Lobster Roll

We traveled to Soho today to fulfill a culinary goal.

I watch the Travel Channel and the Food Network regularly. Both have shows that travel the country to determine the best food whether it be hot dogs, barbecue or salads. Each time I watch the shows, I get hungry and the urge to go out and eat the food that won the contest. Reality sets in when I realize that I live in Hawaii and not Los Angeles, Kansas City or Minnesota.

Today Nobu and I were able to relive one of those episodes. I cannot remember which show had the Lobster Roll challenge. One of the contendors was Ed's Lobster Bar in New York. I cannot remember if the shop won or not. I just wanted to have a Lobster Roll.



The Lobster Roll was served on a buttery oblong bun. It was filled with lobster salad. Chunks of sweet lobster in mayonnaise and seasoned lightly to enhance the flavor of the lobster. The lobster salad was remarkably light. Not too oily or sloppy. One bite into the sandwich, I crunched through chunks of lobster. Wow, it was fresh. The lobster was so sweet....
Price $28.00, reasonable.



We also shared the Lobster Bisque. The Lobster Bisque was rich and creamy. Lobster flavor with each spoonful. They did not skimp on the base. This is a bowl to share as the soup is so rich. I wish they had rice. Oh well, we are in New York City and not Hawaii.

Anpan in Odawara

One of the things that I look forward to when traveling is being able to wander around town on my free time. Sometimes, you stumble across some tasty local treats by accident.



On a recent trip to Hakone, I stopped by the gateway to Hakone, Odawara. I had some free time on my trip back to Tokyo and decided to take look around the station.




I went through the gate of a local commercial district. A street lined with little shops.



What caught my eye was this shop Moriya. It was a bakery. As I browsed through the area I noticed a steady stream of people going in and out of this store..., and the sweet smell of fresh baked bread. I decided to check it out.

I entered the store. Well it was not much of store. It was several glass cases lined across in an L shape. There was barely 1 meter between the glass cases and the glass windows that lined the street front. On the other side of the glass cases was their baking area. The bakers were two bakers busy baking their goods.

I noticed that the three people in line in front of me all ordered the same thing. An pan. Well, I had to do the same..., there must be something special about this anpan.



I had one an pan outside of the bakery. It was heavenly. This an pan was filled with an (red beans). As you can see in the picture, the thin wall of pastry was filled with an. It was not too sweet as the flavor was mellowed by a little salt. For my palate, it was perfect.

If you ever have time in Odawara, try to find this bakery. The an pan is definitely worth the stop.

Unagi

One of our must eats on our travels to Japan is Unagi. The unagi served in Japan has no resemblance to the ones served in Hawaii.

The unagi served in Japan is not bony. It is plump and filled with flavor. The unagi can be split with your chopstick, the meat tender yet firm. The unagi is rich and melts in your mouth.

Maybe we are spoiled as we have been eating at some high end unagi specialty shops. Spending over 2500 yen for a "Unajyu" is extravagant. But so worth it.

The shops we go to are not fast food. For 2500 yen +, that is not the expectation. Rather, you enter the shop. Get seated and order. This an unagi specialty shop. Consequently, only unagi is on the menu. There are only a few variations to the dishes served. Unajyu, Unadon and sometime Unatama. The price variation is linked to the size of the unagi ordered. The larger one costs more. The server takes your order and you wait while drinking tea. And you wait....., 20 to 30 minutes. The unagi is prepared fresh.., meaning upon order the unagi is alive and prepared. Filleted, cooked to perfection. Slow food at its finest.

My experience with unagi in Japan forces me to say "No" to unagi donburi served on menus in Hawaii. I know it falls short to the premium product in Japan. May palate has been destroyed yet again.

The Sake Shop

My friends Malcolm and Nadine recently opened the Sake Shop in Honolulu.




Both Nadine and Malcolm have a passion for sake'. A few years ago, they had an idea of opening a sake' specialty shop. They saw an increase in interest in sake' and saw this as an opportunity to fill a niche in the market.



Sake' has been available in Hawaii for generations. Growing up in Japanese households our impressions of sake' is mainly the warm sake' that comes out of the gallon jug served warm on New Years. Now, we realize there is more to sake' than the warm stuff. As people start exploring the world of sake' they are surprised at the different varieties of sake' available. As you get deeper into sake', you realize that each sake' is unique in flavor and has its own distinct character much like wine.






Many of us have been at a Japanese specialty store staring at the bottles of sake' on display. Quite honestly, I have a difficult time making a decision on which one to buy. Sake' is not an inexpensive indulgence. Personally, the fear of making a $40 mistake buying the a bottle of sake' is a deterrent from trying something new. Honestly, do you trust the recommendation of a clerk that will read you the label as an explanation?


The Sake' Shop provides a valuable service for the new sake' enthusiast. I can now shop for my sake' with the assurance that I can get an honest evaluation of a sake' before purchasing. I can get informed recommendations as to what type of sake' that I may enjoy.




I hope that you can visit the Sake' Shop sometime.

A Pleasant Surpirse

I went out to a Japanese Restaurant last night with a few friends. We had a great time talking story, eating and ...., well you know. After a few hours sharing stories and many laughs, we decided to cap the night off with one last dish. As we gleaned through the menu starting from the top (appetizers) moving downward, this dish caught my eye. I thought to myself that this a great way to top the night...., just like in Japan. Motsuni.

Needless to say, the Motsuni was great. The broth was rich and flavorful, the tofu was firm. As you can see from this picture, I was so excited that I was half way through before I realized that I should take a picture.

Cannoli................MMMMM good

San Francisco is arguably the culinary capital of the West Coast. There is Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown......, and of course North Beach.

When the weather permits, I like to walk from Fisherman's Wharf to Chinatown. I am a creature of habit, I always take this walk when I am in San Francisco. It is a pleasant walk and a great way to see the city. You can see the neighborhoods change from the waterfront to the market in Chinatown.

Mid-way on this trek is North Beach.



This is my favorite place to take a break. Mara's.

I enjoy sitting at a streetside table watching people go by sipping on a cup of Cappuccino...., and having a Cannoli. The Cannoli is a guilty pleasure of mine.

Mara's Cannoli has a crispy wrapper and is stuffed to the max with creamy cheese filling. When biting into the Cannoli, you can never seem to contain the rich thick cheese that spills out the back. Gotta be careful, don't want to waste.




Nothing compares in Hawaii.

The Ferry Building

The Ferrt Building is one of my favorite landmarks in San Francisco.



The historic building has been preserved. The hall way is bright and airy.

The Ferry Building is gourmet oasis with many stores selling gourmet food. Most of which use local ingredients or products.



Here is one of my favorite spots.

Boccalone. "Tasty Salted Pig Parts"
Their motto says it all.
Check out the inventory in the meat locker.



I had a wonderful Prosciutto and Cotto Sandwich served hot in a focaccia. The sandwich was dressed with spicy mustard. Prosciutto perfection.

Jindaiji

Jindaiji is a laid back suburb of Tokyo.
We we were there on March 3, 2009 to visit the annual Daruma Ichi (Daruma Market).
To get to Jindaiji, we took the Keio line to Chofu Station. From there, we rode the bus.

The Daruma Ichi is a big event in Tokyo. In fact it is one the top three Daruma Markets in the Kanto area.

Consequently, there was a long line to ride the bus. We stood in line. We were just one bus load away from the front at 10:30 AM. 15 minutes later, the line doubled. We noticed that other than children, we seem to be the youngest people in line to catch the bus. The people in line were mostly senior citizens.

Well, we boarded the bus thinking that this was a special bus going to Jidaiji Temple. What would give us that idea? The bus company worker with the megaphone announcng the arrival and departure of the bus going to Jindaiji. Little did we know that this was a local bus. It is not good to stand by the exit on a local bus. We learned that the hard way as we were pushed and prodded by the seniors to get off their stop. Seniors are not a laid back group in Japan.






A group picture in front of a soba restaurant.



Our reward was to dine on the famous Jindaiji Soba. Here is a picture of us in front of an establishment with a water wheel.




Nameko Sansai Soba. Really delicious. The noodles are a little coarse and the noodles are cut a little thicker. The texture is just right to bring out the flavors of the rich broth.

Lion Beer Hall

After a day in Snow Country, we headed to ..., Bavaria.

Well almost Bavaria. The Lion Beer Hall is one of our favorite watering holes.

There are many Lion Beer Halls in Tokyo.

This one located in Ginza 7-chome is the most stately. Built in 1934, it is the first beer hall in Japan. The interior of the Beer Hall is designed as if it were truly a German Beer Hall. You cannot help but notice the fountains that flank the bar. And the amazing mosaic tiles that line the walls of the establishment.

You are seated on wooden chairs and served on wooden tables. This adds to the ambiance.

Most importantly, they serve large steins of Yebisu Black....

Ponshu-kan..., An Oasis in the Snow

Yes, there is an oasis in Snow Country.

We got out of the snow and into the warm Echigo Yuzawa Station. Alas after a day of walking in the snow, we have earned the right to warm us up. We headed for a corner of the Echigo Yuzawa Station through the many gift shops selling local delicacies.

We found it...

Enter through the noren.



This is Ponshukan. It is a shop specializing in Jizake or local sake from Niigata.




Once there you can learn about the different types of sake brewed in Niigata.
We were surprised at the variety. As I am about to have my first taste, I am dazed at the choices available. Everything from Daiginjo down.

They even have a sake named Tenchijin, in honor of the current NHK Taiga Drama. Echigo Yuzawa is part of the country ruled by the Uesugi Clan featured in Tenchijin.

Brats and Brews

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that we like to have a beer once in a while. Well, a while comes pretty often with this group.

As locals, we also like to have some pupus with our beer.


Believe it or not, one of our favorite pupus is sausage. You can find a little bit of Bavaria in Japan.

The wieners at Yebisu Garden Place and all of its sister restaurants are a perfect combination of flavor and texture. Coarsely ground meat is encased in a crunchy wrapper. When you bite into the wiener, there is a distinctive crunch followed by an explosion of flavorful juices. The inside also has a crunchy texture that adds to the flavor. The Japanese definitely can make sausage. WINNERS!!!

Oh! トロ

In case any of you started compiling your list of Christmas gifts, here is a hint to get you started. I will settle for half the rack chu-toro.

I will also settle for a rack O-toro, if you cannot find chu-toro.

If you do decide to get me this for XMAS, I will share.

Jindaiji Soba

We attended Jindaiji's annual Daruma-ichi. The other "must do" on our plans was to have Jindaiji Soba. Jindaiji Soba is hand rolled and cut. What makes this soba special is that is made from buckwheat harvested from the region which is mixed with local spring water. Our soba was a thicker cut. The soba was fairly firm with a little texture. Many times, soba is either really soft or stiff. Jindaiji soba seems to be a perfect middle ground.

The broth was perfect. It's the classic dashi but not overly flavored to complement the star of the dish, the soba.

Since it was cold (for us from Hawaii), most of us had the hot soba.

I had the nameko sansai soba. The soba had nameko (a type of mushroom), with sansai (preserved mountain vegetables, fern shoots)and a raw quail egg. The combination was marvelous. I really enjoyed my lunch that day.



Can you see the sound of silence. Well maybe you can hear the slurping.

Kamameshi

It was past noon. We had just returned from our gondola ride up and down the peak where we endured a blizzard. We were hungry!

As we walked back to Echigo Yuzawa Station, we stumbled upon this restaurant.

As you may know from a previous post, Echigo Yuzawa is snow country. But Niigata is renown for its rice harvest. It is also known for its fresh seafood from the Japan Sea and vegetables available in the reason.

We were fortunate to find this restaurant that specialized in Kamameshi. Kamameshi combines the best of both world: Niigata's rice and locally available ingredients. Rice and ingredients are combined with dashi in a mini pot and cooked over an open flame. The result is perfectly cooked rice with the flavors of seafood (or chicken).



I had the seafood kamameshi. It included shrimp, scallops, fish, crab and oyster. The picture shown above is a "before" picture. The proper way to eat kamameshi is to take you paddle and mix the toppings into the rice. The mixture of ice and seafood was delightful as every bite was different as the combination of ingredients changed with each pass.

The best part is the "koge" or the burnt rice that sticks to the bottom of the pot. This is something that I do not share with anybody. The crispy rice is complemented by the flavors of the ingredients. Ono!!!

Asakusa Bura Bura

Asakusa is a major attraction for both Japanese tourists and International tourists. Perhaps, it is the lively streets, the tourist traps errrrrr...., the little shops along Nakamise Dori or the shitamachi culture perpetuated by the residents there.

In today's post I will highlight what I think are three reasons to visit Asakusa.



#3 on my list is Tokyo or Edo's oldest temple. Sensoji Temple.



#2 is my "must do" in Asakusa. Taking a picture of the Golden Doo Doo. How can one resist taking a picture of this classic piece of modern public art gone wrong. The Flamme d'Or. It's gold and it big. This is a good reason not to give an artist money for a project without specific instructions. The only redeeming quality is the building under it. The Asahi Beer Hall.







#1 is having tempura donburi in Asakusa.

Not any soggy tempura donburi. I long for the kakiage donburi. This tempura is thick with squid, shrimp and scallops cooked to perfection. The outside is crispy with a golden color. The inside is amazingly cooked to perfection. My friend Lee (Chef) was amazed how something so thick can be fried to perfection. The batter is light. The kakiage is complemented with this savory amakara sauce (shoyu and sugar based) that is poored over the kakiage and rice.

After you finish most of the kakiage, smash the left overs and mixed it into the rice. It's just heavenly.



This year, we diverted from our usual spot of Daikokuya to Marushin.

Those of you may remember Marushin was in the Hawaiian Regent Hotel. It has since closed. I do not remember the tempura there being as good as the one the we had on this trip.

Pork Perfection

I am standing here at my favorite Yakiton (Pork not chicken) establishment in Tokyo. This venerable establishment has served this neighborhood, salarymen, OL's and other everyday folks for over 80 years.

This is my kind of place. There is a rule here that my aunt informed me of. If you do not drink or if someone in your party is not drinking (alcohol), you will not be served. My aunt learned this the hard way. She does not drink. Consequently, she has to wait for my uncle or cousins to come home after drinking to enjoy the morsels of pork served here. They do take out here, more as a courtesy to appease the wives and kids at home for their customers. I am not standing in front of the take-out window, must drink.




Their specialty is the tataki, locally known as tsukune. The tataki is minced pork much like hamburger. Beyond the flavor, what make this special is the texture. The meat and other parts are coarsely ground. There is a pleasant crunch when you bite in to the tataki which complements the flavor of the tare.

This establish caters to the normal working folk. Nothing pretentious here. Just value. There is only one choice of draft beer. One choice of sake. Bierly's Orange or Cider. No coke.... Just the basics.

Prices are kept low by using pork. They use all parts of the pig. This year, we discovered a new menu item, the Teppo (pig's head). It was the best, I regret not knowing about this before. It is roast pork on a skewer, only better. Fat Meat Fat. As my Lee would say "That was awesome!!!"




Other dishes include cartilage, skin, liver, gizzards and other parts. These are called Horumon in Japan.




Our favorite dish here is the motsuni. It is miso based stew of tripe. The tripe is stewed until it is so soft that it melts in you mouth. The soup is so rich. This is one of those places that you don't want to ask when was the last time that they washed the pot. Honestly, I do not think the staff is old enough to remember.

Happiness is Toro for Breakfast

Happiness is having this Nakaochi Toro Donburi for breakfast. I stumbled upon this nondescript restaurant along one of the main streets (undisclosed on purpose) that border Tsukiji Shijou. There was a yatai that had about four seats outside. The staff lured us into this alley. Were we surprised that on the other end of the alley there was a bigger dining establishment that specialized in kaisen (seafood donburi). The area was bordered by counters on both sides with about 10 seats each. There was an island in the middle where the ladies made the donburis. The island seated about 20 people. This is truly a hole in the wall.

I am so fortunate to be able to read Japanese. I found out that there was a limit to 15 servings of the Nakaochi Otoro Donburi. This is made from the scrapings near the Otoro. It is the leftover after the sashimi cuts are made. Still Otoro. For abour 1500 yen, it was a great deal. The bits of toro seemed to melt into the sushi rice. Served naked the toro was silky smooth without being too fishy. Yes, there is a 15 serving limit since it is fresh. The donburi was complemented with Japanese Negi with complemented the shoyu and toro.



In the picture you are looking at servings #14 and #15.

Reunited

 

A few years ago, I discovered Yebisu Black...., and fell in love. I yearn for this beer and only can be fulfilled on my trips to Japan. Even then, it is served only at select locations.



This year, we found this beer in cans and it seemed to be more available at retail outlets. But you still had to do some searching.

Each time I go back to Japan, I make it a point to have several large steins of this beer. It is smooth, dark and dangerous. It is a robust and hearty beer like a stout. It has a mixed flavor of carmel and coffee making it a fulfilling beer.

Yebisu Black is considered a Euro Dark Lager.

They do not distribute it outside of Japan. If they brewed it here in the US, they probably would mess it up.

I can't wait until my Japan trip.

Day 7: Shopping

Our final day of our trip is our shopping day. We went to Ginza to buy omiyage and things for ourselves.

In Ginza, it is amazing what you are able to find. If you are willing to spend money, you can get almost anything. Jewelry and luxury watches are available at many specialty shops. High end dining of all varieties.

The Department store basements are always a marvel. With food vendors selling everything from Prosciutto by the slice and by the whole ($20K+) to candy. Deli sections sell bentos to okazu such as tonkatsu or salads. Many of the vendors also give free samples. My friends wer stunned that whole pieces of siu mai were given out rather than the oligatory pieces that you may get here.

Night One. Finally on vacation

Finally here in Tokyo. It is always good to be at our friendly neighborhood sake establishment, Meishu Center. We are always greeted by our friend Nobuko-san. The store carries over a couple hundred different sake at any time. She always selects sake that we all enjoy. javascript:void(0)