Tag Archives: sashimi

Lobster: Basic Sashimi Preparation/Langouste : PRéparation standard de sashimi

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To answer Christina’s question (visit her great blog at Lobster Queen!) who asked if a lobster could be eaten raw, here is the basic recipe for preparing it.
Note that lobsters are fine, but spiny lobsters are best, especially small/medium specimens!

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The lobster should be still alive before you start proceeding.
First clean the live lobster under running clear cold water.
Note that live lobsters are very “lively”!

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Use a short and sharp wide blade knife.
Maintaining the lobster securely in one hand, stab the lobster with the knife point deeply just behind the head at a slant forward.

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You should be able to easily twist the tail away from the head.

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Put the head aside (will come onto the plate later).

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Turn tail over and cut bewteen soft underbelly part and hard shell part.

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Cut along both sides.

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You should be able to easily pull out the underbelly shell. If you have problems pulling it out, insert a spoon between the shell and the flesh.
Should come out easily then.

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Pull the flesh out the shell.
Peel off the thin brown skin and discard.

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First cut tail flesh lengthwise through the middle.
Take innards out and discard.
Ten cut the flesh across into one bite size (small size by European/American standards!).

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Drop into iced water and clean off the sticky juices. As the flesh will turn white if you leave it in the water too long, this process should not last more than 1 minute!

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Take water off in kitchen paper.

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Using the shell (cleaned in cold running water and wiped), arrange sashimi as above. Very easy!
You will find out that the flesh is sweet.
A little wasabi and soy sauce (ponzu is even better) is all you need!

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On nous demande souvent si la langouste peut se déguster cru, et voici la réponse avec une recette simple !

Les homards sont utilisables pour cette recette mais les langoustes seront préférées, de petite/moyenne taille de préférence.

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La langouste doit être vivante avant de commencer le processus. D’abord commencer par laver l’animal sous de l’eau propre coulante en continu. Attention car les langoutes vivantes sont très vivaces et frétillants.

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Utilisez une lame courte et bien aiguisée et faites en sorte de bien stabiliser le homard quand vous le tenez de l’autre main, poignardez derrière la tête, celle-ci incliné vers l’avant (voir les photos).

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Avec un mouvement de torsion vous devriez être en mesure de séparer les deux morceaux.

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Mettez la tête de côté (elle servira de décoration !)

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Retournez la queue et coupez entre la partie charnue et molle et la partie dure de la carapace.

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Tranchez de tout le long.

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Vous devriez pouvoir ensuite retirer toute la carapace de la queue. Si jamais cela coinçait quelque part, s’aide d’une cuillère en la mettant entre la chair et la carapace devrait faire sortir tout ce beau monde !

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Sortez la chair, et retirer la pellicule marron et récupérez le précieux aliment 🙂

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Ensuite coupez la chair de la queue comme sur la photo dans le sens de la longueur, retirez les impuretés à l’intérieur.

Ensuite coupez les morceaux de manière à ce que cela puisse faire une bouchée…japonaise (donc petite pour les gourmands que nous sommes).

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Mettez le tout dans de l’eau gelée et nettoyez ensuite tout ce qui pourrait avoir une texture un peu collante. Comme la chair va devenir blanche si vous la laissez dans l’eau trop longtemps, tout doit être fait en une minute maximum.

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Posez le tout sur un sopalin pour absorber l’eau.

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Utiliser la carapace lavée vous permettra de présenter les choses ainsi, c’est relativement facile et en envoie plein les mirettes.

La chair obtenue est sucrée. Un peu de wasabi et de sauce soja ou ponzu permet de varier les goûts !

Bon appétit !

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Sushi and Sashimi Lunch at Maguro Ichigo In Shimizu Fish Market, Shizuoka City!

Service: shy but very kind
Equipment and facilities: Overall very clean. Shared bathroom, old but clean.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: first class fish and seafood at very reasonable prices. Super fresh. Serves both raw and cooked fish!

The locals know it well but tourists do not seem to know yet the value of visiting a local fish market to enjoy super fresh fish and seafood at very reasonable prices all in an authentic atmosphere away form mannerisms and snobbery downtown.
In Shizuoka City the Shimizu Fish Market is the place! Very easy to find: get off at Shimizu JR Railway Station turn right in the direction of the harbor and use the overhang passage. Turn left to cross the road and go gown at the end. The fish market is two minutes away on foot on your right!

This particular fish market is known all over Japan for its tuna as this the largest tuna unloading harbor in Japan!
I do have to visit the place regularly for business or otherwise and my favorite restaurant is Maguro Ichigo/まぐろ一期!
Take your time to check the dish and cuisine models exhibited outside! They also have a menu in English on request!
It is a great place to visit alone or with family as they also serve scrumptious cooked food for people and especially children who don’t like raw food! Incidentally they offer a set for children, too!

I chose a set consisting of a tuna/maguro sushi bowl topped with all kinds of tuna and a sakuraebi kakiage/cherry shrimps fritter/ a local specialty with miso soup and pickles!

The maguro sushi bowl was topped with slices of akami/lean tuna, chutoro/semi fat tuna and negitoro/scraped tuna with pickled ginger! As for the price, unbeatable!

The cherry shrimps fritter!

My friend had a different set including a small sashimi plate!

A rarity in Japan: Simmered tuna tail!

It is only a small sample of the food and dishes available!
Come as a group and taste as many dishes as possible!

MAGURO ICHIGO/まぐろ一期
424-0823 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Shimazaki Cho, 149, Shimizu Fish Market, 1F
Opening hours: 9:30~17:30
Closed on Wednesdays
Cash only

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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, Pie
rre.Cuisine
, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Gastronomic Destination : Fukuoka (2)- Sashimi & Tempura at Seimonbarai!

Service: very friendly and easy-going but attentive
Equipment: Very clean overall. Excellent washroom
Prices: reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Upper class izakaya. Great seafood. Good drinks menu

Fukuoka, being a major harbor in the north of Kyushu Island it benefits from a plethora of fish and seafood than you can enjoy fresh in many downtown upper class izakaya.
One such place is Seimonbarai/せいもん払い in Kawabata Cho, an area replete with such establishments.

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Sashimi plate for one person!

We hda the occasion to savor the food there for a simple and quick but very enjoyable dinner!
We concentrated on two of their specialties, namely sashimi and tempura!

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Kampachi/環八/Amberjack, Hotate/帆立/scallop, Ama ebi/甘海老/Sweet and Fugu no Kawa/河豚の皮/Globe fish (Puffer) skin!

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Chutoro Maguro,/中トロ鮪/Semi-fat Tuna, Akagai/赤貝/Bloody Clam, Kaibashira/貝柱/Small scallops and Chiisai Awabi/小さい鮑/Small Abalone!

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The small abalone was alive and “dancing” under the lemon juice!

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Great tempura assortment including Satsuma Imo/薩摩芋/Sweet Potato, Ninjin/人参/Carrot, Shishito/獅子唐/Shishito Peppers, Kabocha/南瓜/Kabocha Pumpkin, Nasu/茄子/Aubergine/Eggplant, Kisu/鱚/Sillago, and Kuruma Ebi/車海老/Large Prawn!

To be enjoyed with wine, sake or shochu!

SEIMONBARAI/せいもん払い

812-0026 Fukuoka City, Hakata Ku, Kami Kawabata Cho, 5-107
Tel.: 092-291-2055
Opening hours: 17:30~23:00
Closed on Sundays
Credit cards OK
Reservations highly advisable!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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, Pie
rre.Cuisine
, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Japanese Gastronomy: Dinner at Tomii (February 2014) in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Professional and attentive
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness, superb washroom
Prices: expensive
Strong Points: Refined Japanese gastronomy. Great list of Shizuoka Sake and drinks in general. Seasonal products.

It had been a very long time since I last visited Tomii in Aoi Ku in Shizuoka City the other night and I had been wandering how well the establishment had fared all that time!

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Well I noted a great improvement with the drinks, especially sake, with no less than 8 brews from Shizuoka Prefecture!

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Hakuin Masamune Homarefuji Junmai by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!

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First of all the appetizers:
Oonigyu beef Corned bee at the back, Matsumae at the front left and Nikomori/Globefish skin jelly terrine!

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A light o-tsukuri/sashimi plate!

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Akagai/Blood arkshell!

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Bachi maguro tuna, madai/true seabream and shimesaba/marinated mackerel!

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Now, what’s all that seasoning for (grated garlic, chopped scallions and grated ginger)?

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Can you guess?

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Sakua/Basashi/Horsemeat sashimi!
A delicacy!

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A Shizuoka treat for dessert!

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Beautiful matcha creme brulee!

To be continued….

TOMII
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-274-0666
Business hours: 17:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sushi: Dinner at Sushi Ko (February 2nd, 2014)!

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Extravagant Salmon roe sushi gunkan!

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake and shochu

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After the report on the two stars of the night here is the full report of our first dinner ofthe year at Sushi Ko Restaurant in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

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O-toshi/snack coming with the first drink was tuna sashimi (akami/lean part)!

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As for the first drinks we started with Chablis, a wink at my home country, Bourgogne!
I did switch later to Sake while the Dragon took care of the wine!

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First, the sashimi plate with the recommended fish of the day: Akami/Tuna lean part, kinmedai/Spledid Alfonsino and Hirame/Sole-Grouper!

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Sushi Ko is not all sushi and sashimi but also some succulent cooked dishes!
Geso karaage/Deep-fried squid tentacles!

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Ankimo/Japanese foie gras/Frogfish-Monkfish liver steamed in sake!

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Sushi Ko’s specialty: Sushi Millefeuille!

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Japan meets France: Scallops Gratin!

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Hotate/Scallops sushi nigiri!

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Ikura/Salmon roe sushi gunkan!

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Shiroebi/White shrimps sushi gunkan!

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Ika shiokara/Pickled cuttle fish for the Dragon!

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A special roll not on the menu with shiso/perilla leaf, ume/pickled Japanese plum flesh, natto/fermented beans and ika/squid-cuttle fish!

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Deep-fried shiroebi/white shrimp eaten whole!

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And plenty of nameko mushroom miso soup to wash it all down!

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE</strong> (in Japanese)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sushi Millefeuille at Sushi Ko: “Hagetora, s’il vous plait!”

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Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake and shochu

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To the surprise of our neighbors (it is not on the menu!) we challenged Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん at Sushi Ko in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, to come up with a different/new millefeuille sushi!
Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん obviously likes the challenge and as long as the place is not too busy he is more than willing to comply to such requests!

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Moreover he knows that photos will be taken and kept for posterity!
This time the ingredients placed between layers of sushi rice were pieces of raw ika/cuttle fish and boiled shrimps!

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The toppings were pretty complicated as they included tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette, anago/conger eel, tako/octopus, leek rolls, menegi/leek sprouts and tobikko/flying fish roe!
Not to mention the dressing artistically placed around the millefeuille!

Now the naming of this millefeuille was a bit of a revenge to make him work so hard! I was already in my cups wen I made a mistake ordering sake, that is I asked for “hage tora/bald tiger”! The “s’il vous plait” is a jab at my nationality! LOL

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Mind you, I had my own revenge, destroying the whole succulent edifice!

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE</strong> (in Japanese)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sashimi Plate at Sushi Ko, Shizuoka City (February 2nd, 2014)!

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Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake and shochu

Last night saw our first visit of the year to our favorite sushi restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely Sushi Ko Bar Restaurant located in busy Aoba Park Street, Aoi Ku!
We always start such dinners with a selection of sashimi out of the day’s recommendations!
So what did the plate consist of?

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Tuna akami/lean part!
This tuna was not from Shizuoka Prefecture but still obtained at Yaizu City Fish market!

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Kinmeidai/Splendid Alfonsino!
This is one of the most famous fish found in Shizuoka Prefecture people are ready to travel just to taste!
The skin being soft and tasty, the whole fish makes a superb presentation!

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Hirame/sole or grouper, another fish caught in Shizuoka Prefecture!
It was cut in very thin slices you can wrap around thin scallions before dipping it in a sauce based on vinegar and momiji oroshi, grated daikon with chili pepper!

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the dip!

More to come!

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE</strong> (in Japanese)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sashimi Lunch Set at Totoya in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Friendly and attentive. Easy-going.
Equipment & Facilities: A bit old but overall very clean. Clean washroom
Prices: Reasonable~Slightly expensive
Strong points: Traditional Japanese gastronomy. Great local fish and seafood. Excellent sake and shochu list. French spoken!

I wanted to eat some fresh fish for lunch for once today and I’m lucky to have a very good Japanese restaurant near work that serves excellent Japanese lunch sets for all budgets!
They are famous all over the city for their fish, particularly tuna!

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This is the lunch I ordered.
Although it was bigger than most of my neighbors’ lunches it is very reasonable at 20 US $ or 15 Euros!
Now, what did it include?

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Steamed rice and plenty of cold simmered hijiki seaweed!

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Vegetables and seaweed salad, miso soup and Japanese pickles!

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The sashimi plate!

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Crab in rice vinegar, akagai/blood shellfish, aji/horse mackerel!

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Tuna akami/lean part, seaweed jelly, buri/yellowtail, freshly grated wasabi, seaweed!

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Octopus, seared tuna (tail), aori ika/bugfin reef squid, marinated mackerel!

Great value for your money!

TOTOYA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 8-9, Kubota Building
Tel.: 054-274-0077
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00^22:30
Parties welcome
Small private room up to 8 guests, party room for up to 24 guests
Credit cards OK (dinner only but warn them before ordering!)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sushi: Dinner at Sushi Ko (December 2013) in Shizuoka City!

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Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake and shochu

I don’t really have to introduce Sushi Ko in Aoba Street, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City and its main chef, Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん!
So what did we have last night?

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Negi toro snack to accompany the first drink!

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Sake brewed by Fujinishiki Brewery in Fujinomiya City: Junmai Ginjyo nama, Sushi Ko Edo no Kaori!

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We asked Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん to prepare a whole filefish called Umazura/Horse Face!

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O-tsukuri-style sashimi Plate with scallion!

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Just wrap the sashimi around the scallion!

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And dip them in a sauce made the live fish liver!

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Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん kept some of the sashimi and liver to make those beautiful nigiri sushi!

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And we had the cheeks of the fish deep-fried!

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3 different fish zuke (marinated) set!

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Buri/Amberjack!

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Akami/Lean tuna!

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Salmon!

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Japanese foie gras/Ankimo/Frog fish liver!

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Shiokara/Pickled cuttle fish for the dragon!

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Hotatae/Scallop nigiri!

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Amaebi/Sweer Shrimps!

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Negitoro maki!

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Grilled watari gani crab miso!

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Chawan Mushi/Japanese-style steamed salted pudding!

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Tamago Yaki!

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And complimentary strawberries!

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sashimi Plate at Nishiki Izakaya in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Kind, friendly and attentive if a bit shy
Facilities and equipment: Very clean overall. Excellent washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Higher-level izakaya gastronomy. Superb fish, local for most. Great sake and shochu list.

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I have known Chef Yoshiyuki Nishitani for quite some time, back to the years before he decided to fly on his own wings.
It didn’t take im much time to create himself a niche in the highly competitive izakaya scene in Shizuoka City.

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Nishiki is a little away from the nightlife hubub of Shizuoka City in Aoi Ku acoss the Showa Street and is cozy with a single long counter propitious to a rich conversation with your neighbors and the chef.

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I will have to taste those Kansai-style oden next time as I had little to spare on that particular visit!

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There are plenty of sake at Nishiki, including local ones, so I treated myself to a small bottle of Shosetsu brewed by Kanasawagawa Brewery in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

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I was given a great snack of re sweet potato and edamame salad while my sashimi plate was being prepared!

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The little detail that makes you feel welcome!

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The sashimi plate!

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Tachiuo Aburi/Seared Scabbard Fish!

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Isaki/Chicken Grunt (it’s a fish!)

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Kanburi/Winter Amberjack from Northern Kyoto, the only fish of the day not from Shizuoka!

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Madago Octopus!

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Mebachi/Big-eyed Tuna

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Great attention in small succulent details!

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Winter Amberjack under skin toro!

And how much did I pay for the sashimi plate, the tidbits and the sake?
24 US $/20 Euros!
At thei level of freshness, quality and variety, izakaya and restaurants in bigger cities will be hard put to serve the same as such a reasonable price!

NISHIKI

Chef: Yoshiyuki Nishitani/西谷喜幸さん

Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-cho, 2-2-1, Livenet Aoba, 1F
tel.: 054-251-7991
Opening hours: 17:00~02:00
Closed on Tuesdays

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sushi Video Report: Ekimae Matsuno Sushi in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly, attentive and informative
Facilities: Overall clean if a bit old-fashioned
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Mainly local fish and seafood. Local sake. Always ready to improvise!

Showing the access right across form Shizuoka JR Station north exit

We here in Shizuoka are not The True World Foods or Tsukiji!
Mr. Andrea Petrini, can you hear me? Ou m’entendez-vous?

Showing the sake and display window.

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In shizuoka one does not need spend untold amounts of money or eat cheap sushi at crowded places to savor truly local, hyper fresh sea products and this accompanied by some of the rarest and best sake in Japan.
just get off Shizuoka JR Station from the north exit and you will find Ekimae Matsuno Sushi Restaurant just beyond Matsuzakaya Department Store on your left hand side.

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This venerable institution has been standing on the same spot since well before the WWII and has always boasted more local fish served than anywhere else.
It does not need to show off or take grand airs but still has the courage to declare the restaurant as a non-smoking haven!

Showing the trumpet fish and the first sashimi plate

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For once this shirako/白子/male cod sperm/milt sacs were not from Shizuoka but all the other fish I sampled were!

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The above shirako was served to accompany a superb sake by Kokou Brewery (Fukuroi City)
At 16~17 degrees it is a ginjo genshu bottled in October 2013. V\beautiful nuttey taste withhints of dark chocolate and coffee beans!

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My first plate of sashimi consisted of from bottom to top and left to right:
Seared Scabbard Fish/Tachiuo aburi/太刀魚炙り (also called Largehead hairtail or Cutlass Fish.
-Ara/Sawedged Perch/アラ
Kihada/黄肌/Yellowfin Tuna
Yagara/Trumpet Fish-Cornet Fish/ヤガラ

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Trumpet Fish!

Muro aji/Bleeker’s sashimi plate!

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The next sashimi plate was Muro Aji/Bleeker/ムロアジ, a variety of Horse Mackerel!
It was serve both as normal sashimi and tataki/Japanese tartare!

The Master of the House at work!

The nigiri sushi and dessert!

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Then it was the turn of nigiri sushi!
From left to right:
-Kihada Akami/金肌赤身/Yellowtail lean part
Hooboo/魴鮄/Spiny Red Gurnard
Ma Aji/真鯵/Japanese Jack mackerel
Kohada or the skin and flesh of konoshiro/小肌/Dotted Gizzard Shad
Oori Ika/障泥烏賊/Bigfin Reef Squid

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Anago/穴子Conger Eel!

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Home-made chestnuts yokan/Japanese jelly, marinated ginger and finely chopped takuan/pickled Japanese daikon!

The maki/sushi rolls to finish!

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Negitoro Maki/ネギトロ巻/Scraped tuna with chopped scallions!

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Kampyou maki/干瓢巻/Dried shavings of calabash/gourd

See you there!

EKIMAE MATSUNO SUSHI/駅前松乃寿
Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Koya Machi, 3-3 (Just in front of Shizuoka JR Railway Station
Tel.: 054-252-0123
Business hours: 11:00~21:00
Closed on Wednesdays and 3rd Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Japanese Izakaya & Seafood Restaurant: Senbon Ichi in Numazu City!

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Service: Shy but attentive and kind
Facilities: Traditional but very clean. Very clean washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Local fish directly from the harbor. Excellent local sake list

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Senbon Ichi is a very traditional Japanese izakaya which specializes in fish as it is located in the middle of Numazu City fishing harbor, a major in Japan that Tokyo couldn’t do without!

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The draft beer served there, although not by a Shizuoka Brewery, is brewed in Shizuoka Prefecture!

As the Numazu harbor has been recently completely renovated I paid it a short visit before planning a longer one for an extensive report. I still took the time to eat lunch at Senbon Ichi (which has two establishments under the generic name of Minato Ichi/湊一).

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I want this poster of all the fishes caught in Japan!

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At lunch time the main dining room is non smoking. Take a seat near the windows and you shouldn’t be affected by the smokers at the counter!

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Great take-out deep-fried seafood available at reasonable prices, too!

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Very good point in their favor: they serve no less than 14 local sake!

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We decided to order the two specialties of the season and share them!

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Dragon ordered the sakura ebi kakiage donburi/sushi rice top with deep-fried cherry shrimps, the specialty of Shizuoka!

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A real beauty and plenty of it!

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I pinched a few to eat with the beer! Great snack, I assure you!

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The interesting thing is that there is a layer of grilled horse mackerel under the shrimps!
Actually Dragon was also provided with hot tea to mix it with some of her donburi for a great o-cha-zuke!

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As for me, I ordered a sushi donburi topped with local fish and seafood only!

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A photograph for my gastronomic collection!

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Raw shirasu/sardine whiting, sardine, horse mackerel, negitoro/grated tuna!

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Amberjack and a rose of tuna!

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Tamagoyaki, seabream and prawn!

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You will find a layer of finely chopped dry seaweed between the sushi rice and the sashimi!
So healthy!

SENBON ICHI
410-0845 Numazu City, Senbon Minato Cho, 101, 3rd and 4th F
Tel.: 055-952-0025
Fax: 055-952-0022
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30 (11:00~15:30 on week-ends and National Holidays), 17:00~21:30
Closed on Tuesdays (except on National Holidays)
Groups up to 80 OK
Credit cards OK
Free taxi service for groups of 7, 9 or 14 from and to Numazu, Katahama and Mishima JR Stations upon phone bookings!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Japanese Izakaya: Hinayaoshi in Mishima City!

IZAKAYA RANKING: +3
Service: +3 Very friendly and attentive
Facilities: +3 Overall very clean. Beautiful washroom
Prices:+1=+2 Reasonable
Strong points: Sake, Shochu, Umeshu, local seafood, yakitori

See “Izakaya Ranking” system at bottom of article!

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Chef Nobeteru Oota/太田のべてるさん opened Inayoshi 12 years ago in Mishima City and moved it to its present location 6 ears ago 7 minutes walk from Mishima JR Station south exit.

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Even after 6 years of constant cooking and serving the place is spotless clean!
When you realize he has only his wife and sometimes his mother-in-law to help, Nobeteru must be extremely busy morning to night ordering, buying and taking back home the day’s fish, vegetables and what else!

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With an incredible ist of 50 sake including about 25 from Shizuoka Prefecture, an unending list of shochu (even some featuring Shizuoka!), awamori and umeshu, this must be the place to go drinking in the east of the Prefecture,
You will soon understand how the place is so deservedly popular as it is full by 6:30 pm! Make sure to reserve beforehand!

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The sashimi is simply first-class and would be impossible to pay in Tokyo as the fish comes directly from the major fishing harbors of Numazu City, Shimoda City in Izu Peninsula! The plate above even includes rare Shizuoka Botan ebi/large sweet prawn and Tobiuo/flying fish from Shimoda! Moreve,r Nobeteru makes a point, even when the place is full, to introduce each fish and its origin to each customer!

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This time we sampled only tsukune/chicken balls and shiri/chicken tail, but you must come again just for the yakitori!
Actually it would be hard to try everything the first visit so be warned!

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The raw fish is extraordinary and the cooked fish sublime such as the “negima” above with tuna and amberjack served with yuzu koshio and grated daikon and ginger!

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If you like tofu you must ask for agedashi dofu, a must-try japanaese delicacy!

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The soup is just perfect! No wonder that in these times of economical crisis the establishment is full with local regulars!

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Seafood and vegetables steamed in Seikyou Miso! The wife will first open it for you, eventually let you take a photograph and mix it for you!

This was our first visit, but since it is so worth spending on a train ticket expect more articles soon!

HINAYOSHI Sakakura
411-0036 Mishima City, Ichi Bansho, 3-22
Tel.: 055-991-7171
Opening hours: 17:30^23:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations a must!
Credit Cards OK
Parties for 4 to 18 guests welcome!
Full courses from 3,500 yen
Menu a la carte available and immense drink list!

IZAKAYA RANKING SYSTEM
IZAKAYA RANKING:
+1 ought to be visited at least once
+2 could be become a regular visit
+3 must visit!

Service:
+1 standard
+2 pleasant
+3 very good

Equipment & Facilities:
+1 standard
+2 excellent
+3 Superb

Prices:
+1 cheap
+2 slightly expensive but good value
+3 expensive but good value

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sushi Gastronomy at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City (July 2012)!

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake

Time had finally come last night when we both agreed that a visit to our favorite sushi restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely Sushi Ko/すし幸 had been long overdue and that we ought to sample Chef. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太’s creations!

Now did we sample this time?

With our first drink (beer) were served a “o-tooshi/お通し/light food served with the first drink consisting of boiled shirasu/シラス/sardine whiting, a true specialty of Shizuoka Prefecture!

O-tsukuri/御造り/sashimi plate!

Suzuki/鱸/Seabass for the Suruga Bay lying against a shiso/紫蘇/perilla leaf finely cut daikon/大根・Japanese radish and myoga/茗荷/myoga ginger.
Note that the fresh wasabi is grated from roots cultivated in Utogi, Shizuoka City, the birthplace of wasabi!

King salmon/キングサーモン with perilla flowers, shiso leaf and agar agar threads.

A Sushi Ko Restaurant specialty: pon kara maguro/ポン辛鮪/tuna dices deep-fried and served with chopped red onion, ponzu and momiji oroshi/紅葉下ろし/Grated daikon with chili powder.

A must at any sushi restaurant worth its salt: Zuke/着け/Marinated tuna nigiri!

After the beer, whereas the Missus ordered wine, I asked for a great local sake, shosetsu/正雪/a honjyozo/本醸造 brewed by Kanzawagawa Brewery/神沢は和酒造 in Yui/由比/, Shimizu Ku/清水区, Shizuoka City/静岡市!

Kinmedai aburi/金目鯛炙り/seared Splendid Alfonsino caught off the Izu Peninsula/伊豆半島! Another famous fish from Shizuoka Prefecture!

Kinki/キンキ/Broadbanded Thornyhead nigiri!

Finley sliced Tsubugai/螺貝/whelk (small variety) marinated in fresh wasabi!

Amaebi/甘海老/Sweet shrimps and Hotategai/帆立貝/Scallop nigiri!

It is not all about fish, Sushi Ko also serves some beautifully cooked morsels!
Geso Karaage/下そ唐揚げ/Deep-fried squid tentacles!

Sushi Ko can also devise sushi exclusively for vegetarians and vegans such as the above manganji tougarashi/万願寺唐辛子/sweet long green chili pepper seasoned with yuzu koshio/柚子小塩/lime pickled in salt or ume/梅/Pickled Japanese plum as nigiri!

Gunkan/軍艦/”Mothership nigiri containing yama imo/山芋/Long Japanese yam with uzura tamago/鶉卵/quail egg and a little Tuna!

A favorite of mine: Tachiuo aburi/太刀魚炙り/seared scabbard fish from the Suruga Bay as a nigiri!

A favorite sushi roll all over Japan: Negi Toro maki/葱トロ巻/finely chopped tuna and leek roll!

Another vegan morsel: Shiso Ume Natto maki/紫蘇梅納豆巻/perilla leaf, pickled Japanese plum and fermented beans roll!

Another vegan morsel: Menegi Nigiri/芽葱握り/leek sprouts nigiri topped with ume!

We finished this grand dinner with an extravagant “dessert consisting of two different kinds of ko-donburi/小丼 (also called ko bachi/小鉢)/sushi served in small bowls: ikura/イクラ(did you know that this particular word is Russian, not Japanese?)? Salmon roe and Murasaki uni/紫海栗/violet sea urchin!

Did you enjoy the pictures?
We certainly enjoyed the food! LOL

To be continued…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

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

Vegan Sashimi at Yasaitei in Shizuoka City (April 2012)!

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean, Beautiful washroom
Prices: reasonable
Specialties: Vegan and vegetarian Cuisine, Izakaya gastronomy, local products, oden. Good list of sake, shochu. Wines also available.

With the warm days coming quickly one is always in search of refreshing food and drinks.
Fortunately in Shizuoka City this is not a problem at all with the abundance of vegetables!

Yasaitei, like many izakayas in Japan, puts salt in front of their entrance to ward off evil spirits.
They even asked a oni/goblin to look after them!

A single look at the counter will let you know you have entered vegan and vegetarian heaven although the food is designed for all tastes and priorities!

Although you might have to check the dashi, the first snack coming with my shochu (shochu is vegan by the way!)! People with special priorities will appreciate!

Thick boiled wakame seaweed and new bamboo shoots o-hitashi/japanese-style appetizer!

The main attraction of the day: Vegan Sashimi Plate conceived with local vegetables!

The dressing is made of sesame oil, salt and red miso paste only, so no problems!
Now what did the plate consist of?

“Cindy” orange tomatoes (very sweet) and ice plant.

Small red radish and red pimento.

Juicy and mild daikon on shiso leaves.

Crunchy and juicy cucumber and mini tomatoes.

And finally chopped red onion giving support!
So tasty and healthy!

To be followed…

YASAITEI
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-Cho, 1-6-2 Green Heights Wamon 1-C
Tel.: 054-2543277
Business hours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended
Seating: 6 at counter + 14 at tables
Set Courses: 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 yen
Individual orders (carte) welcome
Parties welcome
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Smoking allowed

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