Tag Archives: Uzu

Japanese Gastronomy: Early Spring Dinner at Uzu (2014) in Shizuoka City!

March 27, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Excellent and very friendly. Very Japanese atmosphere.
Facilities: Excellent washroom facilities. Great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable.
Strong Points: Great sake from Shizuoka and Japan Great Shochu. Home-made umeshu. Mainly local products, especially organic vegetables, fish and meat

Chef Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健也さん is planning some very important projects involving local farmers, fishermen and gastronomes and it was about time I had a serious discussion with him around some of his superlative dishes!

Kenya’s interests range far and wide including Japanese sake!
These little beauties con\me from Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!

I sat at the counter to be as close to him as possible and within hand reach of some of the fantastic vegetables he prepares!

The o-tooshi/お通し is already a mark of his talent: simple, tasty, healthy and local!

These are truly enormous Ooura burdock roots organically grown by Matsuki Farm in Fujinomiya City!

Deep-fried in thick rings, they almost look like doughnuts!

Kenya deep-fries them only coated with cornstarch, thus creating a yummy vegan snack!

Kenya has achieved fame not only for its choice of vegetables and meats but also for his superb local fish and seafood!
A sashimi plate almost completely from Shizuoka Prefecture, although I haven’t checked where the cuttle fish comes from!

The very first sakura ebi/Cherry shrimps of the year directly from Yui, although we might have to wait at least two more weeks before we find them fresh on the markets!

Four different kinds of seafood!

Hotaru Ika has many names in English: firefly squid, Toyama Squid (because the best come from Toyama Prefecture!), Luminescent Dwarf Squid, Sparkling Enope Squid!

Madai Aburi/Another fish with many names in English: Red Seabream, Japanese Red Seabream, Red Seabream Snapper or simply True Seabream. Aburi means it was lightly seared to appreciate its skin!

Houbou/A typical fish from Suruga Bay called Gurnard, Red Gurnard, Sea Robin and many other neames in English!

Kinmedai/From Izu peninsula! Probably the most unusual English name for a fish: Splendid Alfonsino!

Shizuoka Vegetables and Amagi Shamo Chicken from Izu Peninsula in hot dressing!

This chicken, raised by Mr. Horie in Shuzenji, is only one of a kind and arguably considered as the best in Japan!

Amagi Shamo Chicken and Shizuoka mushrooms oven-baked in home-made basil sauce!

Crispy mushrooms!

Kenya’s new venture: Soba/Buckwheat noodles!

Exclusively made with Japanese native buckwheat!

You will get many more reports soon as Kenya is going to embark into new ventures soon!

UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00~23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
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

レシピ, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Gastronomy: Winter Dinner at Uzu (2013) in Shizuoka City!

February 17, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

Time had finally come to pay a visit to Uzu again to enjoy the food prepared by Chef Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健也 with mainly local products of a class usully found not in an izakaya but in a top-class Japanese or Western restaurant!
I already mentioned and will always point out that Uzu is the reference when it comes to all izakaya in Shizuoka Prefecture and far beyond!

The menu always proves a little bone of contention with the Missus!

The o-toshi/light food coming with the first drink: tsubugai/Small whelk with Yuuba/tofu sheets with garted wasabi grown by Mr. Sugiyama in Shizuoka City!

The sake list featured “Kinmai” by Nefami Brewery in Gotemba City on the s;opes of Mount Fuji!

A truly Japanese atmosphere!

Kinmeidai/Splendid Alfonsino sashimi, a fish which has spread the fame of Izu Peninsula and Shizuoka Prefecture all over Japan and beyond!

So tendar that flesh and skin melt inside the mouth. Note the local organic red daikon!

The first sake disappeared quickly!
Next: Kaiun by Doi brwery in Kakegawa City!

A different bottle and cup for each sake! Class!

Oura Gobo/Very large burdock root, organic, and deep-fried in starch. A Vegan’s delight!

Sashimi salad composed of local fish and organic vegetables!

East meets West in the seasonings!

Mackerel, albacore and other fish!

Akagai/Blood Clam shellfish and fresh organic vegetables!

Topped with dry seaweed!
So healthy!

Renkonmochi tachiuo no agedashi/Lotus root cake and scabbard fish, deep^fried and served in soup!

A very Japanese concept to combine sea and land product! So tasty and so healthy again!

Deep-fried Mangenton pork from Fujinomiya City served topped with plenty of chopped scallion!

Grilled Amagi Shamo Chicken, considered the best in Japan and raised by a single farmer in Shuzenji/ Izu Peninsula!

A very Japanese way to finish the repast: home-made organic vegetable pickles assortment!

To be continued… You bet!

UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00~23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Must-see tasting websites:

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

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Izakaya: Dinner at Uzu In Shizuoka City! (Winter 2012)

February 23, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Kan sawara/寒鰆/Winter Spanish Mackerel Sashimi!

Izakaya are the best places to visit in Japan if you wish to know and taste local food and products.
Naturally they come at different prices and levels, but here in Shizuoka it is a true embarrassment of choices!
We are lucky to have recently moved near arguably the best izakaya in Shizuoka Prefecture, Uzu, so it is only a question of visiting it regularly for a dinner of Shizuoka (and elsewhere) specialties!

It is located away from the busy center of town and not easy to find, although really famous!
The day’s specialties are always announced in calligraphy outside!

Some of the great sakes waiting for you inside!

Uzu!

A beautiful noren/暖簾/entrance curtain!

The snack coming with the first drink!
For once we sat at the counter in front of the kitchen!

While the Missus had her wine I ordered a 5-sake sampling set! You can choose your sakes when ordering such a set!

Most of the earthenware used for serving are locally made!

likewise for individual plates and bowls!

The sashimi is always superlative in Uzu.
So what did we order?

Kan sawara/寒鰆/Winter Spanish Mackerel Sashimi!
This is a difficult fish to find in Shizuoka Prefecture and Uzu serves one a year. We were surely lucky!

For a closer look!
It was served slightly seared for more savors!

Rainbow Trout from Kunugi Rainbow Trout Farm in Fujinomiya City!

For a closer look!
So tender and served with grated wasabi from Umegashima, up the Abe River in Shizuoka City!

After the sashimi it was time to sample some meat!
Mangenton pork cutlets with plenty of chopped leeks!

The pork from Sanoman Co in Fujinomiya City is served as deep-fried cutlets!
I know a lot of friends abroad who would jump in the sea for that!

Uzu always serves extraordinary local organic vegetables: Giant burdock (oura gobo) roots chips salad!

This burdock comes from Matsuki Bio Farm in Fujinomiya City!

We followed this with a vegetable of the sea: Mozuku/水雲、海蘊、藻付、海雲/an edible weed that comes by the name of Cladosiphon okamuranus

A very thick variety from Okinawa!!

We were still a bit hungry and opted to order the Giant Hokke!
Hokke/法華 goes by the unusual name of Arabesque Greenling and comes from Hokkaido! Ours was a truly enormous sample!

Grilled to perfection, it is savored with grated daikon, soy asuce and lime!
It certainly needed the two of us to finish it!

To be continued…

UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00=23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Shizuoka, Tourism

Gastronomic Izakaya: Autumnal Dinner at UZU in Shizuoka City!

November 13, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

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Service: Excellent and very friendly. Very Japanese atmosphere.
Facilities: good washroom facilities. Great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable.
Strong points: Splendid use of local vegetables, meat and seafood! Great sake from Shizuoka and Japan Great Shochu. Home-made umeshu.

Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健也, the owner-chef of Uzu in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, although it is celebrated as one of true exponents of Shizuoka Gastronomy, has always averred that his establishment will be first and always an izakaya!

In Shizuoka City this is a fine line which is easily crossed over and over by many establishments, whatever the genre, in a rare region of Japan where almost all ingredients are available all year round!
It is Paul Bocuse who said, “There are no great chefs, only great ingredients!”. A bit simplistic, although it could be very well the best way to describe gastronomy in this Prefecture!

Kan Sawara Aburi/寒鰆炙り/Seared “Cold Weather” Spanish mackerel

To put it briefly, it had become grand time to pay a visit to Uzu in Shizuoka City and check what seasonal fares were on offer!

Spanish mackerels come back in reduced numbers through the Suruga Bay in Autumn and they are best appreciated seared on the skin and served in fairly thick and tender sashimi!
Kenya exclusively uses wasabi roots from a single producer up the Abe River/安倍川　in Umegashima/梅ヶ島. He added that he uses only medium-sized roots for best taste!

Take your time before choosing your drink and do not hesitate to ask for advice!
I chose a beautifully strong Ginjyou Genshu by Hatsukame Brewery in Okabe/Fujieda City!

Always served in glassware or earthenware created by local artists!

I always order the seasonal “goro goro” salad mainly consisting of local organic vegetables lightly sauteed beforehand before being seasoned into a magnificent salad. Enough to feed a vegetarian!
Can you see the chestnuts in front cooked whole with their crispy “skins”. A discovery!

For another view!
Bear in mind that this is a very limited offering you had better order in advance on a busy night!

Uzu is one one of the few establishments in Shizuoka to offer Mokomodake/もこもだけ/Manchurian Wild Rice whose swollen crisp white stems are edible in many manners!

In season Kenya simply serves them grilled with mayonnaise!

Another great treat for vegetarians!

Last for the night we ordered a truly extravagant and rare delicacy only found in Shizuoka!
Grilled thigh of Amagi Shamo Chicken/天城軍鶏 exclusively bred by Mr. Horie/堀江さん in Izu Peninsula and served with a fresh wasabi dressing!
This is arguably the best chicken in Japan and it certainly tastes more like game than anything else!

To be followed…

UZU
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00~23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking on Sundays!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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