Tag Archives: Gourmet

レシピ, 美食, 静岡県, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Hotels, Hots Springs Spa Hotels, Izu Peninsula, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Hot Springs Spa Resorts in Shizuoka Prefecture: Yoshiharu Hotel in Izu Peninsula! 2: Dinner

November 5, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Smiling and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Traditional and ancient, partly renovated, but extremely clean. Great washrooms. Spacious lobby with free coffee et al.
Prices: Appropriate to expensive. Cheaper on weekdays and in low seasons.
Strong points: Great baths overall. Private outdoors bath in rooms. Local gastronomy with local products.

Right from the beginning of a very pleasant dinner one understands that Yoshiharu Hotel does make an effort to use local products as much as possible!
Mind you, it is not too difficult when you know the wealth of the land and the nearby seashores!

No, this is not the main dish, but the main appetizers!

Salmon, salmon roe and grated Japanese yam.

Marinated scabbard fish.

White-flesh fish sashimi, sweet shrimp and raw cuttle fish.

A general view also featuring a small cup of umeshu/Japanese plum wine, and portable hot pot.

Local Fuji no Kuni Pork!

Scallops balls!

Umeshu!

Stewed persimmon, gingko nuts, deep-fried kabocha, shrimp caviar, yam, fried rice talks and vegetable tofu!

Deep-fried scabbard fish.

Oyster rice!

Shark fin and egg soup.

Pork cooking in its pot!

Home-made pickles.

Red miso soup with scallops balls.

The stewed pork with vegetables and red miso is ready!

Home-made sorbet!

See you at breakfast next!

YOSHIHARU HOTEL
Izu No Kuni City, Nagaoka, 989-10
Get down at Izu Nagaoka Station along the Izu Hakone Railway Line (leaving form Mishima City). Take a taxi (under 1,000 yen)
Tel.: 055-948-1212
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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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:

-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: 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

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

静岡県, 観光, Hot Springs, Hotels, Hots Springs Spa Hotels, Izu Peninsula, Japan, Japanese Culture, Onsen, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Hot Springs Spa Resorts in Shizuoka Prefecture: Yoshiharu Hotel in Izu Peninsula! 1: The Baths

November 5, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Complimentary glass of white wine!

Izu Peninsula is known all over Japan and beyond for its innumerable hot springs and hot springs spas/hotels.
It is for the more pleasurable that most serve excellent gastronomy thanks to the many local products be they from the land or the sea.

The Dragon and I, taking advantage of a cheaper fee in mid week during the off season traveled to Mishima before boarding the Izu Hakone Railway Line and get off at izu Nagaoka Station.

There we stayed overnight at a renown spa hotel called Yoshiharu/古春 (meaning “Old Spring”).
It is a venerable establishment although it has been greatly reformed 2 years ago.

The overnight stay included dinner and breakfast, the usual deal in such hotels, so I will have to divide this report into 3 parts, otherwise you will miss all the good points!

Beautifully renewed lobby!

You will discover a hot spring foot bath on the way to your room!
As the hot water runs away all the time you can rest your feet in clean water!

Inner garden!

These fish are made of leather!

The dining room overlooks another small garden with pond and minuscule waterfalls!

Rock garden!

Our own traditional Japanese room!

Our own private outdoors hot spring bath and patio!

Fences and edges keep off any unwanted eyes except those of many wild birds!

Pastoral atmosphere?

Easy chairs!

Always clean yourself before entering your bath!

The bath!

Fresh water constantly moving in and out of the bath!

The bath is deep enough for the water to reach your neck when you sit on the tiled bottom!

Now, there are other outdoors baths of two different kinds:
-Private baths whose door you can lock for total privacy provided they are vacant.
-Public baths where you can either bathe inside or outside!

Let’s have a peek at all of them!

Italian-style bathtub!

Japanese-style double bath!

A grand bath made all of wood!
Probably my favorite!

Jacuzzi bath!

Another Japanese-style bath all made of carved stone!

Now to the public bath!
This is entry for ladies!
Remember the Kanji!

And remember the kanji for gentlemen, too!

The indoors public bath!

And finally the public outdoors bath!

See you at dinner next!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 農業, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Sake, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujinishiki Brewery-Izu Yama Yama Nama Honjozo

November 4, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

I found this limited edition at the station of Izu Nagaoka along the Izu Hakane Railway Line runnning from Mishima City to Shuzenji.
The same brand is sold all over the Izu Peninsula as a regional private brand.
Izu Yama Yama means the Mountains of Izu!

I actually conducted this tatsing session by the side of an open hot spring bath in our room at the Yoshiharu Sap Resort Hotel!

Rice nilled down to 65%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Nama/Unpasteurized
Bottled in October 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Dry almonds
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Well-rounded fruity attack.
Complex. Lots of nuts, macadamia nuts.
Disappears quickly with fruity nuts, hints of custard and notes of apples and chestnuts.
Drier and drier almonds appear on back of the pl\alate with every sip.
Very easy to drink.
I especially enjoyed it a good hour after dinner as a solid and eminently elegant night cap.

Comments: Very pleasurable sake.
Unpretentious but still elegant and so satisfying.
Will please beginners and veterans, ladies and gentlemen alike.
Best appreciated chilled.
Would make for a beautiful and lighter digestif.
You must try it with cheese!
Will surprise many a person with its ever-changing facets!
Since it is sold in small bottles only, it would make a nice present to be enjoyed after a great meal!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kumpai Brewery-Kosha No Mori Tokubetsu Honjozo

November 4, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Kosha No Mori is another regular brand that Kumpai produces every year!
Kosha no Mori/木柘の森 means “Japanese Box Forest” as for the tree called Japanese Box!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Bottled in August 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Alcohol. Custard, macadamia nuts, persimmon.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack backed up by pleasant alcohol.
Complex.
Very dry fruits. Almonds, custard, with hints of banana and dark chocolate.
Disappears quickly.
Changes little with food except for an accentuated alcohol and a new surge of almonds.
Actually marries well with food, especially izakaya fare.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived to accompany food.
Very dry but fruity and complex making it eminently enjoyable on its own.
A sure value!
Most recommended for BBQ’s!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Sake, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kumpai Brewery-Tenryou no Taki Junmai

November 3, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Tenryou no Taki is one of the regular brand names brewed every year by Kumpai Brewery in Shizuoka City.
Tenryou no Taki/天領の瀧 means “Heavens World’s Waterfall”!

Rice: Biyama Nishiki (Shiga Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: 0
Alcohol: 15 degrees
Bptt;ed in July 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Discreet, difficult to catch. Faint pears and custard
Body: Fluid
Taste: Well-rounded attack with puissant junmai petillant warming up back of the palate .
Very pleasant alcohol.
Very fruity and slightly sweetish.
Complex and rich.
Custard, macadamia nuts, pears, chestnuts.
Disappears fairly quickly on a very pleasant and smooth note with plenty of nuts.
Changes little with food but for a drier and almost spicy note.
Calls for the next cup in spite of its sweetness by Shizuoka standards.
At its best slightly chilled.
Actually takes on a much drier tone with sweet food.

Overall: Elegant and “kind” sake, typical of Kumpai brewery.
Extremely pleasant, especially chilled.
Beautiful on its own, although it marries lovingly with any food, even spicy.
Could be either enjoyed as a magnificent chilled aperitif or digestif!
Pefect with cheese!

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レシピ, 美食, 野菜, 静岡県, 観光, 農業, Food, Food Health, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Mishima City

Italian Gastronomy: Lunch at Cafe Akko in Mishima City!

November 3, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Shy but friendly and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Extremely clean overall. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Slow and healthy Italian gastronomy created mostly with local products!

The people in Mishima City are very lucky as they are surrounded with fielads and gardens that supply them with fresh (many organic) vegetables (and meat) all year round!
Cafe Akko is one of the many great little places in town that offer very healthy, reasonable and slow food.

It has been conceived in an unusual all length and narrowness to take advatntage of whatever space available. And it is so clean!

Lunch is particularly interesting as you can choose from no less than 7 set lunches. although you may choose a single item from the carte if available for lunch!

Dragon who planned to share hers and especially my order, chose a single item: “Kimagure salad/Chef’s salad of the Day”!

Enormous as you can see from the other side!
So many vegetables and pieces of fine meat, practically all local!
A full meal by itself, I can assure you!

As for me I chose (and shared!) the seafood lasagna lunch set!

Apart of a complimentary coffee it is served with home-made focaccia,

potage,

And a cute salad!

An artistic and so tasty lasagna!

The lasagna was prepare as a large round one before being cut into quarters.
Each quarter is then baked upon order and serve with a tasty but light tomato sauce.

It is also brought to you with grated parmesan cheese and home-made basil paste.
The lasagna itself is not only so tasty but a lot lighter than expected!

Cute little home-made biscuits served with coffee!

Cafe Akko!
Can’t wait to come back to Mishima City!

CAFE AKKO
411-0036, Mishima City, Ichi ban Cho, 17-49, BT Bldg., 1F
Tel.: 055-943-5598
Opening Hours: 11:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays, national Holidays and Wednesday evenings (except when fully reserved or for events)

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 猪肉, 美食, 野菜, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, 魚, 鹿肉, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, Venison, Wild boar

French & Italian Gastronomy: Seminar by Wasabi No Kai in Shizuoka City!

November 1, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Asabi No Kai or Wasabi Meetup is a non-profit association of chefs, producers and gastronomes based mainly in Central Shizuoka Prefecture.
The basic purpose of this Meetup is to promote the products and gastronomy of Shizuoka Prefecture as well as visiting producers and make their products better known and to promote Shizuoka Gastronomy in general to the public.
A regular event is held on the last Tuesday of every month.

On October 29th, most members met at Il Castagno Italian Restaurant in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City for a seminar to share cooking techniques and ideas.

The seminar had started at 11:00 a.m. and due to work I could join only an hour later and missed a fes demonstrations including the above wild boar tagliatelle,wild boar sauteed and amago trout soup!

An attentive auditoire composed of some of the most famous chefs in central Shizuoka Prefecture, be they specializing in French, Italian, Sapnish and even Chinese gastronomies!

Chef Kakiyama of Al Forte Restaurant!

Wild Boar Belly Confit!

The wild boar had been confit to soften its fat and had been pasted with a mixture of cheese, breadcrumbs, mustard.
Served with sauteed fresh shiitake mushrooms and cress, with a persimmon sauce!

Chef Onoda of Caravin!

Amagi Shamo quenelles!

The quenelles (as of the fish or meat dumplings prepared in Lyon, France) had been made with various parts of Amagi Shamo Chicken bred at Horie Poultry Farm in Amagi, Izu Peninsula. The soup had been made with fresh shiitake mushrooms from Amagi!

Ballotine of foie gars and Amagi Shamo chicken breast served home-made pain d’epices (Dijon-style ginger bread).

Beautiful design! Ballotine made with foie gras and chicken is difficult because of the different texture!

Amagi Shamo Chicken beats lacquered with steamed pilaf!

seasoned with finely shredded fresh wasabi root!

Chef Sugimoto of Tetsuya Sugimoto Restaurant!

Amago trout, marinated between “knse” sheets and aromatic herbes over minced satoimo/taro root and gobo/burdock!

Includes olive oil, white wine vinegar, orange olive oil, and salted water jelly!

Amagi Amago trout pre-cooked (5 minutes) and maronated, sauce tapioca, salt, olive oil, sesame seeds, breadcrumbs, salt seaweed/shio konbu, shirasu/whiting!

Sudach1 lemon mousse, with sauce made of sesame oil, salt, balsamic vinegar. Wasabi zuke sorbet. Tomatoes marinated in salt, white wine vinegar and olive oil!

Sauce similar to a home-made mayonnaise. Fresh herbs include dill, lsauteed ucolla roots, taragon!

Chef Sugimoto holding “Komotake” also called “Makomo” or “Hanagatsumi”/”Manchurian Wild Rice” stems, a great vegetable only started to be actively grown in Shizuoka Prefecture!

The venison was first marinated in liquid bamboo charcoal to give it the aspect of a black round stone!”

Venison with Komotake!

The komotake was served both steamed then fried. Th venison was seasoned with milk sauce!

Fried komotake chips astride the steamed stem of the same!

The shiitake were cooked in fond de veau/veal stock, red wine vinegar and Madeira wine!

See you next month!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

笑い, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Hot Springs, Humor, Izu Peninsula, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka Sake, Tourism

Japanese sake and Hot Springs: Enjoying Fujinishiki at Yoshiharu Hot Springs in Izu Peninsula!

October 31, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

What could beat a great sake enjoyed in a top-class hot spring resort in Izu Penisula?

I took this picture yesterday before enjoying a bottle of sake brewed by Fujinishiki Brewery (Fujinomiya City) while having a bath inside a private outdoors tub at Yoshiharu Hot Spring Resort in Izu Peninsula!

Reports on both coming soon!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Sake, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kumpai Brewery: Oni Goroshi Honjozo

October 29, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Interestingly enough, the name “Kumpai/君盃” is not of Japanese origin but came from China where it means “A Drink In Great Friendship”.
The label above represents the crossing of the Abe River by the side of which is located Kumpai Brewery!

Rice milled down to 65%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in August 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Dry. Apples, greens, alcohol
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong fruity attack backed up by very pleasant alcohol.
More complex and deeper than expected.
Disappears fairly quickly with plenty of nuts and almonds.
Changes little with food.
Stays very fruity all the time with appearance of very dry oranges and nuts.
Tends to become more and more complex with the next sip.

Overall: A surprising sake by Kumpai Brewery.
I understand now why a seemingly simple honjozo has been their trademark in spite of the beutiful premium sake they produce.
A sake for all seasons, all occasions, all temperatures!
A sure value I would recommend to beginners and veterans alike!

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レシピ, 美食, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Hamburgers, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Fish Hamburger (Marlin Tuna & Tartar Sauce) at BLUE BOOKS cafe in Shizuoka City!

October 29, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly, smiling and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Superb washroom in same building separated from the cafe.
Prices: Reasonable for such big servings!
Strong points: Very generous cafe/bistro multi-genred gastronomy. Great variety. Great products. Entirely non-smoking in very modern atmosphere. Great books!

I got very hungry after lunch time after I had to report about gastronomic a research and demonstration held by members of the Wasabi Kai (report coming soon!) without properly eating, so I decided to do my own “research” in the hamburger menu at newly opened BLUE BOOKS cafe where I already have enjoyed their Foe Gras Hamburger.
There are 5 basic hamburgers and a possibility of adding more ingredients. I’m actually planning to ask for a combination of mine soon!
Anyway this time I was craving for fish so I couldn’t help ordering the fish and tartar sauce hamburger!
Since it is made with a slice of marlin tuna, all the better!

The Fish Hamburger!
Now, what do we have?

A glass of red pinot noir wine!

The fish burger!

Plenty of French (they are Belgian, actually!) fries. Tomato sauce and soft mustard are provided!

Let’s check what’s in between the great buns!

But before that you will have to pull out the BLUE BOOKS cafe stick!

Plenty of lettuce for great balance!

Tomato slice and thinly sliced onion!

Plenty of tartar sauce full of herbs!

The marlin tuna slice cooked on a grill!

Great attention shown: The bottom bun half is soaked with the grilled fish juices!
And the fish is just perfect with a great bite, just as good as meat!

Who said that hamburgers are not healthy? LOL

More soon!

BLUE BOOKS cafe
420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den Bldg 1F (5~10 minutes walk straight ahead from Shizuoka JR Station North Exit, around the corner at the large crossroads)
Tel.: 054-280-7644
Opening hours: 11:00~14:30 (lunch), 14:30^17:30 (cafe), 17:30~23:00 (dinner)
Entirely non-smoking!

Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE
FACEBOOK
Twitter: @BlueBooksCafe

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Baird Beer, Bars, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Beer, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Beer, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/10/28): Seasonal Release: Country Girl Kabocha Ale

October 29, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin

Seasonal Release: Country Girl Kabocha Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

We are pleased to release today the 12th anniversary edition of a deliciously down-to-earth autumn seasonal ale — Country Girl Kabocha Ale. The inspiration for Country Girl was my urbane yet wonderfully country-spirited mother, Sally Eshelman Baird. Fall was her favorite season and it is when my memories of her are most poignant.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Country Girl Kabocha Ale 2013 (ABV 6.5%):

Kabocha is a Japanese pumpkin-like squash the taste of which is elegantly sweet. This year’s kabocha was grown on our new brewery property in Shuzenji. We first cook it in order to gelatinize it, then we add it to our mash where the enzymes from the malt help to further break it down into simple fermentable sugars. Several characterful varieties of malted barley produce a hearty wort that when married to the kabocha yields a flavor partnership of great depth and balance. After fermentation, re-fermentation and conditioning, the result is an earthy, rustic beer that manages to deliver an extraordinarily sophisticated yet subtle complexity of flavor. It is, to many resident beer enthusiasts, the flavor of fall in Japan!

Country Girl is draught only this year. We will return to bottling it next year when we enjoy a larger kabocha harvest.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Suruga Brewery: Tenkou Tokubetsu Junmai

October 28, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

After acquiring the defunct Yoshiya Brewery (Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku) license and continuing their brands such as Chumasa, Oni Goroshi and Tokaido, Suruga Brewery in Suruga Ku, Shizuoka City adopted the brand name of “Tenkou/天虹” meaning “heaven rainbow”!

It is a tokubetsu junmai!

Rice: Biyama Nishiki (Shiga Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 2
Acidity: 1.9
Bottled in October 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Strong. Pears, apples.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong attack backed up by assertive junmai petillant and pleasant alcohol and welcome acidity.
Complex and fruity. Pears, custard.
Disappears quickly on an even drier note with more custard and nuts and faint greens.
Takes a back step with food but reasserts itself quickly once away from it again.

Overall: A typical Shizuoka sake with all the usual facets, although stronger in approach than most.
The comparatively higher acidity makes it utterly enjoyable on its own.
Another sure value to keep in mind at all times of the year!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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Fruit Tart, Ice Cream & Coffee Pot at BLUE BOOKS cafe in Shizuoka City!

October 27, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

First visit at tea time!

Service: Very friendly, smiling and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Superb washroom in same building separated from the cafe.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Very generous cafe/bistro multi-genred gastronomy. Great variety. Great products. Entirely non-smoking in very modern atmosphere. Great books!

The typhoon was still raging when I decided to take refuge at BLUE BOOKS cafe in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City.
After lunch the previous day I also wanted to take the pulse of the place at tea time/cafe time.
Naturally it was almost full with the difference that this time customers were more of all ages.

nice atmosphere on a rainy day!

I also noticed that more people were taking the opportunity to browse the books on display and sale that you may read on the premises even if you don’t buy any!
I hadn’t had the time to take lunch so I confess I was a bit hungry and decided to opt for a big dessert!

I ordered a fruit to which I added a supplement of home-made framboise (raspberry) ice cream!
Beautiful colors and so appetizing!
I also ordered a pot of coffee, the equivalent of at least three cups, which made for great value!

I found their concept of a fruit tart both generous and intelligent.
They bake enormous marzipan tart beforehand and decorate them with plenty of fruit freshly cut and placed on a minimum of cream or custard which allows you to savor the fruit first and ten dig into the tart and washing it all down with plenty of coffee! Certainly a lot healthier than usual and with such a natural taste!

Beautiful cranberry sauce you could spread on the tart after you have you have devoured the fruit!

But raspberry ice cream for my sweet tooth first!
Beautiful balance there: plenty of fruit and not oversweet!

And plenty of hot coffee served the right way!

Now, I have two small problems:
1) It will take more visits at lunch and tea time before I can tackle dinners!
2) I will have to avoid making it a habit, or people will think I’m addicted! LOL

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Twitter: @BlueBooksCafe

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Millefeuille Tonkatsu Lunch at Kiiro Izakya in Shizuoka City!

October 27, 2013 dragonlife 10 Comments

Service: Very kind and smiling
Equipment and Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. No shoes allowed inside. Very clean washroom
Prices: Reasonable considering the enormous portions!
Strong points: pork and tonkatsu!

I had been curious for some time about a new izakaya called “Kiiro/器いろ” which had opened this year just across my workplace. I had heard it used to be located in Ryogae Cho, Aoi Ku, before it moved to Takajo, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, considered as the new gastronomic area of Shizuoka City.

There is a general rule in Japan saying that one should try to eat and drink as far from one’s workplace as possible to protect one’s privacy, but it is simply impossible for me as I work just across a gastronomic treasure trove!

I hadn’t noticed they were also open for lunch so it was about grand time I investigated!

They are presently specializing in tonkatsu (pork cutlets and others) these days, although I heard later they used to serve udon lunches, which means I should hurry up before they change again!
The prices seemed a bit more expensive than those prevalent in lunch restaurants but the volume (200 g!) still guaranteed a good deal in the offing!

I was especially attracted by the dish called “Millefeuille Ｋatsu/ミルフィーユかつ”!

Authentic izakaya atmosphere inside!

The place is full of antiques!

Note that you are requested to leave your shoes at the entrance. The floors are covered with very soft and comfortable carpets, a bit unusual for this type of establishment!

I espied some sake from Shizuoka Prefecture, meaning I will have to visit the place again for dinner!

More antiques!

One reason I was particularly attracted was the fact that Kiiro uses only pork bred in Asagiri Plateau, north Izu peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture. Eat local whenever you can!
Incidentally the meat comes from Yoghurt Ton Pigs!

The Millefeuille Katsu Lunch Set!
Absolutely enormous!
Frankly speaking i had doubts as whether I could eat it all! (Of course, I did!)!
Really great value at 14 US $/13 euros!

Red miso soup!

A generous portion of home-made pickles!

Plenty of rice served in a nice earthenware bowl!

The millefeuille katsu served with a light tomato sauce! (BBQ Sauce is available!)
Enormous!
The plate must be around 20 cm in diameter!

The millefeuille katsu is made of many thin slices of pork rolled together before deep-fried.
The pork is henceforth very light, extremely tender and so easy to eat!
As for the taste, this is definitely superior pork!

So many vegetables for a superbly balanced lunch!
Mind you, I very much doubt you will be hungry in the evening!

And even an home-made pudding for dessert!
Difficult to beat such good value!

See you soon there again for dinner!

KIIRO
Shizuoka City, Aoi ku, Takajo, 2-3-2, Sun City Takajo, 1F
Tel.: 054-254-0453
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~22:30
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Garyubai Junmai Ginjo

October 26, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City has this famous label for one of its Junmai Ginjo representing two drinkers of the Edo Period and I know a lot of people who like to collect it!

Most of their sake are called Garyubai these days, a name which can be traced back to a local temple!

Rice: Gohyakumangoku (Toyama Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 3
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in August 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Pears, macadamia nuts, custard
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Very dry attack backed up by puissant junmai petillant.
Very nutty at first with hints of oranges and custard.
Lingers for a while warming up back of the palate and tongue.
Mellows somewhat with food.
Turns quickly back to strong dryness away from food.

Overall: Straight forward dry sake best suited for food, especially heavy izakaya food.
Sake concept very different from mainstream shizuoka brews. The toji/brewmaster is of the Nanbu School from Iwate Prefecture and never uses the Shizuoka yeasts.
can be enjoyed at all temperatures in spite of its elevated status. Would do well at a BBQ!

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