Tag Archives: Restaurants

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

February 9, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And look forward to a great different dessert everyday!

And they serve the coffee the right way!

Dinner report to come next!LOL

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

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

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at Aquavite!

February 7, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

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

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

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

Vegetables from Shizuoka Prefecture!

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

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

Like all good Italian Restaurants Aquavite bake their own bread!

They also propose a great variety of pasta!

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

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

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

Artistic and delicious tiramisu for dessert!

Real coffee served the proper way!

And exquisite home-made Italian biscuits!

Looking forward to the next visit!

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

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Fruit Cocktails by Wataru Matsumoto 12: Ookimi & Toukun Strawberries

February 2, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

This article could well been titled “Strawberries: From the Shizuoka Producer to the Gastronomic Table: Cocktails at Botanical!

After Gentil, I went to visit my good friend, Wataru Matumoto/松本亙, bartender/owner at Botanical, Shizuoka City to ask him to create a couple of his famous fruit cocktails with the Ookimi and Tokun Strawberries from Yaizu City!

Ookimi Strawberries on the left and Toukun Strawberries on the right!

Toukun Strawberry Cocktail (Cai Pirigna style)

These strawberries have a very strong perfume of peaches although their taste is llight and elegant.

INGREDIENTS:

-Strawberries: 2 large, diced
-Cachaca 51 (Brazilian Sugar cane rum, 40 degrees proof): 1 measure
-Sugar: 2~3 teaspoons
-Lime juice, 1 cut
-Crushed ice: 1 cup

RECIPE:

-Dice/cut the strawberries
-In a large glass drop the strawberries and all other ingredients.
-Shake the whole Boston-style.
-Pour in a “rock glass”.
-Top with some more crushed ice and decorate with a strawberry.

Keep a spoon handy, especially if you are in a hurry.
You can either drink this very refreshing cocktail slowly or eat it!
Rum enhances the strawberries for a very elegant drink

Ookimi Strawberry Champagne Cocktail

These strawberries have a great balance bewteen sweetness and acidity and an elegant taste.

INGREDIENTS:

-Ookimi Strawberries: 3
-Syrup: 1~2 teaspoons
-Mumm Champagne: 1 measure
-Absinthe/Pastis: half a teaspoon
-Crushed ice: just a little

RECIPE:

-Pour all the ingredients into a blender and blend well.
-Add 1 more measure of Mumm Champagen and pour into a long glass.
Decorate with a star anise seed.

Very elegant with the sweetness of the strawberries appearing late on your palate!

BOTANICAL (Comfort Bar)
420-0082 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-6-13, Shade Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-221-8686
Opening hours: 17:00~01:00
Closed on Mondays.
Credit Cards OK

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Strawberries: From the Shizuoka Producer to the Gastronomic Table: Gentil!

January 31, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Ms. Keiko Kubota/久保田敬子 at Gentil Restaurant

Ranking：
Service: very professional
Facilities: Very clean, superb facilities.
Prices:~ Slightly expensive to expensive
Strong points: Beautiful and fresh ingredients presented and combined to perfection. Local ingredients whenever possible. Superb wine list. The best cheese trays in Japan! Everything thoroughly and kindly explained!
Map

Toukun Strawberries

Yesterday I visited my good friend, Ms. Keiko Kubota, Maître D’Hôte at Gentil/ジャンテイ・レストラン, the oldest French Restaurant in Town and probably Prefecture.
I do not need to introduce this extremely talented lady who has attained national and international fame as the only Japanese Compagnon d’Honneur du Guilde des Fromagers (フランス熟成士の組合ギルドデフロマージュからコンパニオンドヌール)!
The reason for my sudden visit was to introduce her to new strawberries that have just been created in Shizuoka Prefecture, namely Ookimi/おおきみ and Toukun/桃薫 produced by an association of 6 farmers in Yaizu and Fujieda Cities.
Not only did I introduce her to these beauties, but I also challenged her to create (with her chef) a couple of gastronomic delights!

Sautéed Foie Gras with Toukun strawberries, fried and glazed Toukun Strawberry, Foie Gras Mousse on Aromatic Herbs Tile and Toukun Strawberry Jelly!

Now, for the explanations!

The foie gras was sautéed as it is (its own fat is enough) with a little salt and pepper and served with slices of one half Toukun strawberry.

The other half of the Toukun strawberry was lightly fried and glazed in its own natural sugar.
The leftover juices of the strawberry were combined with those of the foie gras with a little Madeira wine for a perfect sauce!
Great balance between relatively acid strawberries and strong-flavored foie gras!

A tile (タイル) perfumed with aromatic herbs, arching above some cress, was then topped with foie gras mousse decorated with jelly made from the same strawberry!

Ookimi Strawberries

An Ookimi strawberry Farandole (ファランドル)!

Farandole is a dance from the South of France, meaning that all participants join hands in a dancing circle.

The Ookimi strawberries were delicately cut and placed in a circle with small balls of ice cream and sorbet in their centre.

Can you guess the ice creams and sorbets?
Strawberry, Vanilla, Yoghurt and Panacotta!
All elegance!
The perfect dessert for ladies?

I don’t have to tell that I’m also looking forward to Ms. Kubota’s creations with other Shizuoka products I will bring her soon!

Restaurant Gentil
Address:420-0031 Shizuoka Shi, Gofuku-cho, 2-9-1, Gennan Kairaku building, 2F
Tel.: 054-2547655 (Reservations advisable)
Fax: 054-2210509
Opening hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~last orders for meals at 21:30. Bar time 18:00~23:30. Closed on Mondays.
Credit cards OK
Homepage　(Japanese)

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Shizuoka Products from the Producer to the Gastronomic Table: SPICE in Mishima City

January 11, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Great use of local products. Vegetables extensively used.

More and more restaurants in the whole of Shizuoka Prefecture are not only conscious of good food and health but actively promote local products. You do not have to be pretentious about it, but just show your love for good food and health!

SPICE in the City of Mishima is such an establishement which opened only a few years ago and has acquired a fame spreading well over the cities boundaries. After all it’s on the other side of our large Prefecture!

The place will fill very quickly at lunch and dinner. Either you come ealry or reserve!
The staff are all young local people who know farmers in Mishma and West Hakone, a region famed for its vegetables all year round.
They also the merit to organize parties with great hors d’oeuvres/starters to please vegetarians and omnivore alike!

Last week we manged to grab a table for lunch on our way to Izu Peninsula and ordered the set menu for 2011 yen (because it was the beginning of 2011 year!).
It comprised the the hors d’oeuvres tray above with beautiful local vegetables,

a choice of pasta dishes: I chose (above) the vegetables and parmegiano cheese one,

and the Missus chose the Mushrooms pasta in sea urchin sauce.

The set menu also included the dessert of the day, raspberry panacotta, coffee 8or tea) with a real fresh cream pot (a luxury in Japan) and cane sugar!

Extremely great value!
Another must druring my next visit to dear Mishima City!

SPICE
Shizuoka ken, Mishima Shi, Hon Cho, 7-30
Tel.: 055-981-8889
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 18:00~22:00
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Lunch sets: 1.050~1890 yen
Special Chef’s Lunch: 2,625 yen
Dinner: Vegetables dinner: 2,280 yen
A la carte: 420~1,890 yen
Parties on reservation

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

French Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at Pissenlit (end of 2010)

January 2, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

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

Pheasant/Kiji/雉 rasied by Mr. Horiuchi/堀内 in Enshyu/遠州 and organic vegetables by Mr. Hirooka/広岡 in Mishima City/三島市

Mr. Touru Arima/有馬亨 has written his name all over the Prefecture for his extensive use of Shizuoka products. I have already introduced him many a time, so I will keep things easy this time as I intend only to publish and comment on photographs I took recently at his famed restaurant, Pisssenlit in Shizuoka City!

Here is the other side of the top picture showing the organic vegetables grown by mr. Hirooka In Mishima City.
The sauce is basically a cognac brandy cream sauce. The flesh of the pheasant was so tender and superlative!

This three-colored vegetable terrine was made with organic carrots and spinach and non-organic mushrooms, all from Shizuoka Prefecture!
Healthy and so tasty!

Anago/Conger Eel/穴子 terrine.
The conger eel are from Shizuoka Prefecture as well the the lettuce and tomatoes. The whole terrine was wrapped into Italian pancetta bacon. A east and West marriage?

Ezo Shika/Venison from Hokkaido/エゾ鹿 in wine sauce and organic vegetables.
Although the succulent Ezo Shika/venison was from the island of Hokkaido and the was was mainly made with red wine from France, the vegetables are all organic vegetables by Mr. Hirooka in Mishima City!

For a better view of the organic vegetables!

Usuiton Pork/湧水豚 from Fujinomiya City/富士宮市 roasted in Dijon Mustard with Cheese and organic vegetables.
Shizuoka Prefecture is becoming famous for some truly extravagant pork. I already have tasted at least 3 kinds of prime pork produced in the Prefecture!

Organic vegetables Pasta!
Although Mr. Arima’s cuisine is basically French, this Italian-inpsired pasta in cream sauce with a host of beautiful organic vegetables has become a specialty of his!

Don’t worry, this is far from being the end!

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

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Shizuoka Marine Products at Sushi Ko: Seabream and Cuttlefish

December 21, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Left: Tennen Madai/天然真鯛/Wild Red Seabream
Right: Aori Ika/障泥烏賊/Bigfin Reef Squid

Last night I had another occasion to visit my favorite Sushi Restaurant Sushi Ko in Aoba Koen/青葉公園/”Green Leaves Park” in Shizuoka City.
I go through many of my own traditional enquiries before choosing my morsels, and one of them is to find out what is on the “sashimi menu of the day”!

This was when I noticed two items labeled “Tennen/天然, meaning “natural/wild” from Shizuoka Prefecture, more precisly from the Suruga Bay:

Madai/真鯛/Red Seabream (English information, Japanese information)

The fish is not only served as sashimi, but being very fresh (actually alive in a tank at Sushi Ko!), it is also served with its skin in aburi/炙り/grilled style!
The flesh is extremely tender and almost sweet. No wonder it is so prized in Japan!

Aori Ika/障泥烏賊/Bigfin Reef Squid (English information, Japanese information)

Sushi Ko serves it in strips that have been indented at regular spaces for an easier bite and for a better exposure to taste.
The cuttlefish is in fact easy to chew and very tasty!

Notice the edible perilla/shiso/紫蘇 flowers and grated wasabi from Shizuoka, too!

Sushi Ko
shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Agricultural Products from Producer to the Gastronomic Table:　LOCOMANI

December 11, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Ranking：
Very friendly and relaxed
Equipment: Very clean
Prices: Very reasonable
Strong points:Freshest produce and ingredients only, mainly from Shizuoka Prefecture. Organic vegetables. Seasonal food only

Entirely non-smoking!

“Healthy and tasty Shizuoka food!”

When Shigeyuki Aoshima/青島茂幸 (35) and his wife Hiroko/寛子 (33) opened Locomani in Takajo Machi, Shizuoka City in June 2008 they were on a mission: create healthy food for all and mainly from Shizuoka products.

Their restaurant/cafe is a very cozy place all wood and country decoration, a warm place to enjoy slow food at lunch or early dinner or a little haven for a quiet drink and a book or friend.

Their menus outside and inside are written in Japanese but they will be glad to explain the food to foreigners, however long it will take with a constant smile. Actually both are very shy, but once the ice is broken they enjoy a good talk!

Chicken in Peking Duck fashion set meal.

They cater both for vegetarians (vegan is possible on order) and omnivores. They always use the freshest ingredients and organic vegetables whenever possible.

Even set lunches (all priced at 1,000 yen) are for the main part vegetables, cooked or raw.

genmai/玄米/whole rice

Rice can be ordered white, genmai/玄米/whole, or half white, half whole.

Vegetarian kuruma fun katsu/車ふんカツ　lunch set

The katsu/cutlets are vegetarian and served with an apple and miso sauce!

Organic vegetables curry set

This very tasty curry is practically vegan as they use coconut milk!

All set lunches come with miso soup and three-year old organic tea!
As a rule they change 2 of 4 set lunches every week (the other two, including the organic vegetable curry are “regular set lunches”)

Fresh fig tart

if you come in the afternoon be on the lookout for their simple but great seasonal desserts!

As I mentioned above, the Aoshimas are always trying to use local vegetables, especially organic vegetables, and others. Accordingly they are on a constant search of new sources.
If you are a gardener, producer or farmer proud of your vegetables, do contact them for an eventual business collaboration!

And do check their blog. too!

LOCOMANI
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo machi, 1-10-06
静岡市葵区鷹匠町１－１０－０６
Tel.: 054-260-6622
opening hours: 11:30~20:00
Closed on Wednesdays

Blog: http://rokomani.exblog.jp/

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Italian Cuisine: Umegashima Wild Boar Ragu Pici Pasta at Il Castagno

November 18, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

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

The other day as I cycled around to find out where I was going to have my lunch between two bouts of computer work, I noticed an interesting if not unusual dish on the menu of the day posted in front of Il Castagno:
Umegashima Wild Boar Pasta!

Umegashima is the area located near the source of the Abe River flowing across Shizuoka city.
It is nationally famous for its many hotsprings, tea culture and wasabi and shamo chicken.
But what people know leｓs is that it is a region replete with wild game, especially deer and wild boar!
The chef at Il Castagno managed to put his hands on a wild boar leg and hind which had been shot down a few days before my visit!

He marinated the meat for 24 hours in herbs, wine and ingredients he did not really want to reveal…
He then simmered slowly with white wine into an incredible Ragu!
Themeat had been so softened that it was easily shredded into convenient bits for a pasta dish.
The present pasta are Toscana Pici, hand-made at the resataurant (all pasta there is freshly hand-made!).
Serve with Italian parsley and Parmeggiano Regiano, it made for an utterly extravagant pasta dish!

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

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

French Desserts at Pissenlit

November 17, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

I do not need to introduce Pissenlit, one of the very best French restaurants in the whole Shizuoka Prefecture.
As I often go there, alone, with the Missus or friends, I find it more practical to introduce Tooru Arima’s creations as a group!
This time I would like to introduce you to some of his recent desserts!

Let’s start with the first one (Top picture repeated!):
La France Pear Compote on Vanilla Ice-cream and Creme Brulee.
The pear had been compoted beforehand and kept in the fridge.
It was placed on a portion of home-made vanilla ice-cream.
The whole was covered and surrounded with a light creme anglaise/custard which was then “brulee” with a gas burner. Some glazing sugar and mint were added to the fear as a finishing point!
Succulent and lighter than it looks!

Coffee Creme Brulee.

The dreme/pudding contained a lot of strong mocha coffee for the perfect mariage. The creme was brulee until its srface was thick and crackling.
Served with fresh figs, it almost looked like a chocolate cream.
As usual lighter than usual and a treat you never tires of. Of course served with a high-quality coffee!

Roasted Figs with Vanilla Ice Cream and Roquefort Blue Cheese Cream.

Now, this was quite a discovery!
The sweet taste of the roasted (Shizuoka-grown) figs was counterbalanced in two gradual ways: first the vanilla ice-cream (light as usual) will bring you down a little from the sweet plane onto the salted and sweet plane formed by the Roqufort cheese mixed into a light cream!
An experience!

Caramel Flan/Pudding with Fruits and Vegetables Sorbets.

A seemingly simple dessert until you discover than sorbets are made with vegetables, spinach and tomato! The fruit are persimmon, pione grapes and two small fruits I don’t have a clue about (sorry,I’ll check during my next visit!).
Incidentally the caramel pudding is firm, sweet to the right point and the caramel sauce a beauty!

looking forward to the next ones!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Japanese Gastronomic BBQ in Mariko

September 30, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

Suruga Beef!

BBQ’s are probably the most common way of enjoying great company with great food and great drinks in the whole world even if you are a teetoller or vegan!

And Japan is no exception!
Now, BBQ’s in Shizuoka can turn into extravagant affairs if they organised by local chefs, sake brewmasters and farmers using only local ingredients!

To make a long story shorter, we found about 30 of us last Sunday noon in Mariko, a site famed as one of the stages along the old Tokaido Road used by travellers in the Edo Era.
Being organized by Japanese, it was all very precise and delightful.
For 60 US $ (including drinks) per adult a BBQ site (20 US $ included in the total fee) was rented just beside Sanko/山幸 restaurant up in the nearby mountain.

Sanko Restaurant entrance. Very Japanese!

Beautiful flower arrangement/Ikebana/活花 at the entrance!

Side entrance to the inner garden and facilities (important with all those drinks!)

The event had been organised under the auspices of Nagashima Sake Store in Shizuoka and its owner, Takahiro Nagashima/長島隆博 (far right).

All the sake had been brewed by Brewmaster Takashima San/高島さん of Takashima Brewery in Numazu City. Incidentally that gentleman ,even with a glass in hand, would not be easily overwhelmed as he holds a 5th dan (Black Belt) in judo!

All the sake served was clearly advertized!

The Japanese, even during a BBQ, once they are seated, move only to get their food or drinks (unless a willing lady or subaltern is on hand!), but being an uncouth foreigner, I kept moving around! LOL

Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健哉, owner/chef at Uzu Restaurant, Shizuoka City, needed a baseball horn to make himself heard when announcing the festivities!

Now for the vegetarians and vegans: all these vegetables had been prepared beforehand by Kenya Yoshimura with organic vegetables coming from Matsuki Biofarm in Shibakawa Cho at the foot of Mount Fuji!

Other carefully chosen vegetables had been provided by Takeo Shimura/志村剛生, chef/owner of Narusei Tempura Restaurant in Shizuoka City!

Now for the beef!
All Suruga Beef/駿河牛, carefully chosen and provided by Shigeharu Sano/佐野茂治, chef/owner at Kamoshibito Restaurant in Shizuoka City.
This particular beef, as good as Kobe beef, comes from from animals exclusively bred in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Da the Men! Shigeharu Sano and Kenya Yoshimura!

Shigeharu Sano at work!

Don’t you want to board the next bullet train to Shizuoka City!

Or the next plane? LOL

This being Japan, all is cut beforehand for you!

Now, whatever the occasion, the Japanese will go not without their soup!
This very soup was extravagant as prepared (with other things, pork liver in particular!) by Yuusuke Toozaki/登崎雄介, chef/owner at Hana Oto Restaurant in Shizuoka City.
It was made with miso, vegetables and mangenton/万言豚 pork, exclusively raised in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Now, this gentleman, Toshiaki Horie/堀江利彰 came all the way from the Amagi Mountains/天城山 in Izu Peninsula/伊豆半島 to bring Shamo Chicken/軍鶏 he bred himself until 4-month old with the best feed and environment available in his farm.
Enormous chicken! Look at that neck!

Not only he brought them, but went through the cutting demonstration no less than 3 times!

Although revellers kept at the safe distance lots of questions were asked and most amiably answered!

That knife was flying, I can tell you!

Et voila! All cut and ready. All in less than 3 minutes!

Oh, I forgot to tell you:
All the meat, beef, pork, chicken and some vegetables were exclusively grilled over charcoal!

Now, are you convinced than a mere BBQ can be called gastronomic?

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Sushi Restaurant: Autumnal Visit to Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City!

September 25, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

The other day the Missus and I paid our Autumnal visit to Sushi Ko, one of our favourite sushi restaurants in Shizuoka City!

Since I have already introduced this great restaurant many a time, I will skip the niceties and introduce what we had right away!

Katsuo aburi/seared bonito as an appetizer with the first drink.

Kampachi/Japanese Amberjack (Western-style) carpaccio.

Anago/conger eel. Notice that the wasabi is on top!

Ishidai/Seabream-Snapper variety

Kujira/whalemeat

Deep-fried tuna cubes.

Hotate/Scallops.

Magurozuke/Marinated tuna.

For a closer view of the same!

Tachiuo Aburi/Seared scabbard fish.

Sushi Millefeuille. Sorry for the fuzzy pic. I’m using a new cell phone camera!

One of the best local sake, Hatsukame!

East meets West: scallops gratin!

The Missus’ favourite: spicy scallops roll!

Vegan sushi!

Sakura/Horsemest.

Seafood miso soup with seaweed.

Botan Ebi/Large sweet prawns. Sorry for the fuzzy picture again!

The heads of the same, deep-fried!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Polyculture: Shigehiko Suzuki at Shige-Chan Garden

September 23, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

Shigehiko Suzuki/鈴木重彦 goes by the nickname “Shige-Chan”, which is also the name of his agricultural enterprise. Actually people have called him simply Shige-chan, a mark of respect from his peers in the local world of agriculture.

As usual On Wednesdays, my good friend Natsuko Koyanagi was on hand to help!

Shige-chan is a polyvalent farmer.
He grows a lot of cress/cresson, a vegetable which has become increasingly popular. He grows it on no less than 220 tsubo/~700 square meters! The above culture is done on “Buckets”.

He also grows “Fruitical” tomatoes on 600 more tsubo~2,000 square meters.
All agricultural land is rented!

Although he says that the tomatoes are not up to par in summer, they certainly look beautiful!

The best season is in February but they need great care all year round.
Shige-Chan’s hooby is arm wrestling, so I’m sure he has the stamina!
Would you believe he has only one gentle old lady to help him do all the picking?

Tomatoes are not attached to poles but kept standing by ropes attached to the “ceiling” of the greenhouses!

It was very hot that day (26 degrees on September 22nd!) and it was even hotter inside!

The gourds seemed to have a good time though!
Shige-chan uses as little pesticides as possiblle and works with his own brand of fertilizers.

And walking between each greenhouse contributed to a lot of lost sweat if not weight!

His other hobby is pisciculture!

This cress is cultivated in “hedge-style”
A central-heating system keeps the temperature above 8~10 degrees in winter while a ventilator systems keep the cress cool in summer.
Incidentally cress must be allowed to flower!

These tomatoes were seeded 6 weeks ago.

But his very first culture has always been roses for the last 22 years after he finished high school!
Quite a lot of them on 80 tsubos/~260 square meters!

An interesting variety, although

Shige-chan specialises in mini-roses of his own brand.

All roses ae grown in the “arch method” for even culture and straight stems.

Tomatoes ready to be delivered.
Shige-Chan spends every morning of the year (with the sole exception on New Year) from 06:00 t0 11:00 sorting, packaging and sending his tomatoes and cress all over Shizuoka Prefecture and as far as Tokyo!

Tough guy!

Shige-Chan Garden (Mr. Shigehiko Suzuki)
421-2118 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Uchimaki, 1720
Tel.: 090-2773-5182
Fax: 054-207-7268
HOMEPAGE (Japanese
BLOG (Japanese)

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Gardening After Retirement: Yoshizou Sugiyama (1)

September 20, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

I have been observing my neighbour for quite some time, always exchanging daily greetings and a chat now and then for the last 17 years. It seems that all the time I had entertained the wrong impressions about his life past and present although the gentleman had alway been extremely civil with me.

I thought it was about time to have a “real” chat with him. After all, the gentleman had woken me up a few times in the past as early as 6:30 a.m. to offer me some products of his garden, especially red shizo/perilla leaves I’m so fond of!

Spinach

Mr. Yoshizou Sugiyama/杉山芳造 (70) retired at the early age of 53 after scouring the whole of Japan working for Sumitomo Life Insurance. He certainly could afford to retire as he bought land for his new house near my abode.

Just a very few of mr. Sugiyama’s bonsai!

Being born in a local farming family and having an older brother growing rice and tea (he still occasionally gives him a hand), it was only natural that he expanded on his bonsai hobby he had pursued for the last 45 years.

Sato imo/Taro

He first borrowed land from a neighbour to indulge into his gardening hobby as his collection of bonsai did not leave hime any place.
A few ago he finally managed to buy some land next to his home from the local rice grower who had decided to change his field into a much-needed car-park.

Eggplants

The land area is 60 tsubo/~200 square metres. Not much by Western standards, but quite a bit for the Japanese, especially in towns.

Green shiso, leeks, brocoli and more bonsai!

He justly pointed out that real gardening is vastly different from a verandah hobby. He has to use pesticides, although sparingly as he tries to fend off pests with very thin mesh nets.

Fine mesh netting

As for fertilizers, which are unavoidale, he works with a mixture of artificial fertilizer and home-made compost.

The pest trap!

He has also devised his own brand of trap for night pests!

Taiwan tororo

He grows all kinds of vegetables all year round and according to season.
Presently he is tackling Brocoli, Satoimo/Taro, Eggplants, Ha Negi/Leeks, Daikon, Cabbage, Ha Shoga/Stick Ginger, Spinach, Green and Red Shiso/Perilla and a strange kind of Yama Imo/Yam called Taiwan Tororo.

Mukago

He even grows “Mukago”, the fruit of the Yamaimo/Yam!
These do ot come cheap in markets. You can eat them raw, fried, or boiled.

Otherwise you will see him busy at impossibly early hours tending Tomatoes, String beans, Green peas, Lettuce, and what else!

The gentleman has actually proved, in his own poker faced humour, a great source of information that I will have impart into coming articles.

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Italian Cuisine: Cozze e Gamberi Salsa al Pomodoro at Il Castagno in Shizuoka City

September 20, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sundays, if I don’t any cricket to attend to nor an interview to conduct, I ususally make a point to take lunch at Il Castagno in Shizuoka City.
It is unpretentious and very welcoming, but the food, reasonably priced, is authentic and definitely worth a firs and second visit.
The specialties are mainly from the South, especially the Puglia area where the chef and his partner have recently visited some old friends.

Yesterday I opeted for a different type of pasta: Olechiette, typical of South Puglia. Incidentally all pasta at Il Castagno is home-nade fresh Pasta!

The past was accompanied with mussles and large prawns.
The sauce was prepared with tomatoes and finely chopped zucchini.
The whole was delicately presented in an oval deep plate with fresh Italian parsley.

Simple and so sophisticated at the same time!