Tag Archives: Italian cuisine

観光, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Restaurants, Tourism

Italian Cuisine: Dinner at Il Castagno!

June 2, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great general cleanliness
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Great appetizers. Home-made pasta!.
Entirely non-smoking!

Not many chefs spend their good time making their own fresh pasta in Japan, and that only would be a good enough reason to visit Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!
But Chef Kenji Inami 謙司, who spent quite some time in the South of Italy, also endeavors to use ingredients from our Prefecture, be they vegetables, meat or fish for the best freshness and quality!

I’ve visited his restaurant countless times but only for lunch. Since we have just moved in the neighborhood we finally had the chance to share a full dinner there!

One cannot enjoy a true Italian dinner without (lots of) wine!
This white Lugano was perfect for a start!

We started with the set of appetizers!

Vegetables and Parmegiano quiche!

Deep-fried Parmegiano balls!

Home-smoked salmon!

Home-made ham!

Squid ink pasta!

Pork Pate di Campani with home-made pickles!

Exclusively home-made bread!

By then the white wine had disappeared, so we switched to a fine Montalcino red!

The Suruga Bay in Shizuoka has enough varieties of fish to satisfy any cuisine in the world!

Madai/red seabream~grouper!

We then naturally switched to pasta mode!
I dare say that Il Castagno offers the best (home-made) short pasta in town!

But you must also try his own style of Bolognese long pasta!

For a closer view!
Next time I’m thinking of a pasta only dinner! LOL

Yes, we still had room for dessert!

Fig compote!

Tempting, aren’t they?

Sorry, but I couldn’t resist the cheese!

It is a promise: next time all pasta!

Il Castagno
420-0843 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Tomoe Cho, 48
Tel/Fax: 054-247-0709
Business hours: 11:45~14:00, 17:30~21:00
Closed every Monday and 3rd Tuesday
Credit cards OK (dinner only)
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

美食, 野菜, 観光, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Restaurants, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Tourism, vegetables

Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Agricultural products: Fennel Gratin at Osteria Porta Porta!

May 23, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

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

Chef Hidetake Suzuki/鈴木秀武 has his own “secret” source of vegetables in his own home-town, Fujieda City, about 20 minutes away by train from Shizuoka City.
When I say “secret”, it is actually more or less true as the farmer who grows these Italian/French vegetables do it on the chef’s request.
Although the two of us will visit that particular garden very soon, I am not allowed to divulge the name or its address!

Regular customers or friends at such an establishment do not need to look through a menu. A quiet word to the waitress (“please ask the chef to prepare a small antipasto misti for a start”) and a succulent array of appetizers will quickly materialize!

The artichoke also comes from that “secret” garden in Fujieda City!

Beautiful Ameera Tomatoes (and other vegetables) from Shizuoka Prefecture!

But I came for this: fresh fennel grown in the “secret” garden!

Fennel gratin!
It was on the specialty of the day menu last week and although it had disappeared I knew there was still some of the vegetable in the fridge!

Incidentally, when I was a kid there were a lot of leafy vegetables I wouldn’t eat including fennel.
My departed Mum must be screaming at me from where she is seeing me having developed a craving for them!

A very light bechamel sauce emphasized the natural taste of the fennel.
As it was hot I did take my time to savor it! LOL

In France we usually boil or steam the fennel beforehand or even fry it to soften it first, but it becomes a totally different dish.
This gratin with its fennel just cooked enough to enjoy its true taste is not only delicious but also so healthy!

What will the chef come up with next time…

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

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“Real Food Restaurant” Italytei

May 19, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and attentive. slow food!
Equipment: Great general cleanliness
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Mainly local vegetables. Vegetarian meal ok!. Local sake, too!
Completely Non smoking!

Many Japanese and expats have special priorities when coming to a restaurant.
It could be a non-smoking establishement, the possibility of eating vegetarian cuisine, or simply healthy food in a healthy environement.
Real Food Restaurant Italytei could very well be the one you are looking for in Shizuoka City!

It is not easy to find in the basement street of Gofuku-cho street but it is worth the search!

Great traceabilty as half of their vegetables come from Matsuki Bio Farm or Nagomi Organic Farm in Fujinomiya City or from their own garden tended by Mrs. Akutsu.
As for meat, pork is first class LYV pork also from Fujinomiya City. Even the whole rice/genmai/玄米 is Shizuoka-grown!

If you are in a hurry hust buy one of their take-away meals or bento boxes!

Food is for omnivores but they can make it completely vegetarian with some advance notice. Might be a good idea to strike a special relation with the Owner/Chef mr. Aritsune Akutsu, a very affable gentleman worth knowing. Ask him about his vegetable jams!

You can also devise your own meal by choosing from the display window!

A very rural atmosphere inside!

I chose the tray on my last visit!
Certainly very healthy looking!

Organic Carrot Soup!

Roasted organic vegetables and home-made ham salad!

Organic vegetables open quiche and whole rice!

Will have to further investigate it for my health-conscious friends!

Real Food Restaurant Italytei/リアルフードレストラン伊太リ亭
Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Gofuku Cho, 3-4, Basement of Gofuku Cho
Tel.: 054-251-0456
Opening hours: 11:00~20:00
Closed on Tuesdays
Private parties possible
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Restaurants, Tourism, vegetables

Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Agricultural products-Lunch at Via Del Borgo!

May 15, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

On a hot day (and the temperature has been hovering around a very unseasonal 30 degress celsius these past days) an Italian restaurant is probaby a good bet for lunch.
About time to check the latest lunch menu at Via Del Borgo, then!

One good thing about this spacious restaurant is that you can choose your spot among the available space without having to explain your reasons (not evident in Japan!)

I have already introduced Chef Takahiko Katoh/加藤隆彦 and I intend to folllow him around if he intends to go independent someday (all great chefs are bound to in Shizuoka), so let's have a look at what I had the pleasure to taste this time:
Onion confit crostini!

Antipasti misto!

Grilled zucchini and bamboo shoot (the latter from Shizuoka) and pork and vegetables roll.

Light vegetable omelette.

Avocado and Scallops with pomegranate seeds and balsamico dressing.

Home-baked bread, premium olive oil and wine!

White beans and asapragus tips soup.

Crispy asparagus tips (not the overcooked and soggy stuff!)!

I said before this the place for risotto!
Chicken ragu and mushrooms risotto!

For a better view!

For once I chose the fish main dish: pan-fried and oven-baked red grouper with cold fruit tomato ratatouille and hot sauteed vegetables.
All ingredients are from Shizuoka Prefecture!

The fruit tomatoes offered an intriguing contrast with their chilled swetness!

All vegetables sauteed to perfection to enhance their taste and flavor: small spring onion, okra, rape seed flower and maountain wild mountain vegetables!

I usually do not eat cooked fish skin but the marriage of the tender flesh with and of the crackling skin of this madai/真鯛/red grouper was too much to ignore and I was rewarded with a supreme experience! Probably the “simplest” and best way to enjoy white-fleshed fish!

Panacotta and fruit for a light and delicious dessert!

Instead of the usual coffee I had a refreshing orange juice and the little biscuits!

To be continued… LOL

Service: professional and friendly
Facilities: Extremely clean overall and beautiful washroom
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Local products extensively used. Good Italian wine list. Private rooms available.
Private rooms can be made non-smoking with full isolation!

VIA DEL BORGO
420-0034, Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 3-2-7
Tel.: 054-221-7666
Business hours: 11:30~13:30, 18:00~21:00 (last orders)
Private rooms available.
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Recipes, Shizuoka, Tourism, vegetables

Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Agricultural products as Appetizers: Osteria Porta Porta!

May 6, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Chef Hidetake Suzuki/鈴木秀武 is back with a vengeance after opening his new Italian Restaurant, Osteria Porta Porta on the 28th of March in Takajyo machi, Shizuoka City!

I’ve always been a great fan of his simple and delicious recipes from Southern Italy.
This is the kind of place you can visit either at lunch or dinner and ask for wine and a plate of appetizers and be more than satisfied!

The restaurant used to be a Japanese establishment and it has been reformed into a clear clean place with a bright atmosphere.

Next time I shall sit here for lunch!

But make sure to have a good look at the specialties of the day!
You are certainly in for a good surprise or two!

Great choice of pasta! Take your pick!

And also check the wine list. Wines come at 2,900 yen to 25,000 yen a bottle. I can assure you there some very decent offerings at very good prices!

For this first quick lunch visit I ordered a plate of appetizers with my wine!

The vegetables are all from Fujieda City In Shizuoka prefecture.
The pork is from Italy for the most part but Hidetake also makes his own!

Scrumptious crostini and all!

Now, this is a surprise: the first artichoke of the year (they take one and a half years to grow) grown by a farmer in Yoshida-Chi. The same farmer also grows fennel! Hidetake and I will interview him before the end of the month!

great plate of cheeses with Italian honey for the Italian gorgonzola!

For another view!

I’ve already said that an Italian restaurant which serves real sugar and fresh cream for lunch is always a telltale of good quality!

Next time see you at dinner! I want to try that fennel gratin!

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

野菜, 観光, 農業, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism, vegetables

Shizuoka Agricultural products: Italian Cuisine at Via Del Borgo!

April 7, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

During the past 3 years, Via del Borgo and its Chef, Takahiko Katoh have established a solid reputation as one of the best Italian restaurants in a City and Prefecture replete with them. His secret is simple enough: top-class local products whenever possible complemented with top-class foreign ingredients and a will to experiment!

Chef Takahiko Katoh/加藤隆彦 and Manager Mieko Kozawa/小澤美江子

The service is all done with a smile great attention.
Do not hesitate to ask if something not available on the menu can be prepared for you!

The restaurant stands in a quiet district of Shizuoka City by a small park.
The place certainly looks more Italian than many!
So do come in and relax!

But before entering, do not forget to read the “Specialties of The Day” board!

On that day they had a favorite Italian wine of mine!: Mastremilio 2004 Villa Caprareccia in Toscana. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes.

Broad beans and Mozzarella Crostini for the appetizer.

The fish carpaccio was madai/真鯛/Red Seabream from the Suruga Bay with tomatoes pieces, pomegranate and violet daikon sprouts!
The whole seasoned with top-class olive oil!

The bread and others are naturally all baked in situ!

The vegetable dish was Organic vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm in Fujinomiya City. Cooked/steamed in “cocotta/heavy wrought iron pot”, they were served with a Baniacanda sauce made of anchovy, crushed garlic and olive oil!

Beautiful, aren’t they?

Chef Katoh is famous all over the city for its risotto!
There are always at 5 to choose from on his menus!
This superlative dish was made with broad beans and mozzarella!

Shizuoka Prefecture is steadily and surely establishing itself as a producer of top-class meat in Japan.
This pork comes from the west of Shizuoka Prefecture and fed with cereals: Enshyuu Mugi Ton/遠州麦豚 (“ton” for pork, “mugi” for barley or cereals, Enshyuu for the West of Shizuoka Prefecture!). A pork that many Italians would cross the seas for!

The pork and the organic vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm were simply grilled with the minimum of salt, pepper and herbs for the best flavors!
The orange “potato” is an Anno sweet potato!

We had enough for the day. The desserts will have to wait for our next visit!

VIA DEL BORGO
420-0034, Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 3-2-7
Tel.: 054-221-7666
Business hours: 11:30~13:30, 18:00~21:00 (last orders)
Private rooms available.
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

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sake, shochu and sushi

野菜, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, vegetables

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Italian-style Vegetables at Aquavite!

April 6, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great and very large washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable to expensive. Top-class Italian wines. Private room for~8 people.
no-smoking-logo1 Non-smoking at counter!

Since Chef Masaru Aoki/青木優 took over the Kitchen at Aquavite last year, the trend has focused on healthy and local products for the renewed pleasure of their customers!

You do have to keep your eyes (and ears) open as the ingredients turnover is sometimes overwhelming because Chef Aoki uses only seasonal ingredients with a great care from all the Prefecture.
So last night I paid them a visit after my short stop at Tomii!

Chef Aoki knows that I rarely bother with menu. I just told him to serve me the vegetables of the day, and he immediately complied without fuss but with great enthusiasm.
The first dish (above picture) was Hakusai Na No Hana/白菜菜の花, something between a Chinese cabbage and a rape plant. That particular vegetable I had no idea about was organically grown at Shizen No Chikara Nouen/自然の力農園/Nature’s Power Garden.

The vegetable was fried with only olive oil and a very little amount of butter and a minimum of salt and pepper to not interfere with the true taste of the vegetables. Actually the same method was adopted for the whole with some harder vegetables being lightly boiled first. This vegetable was served with very fine cuts of lard!

Chef Aoki showing a Daikon No Nabana/大根の菜花
I forgot to mention I always eat at the counter where I can keep talking to the chefs while admiring their work!

The main vegetable dish of the day!

Now that main dish was a beauty and coming from all corners of Shizuoka:
From left to right, Broccoli from Hokubu Jiman Ichi Market, Komatsuna and pearl tomatoes (organic from Shizen no Chikara Nouen), small turnip/kokabu and red-heart daikon/koushin daikon (organic by Nagomi in Fujinomiya City) and small lotus roots/renkon (Asabata, Shizuoka City)!

For a closer view!

And another one!

And an extra tidbit: carrot and Kale cabbage from Hokubu Jinan Ichi Market in Shizuoka City!

Looking forward to my next visit!

AQUAVITE
Address: 420-0034 Shizuoka Shi, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg. 3F
Tel. & fax: 054-2740777
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00 18:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

Please check the new postings at:
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Shizuoka Agricultural Products from the Producer to the Gastronomic Table: Suruga Shamo Chicken at Sunmario

February 23, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Suruga Shamo Chicken has not only become a famous agricultural product from Shizuoka but it is also celebrated beyond the borders of our Prefecture.
It is considered a high class delicacy with the consequent price.
Only 5 farmers produce it in Shzuoka Prefecture, in the cities of Fujinomiya, Shizuoka and Kikugawa, most of the time in high altitude in a very natural environment.
It is a hybrid from Black Shamo and other upscale breeds.
As a comparison, Shizuoka Prefecture produced 5,570,000 “broiler chickens”, but only 8,550 Suruga Shamo chikens!

Sunmario Restaurant

In spite of the small numbers, no less than 41 restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture feature it on their menus!
It is also sold and processed by 8 companies in Shizuoka Prefecture and Tokyo.
There is also an Association of Suruga Shamo Chicken Lovers and no less than 55 guests crowded into Sunmario to enjoy a full Suruga Shamo menu on February 22nd!

The guests were coming from all parts of the Shizuoka Prefecture and represented all kinds of businesses including restauration, large industries, government bureaus and the mass media. No less than 2 representatives from Agrigraph Japan were present!

The Menu!
Now, what did we enjoy?

Poached egg in Onsen/ot Spring fashion with Suruga Shamo Chicken confit salad.

The tidbits including Suruga Shamo liver paste to help you wait!

Suruga Shamo Chicken Consomme with Shizuoka Vegetables.

Sole poele/sauteed from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City and Shizuoka mushrooms and Chinese cabbage Cream.

Suruga Shamo Chicken in Coq au Vin fashion.

Shizuoka Matcha Tea Creme Brulee with Shizuoka Bioran Eggs (Endo, Aoi Ku) and Sakura tuiles.
Sorry for the fuzzy picture. I had toe eat, report and talk to dozens of people all at the same time! LOL

Shizuoka Prefecture Suruga Shamo Lovers Association
Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Tenosei, 2-19
Tel./fax: 054-365-6114
HOMEPAGE

Sunmario
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Toro, 2-14-26
Tel.: 054-654-3060
Fax: 054-654-3067
HOMEPAGE

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Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Local Land an Sea Products at Contorno!

February 9, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable.
Strong points: Many local products be they from the land or the sea. Organic vegetables. Car park.
no-smoking-logo1 Entirely non-smoking!
Map

Many more restaurants in Shizuoka join the “Local Products” trend for the pleasure and health of their customers.
One does not have to explain why one ought to eat fully traceable food!
But we are on the very lucky side of Japan as Shizuoka Prefecture could manage to live on its own resources alone for at least 6 months, a feat unequalled anywhere in Japan!

Contorno is great place, not only for its gastronomy (naturally!), but because it is so well exposed to the sun in a quiet area not far from the sea of Mochimune whose harbor is famous all over the country for its shirasu/whitebait and other bounties from the sea.

And it has the enormous merit to be completely non smoking!

Their lunches are not only a bargain but a healthy joy!
All vegetables are organic by Mr. Nagomi in Fujinomiya City at the foot os Mount Fuji.
The above antipasto misto vegetables (except for the French cornichon) are all above-mentioned vegetables with a chicken-pork terrine and a shrimps-fish terrine.

The bread is naturally all home-made and served with a high quality olive oil!

For lunch I ordered this black bass (suzuki/鱸) from the Suruga Bay sauteed on its skin and served with Provencal-style organic vegetables.

The Missus opted for this delicious plate of prawn pasta!
beautiful colors! I managed to get a forkful!

And look forward to a great different dessert everyday!

And they serve the coffee the right way!

Dinner report to come next!LOL

CONTORNO
421-0122, Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mochimune, 5-1-10, Sunrise Mochimune (5 minutes walk from Mochimune JR Station. Second stop after Shizuoka)
Tel.: 054-2565877
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~21:30
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
BLOG

Lunch sets: 1,480 yen~
Dinner: Appetizers: 500~yen, 1,000 yen~
Pasta: 930 yen~
Pizza (oven-baked): 1,180 yen~
Carte available

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Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at Aquavite!

February 7, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Like many restaurants in Shizuoka City and Shizuoka Prefecture, many restaurants are going through changes for many reasons including some unavoidable.
When chefs decide to leave to work under other skies recruiting new and good staff is vital.
Aquavite has had to go through that time and came out for the better!

The new team (Chef: Masaru Aoki/青木優 and Maitre d’Hote: Kazuma Mochizuki/望月計満) is not only young and enthusiastic, but also professional and endeavouring to use as many local products as possible.

Vegetables from Shizuoka Prefecture!

They are always on the lookout for new producers and farmers when it comes to vegetables and fruit!

Antipasto Misto (Broccoli and Cauliflower in Anchovy sauce, stewed red and yellow pimento with dry tomatoes, mizudako octopus and Inca mezame potato and mushrooms and shrimps)

Like all good Italian Restaurants Aquavite bake their own bread!

They also propose a great variety of pasta!

Now, this excellent pasta was made with Barilla N05 spaghetti and a ragu of cuttlefish caught in the Suruga Bay!

Fish and seafood is the true specialty at Aquavite.
The above is matodai/John Dory or St. Peter’s Fish caught of Numazu Harbour fried in Meuniere style with a herb sauce!

This succulent sauteed chicken is “Jidori/地鶏” from Fuji City. All vegetables are Shizuoka-Grown!

Artistic and delicious tiramisu for dessert!

Real coffee served the proper way!

And exquisite home-made Italian biscuits!

Looking forward to the next visit!

Address: 420-0034 Shizuoka Shi, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg. 3F
Tel. & fax: 054-2740777
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 18:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

Please check the new postings at:
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Vegan Italian Cuisine: Appetizer at Il Paladino

July 22, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great and very large washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable to expensive.
Specialty:Sicilian Cuisine. Top-class Italian wines and great collection of Grappa.
Non-smoking at tables.

With the scalding heat frying us all day long, what can we possibly eat without overcrowding our system?
When I visited Il Paladino, probably the best Italian restaurant in the Prefecture (BG is going to kill me again for that kind of comment!), the chef genially replied: “Just eat vegetables, more vegetables, and even more vegetables!”

Shizuoka Prefecture is blessed with an almost limitless array of vegetable varieties. Actually one has to keep his eyes, nose, and even ears well open, as many more new ones come by the day! I am certainly not one to complain as such knowledge comes inhandy at work when interviewing local farmers!

Present (notice I said “present”) Italian gastronomy wouldn’t exist without tomatoes. Well, I know some good Italian friends who would love to discover the local cultivars.
Shizuoka is receiving a lot of attention for its tomatoes, especially the “Ameera/Very Sweet” genus, which comes in various sizes, from minuscule to large plum-sized.
Il Paladino’s chef chose the latter to prepare his appetizer. They are not only very sweet and fleshy, they also are red all the way through with very little water and pips. You thoroughly enjoy cutting them with a knife, a rarity in Japan!

The tomatoes are peeled first before being marinated with garlic, cucumber (that is served together), lemon, vinegar, olive oil, laurel leaves, sugar, salt, pepper and some “secrets”.

The tomato is then served chilled with the cucumber. Red pimento (not marinated) and basil leaves are added for taste and looks. Finally marinade will be sieved above the whole before being served with toasted home-made bread. I cannot guarantee that the latter was vegan, though, but you certainly need the bread to sponge off the marinade (make sure your bread is vegan, then!)

Tratorria Il Paladino
420-9839 Shizuoka City, Aoi-Ku, Takajo, 2-8-19
Tel.: 054-253-6537
Opening hours: 11:30~13:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK (Dinner only)

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Italian Cuisine: Appetizers at Acqua Di Fonte (3)

June 28, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

As I said before, I’ve found over the years that in Japan, and especially Shizuoka, that it is more fun to ask for a few appetizers with a couple of glasses of good wine at Italian Restaurants (mind you, the same would apply to Spanish Restaurants and izakayas!) than to go for the full course repeatedly in the same restaurant.
When a good and unpretentious restaurant like Acqua Di Fonte in Shizuoka City agrees to it, it is simply great fun!

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: very clean all around
Prices: reasonable
Specialty: Central and south Italian-style cuisine. Very reasonables prices. Very reasonably-priced wines.
no-smoking-logo1 Non-smoking at tables and most of the counter!

From left to right: tsubugai/small turbo shells, shako/squilla and Zucchini Flowers Fritto (stuffed with cheese).

Nasu/egg-plants-aubergines, shishito/Japenese peppers, tuna flakes, maitake mushrooms and kabocha/Japanese pumpkin.

Salami in front.

Home-made duck confit in the front.

ACQUA DI FONTE Antica Osteria
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 1-10-10, Pia Takajo, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-6440
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 18:00~22:00
Closed on Wednesdays and first Tuesday
Credit cards OK　(Dinner only)

Please check the new postings at:
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Italian Cuisine: Genovese Sauce Trofie Pasta

June 28, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: clean
Prices: reasonable
Specialty: Central and south Italian-style cuisine. Home-made pasta. Very reasonables prices
no-smoking-logo1 Non-smoking!

The owners of Il Castagno having just come back from a 4-week long holiday all over Italy, I thought it was about time to “check” them again!
They make all by pasta by hand and endeavour whenever possible to use local produce.
As I have already introduced this favourite restaurant of mine, I will only introduce either antipasri, pasta or single dishes like I do for other restaurant.

This particularly delicious pasta consists of Trofie, or thin twisted pasta, which have to be rolled one by one btween the palms of the hands.

The Genovese sauce was made with basil, cress, wanuts and almonds (the latter two roasted whole and ground into powder.
It was added with zucchini, string beans, small pieces of potatoes, seasoning and Parmegiano.

A large shrimp was placed on top for more taste and colour contrast.

Delicious!

IL CASTAGNO
420-0843 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Tomoe Cho, 48 (along Kitakaido Street)
Tel. & Fax: 054-247-0709
Business hours: 11:45~14:00, 17:30~21:00
Closed on Mondays and second Tuesdays
Lunch: 1,260 and 1,860 yen
Dinner: 4,000 and 5,000 yen
A la Carte menu and wine list available. Wine by the glass ok
Reservations recommended.
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Italian Cuisine: Appetizers at Il Paladino (5)

June 14, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

As I mentioned before, I’ve found over the years that in Japan, and especially Shizuoka, that it is more fun to ask for a few appetizers with a couple of glasses of good wine at Italian Restaurants (mind you, the same would apply to Spanish Restaurants and izakayas!).
When a good restaurant like Il Paladino in Shizuoka City agrees to it, it is simply great fun! This is I hope the continuation of a long series of delicious appetizers!

The first sample of this series is called Falsomagro, or Farsumagru in old Siscilian.
It is made as a roll with pork, although beef and especially veal can be used.

As pre-cooked and kept in the restaurant.
This is actually very traditional food cooked in homes in Sicily. Similar dishes can be found in many other European countries such in Lyon, France where such meat roll concept is popular.

The pork roll is filled with boiled eggs, salami and spinach before being slow-cooked.

It is cut into thick slices and re-heated before being served.

Served with plenty of fresh tomato puree, ground black pepper and EV olive oil, it does make for a substantative appetizer!

Now, this second appetizers a simple and delicious marriage between Italy and Japan!

Can you guess what is inside these fritatta/omelettes?

Broad beans and Japanese baby conger eels (called “noresore” in Japanese)! Very unusual, even in Japan!

“Baby corn” is very popular in Japan (they are not gene-modified!) and make for some delicious, is simple, appetizers! This particular one was grown in Aichi Prefecture.

Not only the corn, but almost everything inside the “leaves” and the whole stem are tender and edible. Grilled over charcoal and served with some EV olive oil, they make for the perfect vegan appetizer!

The last sample of this series is quite simple in concept but made with the highest quality ingredients: A slice of Scarmozza (could be described as a hard and creamy type of smoked mozzarella) coated with fin panini crumbs and fried in EV olive oil with the right amount of seasoning and great vegetables!

For a side view!

For an even more tantalizing view of the Scarmozza!

See you again next time around!

Tratorria . Il Paladino
420-9839 Shizuoka City, Aoi-Ku, Takajo, 2-8-19
Tel.: 054-253-6537
Opening hours: 11:30~13:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK (Dinner only)