Tag Archives: French Gastronomy

美食, Dessert, Desserts, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

French Desserts with Shizuoka Products at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 24, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

Service: Excellent and very friendly.
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom (mouthwash and toothpicks provided!)!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive, very good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products, especially organic vegetables and Shizuoka-bred meat.

Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City is not only famous for its great use of local vegetables and fruit but also for his exquisitely balanced desserts created with local products!

Once again the other day saw an embarrassment of choices!
What did we order?

The Missus wanted something light and refreshing so she opted for the chilled strawberry soup!
Shizuoka Prefecture is known all over Japan for its superlative strawberries!
Having access to such fresh and high quality fruit is truly extravagant in this country!

Strawberries were served over a transparent luscious jelly with strawberry coulis generously poured over them to be completed with a spoonful of sophisticated strawberry sorbet and organic mint leaves!
It was difficult to understand whether you were drinking or eating it!
Strawberries are winter fruit in Japan, but you don’t need a warm weather to appreciate such a dessert!

As for me I chose to challenge a dessert that allies influences from France, China and Japan: Egg tart plate!

The eggs used in this creation are produced organically by Mr. Horita in Okabe, Fujieda City!
The tart literally melts inside your mouth.
Combined with the fruit sauces it becomes a beautiful battle between conflicting savors!
I know a lot of Chinese friends who will be converted!

PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

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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

Buckwheat, 美食, 野菜, 蕎麦, 観光, 農業, French gastronomy, Gastronomy, Japan, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Buckwheat Crepe and Mousse and Duckling Declinaison at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 22, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

France meets Japan!

You (almost) do not need to import ingredients for superlative French Cuisine in Shizuoka as demonstrated by Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん in this Declinaison/Marriage of buckwheat Crepe and Mousse and Duckling.

Buckwheat/soba/蕎麦 is increasingly grown in Shizuoka Prefecture and Chef Arima discovered a producer called Mr. Sugio/杉尾さん who lives on the other side of Abe River in Shizuoka City!
As for duck and ducklings they do need to be imported unless you wish for a useless extra expense!

Chef Arima had prepared the buckwheat mousse separately.
He made a small buckwheat galette in true French fashion and wrapped it around the mousse.
He placed the whole in the middle of the plate and surrounded it with duckling aiguillettes/thin slices, organic greens from Shizuen No Chikara Farm and boiled buckwheat seeds seasoned with a lukewarm vinaigrette!

The buckwheat mousse inside was so smooth, sophisticated and light!
A truly extravagant appetizer although it would provide for a main dish to many!

Actually as an Amuse-bouche (I should say, “teaser”!) Touru served us a combination of violet sweet potato potage, gougere and Serrano salami!

The next dish will introduced soon! LOL

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Shingai Farm’s Ebi Imo in high-class Gastronomy at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 13, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Ebi Imo Terrine!

Ebi imo, a variety of taro, originally was a “Kyo-sai”, that is a vegetable grown in Kyoto, but the City of Iwata in Shizuoka Prefecture grows 80% of the whole Japanese crop these days!
Usually you one will see it served at high-class Japanese restaurants but Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん decided it was about time to experiment with them in French Cuisine and ordered some from Shingai Farm, one of the most celebrated growers in Iwata City!

I had the pleasure to savor it in two dishes yesterday at lunch with my japanese Missus!
The first opportunity came as a dish of its own; Ebi Imo Terrine!
The terrine had been made with pre-steamed Ebi imo packed inside a terrine dish lined with cold bacon and served with concasse Mateta Tomato and fresh cream.

No wonder Japanese high-class restaurants use them: The texture, although extremely fine, did not interfere with the solidity of the vegetable which stays firm in spite of a soft bite. As for the taste it is definitely more sophisticated than a usual potato. Its white-grey color also means you can combine it with a lot of colored ingredients.
Served with concasse (roughly broken) Mateta Tomato (from Shizuoka) and fresh cream, it made for the perfect starter, although it would well qualify for a main dish!

The second opportunity saw it served with young wild boar stewed in red wine!

Ebi Imo Gratin Dauphinois!

It just shows that true gastronomy is unlimited when you have superlative ingredients!

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Memorable Gastronomy with Shizuoka Products in 2011!

January 3, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Fujiyama Wagyu Beef, Utogi Wasabi and Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes!

2011 was an eventful year for many reasons, some unwanted, even dreadful, and others more conducive to social happiness. I would prefer to remember the latter to help nurture a positive attitude towards a future we cannot predict! Being a convinced agnostic hedonist does help but I’m sure that gastronomes, whatever their credo, will realize how lucky we are in Shizuoka to be able to attain to ever-growing pleasures with seemingly simple local ingredients!
Here is a proposal for a full course, albeit a long one, representative of a dinner I would have enjoyed in 2011!

APPETIZERS/STARTERS:

Rainbow Trout Sashimi Plate!
These rainbow trouts are raised by Mr. Kunugi in Fujinomiya City!

in any repast drinks are most important as they are they insure the link between the dishes!
Japanese sake brewed by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!
These labels are of a particular interest as they advertized the edible seaweed varieties found in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Note: For friends who may not drink alcohol I would recommend ginger ale made with Shizuoka-grown ginger or Shizuoka green (and black!) tea under various forms!

Tomato Tempura!
Uzu Izakaya in Shizuoka City serves it regularly with organic tomatoes seasoned with home-made yuzu koshio paste!

Sakekasu tempura!
Setsugekka Soba Restaurant in Shimada City serves this tempura concocted qith sake lees produced by their neighbors at Oomuraya Brewery!

Carrot Soup and Carrot Leaves Mousse on a Tomato Bed!
All vegetables are organic served at Pissenlit in Shizuoka city making use of the whole vegetables!

Vegetables in Banya Cauda style!
As served at Piatto in Shizuoka City! All vegetables are organic and grown in Shizuoka!

FISH & SEAFOOD

Steamed Black Bass/Suzuki/鱸 from Suruga Bay and vegetables by Mr. Furuya in Asabata, Shizuoka City!
As prepared and served by Cham Chinese Izakaya in Shizuoka City with a light warm vinaigrette!

True Seabream/Madai/真鯛 with cockles and vegetables, all from Shizuoka!
As served Italian-style by Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!

Imperial Prawn/Sakura ebi/車海老 Tempura!
As served by Setsugekka Soba Restaurant in Shimada City!

MEAT

Fujiyama Wagyu Beef, Utogi Wasabi and Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes!
As prepared by the Missus and I!
Fujiyama Wagyu is one of the thirteen varieties of wagyu bred in Shizuoka Prefecture which positively compare to Kobe Beef!
The wasabi is grown by Maruichi Farm in Utogi, the birthplace of this most remarkable ingredient!
The Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes are grown in Iwata City!

Foie gras poele on Corn Galette with Madeira Sauce!
This can qualify as an extravagant appetizer too!
The galette was concocted at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City with high-grade Kankanmusume Corn grown by Chouchou Farm in Iwata City!

Jidori Chicken Poêlé served with a Old Mimolette Cheese topping!
Fuji City is famed for its Jidori Chicken and Gentil in Shizuoka City serves it in extravagant simplicity with a topping of 24-months old Mimolette Cheese!

DESSERTS

Soy sauce and Brown Sugar Mousse Cake, Frozen Organic Mandarine and Lemon Sorbet!

Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City is a master of off the beaten track desserts!
The soy sauce is created by Amano Company in Gotemba City and the brown sugar is made with sugarcane grown in Kakegawa City. As for the mandarine and lemon, they are of course organic!

Carrot Crème Brulée and Mandarine Caramelisée!

As served at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City. Both the carrot and mandarine are organic!

Organic Carrot ice Cream!
This could be served as an appetizer, a refresher between dishes or a dessert at Comptoir de Bios in Shizuoka City!

Pheasant Egg Pudding and brown Sugar ice Cream!
Again created by Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City with pheasant eggs produced in Hamamatsu City and brown sugar made from sugarcane grown in Kakegawa City!

Naturally I still have missed a lot and I sincerely hope I will be able to introduce other discoveries by the end of this year!

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美食, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Shizuoka Products at Pissenlit (Winter 2011~2012)!

January 3, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Organic Cauliflower and Cod Sperm Sacs Puree topped with same Sperm Sacs Poeles and steamed curry cauliflower!

Planning a “quick light” lunch at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City always smacks of jumping into a trap of your own making…
This time I had originally asked for a plate of steamed organic vegetables, but from the moment Chef Toru Arima said he had the perfect appetizer for this cold day it was a quick slide down the gastronomic slope!

The cauliflower was nonetheless organic from Chizen no Chikara in Shizuoka City and its marriage with Cod “shirako/Sperm Sacs” (sorry, but this is the true meaning!) into a smooth puree contributed into a beautiful contrast with the crispiness enveloping the unctuous same sperm sacs topping it and the light bite of more steamed cauliflower seasoned with a light curry sauce!

My initial wish was granted with a dish of steamed organic vegetables and a Suruga Bay “te-naga ebi/Japanese Scampi” on a couscous bed!

Sorry for the fuzzy picture!
I just wanted to show the meat of the scampi lodged in the middle of a red squid ring atop the couscous bed!

Beautiful steamed organic vegetables emphasized by a light warm vinaigrette fighting for attention with the Scampi!

The Scampi is not ready to let my fork pitch into the couscous without a fight!

Morocco flirting with Shizuoka! Toru had introduced small pieces of Shizuoka strawberries into the couscous for the perfect sweet and salty balance!
By then, I was ready to fall into the next trap!

“I have the right light meat dish for you!” (he said that before, didn’t he?)
And for my masochistic pleasure he was right:
Shizuoka “Jidoori” chicken poele atop organic potato puree and organic shiitake from Shizen no Chikara Farm!

Demolishing this beautiful piece montee was such a sweet vengeance!
The Shiitake being fresh, it was very tender and each piece of it made for the perfect receptable for the potato puree!
I should have perhaps tried to eat it together some chicken in a single forkful, but I took my time!

There was only one way to escape from the clutches of another dessert: coffee and mignardises!

Home-made Shizuoka Orange jelly, and soft chocolates! The green one is coated with Shizuoka Hon-Yama Green Tea!

It will be a pleasure to meet you again in another self-inflicted trap of mine soon!

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism, vegetables, 富士宮市

Healthy French Gastronomy in Shizuoka City: Le Comptoir de Bios-s by Bio Farm Matsuki! The Dinner!

December 10, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Pro and very friendly
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness and splendid washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A palette of Shizuoka Prefecture Products! Great use of organic vegetables and meats from Shizuoka Prefecture. True healthy gastronomy! Excellent wine list!

As promised here is the dinner report at Le Comptoir de Bios-s, the new restaurant opened on November the 2nd in Shizuoka City!
I also had the pleasure to meet the man who made it all possible!

Kazuhiro Matsuki/松木一浩さん

Kazuhiro spent a long time in Paris working for such elevated establishments as Taillevent and Joel Robuchon before coming to Shizuoka instead of his native Nagasaki thanks to his wife hailing from our prefecture and establishing an organic farm called Bio Farm Matsuki in Fujinomiya City.
Since then the venture grew and grew. After Restaurant Bio-S and Bio-Deli he opened Le Comptoir de Bios-S in Shizuoka where he makes a point to appear three times a week to serve and socialize with his customers, thus establishing a direct contact from producer to consumer.

The whole place is very reminiscent of a modern cafe-restaurant in France with sober but comfortable tables and seats along the wall or the large bay windows.

You can read (part of) the menu on the wall while your companion is poring through it!

But the place to be is the counter where you can socialize with the staff and your neighbors in a very easy-going and animated atmosphere.

And looking at your food being prepared is always good fun!

Now, their wine list is worth a careful perusing!
I discovered a wine from my own home in Cote Chalonnaise: Rully, Domaine Dureuil-Jeantha, “Maizieres”, 2009, White!

One more reason to patronize the place! This white wine almost drank like a premium sake!

The menu might look short to some but the quality is not easy to emulate. But even a big appetite like mine was to be satisfied!
Another great quality of the staff is that they help you by offering you sets combining dishes on the menu although it is not mentioned or point out when to eat only half of a dish when it is obviously designed for two!

Smoked chicken by Aoki Farm in Fuji City.

Fried organic vegetables from Bio Farm Matsuki and red squid from Suruga Bay.

Organic greens from Bio Farm Matsuki.

Raw mushrooms from Hasegawa Farm in Fuji City.

My second dish was all Shizuoka Prefecture again!

Organic Red Moon Potato Fries with real home-made mayonnaise! The potatoes are fried with their skins!

A terrine of wild boar caught on Amagi Plateau in northern Izu Peninsula!
A beauty that would make a lot French people envious!

My third dish was a trip to Italy: Cooked and grilled organic vegetables with bania cauda sauce!

I actually took a picture of the chef preparing them!

Different tubers and radish.

Organic potatoes and carrot and bania cauda sauce.
If you are a vegan just ask for olive oil!

Radish, spinach and burdock root.

I still had enough space left for another French treat: Chicken Liver Paste!

From the same chickens bred in Aoki Farm in Fuji City!

The desserts will be for my next visit!
Once again I will let the pictures speak for themselves!

Le Comptoir de Bio-s by Bio Farm Matsuki
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Kooya machi, 12-8, Sankousha Bldg, 1F
Tel./fax: 054-221-5250
Business hours: 11:30~15:00 (Last orders 14:00), 17:00~23:00 (Last orders 22:00)
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

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French Pastry: “Splendeur by Bernard Heberle at Abondance Patisserie in Hamamatsu City!

November 20, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

My good friend, Bernard Heberle, the owner/chef of Abondance Patisserie in Hamamatsu City has recently been elected the best patissier in Shizuoka Prefecture (almost 4,000,000 souls) by the biggest Food Blog Community in Japan, namely Tabelog!

Not only he is a first-class Patissier, but he also makes use of local products whenever possible, especially eggs, milk and fresh fruit!

He was kind enough to send me his latest creation with the following comments in French:
“Voici le dernier nouveau.
Splendeur. À la base de noisette croquante sur un mousseux aux fèves de Tonga. Avec un biscuit dit “Dauphinois”
Au plaisir.”
“Here is my new creation/
Splendeur/Splendor. With a crakling almond base on a mousse made with Tonga beans atop a biscuit called “Dauphinois”.
Best regards!”
He forgot to mention the cute little chocolate macaron and the golden leaves!

ABONDANCE
Address: Hamamatsu Shi, Sumiyoshi, 2-14-27 (in front of Seirei Hospital)
Tel.: 053-4738400
Fax: 053-4738401
Opening hours: 10:00~20:00. Closed on Tuesdays.
HOMEPAGE

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Healthy French Gastronomy in Shizuoka City: Le Comptoir de Bios-s by Bio Farm Matsuki!

November 17, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

When Fujinomiya City-based Bio Farm Matsuki decided to open their new restaurant in Shizuoka City on the 2nd of November they certainly did a great favor to its inhabitants!
Not only did they adorn the City with a new and elegant venue at very reasonable prices, but they also and mainly offered health to their customers through first-class fresh products from Shizuoka Prefecture, and this in a completely non-smoking space!
But their greatest quality is that they are the newest establishment proving that there is a true Shizuoka Gastronomy in Japan!

Smiling and so kind staff!
Le Comptoir is located very near Shizuoka JR Station in an increasingly fashionable and well-lighted area of the City just behind the former abode of the last Tokugawa Shogun.

The design is very reminiscent of France with a large counter and high stools…

and a large blackboard with the recommendations of the day!

As you enter have a good look at the organic vegetable cookies…

and a few organic vegetables from Bio Farm Matsuki in Fujinomiya City you will be tempted to cook back home!

Simple, warm and elegant settings at tables from which you can peek outside through large bay windows!

I finally found the time to pay them my first visit for lunch today and I was gratified to discover they served wine by the glass even at lunch time!

I chose the chicken main lunch set from a very reasonably priced menu which came with corn potage first.
Incidentally all vegetables are organic and are grown organically at Bio Farm Matsuki in Fujinomiya City!

Such an appetizing and healthy dish!

Asahi Doori chicken from Fuji City sauteed with Champagne vinegar!

Splendid salad consisting of cute greens and…

Red Moon potatoes and onion!

The lunch course also included bread or rice but I had to order the dessert of the day: Carrot ice cream! So soft and delicious! Could be served at any time of a large repast!

And coffee served as it should be with real cream and sugar!

Dinner report coming very soon!

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Beer, 美食, Desserts, 酒, 野菜, 魚, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Fuji City, Fuji-Takasago Brewery, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Microbrewery Beer, Restaurants, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism, 富士市, 有機野菜

Fuji No Kuni Gastronomic Fair in Fuji City (September 2011)

September 23, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

On September 22nd another “Fuji no Kuni” Gastronomic Fair was held under the auspices of the Shizuoka Prefecture Economy & Industry Bureau at Maison De Anniversaire in Fuji City to support the local food and producers.

As the event started at 7 p.m. I arrived a bit early at Shin Fuji Station where I was greeted by a beautiful sunset!
As the site of the event took place high at the foot of Mount Fuji I did well to reach the Station at 6 p.m.!

Arriving early gave me ample time to greet some friends and acquaintances like Mr. Sano, owner of Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City!

It also allowed me to survey the dining room and have a look at the menu and appetizers on my plate before exchanging business cards with many another guest. Actually most guests, representing companies or coming as individuals, had some kind of direct relation with the economy and agriculture of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Incidentally, the appetizers were Mangenton ball in escabeche from Sanoman Co. and the chicken roulade was made with Koshamo chicken from Aoki Farm in Fuji City!

The beer that day was brewed by Stephan Rager at Bayern Meister Beer Co. in Fujinomiya City!

And the Japanese sake was provided by Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomya City!

A honjyozo called “Raku/楽/Enjoy Yourself!”

Guests including some celebrities taking their seats in all informality.

The MC of the day: Mrs. Kyouko Ishigami, a Shizuoka sake expert!

The dinner started with a vegetable and salmon trout jelly terrine and organic salad!

The salmon trout was bred by Kunugi Fish Farm and all the organic vegetables were grown by Mtsuki Bio Farm, both in Fujinomiya City!

Each producer involved in the preparation of the repast introduced their venture on the mike: Mr. Sano of Sanoman Co.

Beautiful mushroom soup with imo/taro. The mushrooms were cultivated by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City!

Madai/Seabream (brought from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City) poelee with a galette of sakura shrimps from the same harbour. The vegetables are of course from Matsuki Bio Farm and the bacon from Sanoman Co.

For a closer view!

Charcoal-grilled Izu Venison Roast from deer meat processed by the Izu City Food Processing Center!

Very French in concept! And delicious!

The representative of Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

The dessert!

Shizuoka Fig Millefeuille with blueberry sauce!

Financier!

A very interesting dinner indeed introducing all the good ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture!

I wonder where they are going to hold this monthly event next time!

美食, 野菜, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Japan, Shizuoka, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Shizuoka Seafood and Vegetables at Chez Satsukawa!

September 21, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and easy-going, more professional in the “room”.
Facilities: very Clean and beautiful washroom!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: French food in Izakaya style. Great sake and wines!

Chez Satsukawa has the great merit to both provide relaxation at their counter and sophistication in their dining-room for the pleasure of individuals, couples and groups alike!

Even in a comparably relaxed atmosphere it is the attention brought to the little details that make the difference!

Natural source water “Wasan” collected in Numazu City at the foot of Mount Fuji!

They bake their own bread!

The Chef/Owner has always had a preference for seafood as shown above by a carpaccio of “kinnaku/金無 sole” caught off Miho Peninsula in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Prime fish served with prime olive oil and condiments!

Beautifully chopped fresh Shizuoka leeks and home-made myoga pickles for a great color contribution to a succulent dish!

Being Japanese, Fujio Satsukawa has a great love for raw seafood but his real love is for Southern France Cuisine when it comes to cooking the catch of the sea such as the above red cuttlefish from the Suruga Bay prepared with a ratatouille!

Splendid red cuttlefish!

Having cleaned the cuttlefish and filled it with Shizuoka vegetables prepared as a rough ratatouille, he flambeed it before cooking it in olive oil until the flesh was tender but not overcooked. Great balance in bite and savors!

More Shizuoka-grown vegetables were lightly deep-fried to add more bite and flavors to the whole dish!
This is the kind of manipulation/marriage you can expect form a top-class chef working from a multinational vantage!

To be continued…

CHEZ SATSUKAWA
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Kooya Machi, 4-9, Matsunaga Kooya Machi Bldg, 2F
Tel.: 054-205-5133
Business hours: 12:00~14:00, 17:00~23:00
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Credit Cards OK

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Where to eat locally grown organic vegetables in Shizuoka City

September 18, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Salad of organic vegetables from Bio Farm at Uzu

It is one thing to know that Shizuoka Prefecture is getting deserved fame for the quality and variety of its vegetables all year round and especially organic vegetables, but it is another to know where, or more precisley in which restaurants, to savour them in good company.
We are presently blessed with three restaurants in Shizuoka City (still looking for more in the whole Prefecture!) which not only serve them but can arrange full vegetarian and vegan meals on request!

UZU

Deep-fried organic potatoes from Bio Farm

Service: excellent, easy-going and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: very reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Very fresh local ingredients, especially organic vegetables extensively used. Local sake. Home-made umeshu. Great shochu list.

Uzu is arguably the best Izakaya in the whole Prefecture having won accolades from its peers, national medias and gastronme writers.
Although they serve all kinds of food, vegetarian and omnivores, they make organic vegetables their specialty. Most of them are grown at Matsuki Bio Farm in Shibakawa, Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Check their homepage as they update it as the menu changes, which is almost everyday as they serve only seasonal food.

UZU-4

Vegetables Shabu shabu

UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00=23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

———————

TETSUYA SUGIMOTO

Ranking：
Service: Highly professional and friendly
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices:~
Strong points:Freshest produce and ingredients only, mainly from Shizuoka Prfecture. Organic vegetables. Seasonal food only
Map (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

If you happen to visit Shizuoka City, you will find many restaurants and izakayas serving and mainly using produce/products and ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture. There are many treasures to be discovered in this hoard!
One of them is the French restaurant going by the name of Sugimoto Tetsuya!

If you can read Japanese you will know what is waiting for you inside!
A gastronomic paradise in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Mr. Sugimoto does everything by himself: chef, waiter and entertainer! This is real slow food in its true and best meaning!
Almost all ingredients are from Shizuoka Prefecture, be they vegetables, fruit, meat or fish!
But his specialty is organic vegetables from Shizuoka Prefecture!
I requested that particular dish to feature only produce for Shizuoka Prefecture only.

All these were organic vegetables grown by different farmers in Hamamatsu City.
The dish included egg-plants/aubergines, 3 varieties of zucchini, tomato and “manganji” Chili pepper.

To give you an idea how Mr. Sugimoto works, all vegetables were first sauteed separately and cooked in the oven before served with two different dressings:
-Olive oil and orange juice
-Framboise/raspberry vinegar

Tetsuya SUGIMOTO
420-0038 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Umeya,, ２－１３，１Ｆ
Tel./Fax: 054-251-3051
Opening hours：１１：３０～１４：３０，１７：３０～２１：３０
Holidays: undecided
Cedit cards OK
ＨＯＭＥＰＡＧＥ

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PISSENLIT

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products.
entirely non-smoking!

Great food is great food!
Be you vegan, vegetarian or omnivore, one can only appreciate and being thankful for savouring vegetables not only of the best quality, but local and organically grown to boot!
I will never tire of saying to everyone how lucky we are here in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, a region renown nationally and increasingly internationally for its exceptional gastronomy!

Pissenlit, with Uzu and Tetsuya Sugimoto is is generally considered as one of the “Shizuoka City Triumvirate” when it comes to healthy, local and sublime gastronomy.
Chef Tooru Arima has many contacts in the Prefecture and it is always a good idea what’s available as it can change very quickly. He is particularly fond of oraganic vegetables grown by Mr. Hideyaki Hirokawa in Mishima City

Even if I have nurtured a special relation with chef Tooru Arima (and many others), he he is only too happy to oblige with his custon\mers’ selfish requests!

The above is a sample of the greens grown by Mr. Hirokawa!

And these the other organic vegetables grown by the same farmer!

If you have the occasion to visit Mishima City this is the address of our great farmer!

Mr. Hideyaki Hirokawa, Mishima City, Kawaharagaya Yamada, 765
Tel.: 055-973-2702

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LOCOMANI

Service: Very friendly although a bit shy!
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Vegetarian menus. Healthy rice flour cakes.
Completely non-smoking!

If I had a friend asking me where he/she could eat vegetarian food without a hassle all year round in Japan, I would be proud to say: Shizuoka (Prefecture and City!)!
These days, because of the heat and the necessity to keep healthy (read: lose weight) I tend to fall back on restaurants which serve such food especially in Shizuoka City although I might have to look in the whole Prefecture seriously. Actually, this article initiates a series of articles on healthy Vegetarian Lunches!

All conditions were set today for a visit to Locomani where I hadn’t eaten for almost 3 months.
I checked their wholly vegetarian meal on their menu and this is what they served me:
Look at the top picture for the whole set!

Vegetable and tofu miso soup and 3-year old organic tea.

Bowl of rice. Half of the rice was plain white while the other half was genmai/whole rice. The whole was sprinkled with kuromai/black rice.

The plate consisted of:
1) Boiled kabocha pumpkin and konyaku/elephant’s foot tuber jelly.

2) Fresh chopped vegetables salad and its vinegar-based dressing.

3) Two typical Japanese side dishes consisting of one, a lukewarm mixture of kiriboshi daikon (daikon strips first dried then cooked again in dashi), thinly cut carrots, shiitake and tofu karaage/deep-fried tofu sheets, and the other of lightly boiled spinach in soy sauce-based dressing.

4) Tempura.
The tempura was made without eggs and comprised koyadofu/pressed tofu with a batter containing small bits of herbs and vegetables, broccoli, okra and string beans.

For once I managed to keep away from their cakes!

To be followed…

LOCOMANI
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 1-10-6
Tel.: 054-260-6622
Closed every Wednesday and one Monday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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STILL LOOKING AROUND!

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With a Glass,
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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French Dessert: Grilled Eggplant/Abergine Ice Cream and Balsamico at Chez Satsukawa!

September 15, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Fujio Satsukawa who has plied his trade independently in Shizuoka City since 1989 and formed many a chef under his tutelage is still actively exploring new avenues when other chefs would think of retirement!
He has always shown a very special proficiency for desserts, but his latest creation that I tasted the other day for my utmost enjoyment was totally out of the ordinary!

In Japanese this dessert was announced as Yaki Nasu Ice-Cream/焼き茄子アイスクリーム/Grilled Eggplant-aubergine Ice Cream!
One of the traditional Japanese ways of preparing an eggplant is to grill it directly on a metal mesh over a live fire. The burnt skin will be then peeled off leaving a nicely colored soft and juicy inside that can be served in many ways.
Fujio did exactly the same and having cut the flesh into small pieces he made an ice cream with its juices and vanilla. There were many little secrets left unsaid of course.
The ice cream was not only complex and intriguingly delicious in taste but its texture too was quiet extraordinary. Have you ever experienced the feeling of actually “eating” through an ice cream?

But the adventure did not halt there!
The top-class balsamico vinegar generously provided in its small cup added another dimension to the whole taste and texture depending on how much you added…
The only reason to live to a grand age as far as I’m concerned is to discover such new gastronomic delights!
Incidentally, I’m convinced it could be served not only at the end of a meal or on its own, but also as an appetizer or as a way to prepare you to the next dish in the middle of a full course!

To be continued…

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French & Italian Dessert: Mascarpone Tiramisu & Glazed Organic Fig!

August 25, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable to slightly expensive, good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products.
Entirely non-smoking!

The other day after the two succulent eggplants/aubergines dishes I savored at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City I simply had to have a dessert:
Italian-style Mascarpone Tiramisu with a glazed fig organically grown in Shimizu ku, Shizuoka City!

I had some problems choosing the top picture, so I’ll show you the other two!
First, the second one!

And next, the third one!
Frankly speaking, as for the pictures, I did not know whether to taste the tiramisu or the fig first!

I opted for the Mascarpone Tiramisu!

It might be a classic of the Italian Gastronomy but I must say I’ve not been often impressed with this type of dessert…

But Chef Touru Arima’s creation reconciled me with the whole of Italy!
Unctuous and so well-balanced with neither the coffee or the mascarpone taking the lead!
Niether a cake, a cream or an ice-cream, it was difficult to describe lost as I was in savoring it!

Now for the glazed organic fig! The mint is organic, too, by the way!

It is inddeed a large variety grown organically at some altitude in Shimizu Ku in Shizuoka City, an area well exposed to the sun.
It was first pan-fried with plenty of brown sugar and then finished inside the oven.
Cutting through the sugar crust gave you the impression of breaking a creme brulee!
For all the sweet taste of its crust, the warm insides produced a highly perfumed flavor which married so well with the first flavor encountered through its crust!

To be continued…

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French Gastronomy: Organic Eggplants, Foie Gras and Organic Burdock Root Sauce

August 25, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

As I said yesterday the seasons change and excellent gastronomy follows the same seasons! Fortunately it’s not all about the heavy rains we have been treated with these days!
It is the season for eggplants/aubergines in Japan and Shizuoka Prefecture!
This is the second of two creations I have just savored for lunch at Pissenlit: Eggplants/Aubergines, Foie gras and Burdock Root Sauce!

Incidentally, all the vegetables used in this recipe are organic and were grown by Shizen no Chikara Garden in Shizuoka City!

The eggplants/aubergines, a variety callled bei-nasu/美茄子, were first fried and then baked to allow them to basorb back their own juices while protecting the shape of their cuts and juicy tenderness!
They made for a soft bed for the foie gras whose strong taste they balanced so well!

For all the succulent calories it was also a very well-balanced healthy dish with the fibers and vitamins provided by the lettuce!

The foie gras!
It was simply sauteed/”poele” before its juices and fat were reduced with Madeira and Port wine and added to the burdock root sauce.

As for the burdock root, not only it was a true beauty but it was also a mystery!
Chef Touru Arima would only tell me that it consisted of finely chopped burdock root, a short and white variety, olive oil and juices of whatnot…
To think that such a simple root can be turned in the perfect sauce makes you the humbler for it!

To be continued…

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French Gastronomy: Eggplants and Crab Terrine at Pissenlit!

August 24, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

The seasons change and excellent gastronomy follow the same seasons!
It is the season for eggplants/aubergines in Japan and Shizuoka Prefecture!
This is the first of two creations I have just savored for lunch at Pissenlit: Eggplants/Aubergines and Crab Terrine!

For once I will start from the bottom:
The tomato sauce is made with “mateta” tomatoes organically grown by Mr. Ishitani in Hamamatsu City!
As the terrine was warm, the colder sauce made for more a combination than a contrast contributing just enough sweetness to the aubergines!

As for the terrine itself the aubergines organically grown by Mr. Hirokawa in Mishima City were very probably first grilled and then peeled before being placed into a terrine dish with the snow crab/suwagani. The terrine was served warm (not hot) for a very pleasant soft touch on the palate!

As for the sauce with its beautiful golden color it was conceived with olive oil and curry powder.
When you realize that aubergines originally come from India, it is only natural to serve them in a manner reminiscent of the gastronomy of their birthplace!