanese-style or whatever almost two decades ago and this at very reasonable prices you know that all was not lost after all!

I had decided today, a Sunday, to get away for a while from my computer and have some light food when I remembered that I had noticed some interesting offerings on the menu the last time I visited Café Brasserie Patina in Shizuoka City!
Actually I was quite lucky as the menu was about to change soon!
Anyway I didn’t hesitate when I found the Pâté de Campagne on the menu (actually it should be called a Terrine de Campagne as it is enveloped in bread/pastry! LoL! But what the hell!)!

It might look simple, but it was succulent, generous and at such a gentle price!
For a man originating from Bourgogne, France, it was some kind of a time slip!
How many times did I eat such fare back home at any time of the year (and in some cases at any time of the day!)!
With a glass of heady red wine it made for the perfect snack!

The home-made pickles also brought back memories!
I forgot to mention the Dijon (my birthplace!) mustard!
Well there are many more little marvels like merguez, choucroute, canard confit and cassoulet, all made on site, so expect a few more quick reports of the kind!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 10:00~20:30 (last orders)
Holiday not decided yet
Non-smoking but for a small table away from the other patrons at the end of a long hall before the washroom

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

Café & Brasserie: Patina in Shizuoka City!

Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day.

The fashion for a long time having been to patronize famous/notorious fast-food cafes with a dubious approach to gastronomy and atmosphere the more traditional cafes with a far more authentic cachet had all but disappeared.

Unfortunately Shizuoka City had not escaped from the trend and had, but for one or two establishments, become a barren land as far as coffee shops were concerned.

At long last some courageous individuals and companies are beginning to help reverse that sorry situation.
“Patina” opened on the 12th of December in increasingly fashionable Tenmacho for the pleasure of haven seeking patrons!

Right from the moment you enter you realize that the establishment is both different and reassuringly familiar as if you were traveling back to a more comfortable era.

The whole place is a comforting kind of jumble with seats for every taste from a personal table tucked in a corner to long sofa benches along the wall and mismatched arm chairs at the counter.

You will need quite a few visits before you elect to sit at the same place!

The place doubles up as a cafe and a light meal bistro/brasserie-style coffee-shop so much in evidence in any French city worth its salt. This implies you can either settle for coffee or tea or start drinking in earnest with food to accompany any time of the day!

The whole staff are ladies and the young Chef, Ms. Akiko Kondoh/近藤亜希子さん has plenty of experience and (dinner will come in another article) her elegant confectioneries are worth the visit!

Her apple millefeuille with ice cream is fast becoming a favorite!

And their teas and coffees are not only delicious but served the traditional and proper way!
I’ll meet you in the evening in front of a pâté de campagne and a glass of wine next time in the evening!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 10:00~20:30 (last orders)
Holiday not decided yet
Non-smoking but for a small table away from the other patrons at the end of a long hall before the washroom

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