Category: * Street food

Chiang Mai’s artisan gelato: The fabulous Jenny’s Ice Cream

Opened back in September 2019, Jenny’s Ice Cream has been an instant hit. Be it the charisma of the owner Jenny Sun or just the original and tasty flavors, this gelato parlor is a step ahead of the competition (and sadly in Chiang Mai there is a lot of ice cream, but not that good, certainly not real gelato).

The visit

I followed the recommendation of a local former ice cream maker and tried the place that defines itself Italian artisan gelato with Thai twist and is located close to the popular Tha Phae Gate.

It was a narrow and long space, partially shared with another company. I visited it in February 2020. I am aware that shortly after it undertook a renovation.

The centerpiece of the shop was the counter with twelve flavors (the limited number is a good sign of an artisan process behind). Along with classics like vanilla and chocolate (and the omnipresent matcha), there were a number of flavors based on Thai ingredients like coconut lemongrass, guava, and mango.

I went for one of their signature flavors, Thai Jasmine, and a classic strawberry. The flavors were very distinct. Especially the jasmine flavor really came out. It was less creamy than other artisan gelato I am accustomed to, but still excellent.

The almond cones should not be missed. Just have multiple scoops nicely stacked on a cone for an Instagram picture.

The check

Two scoops were 240 THB (around 7.5 USD). As a comparison, at 7 Senses gelato two scoops (bigger than these) at that time cost 159 THB and at Seasons ice cream just 70 THB. Still, its unique take on artisan gelato may justify the premium.

Where in Chiang Mai:
47/2 Mun Mueang Rd, Phra Sing, Mueang Chiang Mai.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennysicecream.

Snacking on Amazake Yokocho in Tokyo

Amazake Yokocho (alley) is a lovely street in Ningyocho neighborhood in Tokyo. The name comes from the old days, before the big Kanto earthquake, when there was a popular shop selling amazake (a sweet drink made from fermented rice). The street, less than 400-meter long, is dotted by interesting shops and eateries.

The visit

I spent some time checking out the shops after a meal in Futaba restaurant.

The first obvious stop was Futaba shop itself specializing in tofu products.

In the shop you can find tofu in all imaginable ways. Most of their offering seems to cater to households or other restaurants, but…

There is a product you should not miss. Made out from soy milk, their donuts are something to try. Just a few hundred yen.

in front of the shop they have a bench and a couple of chairs where you can enjoy the donuts.

Next to Futaba, there is a shop called Morinoen specializing in toasted green tea (houjicha). You can smell the aroma of the green tea being toasted from the street. They have a nice houjicha soft-serve ice cream that I tried. They also have a tea room upstairs. The place deserved another visit.

Across the street there is a famous seller of taiyaki (the popular cake filled with read bean sauce shaped as a fish) called Yanagiya. On a Saturday afternoon the queue was just too much for me. Go on a weekday.

I did go back and got my prize during a weekday later in December (just 160 yen for one). It was peeping hot and the red bean paste was tasty, but I am not so expert to judge what makes people queue.

Next to the taiyaki place, there is a shop selling traditional sweets that I highly recommend. A lady that I suspect was the owner spoke English with me.

One of their signature product is a type of dorayaki, pancakes stuffed with red bean paste that have a tiger-pattern (for this reason is called torayaki, tora meaning tiger in Japanese) . Hence the tiger in the shop window. These are very nice gifts.

The choice was pretty amazing. In the end I tried a cake with chestnut. This sweet is called gyokuman, which consists of a chestnut surrounded by five stacked layers of red bean paste.

They even had some parfaits and their own soft-ice cream good for your stroll.

One more snack

Ningyocho is the place where ningyo-yaki were originated. These are small pancakes filled with sweet red bean paste shaped as heads. Literally, it means “cooked dolls” and is yet another reference to the doll-making businesses that were once located in the area (Ningyocho means “doll town”). The head actually are a reference to the faces of the Seven Lucky Gods. There are a few places selling those in Ningyocho. The ones pictured above were purchased from Amamidokoro Hatsune (甘味処 初音). On one of the corners of Amzake street Itakuraya is another shop selling them.  

The check

All the snacks mentioned above cost a few hundred yen each (just a few dollars). I highly recommend this street for a good snack or two.

Where in Tokyo:
Nihombashi, Ningyocho 2.
In Japanesse: 日本橋人形町2.
Website: http://amazakeyokocho.jp.

Possibly the best ice cream in Macau: Lemoncello Gelato

Honestly, this is the only ice cream I tried in Macau. It is hailed as the best by many websites and it is even recommended by the Michelin Guide. I did like it.

The visit

I visited the main shop of Lemoncello Gelato (sometimes referred as Lemon Cello) on a Sunday evening. It is near Cathedral Square and Senate Square. Other outlets are in the ground floor of Lisboa Tower and in Taipa village.

They have a nice spread of flavors that are made fresh daily.

I tried their Ferrero Rocher flavor that was outstanding. It really tasted like the Italian chocolate candy. My friend had a sweet grapefruit that was also very good.

I am not sure this ice cream can qualify as gelato, but it is thoughtfully made.

This is the story… in Chinese.

The check

Two flavors cup or cone cost 40 MOP (5 USD). Honest.

Where in Macau:
6 Tv. do Bpo (Main shop).

Lord Stow’s vs. Margaret’s: The real story of Macau’s egg tarts

The egg tart is a Portuguese cake that originated in the 1800s and is very popular in Macau. However, the history of the current iteration of the egg tarts in Macau is quite twisted. It is not a direct import from Portugal as you might expect given the Portuguese legacy in the former colony.

Based on the pasteis de nata from Portugal, the tarts in their current form were introduced to Macau by a British pharmacist-turned-baker, Andrew Stow in the late 1980s. After tasting the tarts in Portugal, Stow returned to Macau and started experimenting with the recipe to create his own ‘Macau’ version. He opened his first bakery in 1989. He passed away in 2006, but his bakery continues to bake over 10,000 tarts a day. BBC wrote a feature about him. The business is now managed by the sister and the daughter.

Adding twist to the twist, after their separation, his wife Margaret Wong opened her own bakery and started to compete with the ex-husband.

Lord Stow’s Bakery and Margaret’s Cafe e Nata are the two most famous places where to find egg tarts in Macau today, but other local bakeries have them as well. The Hong Kong version, by the way, is quite different and has a different story.

Lord Stow’s Bakery

Lord Stow’s Bakery original shop is located in Coloane village, in the Southern part of Macau.

I bought a set of six for 50 MOP (a little over 6 USD). The individual price was 10 MOP. Unfortunately the bakery in Coloane has no place where to seat. The cakes are best tasted hot. They were firm and the cream brulee cover added flavor to the mix.

Their handmade chocolate pie was another item that attracted my attention, but I did not try it.

They have several outlets in Macau, including some cafes: check their web site for addresses. Finally, two small franchisees are present in Osaka (Dotobori) and in Manila.

Margaret’s Café e Nata

Margaret’s cafe is located near the central Senate Square (17B R. do Cmte. Mata e Oliveira). During the weekend expect long queues. I visited it on a Monday morning and there was no waiting time. They also have some benches in front of the store that is nice.

They have sandwiches and drinks as well. Right in front of the entrance there is a DYI station where to choose the ingredients for a sandwich. But it did not look particularly attractive.

Frankly, the egg tart was pretty similar to Lord Stow’s. Probably the pastry was more flaky and the cream had a stronger flavor. But I would not queue for it.

One tart was 10 MOP (1.24 USD), the standard price around town. Also tried a pizza that was forgettable.

Food at Nishiki market in Kyoto

Nishiki market is a popular shopping street in Kyoto with numerous street food vendors. Like Kuromon in Osaka or the markets in Sapporo, it is a super-touristy destination.

The visit

I entered the market from the Teramachi entrance on one side.

Deep-fried “stuff” was very popular.

There was a lot of fresh seafood.

There were the baby octopus with a quail egg inside also found in Kuromon in Osaka.

A very popular vendor was selling fresh sashimi at reasonable prices and I could not resist.

I had my tuna fix (both normal tuna and medium-fatty tuna).

Something easy to eat were these skewers with large shrimps grilled on the spot.

I tried a couple of scallops that were quite meaty.

I would NOT fancy this burger.

Above the famous sparrow skewers. I did not try them. The quail looked good though.

The famous ayu (sweet fish) on skewer was available.

These Japanese croquettes are quite good and inexpensive.

There was a shop selling kakigori (with seats), but it stopped at around 5pm to become a regular restaurant.

Not only seafood, also vegetables and even non-food was available and some locals actually shopped there.

The check

The snacks I had were pretty inexpensive, just a few hundred yen each. The sashimi was around 1,000 yen. I found it more affordable than Kuromon in Osaka (and it is true in general for Kyoto as compared to Osaka). The only problem was the big crowd and it was an afternoon during the week, away from lunch hours. Do not expect a comfortbale place where to eat if you go.

Where in Kyoto:
609 Nishidaimonjicho, Nakagyo Ward.
(It is located on a road one block north and parallel to Shijō Street and west of Teramachi Street.)

Eating at Kuromon market in Osaka

Kuromon market is a popular market in central Osaka. It is a super-touristy destination and can is unbelievably crowded most of the times. I do not recommend it, but here’s some of the street food you can find. The pictures were taken in August 2017.

The visit

I got to the market from Nipponbashi station, from there it is a very short walk.

Lots of people. And it was not even too crowded in the picture above.

Many sellers display food and can cook it on the spot. Seafood is the main attraction.

A popular snack is the baby octopus with a quail egg inside on a stick. I had one and was ok. Just do not try to eat it all at once if you do not want to choke.

Sea urchin and oysters, also big oysters, are everywhere (but expensive). I had an oyster.

Grilled squid was another common snack.

In a stall I had a grilled squid and some scallops.

You will also find several stalls serving oden.

Oden is an inexpensive snack. I guess this was better than the one you can have in a convenience shop.

They also sell and cook wagyu beef. Not sure who would spend an arm and leg in wagyu and eat it walking in a crowded market. Go to a decent restaurant!

A crab stick was another easy snack.

Another stall selling grilled seafood above.

And here’s a stall specializing in horumon cuisine (using organ meat, giblets, and other types of offal meat especially from the cow).

One popular store in the market is Maguroya Noragin specializing in fresh tuna. I tried it and I was left unimpressed. You can see the pictures of what I had in the gallery below.

The check

I did not get any check, but I can tell you that it was not cheap. Many simple dishes would cost around 10 USD (1,000 yen). Soon I found myself spending more than 50 USD for just a few snacks. I had the impression that all the food was fresh and I trusted the hygiene. But I would not recommend it. With a similar budget you can have a meal in a decent restaurant.

Where in Osaka:
2 Chome-4-1 Nipponbashi, Chuo Ward.

Finding a good takoyaki on Dotonbori: Takohachi

Running along the canal with the same name, Dotobori is one of the principal tourist destinations in Osaka. Food is one of the main attractions and takoyaki is one of those soul foods that are sold everywhere on this busy street.

Takoyaki is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako). It is a fixture in Japanese street food and festivals.

The visit

What attracted me to Takohachi (たこ八), which serves also okonomiyaki on the upper floor, was an air-conditioned room where to eat the snack. On a very hot day, it was a big plus!

I had 5 takoyaki (for many places the minimum order was 6) that came covered in bonito flakes. This was not my first takoyaki in Japan, however it was very different from my previous experiences. The main difference was that it was very creamy and almost sweet. Way better than my previous ones. As usual, it was very hot and I had to cut it in two to get it cooler. Eating it in one shot was not advisable.

The check

Five takoyaki cost 400 yen (less than 4 USD). It is still an affordable eat.

Where in Osaka:
1 Chome-5-10 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward.

Castella cake and other sweets in Nagasaki

The international nature of Nagasaki also emerges from its dessert culture. I have written about its milk seki in another post, clearly showing Western influence. This review will focus on the famous castella cake (kasutera) and some other sweets like yori yori.

The classic castella from Fukusaya

Regarded as a specialty of Nagasaki, castella cake was brought to Japan by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. The name is derived from Portuguese Pão de Castela, meaning “bread from Castile”. It is a sponge-cake.

Fukusaya is the most famous producer of catella cake in Nagasaki (along with Bunmeido) and has branches also in other cities. Their symbol is the bat. I went to their main store in central Nagasaki.

The cake is usually sold in boxes as a gift. Fukusaya also has a chocolate castella called Hollander cake. Unfortunately their shop is not a cafe.

I decided to buy the mini-box (called Fukusaya cube) that carries two pieces of castella. It was very good, fluffy, and sugary.

The small box was just 270 yen (a little bit more than 2 USD).

Where in Nagasaki: 3-1 Funadaikumachi.

Ice cream castella sandwich at the Foreign Settlement Cafe

Up on the Hollander Slope (one of Nagasaki’s landmark) there is a lovely cafe housed in a traditional Western House open to the public. I would not call it a gourmet destination, however they had vanilla ice cream sandwiched in two slices of castella cake that was quite nice. It is a good place where to have a coffee and relax.

Where in Nagasaki: House 13, Holander Slope.

Baigetsudo’s cakes

Baigetsudo is one of the oldest pastry shops in Nagasaki and has multiple outlets. They of course sell castella (one with green tea flavor is unique to their store) and other Western cakes. In their main store they have a tea room upstairs where I tried one of their cakes. If you go, you might want to try their sponge cake with peach and pineapple; it is their signature.

Where in Nagasaki: 7-3 Hamamachi (inside the covered shopping street).

Yori Yori bakery

Not far away from Ichiriki I stepped into a bakery selling yori yori, twisted fried dough that is regarded as a perfect souvenir for people visiting Nagasaki. The Chinese influence here is clear, in China they ave the exact same thing.

I was amazed at the price of some of the packaged yori yori. I snagged a cheap bag and this was quite disappointing. It was hard as stone. They also sell castella cake, probably a better bet.

Where in Nagasaki: 7-28 Suwamachi. (Store name: 萬順製菓 工場直売店).

Eating at the most classic Seoul’s market: Gwangjang

Not all touristy locations are the same. Some are tourist traps, but some are able to retain some of their authenticity and remain an interesting destination. In my opinion Gwangjang Market falls into the latter category and it is a fun place where to try Korean street food. This is my experience of a visit at around 11am on a weekday.

The visit

My visit started from the exit 7 of the Jongno 5(o)-ga Station of the Seoul metro. From there, it was just 10 meters to enter the fray.

Eventually I sat down at the stall number 3 where an energetic lady served me some delicious kimchi dumplings.

Then I stepped inside a restaurant called Jinju Yukhoe specializing in raw meat. It was a waste, but I just had a mungbean pancake. This is a relatively crispy and thick pancake that I thoroughly enjoyed.

At the center of the complex, there was a stall specializing in knife-cut noodles made famous by a Netflix special.

The market is not just food. They are also famous for quality silk goods, linen bedding and hand-made goods. The market was formally established in 1962 as a spin-off of Dongdaemun Market.

The check

The food was very affordable and delicious. The pancake cost me just 5,000 WON and so much for the dumplings (they even gave me a little discount because I did not want the soup and they were considerably cheaper than from Bukchon Son Mandu).

This was my first visit and I played it safe with a couple of softballs like dumplings and pancakes. But I definitely would like to try the raw meat. Also, I was unable to find the stall specializing in spicy fish stew (Maeun-tang). For another time.

Where in Seoul:
88 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 
Metro: Jongno 5(o)-ga Station (subway line 1) exit 7, roughly 15m away.  Euljiro 4(sa)-ga Station (subway lines 2, 5) exit 4, roughly 150m away.
Website: www.kwangjangmarket.co.kr.

Italian artisan gelato in Singapore: Alfero

When I learnt that in Singapore there was an Italian ice cream maker, I knew I had to check it out (I already have reviews about Italian gelato in Saigon, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Guangzhou)

The visit

Unfortunately at the time of my visit Alfero only operated a shop in a residential area off-the-beaten-path. Took me a while to get there and find the place in the courtyard of a residential complex.

Just across the gelato shop there was an Italian restaurant. I bet they were related.

I just ordered a scoop made from a flavor called “Bacio” (“kiss”). Bacio is an an Italian chocolate cookie with the same name (it is famous because it comes with a slip of paper with cheesy quotations about love and life). I must say that I was not particularly impressed, the flavor of the original cookie was hardly there. But this was just one scoop on a random day, so my comment is not necessarily representative of the whole offering.

The brownies also looked very good.

The check

One scoop was 5 SGD (3.60 USD).

I wound not recommend to make the journey just for the ice cream. But if you happen to be around in the area, check it out.

Where in Singapore:
81 Macpherson Ln, Shop #01-37 (look for the building below facing Macpherson street).
Website: www.alferogelato.com.