Tag Archives: Italian Gastronomy

リゾット, 美食, Dessert, Desserts, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Italian Desserts: Royal Milk Tea Panacotta & Ciccolato Fondente at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

August 26, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Pro and very friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Great overall cleanliness and superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Fresh local ingredients whenever possible. Both traditional and inventive Italian cuisine. Good wine list at moderate prices. Open late!

Yesterday was one of those very rare Sunday evening when we go out together to enjoy a repast on that particular day of the week.
Although this is the second time we visited Solio in less than 2 weeks this had been planned for some time.
Now, we had the occasion to enjoy two cute little desserts I have the pleasure to introduce here.
Note that good Italian restaurants in Japan come up with far more simple and sophisticated desserts than in Italy!

First: Royal Milk Tea Panacotta!

Adding seasonal fruit contributes so much to elegance, colors and taste!

This Royal Milk Tea is both rich and light as the Japanese do not add as much sugar as we Europeans.
The result is a light and sophisticated panacotta that leaves such a nice fianl not after a rich dinner!

Ciccolato Fondente, the Italian cousin of a Fondant au Chocolat!

Once again seasonal fruit add so much to balance and also health!

The cake itself is so cute and small enough not to worry you about the calories!

I surprised everyone when I asked for a knife, but is there a better way to make you discover the little treasure out of its trove?
Absolutely succulent! A sin!
Once again a big thank to Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦

SOLOIO
420-0858 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 9-7, Kita, 1
Tel./fax: 054-260-4637
Business hours: 16:00~24:00
Closed on Monday
Credit cards OK
Private parties welcome!
Happy hour: 16:00~17:00: 1,000 yen set-3 appetizers plate and 1 glass of house wine!
Smoking allowed BUT Non-smoking until 20:00 everyday!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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!
-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

リゾット, レシピ, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 野菜, 静岡市, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Dinner (2013 summer) at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

August 23, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

The team: Sommelier Mieko Osawa/小澤三江子 and Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦!

I have already introduced Solio, one of the very top references in Itlian Gastronomy in the whole Shizuoka Prefecture therefore let me talk immediately about we had during our last and very quick visit!

Mini tomatoes from Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦’s own garden and mozzarella cheese salad to help our patience!

We noticed in the glassed display this locally-grown enormous David Cross okra with such a beautiful pattern!
We couldn’t help and ask for another simple but so elegant appetizer!

Absolutely beautiful and the seeds are really scrumptious!

Then it was dish of local pork cooked on the grill!

Shizuoka Prefecture is rapidly becoming famous for its pork and there must be more than 12 different varieties in our Prefecture alone. This particular pork is called “mugiton/From pigs fed with grain” and is raised in the Western part of Shizuoka!

Shizuoka has certainly contributed to the letters of nobility attached to such a seemingly common meat!

The more for it when it is “dressed up” with succulent local vegetables!

I’ve already said and still claim that Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦makes the best risotto in town!
This time we just could not resist the Italian summer truffles risotto!
Simply extravagant (but so reasonably-priced!)!

Instead of dessert we had to utter pleasure to sample a new creation by Sommelier Mieko Osawa/小澤三江子: home-made limonicello liqueur!

Lucky they don’t serve it in a bottle or it would be temptation difficult to resist to just for a second (and third?) glass!

Now, I will have to convince someone to accompany me there soon or it will be a torture! LOL

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Food, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Spring Lunch (2013) at Aquavite in Shizuoka City!

March 14, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Small but beautiful washroom
Prices: Reasonable to expensive.
Strong points: Great use of local products, especially organic vegetables in inventive cuisine. Top-class Italian wines. Private room for~8 people

Aquavite has at last and deservedly come to age! Now with two capable chefs helping out Chef Masaru Aoki/青木優さん one can patronize one of the top Italian restaurants in the Prefecture at any time even when the latter is away on business!

The establishment has always made it a point to preserve an easy-going but still elegant atmosphere without ostentation.

Lunch time is a great time to first experience the great food before venturing into more serious business at dinner although lunches on request certainly do not have anything to envy about dinners!

But what I most love about this place apart of their superb food is the fact that they extensively use and advertise local products. Not always as easy as you might think!

First appetizer: lotus root grown in Asabata, Shizuoka City, burdock and Romaesco broccoli grown in our Prefecture!

Second appetizer: Na no Han/rape flowers and Mangenton ham!

This ham produced by Sano Co. in Fujinomiya City has attracted national attention of late!

Cabbage and bean soup!

Delicious Italian “comfort/soul food”!

Bread is always home-baked and hust out of the oven!

Vongo;e spaghetti for pasta! So elegant!

Yummy cockles from Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture and broccoli from Shizuoka Prefecture!

Roasted 4-month ol lamb from new Zealand and Shizuoka vegetables for the main dish!

Not a gram of fat! such a beautiful combination with sweet carrots!

All succulent vegetables, which bring such great balance, are from Shizuoka and mostly organic!

A message that cherry blossoms are about to flower in this dessert!

Shizuoka-grown strawberry panacotta and roasted strawberry!

How about that for a cheery tree!
Spring has definitely come!

To be continued (count on that again!)….

AQUAVITE
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
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK
Non-smoking private room available!

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Cappucino: Teddy Rising Phoenix at Patina in Shizuoka City!

February 25, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

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

This time Saori san, the Manager at PATINA, Café & Brasserie really surpassed herself!
She told me she had practiced long and hard for this new cappucino!

“Phoenix” in Japanese is called “Hoo/鵬” (“Peng” in Chinese, although the tales somewhat differ).

Beautiful wings!

Does a Phoenix have eyelashes? LOL

It certainly refused to disappear until the last minute!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 11:00=22:00 (last orders, 21:30)
10:00~21:00 on Sundays (last orders, 20:30)
Closed on Tuesdays

BLOG (Japanese)
Non-smoking until 15:00
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Winter Dinner (2013) at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

February 18, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Some people might think I’m reneging on my origins (Bourgogne, France) since I tend to take quite a few repasts at the best of the Italian restaurants in town and prefecture…
Well, good food is good food, and though Western food might come out under the labels of various countries, it is actually more fusion food prepared with supreme ingredients more than anything else!
In any case I had to obey the orders of the Missus this time!
Now, what did Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦 serve us this time?

Actually, it is not easy to order as an array of succulent antipasti misto are looking at you right in the eye!

See what I mean?

We tried to keep this antipasti misto order small enough but that is what came on the counter!

The pork terrine is French. Talk of fusion gastronomy!

It was then about time to look at the seasonal/winter menu extras!

Napoli-style carozza! Raw ham wrapped around bread that had been seasoned with mozzarella cheeses and anchovy sauce before being deep-fried!

Just can’t stop gobbling them down!

The carozza viewed sideways to show the mozzarella cheese!

More fusion food: Ris de Veau/veal swetmeats and mushrooms sauteed and seasoned with Marsa wine!

The ris de veau so elegantly served and so delicious!

The mushrooms are local, shimeji, and they contribute so much in taste!

And then it was time for the fish: Kurodai/Black seabream from Suruga bay sauteed on its skin with herbs and served with local skillet fried vegetables. The vegetables in front are new taro/satoimo with their skins sauteed to a crisp!

The black seabream and its herbs!

Beautiful vegetables from the Chef’s garden!

And of course the pasta!

Home-made Tagliatelle with a ragu/stew of wild boar locally hunted!

And the chestnuts and mushrooms were the perfect accompaniment!

We had little space left for dessert, but……

I just couldn’t resist a glass of Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur!

To be continued… You bet again!

SOLOIO
420-0858 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 9-7, Kita, 1
Tel./fax: 054-260-4637
Business hours: 16:00~24:00
Closed on Monday
Credit cards OK
Private parties welcome!
Happy hour: 16:00~17:00: 1,000 yen set-3 appetizers plate and 1 glass of house wine!
Smoking allowed BUT Non-smoking until 20:00 everyday!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Bistro, Cafes, 美食, 観光, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Cappucino: Teddy Bear Cappucino at Patina in Shizuoka City!

February 18, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Everyone, or almost everyone like or has liked teddy bears!
And naturally Saori chan at patina just love them and could not resist concocting one for me thelast time I visited Patina!

As for its gender I had some doubts as it is both sporting long eyelashes and a thin moustache (unless it is a smile!)!

What do you think? LOL

More coming soon!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 11:00=22:00 (last orders, 21:30)
10:00~21:00 on Sundays (last orders, 20:30)
Closed on Tuesdays

BLOG (Japanese)
Non-smoking until 15:00
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Bistro, Cappucino, Coffee, 美食, Drinks, 観光, Italian Cuisine, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Cappucino: New Year Snake Cappucino at Patina in Shizuoka City!

January 31, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

2013 is the Year of the Snake (Serpent) in the Japanese and Chinese Calendars!
No wonder that Saori san made a new cappucino last time I visited Patina in Aoik Ku, Shizuoka City to commemorate the new year!

A beautiful (delicious?) snake and a little design I will explain later!

saori san must have experimented for quite some time before succeeding with these exquisite coils!

I don’t think snakes smile so much!

She went as far as drawing the Chinese character “巳” for “Snake” which represents the sixth term in the 12-year cycle Chinese Calendar!

More coming soon!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 11:00=22:00 (last orders, 21:30)
10:00~21:00 on Sundays (last orders, 20:30)
Closed on Tuesdays

BLOG (Japanese)
Non-smoking until 15:00
Credit Cards OK

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Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Horsemeat, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tartare Staek, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Horsemeat Tartare Steak at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

January 28, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Did you know that the true Tartare/Tartar/Tatar steaks are made with horsemeat? The rest, like the variation on my home drink, Kir, are only copies, inventions and publicity stunts!
And incidentally do you know why it is called Tartare, tartar or Tatar? Look at your history books!
Tartare sauce is only an easy and lazy shortcut to the ingredients included with the meat by the way!

Now, the other day it happened to be on the menu at Solio Restaurant in Shizuoka City. And since it stated that it was made with horsemeat just imported from Italy I did not hesitate!

Served with fresh herbs, olive oil, toasts and parmegiano!

The ingredients mixed with the raw meat are a secret of Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦!
But That dish alone is worth a visit to Solio!
Extravagant and rare!
To be savored slowly on toast and with a heady red wine!

To be continued…

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Gastronomic Destinations: Kamakura & Enoshima (January 2013)!

January 22, 2013 dragonlife 5 Comments

Just came back from a 3-day trip in Kamakura City, Kanagawa prefecture!
Here is a simple picture report on what you could find in and away from the touristic landscape of this famous city not far from Tokyo which deserves a good visit!
Note that this is the off-season now and I would advise you to visit it at such a time as crowds can be a real pain in that beautiful corner of Japan!

Tobira Restaurant

Tobira
Kamakura City, Komachi, 1-6-20, Tobira Building, 2F
Tel.: 0467-25-0505
Opening hours: 10:30~19:00
Closed on Mondays or on Tuesdays if Monday is a National Holiday

You will find Tobira on the left just outside kamakura City JR Station.

The boxed lunch as served!

The boxed lunch opened!

Plentiful and yummy!

They also serve a great omuraisu/rice omelet!

A lunch fit for a Westerner’s appetite!

that omelet is a real delicacy, fluffy and light!

You will find this sign in the main street of Kamakura City atop a famous cake shop. See below:

Kamakura is famous all over Japan for its biscuits, especially “Rabbit Half Moon#!

Once you start you’ll never stop eating them!

They also make some exquisite wagashi for vegans!

You will find plenty of shops selling Shonan Craft Beer!

No, you cannot eat clothes sold upstairs, keep to ground level!

All local beers and japanese sake!

Kamakura City is also famous for its sembei/rice crackers!

Hot work, even with temperatures below zero outside!

O Sakana Tei Japanese Restaurant

248-0025 Kamakura City, Shichirigahama, 3-1-9
Tel: 0467-31-9890
Opening Hours: 11:30~15:00, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Thursdays
Cards OK

Kamakura Craft Beer

O Sakana Tei is an old but very traditional Japanese Restaurant serving great sushi at very reasonable prices.
The specialize in local sardine cuisine!

Great craft beer indeed!

The specialty of the house: Deep-fried sardine sandwiched in shiso/perilla leaves!

Sushi plate!

Another sushi plate!

Delicious Japanese soup with sardine surimi balls!

Kamakura sake?

Only in name as it is brewed in Gunma Prefecture for a private label!

Tobicho Japanese Restaurant

251-0036 Fujisawa City, Enoshima, 1-6-7
Tel.: 0466-23-0041
Opened from 11:00 a.m. till evening
Reserve!

This time we managed to have lunch at Tobicho, a place where you will have to join endless queues on week-ends or in peak seasons!

Have a good look at the seafood they also sell outside including local shirasu/sardine whiting!

Like in most Japanese restaurants you can also have a look at a plastic model of the dish you are looking for displayed outside!

A great way to allure customers inside, isn’t it?

Very simple and explicit menus, too!

This is the limited seasonal menu that the Missus chose!

Simple, but beautiful and yummy!

Salmon, octopus and albacore secured on thin slanted slices of cucumber!

My order!

Japanese style crab omelet on a bowl of rice topped with shirasu!

During our visit to a temple in Enoshima Island we found this food store atop the mountain…

What is he cooking?

Paper-thin senbei/crackers made with real fresh octopus!

A very rare treat!

If you have the time do try and visit the natural grottoes at the back of Enoshima Island which have been used by humans since AD 552.
You will even find a dragon hidden inside!

Atop Enoshima you will find a small diner (Japanese-style) with a terrace overlooking the sea called Uomitei/魚見亭.
A great place to enjoy craft beer.

This one is called Shonan Enoshima Beer!

Unfortunately it is brewed in Niigata Prefecture as a private label!

Back in Kamakura City we couldn’t escape from the beautiful sembei/rice crackers!

Ocean Harvest COCOMO Italian and Oyster Bar
248-0016 Kanagawa Prefecture, Kamakura City, Hase, 2-8-8
Tel./fax: 0467-33-4584
12:00-25:00(Last Order-24:00)
■Lunch Time
12:00-15:30(Last Order-15:00)
■Cafe Time
15:30-17:00(Last Order-16:30)
■Dinner Time
17:00-25:00(Last Order-24:00)
Closed on Wednesdays
HOMEPAGE
Credit Cards OK

Along the Shonan Beach there are some restaurants of note and our favourite is Cocomo, an Italian oyster bar!

Local vegetables Banya Cauda!

Succulent grilled oysters!

Their fries is a must!

They also eminently enjoyable pasta!

KOSUZU Soba/Buckwheat Noodles Restaurant
Kamakura City, Komachi, 2-83-4
Tel,: 0467-25-6210
Opening hours: 11:30~18:30
Closed on Mondays

Back in kamakura City, away from the touristic center and along the way to the Tsuruoka Hayata Jingu Shrine stands a very good soba/buckwheat noodles shop we regularly visit, namely KOSUZU!

This is the hot soba the Missus ordered!

For a closer view of a real healthy meal!

For my part I ordered cold soba with all kinds of toppings!

For a closer view!

A pot full of soba soup will be served to accompany the leftovers inside your bowl! Yummy!

Vegans and all must try the exquisite warabi mochi (soft rice cakes)!

Finally along the same street keep ypur eyes open for venerable shops such as this Japanese liquor shop!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Bistro, Cappucino, Coffee, 美食, Drinks, 観光, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Cappucino: Tulip Cappucino at Patina in Shizuoka City!

January 11, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Here is the latest creation by Saori Chan at Patina Bistro in Aoi-Ku, Shizuoka City: Tulip Cappucino!

Although some friends it reminds them of a loving heart, Saori insisted it was a tulip!

At least the leaves should convince you it is a flower!

I just don’t know how Saori san can achieve such detailed design!

Whatever you drink the tulip would not disappear!

Insistent love? LOL

More coming soon!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 11:00=22:00 (last orders, 21:30)
10:00~21:00 on Sundays (last orders, 20:30)
Closed on Tuesdays

BLOG (Japanese)
Non-smoking until 15:00
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: First 2013 Lunch at Il Paladino in Shizuoka City!

January 8, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: Great and very large washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive.
Strong points: Sicilian Cuisine. Top-class Italian wines and great collection of Grappa.
Non-smoking at tables. Private room can be made non-smoking!

Due to many restaurants sprouting here and there in Shizuoka Prefecture I had “forgotten” another favorite Italian restaurant of mine, namely Il Paladino in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City.
Finally I found the opportunity to pay it a deserved visit for lunch today!

Mrs. Chieko Kokawa/古川千恵子さん in charge of the service, Chef Tetsuya Kokawa/古川哲哉さん and Second Chef Mitsuru Tomita/富田満さん!

It was also an opportunity to see ever-smiling Chieko Kokawa again in charge of the service!

So what did Chef Kokawa prepare me this time?

Please note that all the bread at Il Paladino is home-made on the very day!

Can you see the beautiful loaf?

I just love Il Paladino’s beautifully colored antipasto misti!

An exquisitely balanced meal in itself with vegetables, chicken, eggs and seafood!

A really tasty and elegant pasta dish made with Maglie di Zito!

These Maglie served al dente, Sicilian style, provide for the right bite!

The sauce, very original, consisted of fine pork, onions, fond de veau veal stock, cream and what else!
Another meal in itself!

The ingredients for the main dish!

Oven-baked homard/lobster with herbs!

Beautiful, perfectly cooked, exquisitely seasoned and extravagant!

I’ve never been really convinced by desserts in Italian gastronomy but Il Paladino’s offerings are worth the trip!

Fine dark cherry cake half way between a financier and a clafoutis, soft pistachio bicuit and apple compote!

Panacotta, mint and jellied orange peels!

And a delicious expresso served the right way!
Yes, I had some wine! LOL

To be continued…

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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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Ravioli, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Chestnuts & Ricotta Cheese Ravioli at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

November 13, 2012 dragonlife 6 Comments

Running over and over full dinners at my favorite restaurants is not always such a good idea, especially considering that most often I visit them for only a couple of drinks and one great but sole dish!

Solio serves extravagant seasonal food with a personal twist at reasonable prices and here is another typical example:

Chestnuts and Ricotta Cheese ravioli!

This is the season for fresh chestnuts in Europe and also in Japan where they are appreciated in so many forms!
The dough used for the fresh ravioli was a combination of fine wheat flour and chestnut flour
The taste was certainly more remarkable than the bland dough used for usual ravioli!
And the size made them so easier to savor!

The filling was an exquisite marriage between ground fresh chestnut and ricotta cheese seasoned with other ingredients that were unfortunately kept secret!
But the result was a sweetish kind of ravioli perfectly balanced with a very light sauce using the boiling water and a sprinkle of parmeggiano cheese!

Instead of ordering them as an appetizer, I finished my meal with them and a full-body red wine!

A must-try!

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Conger eel, 美食, 観光, 魚, 農業, Fish, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Deep-fried Conger Eel & Aubergines in Anchovy Sauce at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

November 12, 2012 dragonlife 7 Comments

Solio serves extravagant seasonal food at reasonable prices and here is another typical example:

Deep-fried Conger Eel & Aubergines in Anchovy Sauce!

Presentation also is of a superlative quality even for the simplest dishes!
Note the three-dimensional arrangement with a long piece of conger eel supporting the aubergine slice like a beam!

The conger eel, a fish Shizuoka Prefecture is famous for, is deep-fried together with the aubergines (from the Chef’s garden!) and served with a light but very efficient anchovy sauce!

It is wicked pleasure to break up the edifice and eat it the whole with your fingers (and lick them later!) and dip each piece into some anchovy sauce for perfect pleasure!
Perfect with a solid red wine!

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Culurgiones, 美食, 観光, 魚, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: “Amago”-Red Spotted Masu Trout Sardinia Culurgiones by Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!

October 30, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great general cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great appetizers. Home-made pasta!. Great use of local products from the land and the sea. Southern Italy and Sardinia gastronomy.

On Saturday it was the turn of Chef Kenji Inami/稲見謙司さん at Il Castagno to ask me to come to his restaurant to show me what he had prepared with a fish bred in our Prefecture!
But he actually prepared two different dishes!
This the second one!

The fish is called Amagi Amago.
Amagi stands for the place where it is bred.
Amago/あまご translates as Red Spotted Masu Trout in English.

Shitayama Fish Farm in Shuzenji, Izu Peninsula!
The Fish Farm is located beside wasabi fields for the best natural environment.
Wasabi leaves are actually introduced in their feed!

Chef Kenji Inami/稲見謙司さん (left with the beard!) and his team including his wife!

Sardinia Culurgiones are a kind of “raviolli” typical of Sardinian gastronomy.
Chef Inami makes his own dough with white semolina, water and salt!

He filled the Culurgiones with a mixture of potato, amago trout and cress before cooking them in salted water.

Viewed from the top.
So appetizing!

For a better view of the filling!

As for the sauce he heated some butter and mixed it the water he used to boil the Culurgiones.
Mind you he wouldn’t say more. I suspect there is also a little salt.

A great comfort food and so delicious! Viva Sardinia!

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)
BLOG (Japanese)
ENTIRELY NON-SMOKING!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 魚, 農業, Fish, Food, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: “Amago”-Red Spotted Masu Trout & Potato Terrine by Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!

October 29, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Saturday it was the turn of Chef Kenji Inami/稲見謙司さん at Il Castagno to ask me to come to his restaurant to show me what he had prepared with a fish bred in our Prefecture!

The fish is called Amagi Amago.
Amagi stands for the place where it is bred.
Amago/あまご translates as Red Spotted Masu Trout in English.

Shitayama Fish Farm in Shuzenji, Izu Peninsula!
The Fish Farm is located beside wasabi fields for the best natural environment.
Wasabi leaves are actually introduced in their feed!

Il Castagno is located in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City in a former Japanese izakaya where they serve Italian gastronomy at a counter, small tables and on tatami floor!