Category: ** Everyday dining

Dinner and lunch at Oysterbar Hokkaido Akkeshi

I already lauded Akkeshi oysters that I experienced in a feast at their izakaya in Nihombashi in Tokyo. In December 2019 I doubled down and I tried their Oyesterbar at Coredo Muromachi, always in Tokyo. I ended up having both a dinner and a lunch.

The Visit: Dinner

The eatery is located on the ground floor of Coredo Muromachi 2, a shopping mall north of Nihombashi bridge (attention, there is also Coredo 1 and 3 in different buildings nearby, not to mention Coredo Nihombashi South of the bridge). It is a relatively small restaurant and is always busy. I arrived for a late dinner and initially there was no table available. However the waiter asked me to wait and he was able to sort out a table for me eventually. He really went above and beyond.

After ordering a drink I was offered a complementary appetizer, a soup with nori and what I believe was crab paste. Let’s say that it was forgettable.

They had two varieties of Akkeshi oysters (really two brands, Akkeshi is a city in Hokkaido): Kakiemon (large ones) and Maruemon (coming in different sizes). Oysters can be ordered raw, grilled, or steamed. I prefer raw and I went for a double tasting platter featuring the three sizes of the Maruemon variety (they call it M, L, LL). These were just great oysters all around: juicy and flavorful. Now, the one with more flavor was the medium one (L) in my opinion.

Then I compared the Kakiemon (on the left) with a large Maruemon. The Kakiemon was indeed marginally meatier and tastier.

With the oysters I was offered several condiments, but I like them raw.

This location is famous for their deep-fried oysters. And, similarly to the ones I had at their izakaya, the fried oysters were delicious with a strong batter envelope that would leave the interior fresh and juicy.

I also tried their tuna and avocado roll that turned out to be a DIY dish.

Then I needed a miso soup and I had their soup with Hanasaki crab. Good and a very large portion.

For this massive dinner, including 11 oysters, my check was 7,359 yen (68 USD). I think it was reasonable. I was fully satisfied by the food and service even if it was a busy evening for the restaurant.

The visit: Lunch

Lunch is a busy affair at this location. I found myself in the area on a Saturday morning and I joined the queue. I was one of the last people in the queue, but I was among the first customers of the day to be seated at 11.00 (perhaps I should call it a brunch).

They had four set menus all revolving around fried oysters. One menu was just that, fried oysters (4 or 5 pieces), the other menus would include 2 fried oysters plus another dish (a seafood bowl, fried chicken, seafood rice with crab). In addition to the fried oysters in your set menu you are limited to order a maximum of one extra fried oyster (I think Japanese restaurants like to have all sort of rules… but in this case I guess it is an attempt to spread the daily stock over a larger number of customers).

My set lunch had the seafood bowl (minced tuna and ikura mainly), a large miso soup and my three coveted deep-fried oysters (I ordered the additional one I was entitled).

I mixed the egg and I used it to add flavor to the rice, as expected.

The miso soup had large clams.

For lunch you can also order their usual oysters. I had three of their large Kakiemon.

The check was 3,976 yen (half was the three big oysters). Worth every penny.

Where in Tokyo:
2-3-1 Nihombashimuromachi Coredo Muromachi 2, 1F, Chuo.
In Japanese: 〒103-0022 東京都中央区日本橋室町2-3-1 コレド室町2 1F.
Website: http://www.funfunction.co.jp/shopinfo/muromachi/.

Enjoying Udon in a re-converted redbrick storehouse: Kamachiku

Hailed by some as one of the most beautiful restaurants in Tokyo, Kamachiku Nezu is a eatery specializing in handmade udon (the thick Japanese noodles) located in a redbrick building that used to be a merchant’s storehouse. The restaurant is originally from Osaka.

The visit

The restaurant is located in a quiet residential street in Nezu, one of the neighborhoods that make up shitamachi, Tokyo’s old downtown. It is an interesting area that is also known as YANESEN (Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi) and used to be a place for writers and artists during the Meiji era.

I reached the restaurant on a weekday for lunch. It was busy but they were able to accommodate me in the large communal table in the main dining room inside a glass-enclosed extension between the redbrick building and the garden. I was handed a wooden stick with a number to be later presented to get my check.

From the table I could see the entrance to the storehouse proper that now hosts another dining room with Japanese low seating.

Behind me, a large glass window let me peek inside the beautifully curated garden. The rest of the structure should be a residence for senior citizens.

I ordered their specialty: handmade kamaage-udon and two side dishes. The menu was in English and they also had zaru udon (cold noodles). First they handed me the condiments: spring onion, spices in the characteristic wooden container, radish, and  age-dama (fried tempura batter, looks like popped rice).

Then the udon came in their hot cooking water and they poured dashi tsuyu (the udon dipping sauce) in another bowl.

I took the hint from the other customers, and I would transfer a portion of noodles from the big bowl into the small bowl with the sauce. Then eat. I am not a fan of udon, but be it the right temperature (on an end of December day) or the chewy texture they were fully satisfying.

The list of side dishes was amazing. I ended up choosing their signature handmade satsuma-age, a Japanese deep-fried fishcake served with soy sauce. It was indeed tasty and with a nice texture.

A second side dish was a bit disappointing. It was their Patagonian toothfish marinated in miso and grilled (ginmutsu saikyo misoyaki). It was quite flaky and not really meaty. But there were so many side dishes to choose from… I noticed that around me goma-dōfu (tofu-like cubes of creamed sesame) were particularly popular.

The check

The final check was 2,530 yen (the udon dish was 850 yen plus tax) or 23.5 USD. I fully enjoyed the dining experience in this restaurant and I would go back just to sample more of their side dishes.

Where in Tokyo:
2-14-18 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku.
In Japanese: 東京都文京区根津2-14-18.
Website: http://kamachiku.com/top_en/.

Tea time at International House in Tokyo

International House is a foundation promoting cooperation between Japanese people and other countries. Its headquarter is a hotel, catering to international scholars, a conference center, and houses a lounge and a restaurant. The building, dating back to 1955 with a major expansion taking place in 1976, was built in harmony with the surrounding Japanese garden and is a remarkable place.

The visit

The building hosts both a lounge, called The Garden, and a full-fledged restaurant called Sakura. I went for an afternoon tea.

It was a Sunday afternoon of Christmas Week and the place was pretty busy. The public seemed to be mature (in stark contrast with the coffee shops at the National Art Center that I had visited earlier that seemed to attract a younger audience).

The lounge overlooked the scenic garden (unfortunately I was unable to get a decent photo of the view).

I chose the tea and cake set and I was presented with samples of the available cakes. I went for the pudding.

The tea was offered in a teapot.

The check

The tea and cake set cost me 968 yen (around 9 USD) and I must say that I found it very reasonable, especially considered the nice environment.

Where in Tokyo:
5-11-16 Roppongi, Minato-ku.
In Japanese: 東京都港区六本木5‐11‐16.
Website (with menus and links for bookings): https://www.i-house.or.jp/eng/facilities/.

Memorable oyster soba noodles at Hosokawa, Tokyo

Hosokawa (from the name of the chef/owner) is a small soba restaurant nearby the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Its artisan soba are highly appreciated by locals and there is usually a queue.

The visit

Arriving at noon was not a good idea… the queue outside the sliding door was daunting. So I went back to the Edo museum, visited one more exhibit, and went back to the restaurant. Lunch rush time was over but there were still customers waiting outside, but eventually we all made it inside.

Inside I was seated at one of the four communal tables of polished hardwood. The room, without fancy decorations, felt like a refectory in a monastery. From inside the plants in front of the windows gave the impression to look at a garden, but of course it was just a side street.

I was handed the menu with English translation and I went for the oyster soba. Oysters are a customary condiment for soba noodles during the winter (it was December 2019).

Customers line up for the artisan soba, but to me the highlight of the dish were the huge and juicy oysters that perfectly complemented the broth and the noodles.

Soba restaurants usually have on the menu tasty side dishes and this establishment was not an exception. From the list of sides, I had a marinated anago (freshwater eel) that was a delicious side.

The check

I paid 2,800 yen for my dishes. Soba is more expensive than ramen and oysters and anago added up. But definitely wort it.

Where in Tokyo:
1-6-5 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku.
In Japanese: 東京都墨田区横網2-5-14.
Website: https://www.edosoba-hosokawa.jp/.

Foie gras noodles at Chuuka Soba Manchiken

Chuuka Soba Manchiken (中華そば 満鶏軒) is a ramen shop that opened in April of 2018. The owner also operates a main shop, Madai Ramen Mengyo, just across the street. However this “branch” specializing in noodles with duck, has taken over. I am not a fan of noodles, but I was attracted by this establishment after reading a very good review here.

The visit

I went to the restaurant on an evening during my December 2019 trip to Tokyo.

The shop is located at the corner of an intersection, with a very visible store-front marked by a seabream.

As customary for ramen shop, the process involved buying a ticket of my chosen dish from a vending machine. The signs were only in Japanese, but I knew what to order and I recognized the right ticket through the price.

I sat at the counter and handed my ticket.

My choice was for their abura soba with duck, egg, and a sizable piece of foie gras. Abura soba is a dish in which the noodles are placed on a bed of condensed soup and oil. All the ingredients in the bowl were full of flavor dominated by the duck oils. The seared foie gras was excellent and the duck meat was even better, with big, thick, juicy slices. Spring onions and grated radish completed the dish. I would have just wanted a tiny bit more of soup on the bottom.

At the end of the meal I handed the bowl back and I left. It was not a busy evening, but I have read reports of queues, especially when the chef proposes seasonal items. It opens at 11am (closed on Mondays).

The check

This was their most expensive dish priced 1,200 yen (11 USD). On the machine the price was modified with a pencil… it used to be 1,100. But still worth every penny.

Where in Tokyo:
2 Chome-5-3 Kotobashi, Sumida City.
In Japanese: 〒130-0022 東京都墨田区江東橋２丁目５−3.

In search of the perfect gyukatsu in Tokyo part 3: Aona

In this long overdue installment, I continue my search for a great gyukatsu (beef cutlet) in Tokyo. You can read part 1 and part 2. My third attempt was at Aona, another brand with a few branches in Tokyo. I went to their original store in the area of Ameyoko market in Ueno.

The visit

A short walk from Okachimachi station (and Ueno station is just a few blocks further away), actually finding the store was not super-easy, as the pin on Google map was not accurate (the issue seems to have been fixed since then, December 2019).

Of the several Aona branches in Tokyo, I went to this store because they were the only one of the chain serving premium wagyu gyukatsu. It is the original store, but not the largest at the moment.

I was the first customer of the day (it was an early lunch to use an euphemism). They open at 11am.

I ordered the set menu with 100 grams of premium wagyu. “Premium” meant that it was sirloin wagyu, while usually their wagyu gyukatsu comes from the leg, a less prized part of the cow (I suspect this is what you get also in other gyukatsu restaurants promoting wagyu cutlets).

The set came with a nice seasonal salad, a multigrain rice bowl (they proudly indicate that 16 types of grain are used), miso soup and some condiments. Water was complimentary.

The meat was indeed tender and juicy, I was just underwhelmed by the crust (hoping in something crispier).

The nice thing about Aona is that they offer various types of beef. So for good measure I tried also the New Zealand beef (the cheapest option) and the regular Japanese black beef. The Japanese beef was not that distant from the more prized wagyu. The New Zealand beef tasted completely different, like roast beef. (You can see the three types of beef one next to another in the picture on top of the page with the sirloin wagyu on the left, the regular Japanese black beef in the middle, and the New Zealand beef on the right.)

The check

I ended up spending 4,455 yen (41 USD). The main set, with 100 grams of their most expensive beef (sirloin wagyu), was 2,800 yen plus tax. Ordering additional 50 grams of Japanese black beef and 50 grams of New Zealand beef was not economical, as you spend less with bigger portions. They also have a sampler set with three types of beef, but not the premium one that I ordered. Definitely you do not need to spend 40 USD for a normal lunch as I did.

How does it compare with Motomura and Ichi Ni San? Just using the regular Japanese beef as a benchmark and ignoring the fancy sirloin wagyu I had, Aona was marginally better. Motomura had more interesting side dishes (but they were tiny!). Also in Motomura and Ichi Ni San you can cook your meat at your table with a small cooker: if raw meat is not your thing, that’s a sweet option that was not offered at Aona.

The search continues.

Where in Tokyo:
6-5-7 Ueno, Taito-ku, JUN Building 1st floor.
In Japanese: 東京都台東区上野6-5-7 JUNビル1階.
Website: http://www.jfoods.co.jp/ (in Japanese, but you can use Google Translate or similar). The website has menu with prices and list of other locations in Tokyo.

A tea in paradise: The Consul’s Garden in Chiang Mai

The Consul’s Garden is a tea house located in the same property that hosts the fancy French restaurant Le Coq D’Or in Chiang Mai. The name is a reference to the former owner of the place, a early 20th century British Consul. This was his private house (not to be confused with the Consulate now part of the Anantara Restort). This gentleman married a local woman and became a Chiang Mai’s resident. Copies of his memoir, aptly called Consul in Paradise, are available for purchase.

The visit

Upon arrival there is a carpeted path leading to the tea house.

The garden is vast and well maintained.

The tea house offers seating both indoor and outdoor. The outdoor area faces the river.

I had their mini-croissants with ham and salmon. A good snack.

And I had an iced peach tea.

The menu also includes more substantial dishes for a full lunch. They have an afternoon tea set available on weekends.

The check

I spent 440 THB (13.5 USD) for the two dishes that by Chiang Mai standards is expensive. It is the admission ticket to enjoy the garden and its views. Partially because of the price and partially because of the relative distance from the Old City, it remains a reasonably quiet place.

Where in Chiang Mai:
11 Kohklang Rd, Tambon Nonghoi, Amphur Muang.

Chiang Mai’s own bean to bar chocolate: Siamaya

Siamaya (fusion of Siam, the old name of Thailand, and Maya, the ancient population famous, among other things, for eating chocolate) is a Chiang Mai company that was founded, back in 2017, by two foreigners, Neil Ransom and Kristian Levinsen, and two local residents, Tangkwa and Bow Wannapat, with the idea to produce and market quality chocolate.

The catalyst for this initiative was the work of agricultural professor Sahn from Maejo university in Chiang Mai that had been teaching farmers in Chiang Mai valley how to grow high-quality cocoa beans. Chocolate cultivation in Thailand was unheard of until 20-30 years ago. Now it is a reality and Samaya is an artisan company handcrafting each bar starting from the beans. It is a story that has so many parallels with their Vietnamese counterpart Marou.

During my time in Chiang Mai in early 2020 I really came to love this chocolate and I visited both their new shop in the Old City (I was there on the first week of operations) and I took their factory tour.

Shop and cafe in the Old City

The new flagship shop underwent a soft opening in February 2020 and it couldn’t be more centrally located in the Old City: it is just a stone-throw away from the Three Kings monument. The store underwent a major remodeling shortly after; pictures are from the original set-up.

The main attraction in the store of course is their bars. Along with classic dark and milk chocolate they have bars using Thai ingredients such as Thai Tea, bullet chili, coconut milk, and even durian. In collaboration with Chaseki, they also launched a high-grade matcha bar. Their line up is completed by cacao nibs, powder, and coated nuts.

In the store they also sell mini-bars (23 grams) ideal for a tasting collection.

They also offer cold and hot chocolate drinks.

I tried their cold chocolate drink with cacao that was massive. However the cacao did not fully fused with the drink. I was advised that the hot chocolate is more satisfying. They have plan to expand their cafe offering.

One important feature of their approach is that they offer a free tasting of the different flavors.

A 75-gram bar costs 180 THB, very reasonable for this kind of artisan product. The matcha bar costs a little bit more at 200 THB.

The dink was also very reasonably priced at 65 THB (just 2 USD).

Where in Chiang Mai:
127/7 Prapokkloa Rd.
Website: https://siamayachocolate.com.

Factory visit

On another occasion, I also visited their factory outlet and the adjicent factory.

Their outlet is really their office, but they have all of their bars lined up and available for purchase. Also tasting is possible.

The matcha and durian bars are award-winners.

The factory tour that I attended was led by Kris and was fascinating. It began with some basics about cocoa beans.

Then we followed Kris inside their factory (really an artisan workshop) where all the processes take place. We were shown the machines and the chocolate at various stages of production.

The tour lasted around 1 hour and I booked it with a message on their Facebook page. The normal cost at that time was 800 THB per person.

Where in Chiang Mai:
See tripadvsor page. Details of the tour may have changed since my visit.

The Little Cook’s burger (Chiang Mai)

Once I tried the Little Cook Cafe in Chiang Mai. I saw the place mentioned by expats several times and I thought it was a Thai diner. Actually it turned out to be more of a pasta and burger place.

The visit

The venue is “open-air”, located in an alley not far away from the Northern Gate night market. Sadly, there were a lot of mosquitoes (March 2020).

I went for their burger… double (I believe 150 gram each patty). It came in a nice set up with some chips and a piece of watermelon. I had mushrooms added (you can choose a number of extra toppings). The meat was reasonably firm and the sauces not too intrusive. Very tasty burger! The normal one would have been enough.

The check

The burger with the extra topping was 400 THB (in total 420 with water, or around 13 USD). Not expensive, but in line with other burgers in Chiang Mai. The only things that would keep me back is the open-air settings.

Where in Chiang Mai:
244 Manee Nopparat Rd, Tambon Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai.

Dinner at Food for You in Chiang Mai

I found online a couple of reviews of a one-man restaurant in the outskirts of Chiang Mai. I had to try it. I love this kind of family-run businesses. That’s how decided to go for dinner at Food for You by Chef TuTu.

The visit

The restaurant is between Chiang Mai Old City and Mae Rim, not excessively far away, but still a 200 THB on Grab Car. I arrived after dark. The property was tucked in a small road. There were stray dogs around, do not go by motorbike.

The restaurant was a large veranda facing the fields.

I was handed a two-page menu with a number of Thai classics. The dishes listed were a bit repetitive (seabass with black pepper, and deep fried, with mushrooms, etc.). Seabass definitely dominated the menu. But that was ok, I did not expect or wished a long menu in this kind of home-run operation.

I had the stir-fried spicy crispy duck salad. It was a very good dish, even if the duck was a bit dry.

Then I had the seabass with tamarind sauce (I find seafood and tamarind a great match). It was a generous meaty portion.

The chef’s wife spoke good English and looked after me. When she took my order she mentioned that they had, off-menu, this special dish, crab meat and mangosteen. That sounded interesting and she was really keen on me trying it. I casually asked how much it was. It turned out it was 600 THB, that was not a problem, but I did not like that she tried to push a dish priced twice as much, if not more, the price of most dishes on the menu without informing it. I passed and she seemed to be disappointed. If she had told me the price upfront I would have ordered it. I am terrible like that.

The check

I spent 594 THB (around 18 USD) for two large dishes. The prices were very reasonable and the food was really good. The only downside was the extra 400 THB to get there and go back.

Honestly I think you can find comparable food closer to the Old City (Magnolia cafe? Sayut kitchen?), but overall it was a good experience and I might go back and finally try the crab and mangosteen salad.

Where in Chiang Mai:
25 Moo 3, Sun Phee Suea.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foodforyoubycheftutu/ (I used it to make a booking.)