Tag: restaurant

Ocean and Mount Fuji every day winter trip

This year, after many ideas and discussions of places we could go for the holidays and my birthday, we opted for a short road trip to the coast of Kanagawa and Shizuoka. Plenty of blue ocean and blue skies and views of Mount Fuji from every single angles (we ended up making a 360 around it).

Our trip was more or less planned, we usually like improvisation, but more and more places, since the pandemic, operate on a reservation-only, so it is best to schedule a little if you want a good lunch, a visit to a must-see museum… but luckily there are still many places that welcome visitors on the spot too.

Our trip took us to Kamakura, Oiso, Atami and Fujinomiya.

In Kamakura, we always use the bike share service Hello cycling. There are many stations all over from Kamakura, to further down the coast. Beware that more than often the batteries of the electric bicycles are not charged enough so they will let you down at some point!!! Not funny given that the bicycles are twice or thrice the weight of regular ones and it can be pretty hilly…

In Kamakura we really like the museum of modern art. (We also love the one in Hayama too) It’s located right on the left side of Hachimangu. It’s a small uncrowded museum, with exhibitions that are usually very well curated and would take about one hour to visit.

Kamakura Hachimangu

If you want to get lost in crowds, climb up to Hachimangu, you’ll get to mingle in big crowds, and honestly I’ve never understood why people come to visit. In its present form, this not the kind of sanctuary that I personally enjoy. However, the Great Buddha is always worth a visit. It is crowded but it’s so majestic that it invites for peace and quietness.

Going down the coast, in Oiso we visited former prime minister Yoshida’s residence. The garden is quite old and features a few beautiful plum trees. The house is rather recent, with some beautiful material. If you like history of Japan it also has some interest. And the view of Mount Fuji is beautiful.

Down further south, advanced reservation only, is the Enoura observatory. It was in my list of places to visit since it opened in 2017 but never managed to be in the program… we haven’t been much in the area in the past 10 years. On a good weather day it is a dramatic place to visit with stunning views and some stones collection (yes you read well) and sculptures exhibited outdoors. And you navigate in a citrus grove, typical of the area. On a bad weather day, I am less sure it would be worth going though… same in a very hot summer day.

The place kind of made me think about the “Contempt” villa. The blue sea and sky, the parallelepiped roof top… but in more contemporary version.

We also went to visit Odawara castle ground, with pines that could make me cry, so beautiful, so old. And in Atami the museum of art MOA, but I am not sure I would recommend it. Contrarily to the name could suggest, it’s a private museum. We had an awkward feeling while visiting it, in the way the exhibition was curated, and then realized that the founder was the guru of a sect, and we then understood the awkwardness…

Now let’s talk food.

While on a trip we would have a mix of simple food taken at the hotel (I am a master of hotel room minimal cooking) and restaurants. For once we had a rough plan and booked ahead a few restaurants worth the trip, and with stunning views on the ocean, so best for lunches.

Aroma mare アロママーレ in Atami was a great experience for Mediterranean cuisine and delicious homemade pizza in a small beautiful space. While a booking may not be necessary, they get full rapidly so if you want to secure a table…

Girino in Ninomiya for Italian x Japanese food, course menu only, reservation only, also small restaurant with a do it all chef and beautiful wares.

Amalfi della serra in Kamakura, has been our favorite place for dinner outdoors, we usually go there in early evening spring or summer when in Kamakura. You don’t go there for the food, though the pizza is good, but for the chill. After climbing up the narrow stairs behind the Enoshima line, up the hill, the terrace is just breathtaking. You travel to the Amalfi coast in a climb!

Figaro in Fujinomiya has something special to me, not only it’s a beautiful cafe at the foot of Mount Fuji, it’s owned and run by the Mine’s and they are also the parents of Fujinosuke and Kintaro, to of Pablo’s kitten we saved 7 years ago. Opened just recently, we thought we ought to visit for a sweet treat for my birthday, even though it wasn’t in the plan to go to Fujinomiya. Good jazz music, beautiful space, delicious sweets (very sweet!!!) and good coffee and macha latte. Fujinomiya looked like a sleeping city but the cafe was very busy! Yet we could have a good chat about food and gardening with A.. We couldn’t stay for a proper dinner, but A.’s cuisine is delicious (we had the chance to have lunch at her place once) and highly recommended.

For casual Japanese food we also tried Hayase no himono in Odawara and chiffon cake for breakfast from the nearby Grit, where I had a nice chat with the owner-chef about the importance of cooking in copper pans.

Summer green chilled soup

Last week we went out for dinner to try Cimi Restorant, a restorative kitchen that proposes an interesting concept, with only 10 guests all sitting at one table, in an old house, redesigned for the restaurant, in a mix of old and new. Most dishes are plant based. All the dishes they served were very simple, using a few ingredients very carefully chosen, from farms producing organic, biodynamic or in permaculture. Though I was a bit confused that they do not use more local ingredients as part of reducing the environmental footprint and being furthermore restorative.

One of the plant based on the course menu was a cold cucumber soup. And it was obvious after the very first spoon that it was not just cucumber, there was also some green bell pepper and a few other vegetables. It was refreshing and very tasteful.

Perfect timing, last Sunday we got some cucumber from a lady with whom we played tennis, and I had just bought green bell pepper. So I decided to try a simpler version if that soup at home. The result was way over my expectations at first try! So here is my recipe.

Summer green chilled soup (2 servings)

  • 2 Japanese cucumbers (or one European)
  • 2 green bell peppers
  • 1/2 cup of vegetables consommé
  • Salt and pepper
  • Optional: olive oil and a slice of sourdough bread

Prepare the vegetables consommé and let it chill.

Wash the vegetables. Cut the stems and remove the seeds of the bell peppers, and of the cucumber if it feels like that (not necessary with Japanese cucumbers).

Put the vegetables and the consommé in a blender and liquify. Dress in adequate plates or bowls. Top with z pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper (I used a mix of pink and white peppers).

If you feel like it add a drizzle of olive oil. Or cut the slice oc sourdough bread in bite size and roast them in a bit of olive oil in a pan. Top the soup.

Enjoy!

Travel and hotel life in Toronto

When I travel for more than two days I usually manage at some point to have access to a kitchen so that I can cook a bit wherever I am. Whether I rent a place with a kitchen or I do a kitchen take over at some friends’ place. I like to cook the local and seasonal products, and also to have homemade meals with just the right preparation and the right size. But sometimes this is not possible and I feel miserable! This trip to Toronto is one of these. I stay the whole week at a hotel without access to a kitchen… and without the time to shopping in a nice grocery store. My schedule was too busy for that and I only could shop at the 24-7 nearby grocery store with fruits coming from wherever it is… So I am craving for homemade fresh and local food. Of course I am a master of in-room food preparation. Before traveling I often search for the hotel nearby grocery stores or farmers markets, preferably the one with local products and arrange my schedule to have a chance to visit them. I always travel with a super good multipurpose Sicilian knife that can be used for anything from fruit peeling to bread cutting, and I often prepare food in my room. Indeed, the first thing I do when I arrive in a hotel is to get geared: I ask room service for a kettle, one or two plates and cutlery and it all usually comes with proper clothes to be used as kitchen clothes, but they never have good knifes.

As usual I did my homework and had a list of places to go visit upon arrival, but it was without counting that I arrived on Thanksgiving day and the many places I wanted to visit were almost all closed. So that dramatically limited my access to food resources. Not to add that Ontario may have a large variety of fruits and vegetables in the summer but when fall arrives, apples are pretty much the only local fruit available and the beautiful season of mushrooms and pumpkins requires a cooking range or some more elaborated equipment. Anyway… I managed to survive I guess…

Though my working program was quite intense with very little free time, I managed to have breakfast at a place I discovered last time I was in Toronto, where they have a delicious spice chai: Hot Black Coffee, and delicious muffins, with also plenty of vegan options, and to check out a place that everyone was talking about: Momofuku. I could see it Momofuku from the hotel elevator on my way to the pool every morning but didn’t know what it was (I first thought it was a daifuku place!!!). But it was on everyone’s mouth…

For those like me who don’t know, Momofuku is a branch restaurant of very popular NY chef Wang, that specializes in Asian fusion and in particular in noodles/ramen (kind of reminded me of the movie You’ll always be my maybe). The Toronto branch has a noodle bar and a high-end restaurant. I didn’t have time for the high-end. Knowing that I only had ramen once before with fish broth because I don’t like the pork-chicken… broth, I am not an expert in ramen, so eating some fusion ramen is not a blasphemy to an institution for me but I can understand that some purists may be shocked by some of the combinations proposed on the menu. I took some vegetarian noodles, with pumpkin (now or never!) and cheese. This was definitely an inventive combination! But not an uninteresting one… In any case, the restaurant itself was a very nice bright space quite enjoyable.

Now I’m heading back home to my kitchen and you can’t imagine how happy I am to have a long weekend to cook and bodyboard! The simple idea of making pancakes for breakfast while A. prepares his coffee rejoices me!

Blind Donkey

It is difficult to find new nice restaurants in Tokyo, not that there is none but rather that the offer is to wide. And because of our busy schedules, finishing work late pretty much every day, the idea of eating out is rarely an option. But we have guests or visitors we’re always happy to take them out and on these occasions we usually postpone a bit of work to finish early. That’s exactly what happened this week with P. and E. staying at our place. And in March we were recommended a restaurant in Tokyo, very close to our place actually, by a friend working in permaculture in Isumi. She emphasized the background of the chef and the sourcing of the products they use in the kitchen. We tried to go when we had visitors in April, but the restaurant was closed for a month for some rework of the menu or so, and finally I got a reservation for June. I have standards for restaurants that are not necessarily easy to meet. I’m picky with the food for sure, but also service, decor and overall atmosphere. I like places that are not packed, not too noisy, and where the staff is nice since being overly obsequious or marketed. And well… to be honest the Blind Donkey met all my expectations. I like the location, the space and the food, service was a bit rushed but nice and friendly, space between tables is nice, and you can have a conversation with your party without feeling you have to shout and becoming deaf. The food was great. The ingredients, the preparation, and the plating. All was simple but delicious. No extra.

So if you are in town you should try it.

The blind donkey

3-17-4 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Pictures are from the restaurant instagram.

Bosso

As planned I didn’t have much time to write in the past days, busy with work: final grading, entrance exams, proposals to submit and research to supervise as usual though. And at home it’s been busy too, with friends visiting and a feverish A. to take care of. But the noticeable thing of this week is the turn in the weather and since the 16th it is definitely not summer anymore. Days have noticeably shortened, there is a cool wind and we turned off the cooler. It is perfect now for open drives, walks around the rice fields to watch rice harvesting and have lunch outside in the shade. And one place I really like, just halfway to Isumi from Tokyo, is the pizzeria Bosso by the lake in Ichihara. It is a small restaurant with seats indoor that have view on the lake and outdoor, facing the lakeside museum, there is a terrace shaded by wine with plenty of grapes, where you can eat the takeaway pizza. Not only the place is really nice, the staff is super friendly and nice, and the food always surprises me. They use local fresh products for the pizze, both cheese and vegetables. The Noka pizza (農家ピザ) uses plenty of seasonal vegetables thus changes regularly and I really love it, it is always a surprise! This time, on the cheese base there was a massive amount of fresh myoga, okra and ginger as in the picture below.

So if you are in the Ichihara area this place is a must try!!!! The nearby museum, the Ichihara artmix events etc.. are also worth a visit. My favorite riding club is also in the area.

Picture from the pizzeria FB page

Bosso pizzeria:

Chiba-ken Ichihara-shi, Funyu75-1

Website

Ichihara lakeside museum

Detour @Brisbane

So, we’ve been in Brisbane for a couple of days now and we’ve tried a few places to dine out but it is not too easy to find nice restaurants in at a reasonable distance from the city center that serves local products… hopefully our friend C. found one very very nice place where we had a great dinner in a nice casual environment. The place is called Detour and is in the neighborhood of Woolloongabba, a short Uber ride from the center.

The menu features an omnivore and an herbivore section. The guys tried the crocodile dumplings, D. and I just stick to vegan/vegetarian dishes that were all excellent. The carrots had a real something different that made them amazing. The desserts, using a bit more molecular cooking were also great. I discovered lemon myrtle, a very Queensland thing, that is just something I would love to eat more and try to cook!!!

Pictures are from the restaurant website.

Detour:

6/11 Logan Rd
Woolloongabba 4102, Brisbane, Australia
07 3217 4880
enquiries@detourrestaurant.com.au

Toronto

Until today I couldn’t really say “I’ve been in Toronto”. When I was a teenager I spent a few hours there on a trip to Niagara with my American family, I remembered the CN tower and around but that was all. So when D. and C. proposed to spend the weekend in Toronto while I was visiting Waterloo for work, I thought it was a great opportunity. A. could join for the weekend from Florence and we would enjoy what the city has to offer in the end of winter: good food, nice walks, theater shows…

We walked all over the city, from the Old Toronto to the East Bayfront, and the Distillery district, through China town to Kensington market and back to the Waterfront… stopping for a bite, a show, or design stores (on King street)…

Here are a few recommendations for enjoying you stay in Toronto.

– stay: I would recommend the Old Toronto where you can find all the big 5 stars hotels. It’s convenient to walk everywhere or so. We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton. Nothing exceptional about it but great efficient service.

– coffee/breakfast: Hot Black Coffee on Queens street is a nice tiny coffee shop open early in the morning. Nice Chai latte, and a wide selection of items for breakfast: muffins, toasts…

– lunch: El Catrin is a Mexican restaurant in the distillery district, their vegetarian tacos were amazing, inventive and refreshing.

– dinner: Actinolite is THE place to eat. A restaurant with a chef that uses exclusively local and oc course seasonal products and makes an inventive, perfectly balanced menu, with the right textures and flavors, and the perfect size. Plating was also great. There is no Michelin guide of Toronto but if there was, it would surely be in with 2 stars at least.

Picture from Actinolite website

Le petit nice

After the buzz of a family Christmas celebration, the noise and the fuss, it is now quiet, even peaceful and time to celebrate my birthday. My parents booked a table at le Petit Nice, a three Michelin star restaurant in Marseille that I like very much for the excellent Mediterranean cuisine and the beautiful view from the dining room. It’s been a really long time I haven’t been there, probably at that time it was not Gerald Passedat but his father Jean-Paul, so I was glad to go again, and with the grey and cold day, it was even more adequate. Since I came last time the place has been nicely refurbished, with classic modern flair, and Jean-Paul Passedat welcoming you at the entrance is just great! As expected the menu (adapted for my taste) was perfect and two dishes really surprised me and enchanted me taste-wise more than the others. The first one was the turbot with fennel. A magic fish preparation with several fennel versions: seeds, roots, juice etc… The second dish that was really unique was the dessert with cacao, persimmon and black olives. The mise en bouche was just strickingly beautiful, like a piece of Mediterranean sea in the plate. If you are in Marseille and want a great culinary experience, do not miss the place!

And to continue the pleasure of the experience the book is really great! With some recipes to try very soon!

Le petit nice

17 rue des Braves, 13007 Marseille

website  not fully operational and up to date (the dining room is now much nicer)

A nice custom

In Japan when you go to a bice restaurant there a nice custom of leaving the restaurant with a present, generally food present. Many of the Japanese restaurants we jave been practice this custom, but I don’t know where it comes from. I need to investigate more!!!! 

I remember some delicious pound cake from Robuchon, sometimes so breads or some cookies or chocolates in French restaurants. In Japanese restaurant it is often some pickles or some rice and this time we had again dinner at Itosho, a Shojin cuisine restaurant, it was some nice green peas rice. To which I added a scrambled egg to make a perfect quick dinner the next day! A very nice way to prolong the experience!

Have a beautiful Sunday! 

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