Tag Archives: Buckwheat noodles

Buckwheat Noodles, Japanese sake, Masanao Chiba, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Soba, Te Uchi Soba Shizuoka

Hand made soba/buckwheat noodles and sake at Te Uchi Soba Shizuoka with Masanao Chiba in Shizuoka City!

March 12, 2020 dragonlife 1 Comment

Masanao Chiba

Service: Shy at first but very friendly and informative.
Equipment and facilities: Small but overall very clean. Share washroom, oldfashioned but clean
Prices: reasonable~slightly expensive
Strong points:: hand-made/Te uchi soba only! Great sake. Izakaya cuisine.

Very appetizing o-toshi/appetizers accompanying first drink order!

Te Uchi Soba Shizuoka is located inside nationally renown Aoba Odenkai Alley in Aob Street, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City but it is one of the newly established izakaya that do not serve oden in this alley appearing regularly in magazines and TV programmes. Despite that Masanao Chiba is celebrated in the city and beyond for his hand made soba/buckwheat noodles, you will not easily find him in the media!

Tempura of the day!

Apart of the top class soba, Masanao serves all kinds of tidbits depending on the season and availability. But if it is your first visit make a point of ordering the tempura of the day!

Another of the great sake on offer!

If you like Japanese sake, this is the place as Masanao offers nectars from Shizuoka and all over Japan! As they regularly change just ask for his recommendations stating your preferences! It will make for the start of a good conversation!

The fish of the day: aji/horse mackerel tataki/japanese style fish tartare!

Check the short but solid menu. It will give you an opportunity to enjoy Japanese cuisine at its simplest and most easily enjoyable!

And do not forget the soba!

A great place to patronize on your own as “private lair”, or with a great company for a nice chat and drink away from it all!

TE UCHI SOBA SHIZUOKA

420-0034 Shiuzoka Prefecture, Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 2-3-6 (inside Aoba Oden Kai)
Tel.: 090-6455-1908
Opening hours: 17:00~24:30
Closed on Wednesdays (might be csosed due to event participation)
Cash only

GOOGLE MAP

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,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, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 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, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Buckwheat Noodles, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka City, Soba

Along the old Tokaido Road: Kishigami Soba Restaurant in Utsunomiya, Shizuoka City

December 15, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

Home-cured duck soba!

Service: very friendly, attentive and informative
Equipment & Facilities: Spotless clean. Superb washroom. Entirely non-smoking!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Ju wari/100% soba/buckwheat noodles. Tempura. sake list!

Kishigami Soba Restaurant is located in a celebrated touristic area of Shizuoka City in Utsunoya famous for its many Edo Period houses and inns along the Old Tokaido Road.
It makes for the perfect stop for refreshments in the middle of nature!

It is not that difficult to reach actually.
Just take the bus to Fujieda City at platform 7 in front of Shizuoka JR Station north exit and get off at Utsunoya just before the Fuijieda Tunnel.
Cross the road and take the paved street on the right side snaking up the mountain and you will discover it in the middle of an Edo Travel Inn Village!

The menu is waiting for you outside!

100% buckwheat noodles!

Have a good look inside before choosing a table!

A traveling artist actually drew this picture of the restaurant during his only visit!

The spotless clean kitchen manned by two generations!

Traditional Japan!

A real wood fire stove!

All warm wood!

Although it is open only at lunch time the menu is really extensive!

The elder daughter, Ms. Kayoko Kishigami/岸上香誉子さん is very knowledgeable with sake and a seasonal brew by Sugii Brewery (Fujieda City) was on offer that day!

The Japanese sake from nearby Fujieda City!

The big bonus is a menu in English in no less than 4 pages!
Page 1!

Page 2!

Page 3!

Page 4!

Elegant earthenware and glassware!

My friend’s order!

Ten Oroshi Soba!

My order!

Kamo/Duck Oroshi Soba!

The sobayu/buckwheat noodles boiling water to add to the leftover soup and wash it all down!

A meal is not complete at Kishigami without their superb tempura!

What do we have there?

Soba Dango/Buckwheat balls!

Green leafy vegetable!

Maitake/hen-of-the-woods, ram’s head and sheep’s head mushroom!

Another very special treat is this homemade ham prepared every year by Kayoko’s father!

It is made with whole legs of pigs raised in Mikkabi, Western Shizuoka Prefecture which are salted, cured and smoked for a whole month to obtain a succulent ham which is neither raw or cooked! A discovery!

A very original dessert: buckwheat balls with hot sweetmeat/anko shiru!

SOBADOKORO KSHIGAMI SOBA RESTAURANT

Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Utsunoya, 232-2
Tel.: 054-258-5664
Opening hours: 11:00~14:00
Closed on Mondays and 3rd Tuesday of the month (next day in case of a national holiday)
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

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Buckwheat, Japanese Gastronomy, Shimada City, Soba

Soba (Buckwheat Noodles) Restaurant: Soba Gen in Shimada City!

August 14, 2015 dragonlife 1 Comment

Service: very kind and smiling
Equipment & Facilities: Old but very clean. Washroom equipped for physically-impaired customers
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Soba/buckwheat noodles, sushi. Pottery on sale

I discovered this very traditional soba/buckwheat noodles restaurant near the Shimada Municipal Meuseum when I visited the old Ooi River Crossing Village/Kawagoshi Kaidou!
It made for the perfect stop for lunch during a very interesting visit of this important historical site!

A very traditional entrance!

It actually doubles up as a pottery atelier and you can find fine artifacts right from the moment you enter the place!

Some of it is for sale inside the restaurant!

And you can have a good view of the kitchen and working chef!

A really peaceful rural atmosphere!

Traditional Shizuoka Soba with grated yam!

The menu is fairly extensive including even sushi!
As for soba, they are very traditional and authentic!

This was my order!

Cold soba with tenpura/Ten Oroshi Soba!

Absolutely succulent!
Definitely looking forward to my next visit as I want to visit the village a bit more thoroughly in more clement weather!

SOBA GEN/そば玄

427-0037 Shimada City, Kawahara, 2-14-5
Tel.: 0547-34-3332
Mobile: 090-5617-7548
Opening hours: 11:00~14:00 (on week ends: 11:00~15:00). From 17:00, on reservation only
Closed on Mondays and 3rd Tuesday of the month. Open on Monday if it is a National Holiday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Buckwheat, Restaurants, Shizuoka City, Soba

Soba, Buckwheat Noodles Restaurant: Soba Han in Shizuoka City!

May 14, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and smiling
Equipment & Facilities: very clean overall. Superb washroom! Entirely non-smoking!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Organic Ju-wari (100%) buckwheat noodles. Duck cuisine. Sake list.

Soba Han Restaurant has many qualities and one of them is its location near the Toroiseki Ruins park and the Serizawa Keisuke Museum!
A great pace for a nice holiday!

A typical Japanese entrance!

The soba are 100% buckwheat flour milled on site!

One can choose to sit either at a table or on the tatami floor!

Have a good look at the wooden architecture!

Chef Taisuke Okitsu explains why the tenderness and taste of his duck is so important!

The buckwheat used in this restaurant was grown organically without any pesticides!

I ordered the “kamo Pon soba”!

The soupstock and seasoning for the soba!

The zaru-style cold buckwheat noodles!

A very appetizing meal!

Superb and so tender duck!

i promised my self to come back for dinner and check all these superb Shizuoka sake!

Dragon’s order: “ebiden mizore”!

Beautiful hot soba with shrimp tenpura and fresh vegetables!

Very thick and succulent soba yuu/soba soup!

See you there again for dinner soon!

SOBA HAN

422-8033 Shizuoka City, Suruga ku, Toro, 6-2-1
Tel.: 054-286-6333
Opening hours: 11:00~14:00, 17:00~21:30 (Last orders)
Closed on Tuesdays
Cards OK
Parking available
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

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Buckwheat, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Soba

Soba/Buckwheat Noodles Restaurant: Kinoene in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

March 24, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very kind and friendly
Facilities: and equipment: Old but very clean overall. Excellent washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Soba/buckwheat noodles and Japanese tradkional meals. Some very good local sake available!

With two friends of mine, I have the opportunity to visit an old and traditional soba/buckwheat noodles restaurant in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, not far from Kusanagi JR Station: Kinouene!

They are actually associated to an old association!

Looking forward to seeing some flowers blooming next time!

I espied some great sake! Pity it was lunch time or I wouldn’t have resisted their call!

So traditional!

One of my friends ordered “ebiten soba/hot soba with deep-fried large prawns”!

My other friend opted for one of the full Japanese\ lunch sets!

Plentiful and healthy!
The more for it we eat in an environment totally void of smoke! Actually not so many soba restaurants prohibit smoking!

As for me I opted for the “Kamo seiro”!
Cold soba with hot duck soup!

Very tasty soba!

You dip the soba into the great duck soup before eating them and enjoy the slices of duck in between before drinking up everything!

See you there again, you bet!

KINOENE Te Uchi Soba

Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Nanatushinya, 423-6
Opening hours: 11:00~15:00, 17:00~20:00
Closed on Thursday
Car park available for 6 cars
Entirely non-smoking!

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Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,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, 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, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, 蕎麦, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 観光, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Soba, Soba Restaurant, Tourism

Soba Restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture (As of February 2nd, 2014)

February 2, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

KISHIGAMI

Service: very friendly, attentive and informative
Equipment & Facilities: Spotless clean. Superb washroom. Entirely non-smoking!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Ju wari/100% soba/buckwheat noodles. Tempura. sake list!

SOBADOKORO KSHIGAMI SOBA RESTAURANT

TEUCHI SOBA TAGATA

Service: Friendly, attentive and informative
Equipment & Facilities: Very clean overall. Superb washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Only native buckwheat from Shizuoka and rest of Ja@an used. Great use of local seasonal ingredients. Great sake and shochu list.
Entirely non-smoking!

TEUCHI SOBA TAGARA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 2-6-7
Tel.: 054-250-8555
Opening hours: 11:30~13:30, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Mondays and Thursday lunch
Parties welcome
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE
Entirely non-smoking!

SETSUGEKKA

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: High quality soba. Beautiful tempura. Great local sake

SETSUGEKKA/雪月花
Shimada City, Hontouri, 2-3-4
Tel.: 0547-35-5241
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Monday and third Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking for lunch!

TAGATA ZAIRAI SOBA

Service: Smiling and friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Overall extremely clean. Superb washroom if a bit small
Prices: Very reasonable
Strong points: Only native buckwheat used. Good sake and shochu list

TAGATA ZAIRAI SOBA (make sure you understand the address as Tagata is a very common name for restaurants in Japan!)
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 3-3-4　(left of Tokai Bldg across the street)
Tel.: 054-251-0707
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~21:00
Closed on Sundays

SOBA SAKE KAWAKATSU

Service: Friendly
Equipment: traditional. Clean. Beautiful toilets
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Very fresh ingredients. Most ingredients not only local but sef-grown or self-raised! Local sake and shochu!
Entirely non-smoking!

Sake Soba Kawakatsu
426-0034, Fujieda Shi, Eki mae, 1-8-4
Tel./Fax: 054-645-1770
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Mondays, 1st & 3rd Tuesdays

SOBA NO MI

Service: Friendly
Equipment: a bit old but clean
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Very fresh ingredients. Old-fashioned atmosphere
Entirely non-smoking!

Soba No Mi
Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Kawabe Cho, 2-2-3
Tel.: 054-251-8000
Business hours: 11:00~21:00 (or until soba are exhausted)
Closed on Tuesdays and third Wednesdays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

YOSHINO

Service: Shy but friendly
Facilities: old but clean. Traditional
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: 10 wari soba. Good list of Shizuoka sake.

YOSHINO
420-0839 Shizuoka Shi, Takajyo, 1-7-10
Tel.: 054-255-3277
Business hours: 11:00 until they run out of buckwheat!
Closed on Tuesdays

KUROMUGI

Service: Friendly
Equipment: Old but clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: 100% soba noodles (ju-wari soba). Traditional Japanese Soba Restaurant.

422-8078 Shizuoka Shi, Suruga Ku, Satsuki Cho, 8-15
Tel.: 054-287-8539
Fax: 054-287-8309
Business hours: 11:30~15:00, 17:00~21:00; 11:30~21:00 (Saturdays)
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
MAP(Japanese)

IWA ICHI

Service: Very friendly and easy-going.
Facilities: Very clean overall. Excellent amenities
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Soba of course, but traditional Japanese gastronomy on the whole. Excellent all-rounder.
English spoken!
Non-smoking at tables.

IWA ICHI
420-01816 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Kutsunoya, 3-4-22
Tel.: 054-293-4151
Business hours: 11:30^14:00, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Mondays

TSUDONO ZARU SOBA

Service: Very kind and a bit shy
Equipment & Facilities: Spotless clean. Superb washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Soba! Very Japanese atmosphere.

TSUDONO Zaru Soba
421-2121 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tsudono, 514-2
Tel.: 054-294-1005
Opening hours: 11:00~15:00 or until the soba are sold out!
Closed on Mondays (except on National Holidays)
Car parking available
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,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, 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, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Buckwheat, 美食, 蕎麦, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Non-smoking restaurants, Photography, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka Sake, Soba, Soba Restaurant, Tempura, Tourism

Soba Restaurant: Kishigami in Shizuoka City!

February 1, 2014 dragonlife 6 Comments

Home-cured duck soba!

The menu is waiting for you outside!

100% buckwheat noodles!

Have a good look inside before choosing a table!

A traveling artist actually drew this picture of the restaurant during his only visit!

The spotless clean kitchen manned by two generations!

Traditional Japan!

A real wood fire stove!

All warm wood!

Although it is open only at lunch time the menu is really extensive!

The elder daughter, Ms. Kayoko Kishigami/岸上香誉子さん is very knowledgeable with sake and a seasonal brew by Sugii Brewery (Fujieda City) was on offer that day!

The Japanese sake from nearby Fujieda City!

Elegant earthenware and glassware!

My friend’s order!

Ten Oroshi Soba!

My order!

Kamo/Duck Oroshi Soba!

The sobayu/buckwheat noodles boiling water to add to the leftover soup and wash it all down!

A meal is not complete at Kishigami without their superb tempura!

What do we have there?

Soba Dango/Buckwheat balls!

Green leafy vegetable!

Maitake/hen-of-the-woods, ram’s head and sheep’s head mushroom!

Avery original dessert: buckwheat balls with hot sweetmeat/anko shiru!

SOBADOKORO KSHIGAMI SOBA RESTAURANT

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,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, 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, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Buckwheat, 美食, 蕎麦, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Soba

Japanese Gastronomy: Soba-The Basic Recipe (Buckwheat Noodles)

March 16, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

soba-saru

I’ve been asked for some time how to make your own soba/buckwheat noodles at home.
It is not that difficult, although you might need some particular tools.
Here is a simple recipe from which you can freely improvise.

INGREDIENTS:
Enough for 5 people
Buckwheat Flour/Soba-ko: 400g
Wheat flour (normal): 100g
Cold water: 250g
Some additional buckwheat flour for folding

TOOLS:
Large pan
Wooden rolling pin
Large Chinese/Japanese-style chopping knife
Wooden working surface/board
Board for guiding knife

RECIPE:

First step:
soba_1
Pour buckwheat flour and Wheat flour into a large basin/pan and mix well.
Pour in one third of the water slowly in a thin flow. Mix with tip of fingers.

Step 2:
soba_2
Break eventual hard lumps between fingers.

Step 3:
soba_3
Repeat step 1 twice again until you obtain a fine mixture.
Work as fast as possible.

Step 4:
soba_4
Once satisfied with the uniformity of the mixture, press hard with your knuckles.

Step 5:
soba_5
Once the flour has changed into one lump, fold and press with palm of the hand.

Step 6:
soba_6
Repeat Step 5 until lump has become shiny. Fold into a ball.

Step 7:
soba_7
Shape the lump into a pyramid.

Step 8:
soba_8
Turn pyramid onto its tip and press hard as to form a saucer.

Step 9:
soba_9
Start spreading lump with wooden roll pin. first angle by angle as to form square.

Step 10:
soba_10
Once you have spread the lump until the square has diminished to a 2 mm thickness, first sprinkle some buckwheat flour all over the surface and fold in two.

Step 11:
soba_11
Sprinkle with buckwheat flour and fold again (4 layers).

Step 12:
soba_12
Cut soba lump with the heavy chopping knife, using the wooden guide board for even cutting by shifting the guide board slightly after each cut.

Step 13:
soba_13
Bring a large large pan of water to boil, drop noodles into water separating them between your fingers as they fall out. Boil for 2~3 minutes stirring with long chopsticks.

Step 14:
soba_14
Take noodles out of pan (the soba tsuyu/soba soup can be used hot later) with a sieve and coll down under running cold water. Drain.

Step 15:
soba_15
Serve onto plate with or without dry seaweed, wasabi, soba soup or whatever you feel like.
You could also make maki with the same soba.
Variations are many!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 蕎麦, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Shizuoka, Soba, Soba Restaurant, Tourism

Soba Restaurant: Kuromugi in Shizuoka City!

October 15, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Inaka soba, seiro soba, sarashina soba!

Service: Friendly
Equipment: Old but clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: 100% soba noodles (ju-wari soba). Traditional Japanese Soba Restaurant.

Looking around Town and Prefecture for new soba restaurants to visit is always a pleasure, the more for it that their cuisine is not only delicious but also very healthy!

Kuromugi/くろ麦 is not that easy to find, so please consult the map at the end of this article!

Naturally all soba noodles are made on site and are ju-wari/100% buckwheat flour noodles!

Keep your eyes open for some interesting decorations to discover as you enter the establishment!

Great scene of the past!

Not Halloween yet!

Cute and traditional ware!

They serve some great Shizuoka sake, and like any soba restaurant worth its salt, a beautiful miso yaki/white miso paste mixed with soba seeds and yuzu juice spread on a wooden spoon before being grilled!

They do have many varieties of soba, so the two of us tried to order as many as possible!
I asked for the Three-Color Soba Set/三色蕎麦!

Inaka soba/田舎蕎麦/”Country” soba, very thick whole grain soba!

Seirosoba/せいろ蕎麦/Traditional whole grain soba!

Sarashina soba/さらしな蕎麦/Polished grain soba served with the grated daikon, wasabi and chopped leeks/scallions with the tsuyu/soup to dip them in!

The Missus ordered the yuzu soba and tempura set!

Yuzu soba/柚子蕎麦! A true delicacy to please all priorities!

Beautiful tempura including ebi/海老/prawns and kisu/キス,鱚,鼠頭魚/Sillago!

Definitely deserves a second long visit!

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

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Tourism

Enshu Somen Noodles Lunch at Cafe Belle Equipe Vegetable in Shizuoka City!

August 16, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Service: Very friendly if a bit shy
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful toilets
Prices: Reasonable. Very good value
Strong points: Healthy food. Great set lunches. Beautiful array of cakes.

The other day I decided to have lunch again at Cafe Belle Equipe Vegetable in Shizuoka City for a quick and healthy lunch.
As usual there were (far!) more ladies than gentlemn like it so often happens at lunch in Japan! Why, I wonder… (actually, I know! LOL)

I didn’t hesitate much when I saw “Enshu Somen Noodle Lunch Set” on the menu as somen are the perfect noodles for the summer and that the word “Enshu” indicated they were made in the Western part of our Shizuoka Prefecture! As usual it came with loads of local fresh vegetables!

It also included a white miso vegetables soup!

And a big chyawanmushi!

A very tasty and light chyawanmushi indeed!

These wheat flour somen were comparatively thick and offered a good bite. Perfect for a good appetite.
They were served together with the vegetables and their tsuyu/light soupstock sauce.
Very tasty!

As they are always different, I make a point to add one of their cakes to my lunch, even if it means extra calories!

Matcha Tiramisu Tart!

Appetizing, isn’t it?
Moreover, we could call it a Shizuoka-style tiramisu!

To be continued…

CAFE BELLE EQUIPE VEGETABLE
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 10-1, Villa Tenmacho, 2F
Tel.: 054-251-0200
Business hours: l0:00~22:00 (11:00~22:00 on Saturdays & Sundays, 11:00~21:00 on National Holidays)
Parties (small to large) welcome! Special party menus.
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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Soba Restaurant: Iwa ichi!

August 15, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Soba has always been a pillar of Japanese gastronomy. In Edo times soba restaurants were the place to patronize if you wanted to drink sake (in good company?).
There are many soba restaurants all over the City, Prefecture and country, but the very good ones need a little research and exploration, if not luck!

Iwa Ichi/岩市 is not easy to find tucked away along a main thoroughfare away from the centre of Shizuoka City.
Although I live nearby and for all its 4 years of existence I hadn’t noticed it. I almost cycled past it yesterday after I had decided to investigate this increasingly famous establishment for a first visit at lunch.

The menu, whatever the time of the day or night, is written in English.
But the owner speaks English! No worries, then!
On that day I chose the set menu (3,000 yen/~40 US$): Kuroge Wagyuu Amiyaki Gozen/黒毛和牛網焼き御膳/Grilled Black Hair Beef Lunch!

Served on a wooden tray, it certainly looked appetizing and beautiful!
A great balance which had already convinced me to return for dinner and a serious chat!

Cold soba in their soup with freshly grated wasabi.

Chyawanmushi/茶碗蒸し/ Japanese salted pudding and Chinese cabbage pickles in front of the beef.

Now, this grilled beef is truly extravagant for a soba restaurant! It is Shizuoka-bred Black Hair Beef under the name of Suruga Gyuu/駿河牛/Suruga (as of Suruga Bay off the Shizuoka shores) Beef. An absolute beauty that even Argentines (and Americans?)would run for!

Served with grated daikon mixed with soy sauce and freshly grated wasabi (from Shizuoka) it makes for the perfect way to savor grilled prime beef!

Madai/真鯛/Seabream sashimi! So tender and delicious!

And a cute salad of Shizuoka-grown vegetables. With plain white rice it makes for a complete, so well-balanced and absolutely delicious lunch!

The Japanese pottery certainly makes for another difference!

But being French (a tame excuse if there was one!) I wouldn’t leave without sampling one of their three desserts:
Soba tofu pudding with brown sugar sauce!
I caught your attention, didn’t I? A dessert made without dairy products or wheat flour!

For a closer view!

Alright, I’ll see you at dinner soon!
After all, I need to talk to the owners!

IWA ICHI
420-01816 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Kutsunoya, 3-4-22
Tel.: 054-293-4151
Business hours: 11:30^14:00, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Mondays

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Soba & Tempura at Setsugekka!

June 26, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

Service: very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Very clean. Splendid washroom.
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Top-class soba, sake and tempura! Great traditional Japanese atmosphere.

For the last 10 years Setsugekka/雪月花 has achieved fame in Shimada City and in the whole Prefecture not only for their soba/buckwheat noodles but also for their magnificent seasonal tempura and sake from Shizuoka Prefecture, especially those of the neighboring sake Brewery Oomuraya!

Setsugekka is conveniently located less than 10 minutes walk from Shimada JR Station.
It looks very simple from outside but the interior is very cozy and traditional.

it is all warm and comfortable wood inside!

But I have a marked preference for the little room just beside the entrance overlooking the outside street!

Deep-fried soba crackers with the first drink!

There are many menus and carte to choose from.
The best way to order is probably to choose one of the set menus and add to it later!
The above appetizers came up with a set menu:
Soba yaki consisting of soba flour mixed with miso and grilled (just love it!), marinated mushrooms and cream cheese with soy sauce jam!

And we were immediately into tempura mode.
We had ordered two different menus for a photo festival!
Above is “kogochi fish” and “nanba shrimp”!

“Kuruma ebi/large prawn”! The whole was edible!
A real piece of art!

All local vegetables: yellow pimento, sweet potato, plum tomato and ice plant!

A great way to present local sake!

A delicacy you will find only in Shizuoka Prefecture: “Sakura ebi kakiage/cherry shrimps tempura”!
With local “leaf ginger and “shishito/chili pepper”.

Local vegetables again: leaf ginger, sweet corn and ice plant!

Now, this is a very unusual tempura: “sakekasu/sake white lees tempura”! The white lees came from the neighbors, Oomuraya Brewery!

Setsugekka can easily organize a full meal for all tastes!
Cuttle fish sashimi!

The full duck set with its gizzards, liver and breast!

And we were at last into soba mode, all basically in “seiro fashion/served cold”, all “jyuwari/100% buckwheat flour”!

Soba of a different color!

Perfect texture!

And for dessert: buckwheat and green tea sorbet! A real delicacy again!

As this month of June saw their 10th Anniversary we were offered some buckwheat seeds to plant!

I hope you understand there will be more reports coming! LOL

SETSUGEKKA/雪付き花
Shimada City, Hontori, 2-3-4
Tel.: 0547-35-5241
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed every Monday and 3rd Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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

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Vegan Tea Buckwheat Noodles: “Tya-soba”

October 28, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

Shizuoka Prefecture is celebrated for its green tea all the World.
I had the pleasure to taste something of value for many recently.
Vegeterians (and vegans!), rejoice! A company called Ikejima Foods in Hamakita Ku, Hamamatsu City has come up with Tea Buckwheat Noodles/Tya-soba!.
Tea comes from the Kawane area which produces some of the best tea in the Prefecture.
The noodles contain no preservatives and neither the noodles, nor the tsuyu/soup contains any animal extracts whatsoever (no milk or egg products).
One pack contains enough for 4 small or 2 medium portions.

As for cooking, here are simple instructions:
Cold Noodles style:
Dilute tsuyu/soup in 100 ml of clean water.
In one big pan heat 2 litres of water. Bring to boiling point. Drop in noodles. Lower fire to samll. Stir with long chopsticks. The noodles are ready when they readily come to the surface. Wash them rapidly under running cold water inside a “zaru”/small basket or inside a bowl full of cold water until noodles are cool enough. Drain water and place on a flat dish over a bamboo net if possible. Eat noodles by dipping them in tsuyu/soup to which you can add freshly cut raw leeks and wasabi (or any spices you fancy!)

Hot noodles style:
Dilute tsuyu/soup into 230 ml of hot water.
Cook noodles as for cold style. Drain and drop into bowl full of tsuyu/soup. Add vegetables, freshly cut raw leeks and spices to taste.

“Meicha Soba”
Ikejima Foods
Hamamatsu City, Hamakita Ku, Terajima, 2351
Tel.: 053-587-1025

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Japanese Vegan Treat: Cha Soba/Tea Soba

July 17, 2009 dragonlife 6 Comments

Shizuoka Prefecture is celebrated for its green tea all the World.
It grows no less than 50% of the national crop.
Vegetarians (and vegans!), rejoice!
A company called Ikejima Foods in Hamakita Ku, Hamamatsu City has come up with Tea Buckwheat Noodles/Cha-soba! (or Tya Soba)!
Tea comes from the Kawane area which produces some of the best tea in the Prefecture.
The noodles contain no preservatives, and neither the noodles, nor the tsuyu/soup contains any animal extracts whatsoever (no milk or egg products).
One pack contains enough for 4 small or 2 medium portions.

As for cooking, here are simple instructions:
Cold Noodles style:
Dilute tsuyu/soup in 100 ml of clean water.
In one big pan heat 2 litres of water. Bring to boiling point. Drop in noodles. Lower fire to small. Stir with long chopsticks. The noodles are ready when they readily come to the surface. Wash them rapidly under running cold water inside a “zaru”/small basket or inside a bowl full of cold water until noodles are cool enough. Drain water and place on a flat dish over a bamboo net if possible. Eat noodles by dipping them in tsuyu/soup to which you can add freshly cut raw leeks and wasabi (or any spices you fancy!)

Hot noodles style:
Dilute tsuyu/soup into 230 ml of hot water.
Cook noodles as for cold style. Drain and drop into bowl full of tsuyu/soup. Add vegetables, freshly cut raw leeks and spices to taste.

“Meicha Soba”
Ikejima Foods
Hamamatsu City, Hamakita Ku, Terajima, 2351
Tel.: 053-587-1025

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

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Vegan and Vegetarian Sushi (renewed)

April 23, 2009 dragonlife 10 Comments

(from top to bottom and left to right: Konnyaku/Devil’s Tongue Tuber, Celery marinated in Amazu/sweet vinegar and pickled Japanese plums, Shiro negi/White leek, Na no Hana/Rape Blossoms, Gobo/Burdock roots, Satsuma Imo/Sweet yams, Daikon/Long Japanese radish)

Whenever I can convince there is Japanese food fit for Vegans and Vegetarians (I’m neither!), I make a point of posting articles that might help friends with different culinary priorities!
I have recently received more requests about recipes and examples.
Therefore I decided to re-post a former article with the addition of more discoveries!

There is vegan and vegetarian sushi in Japan and elsewhere!
As a proof have a good look at the picture and explanations above. The pic was taken at Iroha Sushi, a small but extremely renown sushi restaurant in Iwata City, an area celebrated for its vegetables!

Kyoto is a renown place for Vegan & Vegetarian Sushi!
From right to left, top to bottom:, Yuuba (tofu sheets), Takenoko (Bamboo shoots), Myoga (myoga ginger), Zenmai (Spring vegetable variety), Ki no mi (Spring vegetables), Awafu (grilled tofu sheets), Kamo Nasu (kamo egg-plant), Hakusai Maki (Chinese cabbage).
Print a copy of this pic, show it to your local Sushi Restaurant and challenge him/her into preparing your favorite tidbits!

From bottom to top: Takenoko (boiled bamboo shoots topped with a sprig of sansho/Japanese pepper plant)), Kabu Tsukemono (pickled turnip), Sugiku no Ha Maki (sugiku Chrysanthemum leaves)
And what about these? Not only tasty but fulfilling!

“Kanpyou maki”/dry gourd shavings: here is one that any sushi restaurant will serve you!

That small one is my personal favourite: “menegi”/thin leeks sprouts!

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Vegan/vegetarian Te-maki: natto, shiso, ume/Japanese pickled plum.
(Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City!)

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Another Vegan/vegetarian Kanpyo-maki/dry gourd shavings roll for second dessert!

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Menegi/leek sprouts, Soba no Shinme/buckwheat sprouts, Mitsuba, avocado, Takuan/pickled daiko and shiso nd cucumber gunkan, mizuna gunkan.
(Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City!)

sobasushimaki