Tag Archives: Restaurants

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

French Gastronomy with a Japanese Twist: Foie Gras Matured with Mirin White Lees, Chouchou Farm Kankankan Musume Corn Vychissoise at Pissenlit!

2 Comments

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

When it comes to French gastronomy in Japan, great chefs in this country have a welcome tendency to experience with local products and ingredients to create entirely new delicacies that would have gastronomes running back home, in France!

To cut a long story short, on Saturday last week I had to visit Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん to bring him a couple of souvenirs from my recent trip to France and I just could not escape the temptation to have lunch there in spite of my tired stomach!
For once I skipped the wine and ordered a home-made ginger ale concocted with local ginger!

Actually the very reason for opting to saddle myself with another great meal was the unusual offering on the carte blackboard menu:
杉井酒造さんのみりん粕に着けたフォアグラ！
Sugii Shyuzou san no Mirin ni tsuketa Fowagura
Foie Gras matured with Mirin (sweet sake) white lees (“mout” in French) brewed by Sugii Brewery (In Fujieda City)!
I was simply doomed!

While Tooru was preparing the composite salad (I certainly needed a lot of greens to counterbalance the foie gras!) I was offered a slice of one of his succulent cake sale/salted pound cake created with local organic vegetables!

I did order a “simple salad” and this is what I ended up with!

Seared bonito, home-smoked salmon, inca mezame potatoes and all kinds of local organic vegetables!

It also included tasty scrumptious mushroom and home-made sausage fillings!

Most organic vegetables came from Shizen no Chikara farm in Shizuoka City!

The important detail: the bed of soft couscous!

The star of the day!

The beautiful pain de foie gras with Hungarian foir gras matured in the white lees of mirin brewed by Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City and seasoned with coarse pepper!

The soft pancake made with inca mezame potatoes!

Fig jam and a true beauty of a vychissoise concocted with kankan musume corn grown in Iwata City by Chouchou Farm!
I had a hard time savoring the whole at a slow pace, I can assure you!

For once I just had to skip dessert!

To be continued… (expect more regular visits!)

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 野菜, 豆腐, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Vegan Japanese Gastronomy: Sweet and Sour Fried Tofu and Mushrooms

4 Comments

For the pleasure of vegetarians and vegans tofu can be prepared as a hot and very satisfying dish all year round!
A typical example is Agedashidofu/揚げだし豆腐, tofu first deep-fried and then served in dashi.
As for the dashi use seaweed/konbu dashi!

INGREDIENTS: For 3 people

-Tofu: 2 standard blocks
-Cornstarch: as appropriate
-Shimeji mushrooms: 1 standard pack
-Enoki mushrooms: 1 standard pack
-Nameko: 1 bunch

Note: you can adapt with any ind of mushrooms.

-Seaweed/Konbu dashi: 600 cc/ml/3 cups
-Salt: a little
-Soy sauce: 3 tabelspoons
-Mirin/sweet sake: 1 tablespoon
-Japanese sake: 1 tablespoon
-Grated ginger: 1 tablespoon
-Yuzu koshio: a little
-Cornstach dissolved in water: as appropriate
-Grated daikon: as appropriate
-Chopped leeks: as appropriate

RECIPE:

-Wrap tofu in kitchen paper and leave it for an hour for excess water to be absorbed (about an hour).
-Place tofu on a dry wooden cutting board. Place a plate and weight on top and enough water will come out. Dry in kitchen paper.

-In a large pan pour the dashi, salt, soy sauce, mirin, sake, ginger, and yuzu kshio.
Bring to light boil.
Drop the mushrooms in.

-When the mushrooms are cooked to satisfaction pour the cornsatrch dissolved in water. Stir until you have obtained a smooth texture. Keep hot.

-Cut the tofu in adequate large bit sized cubes (you could have done it beforehand and take out excess water)>
Roll them in cornstarch. Shake away excess cornstarch powder.

-Fry tofu cubes in shallow oil until they have attained a very light bron color.
Take ou and pace in a dish.
Pour the sweet and sour mushrooms all over.
Decorate/season with grated daikon and chopped leeks.
Serve immediately!

You may also place the lot over freshly steamed rice!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 観光, 魚, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Iazakaya: Late Spring Quick Visit at Waga (2012) in Shizuoka City!

Leave a comment

One of the superlative sake served at Waga: Junmai by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!

Service: Very friendly and easy-going! Slow food!
Facilities: Very clean overall. Large and clean washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great list of sake and shochu. Typical izakaya gastronomy with a personal touch!

As I said before it is not easy to socialize equally with all the good restaurants and izakayas in Shizuoka and arrangements have to be done sometimes! LOL
Anyway, to cut another long story short I managed to persuade the Missus again to pay a belated visit to Waga, one of our favorite izakayas in Shizuoka City!

Superb salmon sashimi from Norway!

Waga is another of those great places, totally unpretentious, where you are efficiently served with a constant genuine smile, without a fuss and with plenty of interesting explanations!

Another view of our salmon sashimi!

But when it comes to fish and sashimi in particular, Waga is well above the izakaya average, so have a good look at the menu or ask about the day’s offering to the staff who will only be glad to oblige!

A great marriage of the land and sea: Amadai/Seabream sahimi Salad!

Next you have to order their celebrated daikon katsu. Not so much a revoplutionary concept but I haven’t found a place which served a better version!
Not many are prepared every day so come early or reserve the dish over the phone!

And do not forget to check the day’s specialties!
If you do not read Japanese, the staff who are mostly Shizuoka Prefectural University students should manage to explain in English!

A great izakaya offering: Yasai no Tappuri Katayaki Soba!
Crispy soba/ramen served in soup with pork and plenty of vegetables!
Hot and yummy!

A tasty and satisfying dish for all seasons!

And don’t miss their desserts: mango Creme Brulee!
I know a lot of establishments who would be surprised at the quality of such a dessert in an izakaya!

To be continued…

WAGA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 2-1-20, Kuroyanagi Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-271-7121
Business hours: 17:30~23:30, 17:30~26:00 (on Fridays, Saturdays and National Holidays)
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Shirogisu, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: “Quick Dinner” at Soloio in Shizuoka City (Late Spring 2012)

Leave a comment

Another superlative risotto!
Check below!

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!

There are days and nights when Solio Restaurant is so practical as it opens as early as 16:00 and as late as 24:00!
But it is could also be said it is a venture fraught with dangers, what with the constant temptation to drink and dine late! LOL

Solio always has an array of appetizers/antipasti ready to be chosen from, a boon for hungry and busy people!
We had this little delicious asparagus and shrimps salad!
It was with the beer we had first after a long day of shopping!

Apart of the regular printed menu and specialties of the day written on the overhead blackboard make sure to have a look at the small seasonal menu included on a loose sheet inside the menu!
There are discoveries to be made as the above white shrimps from Toyama Prefecture served deep-fried!
Another beauty for the beer!
Alright let’s discover what we had with the wine!

Roma-Style rice croquettes!
You had better keep those away from kids! They are just too dainty and scrumptious! LOL

Home-made sausage!
We should have kept some beer for that!
A rare time when I called a sausage “elegant”!

We had to have one of the two risottos of the day (I wished we had both!)!
Spring cabbage (very tender and sweet) and cockles risotto cooked in the cockles soup/juices!

It was a fight as whether to have pasta or dessert!
This fight resolved it was a second struggle as to which pasta we would order!

Nagano Prefecture wild boar stew with rosemary parpadelle!
Do I need to comment any further?

To be continued…

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!
Smoking allowed BUT Non-smoking until 20:00 everyday!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 観光, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tex Mex Gastronomy, Tourism

American Gastronomy: Tequila’s Diner in Shizuoka City (The Sequel)!

4 Comments

Fish and chips! American-style?

Service: Shy but very friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Good general cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive but very good value
Strong points: Tex-Mex gastronomy of superior quality. Doubles up as bar in evenings

As promised I went again to Tequila’s Diner to explore more of their menu!

In day time!
Actually this article is a combination of two reports in late afternoon and evening, and I still have only scratched the depth of their carte!

At night!

A peek inside although I favor the small table outside on the terrace!

“French Fried potatoes”!
I must say they are above average!
Great with beer!

Grab the menu!

And check the specialties written in English!

Inside check the “Lunch Of The Day” as you can also order it at night!

This is Japan!
Tequila’s Diner Shochu!

Impressive collection of MONIN liqueurs for cocktails!

Turkeys don’t last long there!

Actually you can visit the place for drinks only!

Deep-fried beer-marinated tripes! A discovery!

Fish and Chips, American-style!

As good as the British and Irish ones!

The little but important detail!

Great composite vegetable salads for well-balanced meals!

Now, their nachos are absolutely scrumptious!

And well-balanced!

Even the back looks so yummy! A good sign!

And they sell exquisite T-shirts for the collectors!

To be continued… naturally!

TEQUILA’S DINER
420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 8-6 (near Aoba Park Street), ACT 7, 1F
Tel.: 054–255-7595
Business hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~24:00
Closed on Wednesdays
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

Italian Gastronomy: Lunch at Il Castagno (June 2012) in Shizuoka City!

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.

Kenji Inami/稲見謙司 of Il Castagno in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, has just come back from a two-week research and tourism trip from Sardinia Island!
It was about time to pay a belated visit!

Every time I eat there I cannot keep my eyes off their home-made crostini!

You can buy them separately to take back home!

Note that the place is entirely non-smoking!

Next time you go there have a good look at the photographs and comments on their Sardinia trip while you wait for your order!

Kenji Inami/稲見謙司 at work!

Nice list of wines by the glass!

I had a couple of glasses of Sardinian wine to accompany my lunch!

Cannonau di Sardegna, 2008, red, by Sella & Mosca!

Very reasonably-priced and generous lunch sets!

This is the set I ordered!

I chose the second pasta dish!
Now, what did I have?

Assortment of appetizers!

Shitake Mushroom puff, quiche and onion confit!

Vegetable salad with crispy Sardinia-style unleaveend thin bread!

Home-made rustic bread!

Home-made Tagliorini pasta with wild shiitake, beef, pork and mini tomato sauce!

Thin and light but very satisfying pasta with a beautiful sauce!
I’m becoming Italian!

Most of the ingredients are from Shizuoka Prefecture!

The dessert assortment!

Cinnamon apple tart, egg cake and strawberry sorbet!

Coffee as it should be served!

And the crostini!

See you at dinner next time!

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

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Chinese Cuisine, Chinese Restaurants, 美食, 酒, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Chinese Gastronomy with a Modern Japanese Twist: Quick dinner at Hana Oto in Shizuoka City (Late Spring 2012)!

2 Comments

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great general cleanliness. Beautiful toilets
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Great use of local ingredients in beautiful Chinese Cuisine. Great sake and shochu!

The Japanese have two concepts of the Chinese Gastronomy, the tradtional ones, especially with ramen, gyoza and the lot, and a modern one more Japanese as far as the creation is concerned but with Chinese-style condiments.
The latter has become a genre of its own allying the inherent qualities of both cuisines.

A typical example is Hana Oto in Shizuoka City, where it is increasingly becoming difficult to find a seat in spite of their moving to a larger address!

They endeavor to introduce and advertize local products whenever possible!
They have a special affinity for Japanese sake brewed at Takashima Brewery in Numazu City who also introduce local products such a edible seaweed on their labels!

Definitely the Japanese way to enjoy your drink!

The other night I had (would never complain about such a duty!) to pay them a quick visit for dinner with a couple of gentlemen. What did we order?

Spicy stir-fried tuna and lotus root with leeks!

Seared Amagi Shamo chicken bred in Shuzenji, Izu peninsula, whose feed includes local wasabi leaves and soy milk!
Sorry for the fuzzy picture, Hana Oto is a very dark place! LOL

Hot spicy vegetable salad, most of them organic from Matsuki farm in Fujinomiya City!

Organic Oura burdock root chips from Matsuki Farm!
Better than any fried potato!

Now, this is traditional Chinese gastronomy: Feep-fried pork meatballs! A beauty!

Alright, that was a delicious but very brief dinner, so let’s meet soon again there! LOL

HANA OTO/華音
420-0032 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Ryougae Cho, 5-8, Shin Kamogawa Bldg., 2F-D
Tel: 054-273-8591
Business hours: 17:30~24:00
Closed on Mondays

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Curry, 美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Japanese-style Curry at Kohaku in Shizuoka City!

2 Comments

Service: Very friendly and welcoming. Great explanations.
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean and great washroom
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Traditional and modern izakaya gastronomy. Very inventive cuisine with introduction of some Western concepts. Great seafood. Great sake list. Wine and other alcohols available. Intensive use of local products combined with ingredients from other prefectures! Curry Lunch Sets!

As promised during my first visit at dinner time I finally managed to visit Kohaku in Shizuoka City to sample their curry!

A very Japanese entrance for curry at lunch!
Who would have known?
Actually the chef opens his restaurant at lunch time for the pure love of gastronomic research!

A very simple menu offering 5 different set lunches and a series of curries from plain to combinations!

Wat with the toppings there so many combinations that I will have to eat curry for lunch for a while.
Mind you it is the ideal food in summer when you tend not to eat enough!
Now, what combination did I order?

Can you guess?

Stir fried ginger pork!

Chopped vegetable salad of course!

And a beautiful crab/cream/potato/kabocha croquette!

And a big fresh raw egg to mix with the rice and curry sauce!

The complete lunch and so yummy!

To be followed (more combinations to sample!)…

KOHAKU/旬彩こはく

420-0085 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-Cho, 18-1, PIVOT Shizuoka, 1F
Tel.: 054-221-0589
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~23:00

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 蕎麦, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Soba, Soba Restaurant, Tourism

Soba Restaurant: Setsugekka in Shimada City (Late Spring 2012)!

4 Comments

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

It is a pity that Shimada City is almost 30 minutes away from Shizuoka City, or I would be constantly finding myself at Setsugekka Restaurant!
Actually, Shizuoka is a big Prefecture, even by Japanese standards. It takes no less than 3 hours to travel all the way from Shinohara in the west to Atami in the east, and add almost another hour to reach Shimoda at the extremity of Izu Peninsula!

We took the opportunity of a trip to Tenryuu to stop on the way and pay them a belated visit!

View of the inside seating.
We came early enough to secure the small “room” by the window!

The little detail that makes the difference!

Chilled soba/buckwheat tea served in hot weather! It will be warm in cold weather!

Whatever you order you will be served this delicious soba tofu with kinako/grilled soy bean powder!

Now, what did we have?
My worst half ordered the Kamo seiro/鴨せいろ/(hot) Duck Stew with cold soba.
I ordered a slight variation of the Dragon’s order: Kamo Sasami Seiro/鴨ささ身せいろ/ (hot) duck Breast Fillets with cold soba!

But before that I could help savor their dashi tamagoyaki for which they are also famous!

Served with grated daikon and pickled leaf ginger, a little piece of gastronomic art!

Served with finely chopped onion, grated wasabi and pepper as extra condiments for the soup!

My order!

Juwari/100% soba/buckwheat noodles!
You dip them in the duck soup first!

My duck!
It also includes duck meatballs concealed under!

The Missus’ duck!
Little difference in look but not the same quality! LOL

The dessert including lime sorbet is always offered as service at the end of one’s meal!

Can’t wait for the next visit!

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 車海老, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tempura, Tourism, 天婦羅

Tempura Restaurant: Tempura Naruse in Shizuoka City!

4 Comments

Service: Very friendly, smiling and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom
Prices: Moderate to expensive, but extremely good value
Strong points: Authentic traditional tempura gastronomy at its best with superlative products, a lot them local. Superlative attention and explanations!

There are not many great tempura restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture in spite of the abundance of superlative ingredients be they from the land and the sea.
But at least the best in the Prefecture, namely Narusei, would be on par with the best establishments in Tokyo and Kyoto!

Chef Takeo Shimura/志村剛生 originally hails from neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture and moved to Shizuoka City 10 years ago.

five years he finally opened Narusei in Takajo, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City and has never looked back since then!

The restaurant seating only 7 guests at a wide counter in front of the Chef is a model of traditional Japan all of warm wood and of incredible cleanliness enhanced by the fact that smoking is completely prohibited!

The fresh vegetables of the day!

Chef Shimura and his lady apprentice take care of the food while Mrs. Shimura look after the customers in a very efficient, unobtrusive and ever-smiling manner!

Chef Shimura uses a traditional but extravagant mixture of 90% sesame oil and 10 % cotton seed oil in two different pots at different temperature!

A great attention is taken for the smallest detail.
Pot of tsuyu/soupstock to dip your tempura in!

Great local sake served in earthenware!

Takeo Shimura at work!

I was so impressed with the earthenware that I forgot to take a close picture of the Makogarei/Turbot sashimi!

Crystal salt!

Two kinds of salt, finely chopped dry myoga ginger and freshly grated daikon to use at your discretion and to be replaced if used!

And also freshly pressed lemon juice!
Alright, what did I have for dinner, then?

Wara aburi aji/Horse mackerel seared over straw fire!

Mikawa Bay hand-picked Asari sakamushi/Cockles steamed in sake! Enormous!

Prawn tempura!
I had two actually, but everything was served one piece at a time!

The prawn heads as suage/deep-fried!

Ebi no miso no tempura/The brains of the prawns in tempura!

Aori Ika/Bigfin Reef Squid!

Eggplant/aubergine tempura!

Scabbard fish/Tachiuo and shiso tempura!

Broad beans Tempura!
When I mentioned that I love eating them with my fingers, Takeo Shimura replied it was the actually way to truly enjoy tempura!

Great teamwork!

Suruga Bay Amadai/Tilefish with its scales!

Aomori No Mozuku to Aori Ika no Mimi/Mozuku seaweed from Aomori with the “ears” of Aori Ika/Bigfin Reef Squid!

A second bottle of sake!

Grilled mekabu seaweed!

Shizuoka Onion tempura!

Hamaguri/Common orient clam tempura!

The best-ever fried potato: Shizuoka potato tempura!

Sweet green Manganji Toogarashi pimento tempura with dried bonito flakes!

Anago/Conger eel tempura!

Deep-fried conger eel backbone!

Anago no kimo/Conger eel liver tempura!

O-shinko/Home-pickled vegetables!

kakiage Chazuke/Rice served in hot tea with a kakiage tempura!

Kabosu citrus sorbet for dessert!

NARUSEI?
A special place for a special occasion!

TEMPURA NARUSE-てんぷら成生
420-0839 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 2-5-12
Tel.: 054-273-0703
Opening hours: 17:30~22:00
Reservations highly recommended
Closed on Mondays
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

Italian Gastronomy: Lunch at Osteria Porta Porta in Shizuoka City (May 2012)

Leave a comment

Squid Ink Pasta!

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

Osteria Porta Porta and his young chef, Hidetake Suzuki/鱸秀武 are slowly and surely achieving a well-deserved fame in Shizuoka City for the homey but inventive Southern Italian gastronomy served in a very informal and so friendly, if a bit shy, manner!

I make a point to pay them regular visit as they use only seasonal products mainly from Shizuoka, but also from Italy and Europe!

My favorite place at the small counter by the window!

The pasta served at Osteria Porta Porta!

Even at lunch look at the “carte” on the blackboard!
You will get tempted away from the regular menu!

Interesting traditional pasta making tools!

A painting of Puglia houses!

Reasonable Italian red wine and beautiful home-baked bread!
I was very hungry at that particular lunch so I ordered the biggest lunch menu!

Antipasti misto plate!
Always so generous at Osteria Porta Porta!

If I hadn’t been so hungry that would have been enough, what with caprese salad, pork terrine, fish escabeche, quiche, ham, and vegetable salad!

Squid ink pasta with plenty of local squid! So fresh and delicious!

Fujinomiya RYB Ton (pronounce “Louis Vuiton!) pork steak and vegetables!

From another angle to show you the attention to details!

I love lentils!

The dessert!

What do we have there?

Non wheat flour hazelnuts cake!

Home-made dry fruit cassata ice-cream!

And coffeee served asit should be!

Alright, alright, i promise another report at dinner next time! LOL

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Bistro, Brasserie, Chicken, 美食, 観光, 農業, Food, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Bistro Gastronomy at Patina in Shizuoka City-Poached Chicken Salad

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.

The shy but ever-smiling lady Chef!

I do have a special fondness for Patina in Shizuoka City for the simple reason that they serve delicious French-style Bistro/Brasserie food in such an easy-going but elegant atmosphere!

And they have the immense merit to serve both red and white wine from my hometown/village Givry, Cote Chalonnaise, Bourgogne, France!

Their lunches are a real bargain and they change every week!

The Lunch plate is particularly interesting with two main dishes to choose from every week!

The Plate Lunch menu includes a soup + 1 main dish + the pickles of the day, a salad, bread or rice and one drink!

They started their own (Japanese) Blog!

I often order from the carte but this time I ordered the Plate Lunch!
What did I have?
First a hot bacon and vegetables consomme soup.

Of course I had a glass of wine (extra) with it!
Poached chicken salad with bread!

Actually they write it “boiled chicken” in Japanese but it is definitely poached chicken ham!
Very tasty and healthy!

Beautiful bread and Red Moon potatoes!

Delicious potato and kabocha mash with fresh vegetables!

I couldn’t resist and extra order when I had a look at their desserts!

Apple and banana Tarte with vanilla ice cream to accompany my coffee!

I still haven’t had dinner here yet! LOL

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 10:00~15:00, 17:00~20:30 (last orders)
Holiday not decided yet
BLOG
Non-smoking but for a small table away from the other patrons at the end of a long hall before the washroom

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Bars, Beer, 美食, 酒, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fashion, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Tourism

Food & Drink Bloggers in Japan (May 2012)

12 Comments

The number of foreigners and Japanese nationals who write about the food and drinks in Japan in English (or at least answer comments in English) has remarkably increased lately.
I thought it was about time to start some kind of round-up to help people discover these deserving foodies and their blogs!The list below is far from exhaustive, but I’m planning to update and announce it regularly!
Of course if you know more foodies residing in Japan, do please direct them to me and I will introduce them gladly!

HOKKAIDO TRIBE
(Hokkaido Island)
Meishu no Yutaka by Carlin

TOHOKU TRIBE
(Northeastern Japan: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima)
Cooking with Mama Miyuki in Sendai
Slow Food From Japan by Nigel Fodgen in Miyagi Prefecture.

KANTO TRIBE
(Eastern Japan: Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa)
Japan Eat’s Videos
Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton
Watch Japan in Tokyo
Little Japan Mama in Tokyo
Japan Eats (featured on request)
47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities By Sara and Roshni in Tokyo
Eating Out in Tokyo with DominicTokyo Through The Drinking Glass by Melinda Joe in Tokyo
Tokyo Foodcast by Etsuko Nakamura in Tokyo
Sake World by John Gauntner in Tokyo: The inernational Reference for Japanese Sake!
Tokyo Terrace by Rachael in Tokyo
Gaijin Tonic in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture
Nonjatta by Chris Bunting in Tokyo
The Soul Of Japan in Kanagawa Prefecture
Sake, kimono and Tabi In Tokyo
Tokyo Kawai, Etc… in Tokyo
Blue Lotus in Tokyo
The Japanese Food Report by Harris Salat in Tokyo
The Sake Chronicles in Tokyo
Watashi to Tokyo by Mari Kanazawa in Tokyo
Japanese Food-Food Lover’s Guide by Yukari Yamamoto in Tokyo
Gaijin Life by a Canadian gentleman in Tokyo
Leo’s Japan Food Blog in Tokyo
Eating Out In Tokyo With Jon
Fugu Tabetai in Tokyo
Japan Style in Tokyo
COCO’s Oriental Kitchen by angela Cooper in Tokyo
Free Online Japanese Food Recipes in Tokyo
Reminiscenec in Tokyo
Cooking Japanese Style By Naoko, in Tokyo

CHUBU TRIBE
(Central Japan: Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi)
Good Beer & Country Boys in Aichi Prefecture
Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonbayashi in Shizuoka City!
Damonde Life by Matt Ryan in Hamamatsu & Enshu, shizuoka Prefecture
Mangantayon in Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Gourmet, Shizuoka Sake, Shizuoka Sushi, Shizuoka Shochu in Shizuoka Prefecture
Bryan Baird’s Beer & Brewery in Numazu in Shizuoka Prefecture
A Modern Girl from Niigata and all over Japan!

KANSAI TRIBE
(Western Japan: Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Kyoto, Wakayama)
Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
Yellin Yakimono Gallery by Robert Yellin in Shizuoka Prefecture, just moved to Kyoto!
Colorfood Daidokoro in Osaka (Englis & French)
Dominique Corby In Osaka (in French, but can answer and read in English)
Nagaijin in Osaka
Kyoto Foodie in Kyoto
Our Adventures in Japan by K and S Minoo in Osaka
Japan Food Addict by Mai in Kyoto

CHUGOKU
(“Central Country”: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi)
“Made in Matsue” in Shimane prefecture
Get Hiroshima Blog in Hiroshima
The Wide Island Review, The JET Programme Webzine Of Hiroshima Prefecture (includes food & drink articles)

SHIKOKU
(Shikoku Island: Kagawa, Kochi, Ehime, Tokushima)
Obachan’s Kitchen & Garden Balcony in Kochi Prefecture
Still Clumsy With Chopsticks in Kochi Prfecture (Continuation of Obachan’s Kitchen & Garden Balcony)
Rocking in Hakata by Deas Richardson

KYUSHU
(Kyushu Island: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Saga, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima)
Finding Fukuoka
Food from Fukuoka, Kyushu and Japan by Fumiko Soda
Fukuoka Sake Guide by Daisuke Ito
Quixotidienne in Kagoshima Prefecture

OKINAWA
(Okinawa Archipelago)
HWN Pake in Okinawa in Chatan, Okinawa
I’m sorry to say that Nate has just passed away and that his blog has disappeared, but I’ll keep it there as it is in his memory!
Dojo Bar in Naha
Eating Okinawa
Okinawa Hai!
Total Okinawa

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Bistro, 美食, 観光, Food, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Bistro: Kuroneko Tei in Hamamatsu City!

Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and unpretentious
Equipment & Facilities: Great general cleanliness. Very clean washroom
Prices: Reasonable~appropriate
Strong points: Southern France Cuisine. Wines popping out of nowhere. Great use of local products.

Whereas Shizuoka City is very compact and easy to walk around, Hamamatsu City with a similar population proves to be a veritable expedition when it comes to discover its hidden treasures!
But it is certainly worth exploring!

Over 10 years ago when Akira Fukui/福井章さん (everyone calls him “Fuku Chan”) decided to leave the corporate world and open a bistro he found this place called Kuroneko Tei/くろねこ亭/The Black Cat Restaurant just vacated by its former owner and decided not to change the original name although he cares little for cats!

It was far from easy at the beginning but the black cat brought him good luck in the end!
He refurbished the place little by little, keeping the first floor with a counter seating 7 people free of smoke and creating a private space for partying, eating, smoking, exhibiting local artists and holding mini concerts upstairs!
The establishment being tucked away in narrow side street it has become one of the best known secret places in town!
People are invited to relax and share a word at all times!
The only problem is that the place is dark making photography tough work!

Fuku Chan at work in his tiny kitchen!

The food and wine are definitely French-inspired!

With plenty of solid and reasonable French wines such as this Cote du Rhone/Grenache by Domaine Jean David!

He shows great support to local farmers, fishermen and even artists as a lot of local pottery is used in his restaurant!

Some of the wines lying in wait for you!

Foreigners are welcome (Fuku Chan is a fan of the Yamaha Top Teague Rugby Team!) and forks and knives and chopsticks are available with a nice cat chopsticks rest!

Live sawagani/river crabs!

All kinds of friends seem to bring him local finds!
Yesterday one brought local live sawagani/river crabs!

Italian cuisine is also present with caprese salad!

Local asparaguses sauteed and served with cheese!

Southern French cuisine appears very much with local fish!

Isaki/伊佐木/Chicken Grunt (the fish name!) meuniere!

Fuku Chan had the sawagani drunk live in white wine before deep-frying them as they were!
A true local delicacy!

Even Spanish and Moroccan cuisine find their way in with this tajine paella!

As the menu changes regularly expect new finds and morsels!

To be continued…

KURONEKO TEI
430-0931 Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, Shinmei Cho, 315-8 (Sakana Machi Street near Shimizu Bank)
Tel: 053-453-9334
Business hours: Lunch, 12:00~16:00 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday only). Dinner, 17:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays and fourth Monday
First floor entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Cakes, 美食, Dessert, Desserts, 茶, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Strawberries, Tea, Tourism

French Dessert with Local Shizuoka Ingredients by Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City!

2 Comments

Service: Highly professional and friendly
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: Reasonable~appropriate
Strong points: Freshest produce and ingredients only, mainly from Shizuoka Prefecture. Organic vegetables, top-class Shizuoka-bred meat and Suruga Bay seafood. Seasonal food only.

Map (Japanese)

Last Monday I had to visit Tetsuya Sugimoto, one of the very top French Restaurants in the whole Prefecture after lunch to talk with Tetsuya about white asparagus producers in Shizuoka (there is one!).
Having already eaten lunch, I nonetheless could not resist asking for a light dessert with my coffee as we conducted our talks!

The cake was a mousse made with Hon Yama tea grown along the Abe and Warashina Rivers in Shizuoka City laying over light Genoise biscuit/short cake!

The ice cream/sorbet was created with organic Akihime Strawberries from Shizen no Chikara farm in Shizuoka City!
Incidentally all sugar comes from sugar canes grown in Kakegawa City!

A delicious and extravagant dessert in its simplicity!
The perfect dessert for slim-conscious ladies!
Even a chauvinistic male like me loved it!

To be followed…

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

Entirely non-smoking!