Tag Archives: Risotto

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Recommended Lunch Restaurants In Shizuoka Prefecture: Italian (as of December 2013. Added to)

December 11, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Traditional Pasta at Aquavite!

Many people only have time to visit restaurants at lunch and it is certainly not easy to find a restaurant with a better lunch with all those cheap diners around!
Here is the second installment of a series of reports on recommended lunch restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture which will be classified as follows:
-French
-Italian
-Western (American, European, et al)
-Japanese
-Asian
-Vegan & Vegetarian
-Ethnic
-Healthy

AL PORTO

Service: Kind, attentive and smiling!
Equipment & Facilities: Splendid cleanliness overall. Superb washroom (this is a hotel!)
Prices: Appropriate to expensive
Strong points: High class Italian gastronomy. Excellent wine list by the bottle and the glass. Great dessert plate!

AL PORTO
420-0851 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Kurogane Cho, 56, Hotel Associa, 15F
Tel.: 054-205-8633
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~21:00
Reservations advised
Credit Cards OK
HOTEL HOMEPAGE ENGLISH
AL PORTO HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

STORIA

Service: Friendly and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Extremely clean overall. Splendid gender separated washrooms
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Light & mild Italian gastronomy. Great use of local products
Entirely non-smoking!

STORIA
Chef: Koushin Saita/才田亨辰さん
422-8076 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo 1-7-13, Espacio Takajyou, 2F
Tel.: 054-260-7552
Opening hours: Lunch-11:30^14:30; Cafe-14:30~18:00, Dinner-18:00~22:30
Closed on Mondays and 2nd Tuesday (the next day in case of National Holiday)
Credit cards OK
Entirely non smoking!

VENTY DUE

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Excellent Washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Specialty: Real Napolitan Pizza baked on wood fire
Completely Non-smoking!

22 Venty Due
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo Machi, 3-21-20
Tel & Fax: 054-260-4522
Business hours:18:00~21:30
Closed on Sundays
Reservations advised.

OSTERIA TIALOCA

Service: Very friendly
Facilities: Very clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Traditional Italian Country Cuisine. Very good value. Very interesting list of Italian wines at reasonable prices

Osteria TiaLoca
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 1-7-8, 1F
Tel./fax: 054-260-0217
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 18:00~22:30
Closed on Mondays from 2012
Reservations recommended
HOMEPAGE/BLOG
Completely Non-smoking!

AQUAVITE

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
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!

ORTA RISTORANTE

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities: Superb cleanliness through and through and beautiful washroom.
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Authentic Northern Italian Gastronomy. Good wine list. Very fresh ingredients, local whenever possible
Entirely non-smoking!

Chef/Owner: Mr. Sebastiano Bonomi Pattini
Orta Ristorante
Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, Banya, 675, 2F
tel. & Fax: 053-455-0321
Business hours: 11:30~14:, 18:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays
HOMEPAGE
Credit Cards OK

TRATORRIA IL PALADINO

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!

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)

IL CASTAGNO

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.

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!

CAFE AKKO

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

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

CONTORNO

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Great cleanliness overall
Prices:Reasonable.
Strong points:Many local products be they from the land or the sea. Organic vegetables. Car park.
Entirely non-smoking!

Map

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 (Japanese)

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

NORI

Service: Very friendly and relaxed. Very intelligent explanations and presentations.
Equipment: Great general cleanliness in a beautifully decorated house. Superb washroom
Prices: Very reasonable considering the extravagant quality.
Strong points: A great accent on local products both from the land and the sea. Gastronomic Italian-style cuisine with a constant research on new products and methods. Excellent wine list. Superb grappa.
Completely Non-smoking!

NORI
426-0204 Shizuoka Ken, Fujieda Shi, Tokigaya, 864-3
Tel./Fax: 054-641-4778
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00; 18:00~22:00
On reservation only for dinner
Closed on Tuesdays and first Monday
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese, but do check it for great photographs of the house and garden!)
Completely Non-smoking!

SPICE

Service: Very friendly
Equipment: Great general cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable
Strong Points: Local vegetables and meat! Very healthy meals!
Completely Non-smoking!

SPICE
Mishima City, Hon-cho, 7-30, Via701-2, 2F
Tel.: 055-981-8889
Opening hours: 11:30~15:00, 18:00~22:00
Closed on Mondays
Parties welcome!
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Completely Non-smoking!

IL BROLO

Service: Friendly and easy-going!
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean overall. Beautiful washroom. Private tree park. Car parking.
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Wood oven baked pizzas. No smoking at lunch.

IL BROLO Pizzeria

421-0103 Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mariko, 2990-1
Tel./Fax: 054-266-7880
Openinh hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:30~21:30
Closed on Tuesdays and first Monday of the month
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
BLOG (Japanese)
No-smoking at lunch!

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Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

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ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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Italian Gastronomy: Lunch at Il Brolo in Shizuoka City!

December 11, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

I took the opportunity of my my visit to Mariko the other day to have lunch at a small bur busy pizzeria, Il Brulo!

One of its main attractions is a beautiful and cute small tree park which changes colors with the seasons!

The building used to be a Japanese-style cafe!

Il Brolo is equipped with a wood oven for entirely home-made pizzas!

They have some interesting (and very popular) set lunches. We opted for one with a tomato pasta, the other one with a Margharita Pizza and a glass of wine each.
Incidentally, you may order from the carte even at lunch!

The antipasti misto!

Fresh salad for good overall balance!

Brocoli, kabocha and fritata!

The tomato pasta, very mild in taste!

The Margherita Pizza!

For a better look of a healthy pizza!

The dessert: sweet potato cake and banana ice-cream!

And a true expresso to finish it all!

See you at dinner next time!

IL BROLO Pizzeria

421-0103 Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mariko, 2990-1
Tel./Fax: 054-266-7880
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:30~21:30
Closed on Tuesdays and first Monday of the month
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
BLOG (Japanese)
No-smoking at lunch!

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Sirloin Roast Beef Lunch at Don Ko An Restaurant In Shizuoka City!

December 7, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Kind, smiling, and easy-going if a bit shy at the beginning.
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean overall. Excellent washroom
Prices: reasonable to slightly expensive (beef is not cheap in Japan!)
Strong points: Beef! Roast Beef! Wagyu Beef! Take out and online orders!
Entirely non-smoking!

Don Ko An has now been in business in Aoi Ku along the Sengen Street< Shizuoka City for the last 15 years and as far as I know they are the only restaurant specializing in Roast Beef in the whole Prefecture!

it certainly has a good reputation in Shizuoka City and since I was visiting Sengen Street yesterday it was only normal I finally visited the place!

The lunch menu was certainly very attractive!

Beautiful noren/暖簾/entrance curtain!

The team (not including Tatsuya Suzuki’s founding father) of two smiling staff, the Chef of the House, 2nd generation Tasuya Suzuki and his spouse!

Part of the lunch menu! And it is a big one!
I chose the 3-slice sirloin roast beef lunch set!
At night there is a Wagyu Roast Beef Dinner available!

There is also a vast choice of take-outs on site and through the Internet!

The three-slices of roast beef lunch set!
Very reasonably priced when you consider the volume!

It comes with green salad,

very healthy Japanese soup,

and steamed white rice!

And the roast beef slices are truly enormous by Japanese standards and by my own!
Great sirloin meat you don’t need a sharp knife to cut through!

And served with grated horseradish!
very healthy actually!

Note: as lunch time is very busy you’d do well to come at 13:00 when customers are not so many!

DON KO AN
Roast Beef Restaurant
Chef: Tastuya Suzuki/鈴木達哉さん
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, baban Cho, 106 (mid way along Sengen Street)
Tel.: 054-251-7002
Fax: 054-251-7019
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~20:30
Closed on Sundays and national Holidays
Entirely non-smoking!
HOMEPAGE

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美食, 酒, 野菜, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, vegetables

Italian Gastronomy: Dinner at Storia in Shizuoka City!

December 6, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

I hadn’t planned to back to Storia, the newest Italian Restaurant in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, but my worse half suddenly developed an interest for it and we were there for dinner last night!
The Dragon “took care” of the ordering (there were some items I definitely wanted to sample, so I suppose I will have to come again on my own!)!

Storia offers an interesting deal with wine for dinner: if you order a full bottle the House will offer you an appetizer plate!

The appetizer plate!

Parma ham!

Succulent Shizuoka seabream carpaccio with home-made semi-dried tomatoes!

Terrine de campagne!

Chef Koushin Saita/才田亨辰さん has the knack and patience to choose some of the best vegetables in Shizuoka Prefecture and his oven-roasted vegetable plate is a must!

Actually I’m persuaded a vegetarian and even a vegan could enjoy a truly Italian dinner there!

Roasted to the perfect minimum and such beatiful colors!

Do try the home-marinated olives with your wine!

Chef Koushin Saita/才田亨辰さん also specializes in some great meat dishes including game.
It was a bit of a battle but we agreed on the quail legs wrapped in bacon and served with a Marsala sauce!

Some famed yakitori restaurants should take note!

For fish we had a typical fish from Suruga Bay: Isaki/伊佐木/Chicken Grunt (what a name for a fish!)!
Sorry, I took only one picture, busy as I was serving the Missus!

We had a bit of a fight again about the pasta so we left it to Chef Koushin Saita/才田亨辰さん to decide for us!

Beef Ragu Tagliatelle! Another must-try!

Of course we had to have dessert!

Home-made semi freddo ice cream!

And coffee served as it should be!

Note: Contrary to what the Dragon thought, although she loved the food, I love the sheer simplicity of the place. The cuisine is high standards even by Shizuoka standards, and it is traceable!
I especially recommend Storia to ladies, although I plan to go there again on my own! LOL

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Italian Gastronomy: Scabbard fish in Anchovy Sauce at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

December 1, 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!

one overwhelming reason why I keep coming back to Solio Italian Restaurant in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, is that Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦さん is always trying to adapt local products to Italian recipes for a superb fusion gastronomy!

“Sacbbard Fish/Tachiuo/太刀魚” is one of the great fish caught in Suruga Bay offshore Shizuoka Prefecture.
It is a very eclectic fish which can be prepared in innumerable manners.
Takahiko first deep-fry as he would do with conger eel and serve it with deep-fried Autumn eggplants with an exquisite anchovy sauce!
A must-try!

I wonder if they have scabbard fish in Italy? But the the Italians should definitely try it!

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!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Beef, 牛肉, 美食, 野菜, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Fusion Gastronomy, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Beef Cheek Stewed in Red Wine at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

November 28, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

have you ever tasted beef so tender that you don’t need a knife at all in spite of the big chunks of succulent meat?
Well, in this case you certainly must try the Beef Cheek Stewed in Wine painstakingly prepared by Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦 at Solio in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

Served with deep-fried Autumn eggplants/aubergines and potato slices it certainly makes enough for a dinner some bread and wine!
It took the two of us to finish in the middle of a dinner, so it should be enough for a single person!

Another real Italian “comfort food”!

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レシピ, 美食, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Lunch at Storia in Shizuoka City!

November 27, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

I finally found the opportunity to visit the newest Italian restaurant to open in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City on October 19th!
The more for it that it is near my working place just beside Cenova Department Store on the second floor overlooking the entrance to the Shizutetsu Railway Line!

They have the good sense to put up a lot of information downstairs, including one of their wines!

I was particularly interested in the A lunch course menu!

The place is so clean and modern with still a nice warm touch!

Beautiful but comfortable furniture!

I decided to have a glass of the rd wine they advertise downstairs!

Pinot Noir, Casillero del Diablo, from Chile!

The antipasto misti plate!

Fish and potato rillettes, ham and ratatouille salad!

Home-made terrine and sole carpaccio!

A beautiful green salad for great lunch balance!
Note that Chef Koushin Saita/才田亨辰さん uses practically only vegetables grown in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Simple but so appetizing!

Garlic toasts for the next dish!

Mussles steamed in white wine!

Gnocchi Solentini!

Actually the waitress had kindly advised me I could ask for pasta instead. I politely declined as I have a weakness for gnocchi! And I certainly was right!

Beef Tagliata with Sanchu leaf and makomo/komotake!

Succulent and tender beef cooked to perfection!

The dessert!

Although much maligned in Europe the Japanese have become masters of Tiramisu!

And Chef Saita is one of them!

And a nice hot tea to wash it all down!

See you there next at dinner!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 野菜, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Spinach & Cheese Risotto at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

November 26, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

I don’t mind posting a blog on a single dish, especially when it one by Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦! at Solio Italian Restaurant in Shizuoka City!
And the more for it because he makes the best (in my opinion!) risottos in the whole Prefecture!

Presentation and originality are primordial with such an apparently simple dish, but it is more difficult than one can imagine at first!
Actually Takehiko has always told me that he secret resides in the home-made stock soup first of all!

This particular risotto, very seasonal, was concocted with fresh spinach from his own garden and cheese!
You could not only taste the superb spinach but also bite on it with the small pieces of stems included on purpose!

A real Italian “comfort food”!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Risotto, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Italian Gastronomy: Spring “Tidbits” at Soloio in Shizuoka City, Japan!

April 7, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Now, what was that superlative risotto made with?
Read below!

Whenever I discover a new risotto concocted by Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦, who unofficially make the best in Shizuoka Prefecture, it seems to reminds me of Charles at Five Euro Food.. It might be time to challenge him to create a risotto for 5 euros!

I’ve already introduced Solio in Shizuoka many a time, but I go there regularly for a glass of wine and a single dish in between work I’ll just proceed directly to introduce the “tidbits” I recently enjoyed!

This salad was prepared with enormous lucolla/roquette leaves organically grown by one of the Chef’s neighbors!
In Shizuoka there is very little in using imported or mass-produced vegetables!

Beautiful lucolla leaves! Enormous, crispy and so delicious with a minimal dressing. Health in heaven!

The orange tomatoes are also grown in Shizuoka City!

Solio’s risottos are mostly seasonal.
The other day I asked if Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦 had any secrets for his famous recipes.
He simply enough replied:
“Any good chef can come up with truly great risottos if he uses good and fresh products. The only difference is the stock/stock soup!”
Great answer, but I will never know his secret stock!
Now, what was the above risotto made with?

Shizuoka-grown Na no Hana/Broccolini and Hokkaido “Kegani/毛蟹/Horsehair crab, Horse crab, supposedly the best crab in Japan!
Extravagant!

Now, how about this creamy one I had last night?

Sora mame/蚕豆/Broad beans and Talegio Cheese!

Takehiko asked me to try and come when the restaurant is not too busy as I tend to request dishes that are written on the official menu…

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!

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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,
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Memorable Gastronomy with Shizuoka Products in 2011!

January 3, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Fujiyama Wagyu Beef, Utogi Wasabi and Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes!

2011 was an eventful year for many reasons, some unwanted, even dreadful, and others more conducive to social happiness. I would prefer to remember the latter to help nurture a positive attitude towards a future we cannot predict! Being a convinced agnostic hedonist does help but I’m sure that gastronomes, whatever their credo, will realize how lucky we are in Shizuoka to be able to attain to ever-growing pleasures with seemingly simple local ingredients!
Here is a proposal for a full course, albeit a long one, representative of a dinner I would have enjoyed in 2011!

APPETIZERS/STARTERS:

Rainbow Trout Sashimi Plate!
These rainbow trouts are raised by Mr. Kunugi in Fujinomiya City!

in any repast drinks are most important as they are they insure the link between the dishes!
Japanese sake brewed by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!
These labels are of a particular interest as they advertized the edible seaweed varieties found in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Note: For friends who may not drink alcohol I would recommend ginger ale made with Shizuoka-grown ginger or Shizuoka green (and black!) tea under various forms!

Tomato Tempura!
Uzu Izakaya in Shizuoka City serves it regularly with organic tomatoes seasoned with home-made yuzu koshio paste!

Sakekasu tempura!
Setsugekka Soba Restaurant in Shimada City serves this tempura concocted qith sake lees produced by their neighbors at Oomuraya Brewery!

Carrot Soup and Carrot Leaves Mousse on a Tomato Bed!
All vegetables are organic served at Pissenlit in Shizuoka city making use of the whole vegetables!

Vegetables in Banya Cauda style!
As served at Piatto in Shizuoka City! All vegetables are organic and grown in Shizuoka!

FISH & SEAFOOD

Steamed Black Bass/Suzuki/鱸 from Suruga Bay and vegetables by Mr. Furuya in Asabata, Shizuoka City!
As prepared and served by Cham Chinese Izakaya in Shizuoka City with a light warm vinaigrette!

True Seabream/Madai/真鯛 with cockles and vegetables, all from Shizuoka!
As served Italian-style by Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!

Imperial Prawn/Sakura ebi/車海老 Tempura!
As served by Setsugekka Soba Restaurant in Shimada City!

MEAT

Fujiyama Wagyu Beef, Utogi Wasabi and Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes!
As prepared by the Missus and I!
Fujiyama Wagyu is one of the thirteen varieties of wagyu bred in Shizuoka Prefecture which positively compare to Kobe Beef!
The wasabi is grown by Maruichi Farm in Utogi, the birthplace of this most remarkable ingredient!
The Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes are grown in Iwata City!

Foie gras poele on Corn Galette with Madeira Sauce!
This can qualify as an extravagant appetizer too!
The galette was concocted at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City with high-grade Kankanmusume Corn grown by Chouchou Farm in Iwata City!

Jidori Chicken Poêlé served with a Old Mimolette Cheese topping!
Fuji City is famed for its Jidori Chicken and Gentil in Shizuoka City serves it in extravagant simplicity with a topping of 24-months old Mimolette Cheese!

DESSERTS

Soy sauce and Brown Sugar Mousse Cake, Frozen Organic Mandarine and Lemon Sorbet!

Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City is a master of off the beaten track desserts!
The soy sauce is created by Amano Company in Gotemba City and the brown sugar is made with sugarcane grown in Kakegawa City. As for the mandarine and lemon, they are of course organic!

Carrot Crème Brulée and Mandarine Caramelisée!

As served at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City. Both the carrot and mandarine are organic!

Organic Carrot ice Cream!
This could be served as an appetizer, a refresher between dishes or a dessert at Comptoir de Bios in Shizuoka City!

Pheasant Egg Pudding and brown Sugar ice Cream!
Again created by Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City with pheasant eggs produced in Hamamatsu City and brown sugar made from sugarcane grown in Kakegawa City!

Naturally I still have missed a lot and I sincerely hope I will be able to introduce other discoveries by the end of this year!

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French Gastronomy: Shizuoka Products at Pissenlit (Winter 2011~2012)!

January 3, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Organic Cauliflower and Cod Sperm Sacs Puree topped with same Sperm Sacs Poeles and steamed curry cauliflower!

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.

Planning a “quick light” lunch at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City always smacks of jumping into a trap of your own making…
This time I had originally asked for a plate of steamed organic vegetables, but from the moment Chef Toru Arima said he had the perfect appetizer for this cold day it was a quick slide down the gastronomic slope!

The cauliflower was nonetheless organic from Chizen no Chikara in Shizuoka City and its marriage with Cod “shirako/Sperm Sacs” (sorry, but this is the true meaning!) into a smooth puree contributed into a beautiful contrast with the crispiness enveloping the unctuous same sperm sacs topping it and the light bite of more steamed cauliflower seasoned with a light curry sauce!

My initial wish was granted with a dish of steamed organic vegetables and a Suruga Bay “te-naga ebi/Japanese Scampi” on a couscous bed!

Sorry for the fuzzy picture!
I just wanted to show the meat of the scampi lodged in the middle of a red squid ring atop the couscous bed!

Beautiful steamed organic vegetables emphasized by a light warm vinaigrette fighting for attention with the Scampi!

The Scampi is not ready to let my fork pitch into the couscous without a fight!

Morocco flirting with Shizuoka! Toru had introduced small pieces of Shizuoka strawberries into the couscous for the perfect sweet and salty balance!
By then, I was ready to fall into the next trap!

“I have the right light meat dish for you!” (he said that before, didn’t he?)
And for my masochistic pleasure he was right:
Shizuoka “Jidoori” chicken poele atop organic potato puree and organic shiitake from Shizen no Chikara Farm!

Demolishing this beautiful piece montee was such a sweet vengeance!
The Shiitake being fresh, it was very tender and each piece of it made for the perfect receptable for the potato puree!
I should have perhaps tried to eat it together some chicken in a single forkful, but I took my time!

There was only one way to escape from the clutches of another dessert: coffee and mignardises!

Home-made Shizuoka Orange jelly, and soft chocolates! The green one is coated with Shizuoka Hon-Yama Green Tea!

It will be a pleasure to meet you again in another self-inflicted trap of mine soon!

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!

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Izakaya: Hachokura in Shizuoka City JR Station!

January 1, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Friendly
Facilities: Clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Lots of fresh local fish and produce. Great range of sake and shochu.

If you happen to be hungry but still limited in time, be it for lunch or dinner, Shizuoka City JR Railway Station will offer you plenty of reasonable and decent enough establishments that will serve you either fare found all over Japan, or for the more adventurous, ingredients mainly from Shizuoka Prefecture!

Hachokura in the western building of Asty Mall is such a place.
You cannot miss it with its big board describing local fare!

Even if you are in a hurry, take the time to have a good look at all the seafood and sake on offer. You are bound to make some interesting discoveries!

You can choose a seat at the counter or in a private room.

Traditional Japanese country atmosphere?

You may also sit at tables by the window.
I paid them a visit at lunch time when it is quieter. Evenings are really busy!

Sitting at the counter can turn into a lot of reading!

Tuna Carpaccio is really reasonably-priced!

Local fish and local sake!

Again, a lot to choose from!

You can always choose one of their lunch boxes/plates but their lunch sets are a real bargain when you consider that the beer is included!

So my lunch set started with beer and a snack.

Sashimi plate (tuna, horse mackerel, salmon, cuttlefish, sweet shrimp, tamagoyaki). Note the freshly grated Shizuoka-grown wasabi!

Tuna and horse mackerel.

Salmon, cuttlefish, sweet shrimp and tamagoyaki.

Potato and minced meat croquette and deep-fried chicken “nankotsu/cartilages”!

The croquette!

“Karaage niwatori nankotsu”, chicken soft cartilages deep-fried with some of their meat attached. Great snack for beer!

Simple, tasty and reasonably-priced traditional local fare!

HACHOKURA/八丁蔵
Shizuoka City, Kurogane Cho 48 (inside Shizuoka JR Railway Station), Asty West Building
Tel.: 054-255-8180
Opening hours: 11:00~22:30
Credit Cards OK
Parties welcome
Smoking allowed

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Italian Gastronomy: End of The Year Dinner at Soloio!

December 31, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

End of the year parties and dinners are a tradition in Japan before the New Year when people meet at families’ homes.
These can either be very private or quite raucous affairs with enormous crowds in the latter case.
For private reasons the Missus and I had decided to limit ourselves to a group of three (the two of us and a special friend) and have our dinner at our new favorite Italian restaurant, namely Solio in Shizuoka City!
I don’t need to introduce any more Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦 and Sommelier Mieko Osawa/小澤三江子, so let me just show you what we had the pleasure to savor!

The first (the others were forgotten in our conversations!) bottle of wine was a Red Chianti, Panizzi 2008 Sangovese grapes.
Very solid and fruity!

Our first appetizer was Shizuoka Suruga Bay madai/true seabream carpaccio!

Very fragrant thanks to the fresh herbs!

Second appetizer: Italian raw ham and salami with pears and liver paste!

As pasta, Genovese-style pasta with Shizuoka-grown broccoli!

Very light and tasty pasta dish making use of all the parts of a branch broccoli!

As for rice, a dish famous all over the city: Milano oven-baked saffron risotto!

As it comes out of the oven!

Very much lighter than you might expect!

And then we switched to fish: Suruga Bay kanpachi/環八/Amberjack pan-fried with Shizuoka vegetables!

Extravagant simplicity with such fresh local products! No wonder some local celebrities also start to patronize the establishment!

The meat dish was an “imported” affair: Venison/Deer foreleg from Nagano Prefecture stewed in red wine!

It was so tender you had no need for fork! Mind you, it took no less than seven hours to prepare!

Italian restaurants are not famed for elaborate desserts, but Solio’s desserts are irresistible in their simplicity!
Tiramisu!

So light and unctuous!

Pudding with almaretto caramel sauce!

Don’t bring your kids along! LOL

Panacotta with Shizuoka strawberry coulis!

I had a hard time resisting the impulse to lick the whole plate!

See you next year, or more aptly said, next season!

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Italian Gastronomy: Risotto Symphony at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

December 28, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Milano Oven-baked Saffron Risotto!

Many local gastronomes consider that Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦 concocts the best risotto in Shizuoka City and Prefecture!
Since it is possible to visit Solio just for a glass of wine and a dish, risottos are perfect by this cold weather!
Here is a collection of the risottos I’ve had the pleasure to savor!

Fresh Italian Porcini Risotto!

Unfortunately it is already not on the menu any longer as Takehiko uses only seasonal products, but it will be there when the season comes back!

Mussles Risotto!

Actually, it was never on the menu but prepared as a special request of mine!

Home-made Sausage and Chestnut Risotto!

Another seasonal dish which has already disappeared from the menu!

Italian Black Truffle Risotto!

Beautiful truffles!

This is an offering that will disappear from the menu as soon as the truffles are exhausted! Hurry up!

Milano Baked saffron Risotto!

The rizotto as it looks out of the oven!

Don’t worry, Takehiko intends to serve this risotto all year round!

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Pizzeria: Summer Dinner at Venty-Due in Shizuoka City!

September 3, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Photographs courtesy of Hiroya Unno

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: Great general cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable
Specialty: Real Napolitan Pizza baked on wood fire
Completely Non-smoking!

It has just become impossible to enter Venty Due in Shizuoka City without a reservation any more!
It took me a month to be able to take the IT staff of Agrigraph there!

The reasons are simple enough: They serve the best pizzas (Napolitan-style) in the whole Prefecture!
To achieve this, they use a real oven heated with “Nara no ki/Japanese oak” delivered all the way from Tottori Prefecture on the other side of Japan!
It takes two hours to bring the oven to the right temperature of 450 degrees Celsius, but then the pizza will come literally smoking on your plate within a few minutes from the moment you ordered them!

The dough for only thirty pizzas is fermented and leavened twice every day and the ingredients, altough simple, are of the best quality!

For thirsty people Italian beer and wines are available!

They serve only three kinds of pizza.
We had them all of course!
Here we go:

Margherita Pizza!

For a closer look!

Marinara Pizza!

For a closer look!

Bianca Pizza!

For a closer look!
Are you convinced?

if you still have a space to fill, do try one of their light dishes. We had the potato croquettes and cheese puffs assortment!

Just love those cheese puffs!
Simple maybe, but with great quality, great taste and great ingredients! What more can you ask for?

22 Venty Due
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo Machi, 3-21-20
Tel & Fax: 054-260-4522
Business hours:18:00~21:30
Closed on Sundays
Reservations advised.

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