Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12/16): Vegetarian Te-mari Sushi. Bento!

Te-Mari Zushi/手丸り寿司 means hand-made sushi balls in a spherical shape originally designed for geishas to eat easily. Mine are a bit bigger than the ones found in Kyoto. After all I’m of the male gender!

The Missus made three types, all with local vegetables and rice:
From left to right: Home-pickled (amazu sweet vinegar) myoga on sushi rice seasoned with black sesame seeds, boiled stick broccoli on sushi rice seasoned with hijki sweet seaweed, minced pickled red cucumber and black sesame seeds and lotus root home-pickled in umeboshi amazu over plain sushi rice.

The side box contains at least three desserts:
Left to right: on top sweet Japanese-style candied green peas above home-made kumquat compote, boiled broccoli and mini tomatoes in the middle and tamagoyaki containing cheese and parsley!

Once a again a very colorful and really yummy bento!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12/14): Irish Salmon & Shizuoka Dekopon Sushi Bento!

Using orange with the rice of sushi?
Yes, it is definitely a good idea when you consider it balances the saltiness of the fish so well!

It also makes for beautiful colors!
The Missus having prepared the sushi rice as usual mixed it with chopped parsley and shredded dekopon orange from Mr. Onuma’s Farm!

She then made a well in the middle to provide for a bed of lettuce on which she rested a couple of roses made up with smoked salmon just brought to us by an Irish friend decorated with pink pepper seeeds and lemon.

As for the salad (no need for dessert with all the orange!) box, plenty of boiled of Brussels sprouts, boiled shrimps and cherry tomatoes with a little mayonnaise, and plenty of boiled black beans (for dessert?)

Very colorful and so tasty!

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12/10): Chirashizushi & Omelet Bento!

For once the Missus this morning combined Eastern and Western gastronomies in my bento!
Chirashizushi is probably the most popular form of sushi when it comes to bento in Japan, while omelets as their name indicates apparently originated in France (my home country)!

The ingredients found in the sushi box are basically the same inside and on top of the rice.
The Missus having prepared and let cool down the sushi rice mixed it with boiled shrimps, cheese, cut black olives, red sweet pimento slices and sliced Golden Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes.
She added walnut and red cabbage sprouts for the last touch.

For the side dish she prepared a plain omelet she seasoned with vegetable and tomato sauce on a bed of baby leaves and sprouts.
For added color and taste she added lemon and a red Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomato.

Looks simple enough, but very tasty, healthy and appetizing!

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

Ekiben/Railway lunch Box: Oku Suruga No Iso Chirashi in Mishima JR Station!

Yesterday I suddenly had to go all the way to Mishima City, about half an hour and two stations away by Shinkasen from Shizuoka City and just had the time on my way back to sample a new ekiben/駅弁/Railway Lunch Box (or boxed lunch)!

Nice packaging!
Oku Suruga No Iso Chirashi/奥駿河の磯ちらし basically means a chirashi/decoration-style sushi made with ingredients from the far corners of Suruga Bay!

Can you see the little sign in the left top corner?
It is the registration as a “True Japanese Ekiben”!

Tounakaken Co in Numazu City advertises precisely all the contents. And there certainly were a lot of ingredients!

A rigid transparent plastic cover protects the contents.

Now, what do we have?
Actually a lot!
As the ingredients are all a bit “mixed up” I’ll give them right away. Let’s see if we can distinguish them later:
Sushi rice, Nishiki ko Tamago/shredded omelette, octopus, simmered shiitake, Sakura Ebi/Cherry shrimps, crab, gari/pickled ginger, tobiuo tamago/flying fish roe, cucumber, ooba shiso/perilla, white sesame seeds and seaweed!

Cucumber, omelette, Flying fish roe, octopus,…

Pickled ginger, shiitake, omelette, flying fish roe,…

Omelette, crab, cucumber, sakura ebi, flying fish roe,…

Here you can see that the sushi rice was first topped with konbu seaweed and simmered shiitake!

Eating local sushi on a train! What more can you ask? LOL

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

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

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12/03): Sushi Roll Feast Bento!

When you are short of ideas just keep rolling away!
The Missus was short of inspiration for today’s bento as she said, so I told her, “Why not making sushi rolls with whatever you can find in the fridge?”

Simple ideas are usually the best!

And here is the result!
The Missus and I wrap our rolls in lettuce instead of dry seaweed whenever possible for better colors, balance and taste.
Making the sushi rice was simple enough. The first roll includes carrot thinly cut lengthwise, the second tinned white tuna from Yui in Shizuoka City and thinly cut cucumber, and the third one soft ham from Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City and sliced black olives!

This side dish must have been one of the most colorful ever with no less than three different mini tomatoes from Fuji City, yellow, red and blackish red, boiled Brussels sprouts and a Missus’ boiled egg atop a tartare sauce bed and topped with a sliced olive!

A very solid bento, I guarantee you! And yummy!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass, Einfach Bento,
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

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/64): Oyako Bento!

“Oyako/親子” in Japanese means “Parent and Child”. It is used to describe two different combinations in Japanese Gastronomy, Chicken & Eggs or Fish & Roe. The Missus opted for the latter this morning with smoked salmon and salmon’s roe! Mind you, I could have called it a “Russian Bento”!

All orange color, the official color of Shizuoka Prefecture (though we do not have salmon here!) and that of my rugby club back home in France!

The Missus prepared sushi rice she actually mixed with tiny bits of seasoned seaweed and filled one box with it.
She covered half with seasoned smoked salmon.

She covered the other half with soy sauce-seasoned salmon roe from Hokkaido.
She separated the “Parent ” and the “Child” with fresh cress, sliced black olive and half a sudachi lemon for extra seasoning.

Plenty of colors again for the salad and dessert box!

Spicy burdock root/gobo (cooked) and water spinach sprouts/空心菜/kōngxīncài (raw) seasoned with gomadare/sesame dressing.

The Missus’ specialty, tamagoyaki, this time containing finely chopped parsley and red carrot, lettuce, Ameera pearl tomatoes and Red Heart Kiwi fruit!

Very, very tasty and very satisfying again!

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

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/61): Kanikama Chirashizushi Bento!

Kanikama stands for Kani Kamaboko/Crab imitation paste made with steamed fish meat!
The Missus found a very interesting kanikama on the market and decided to use some for today’s bento!

The best way for color and design was to prepare it as Chirashizushi/Decoration sushi!

Having steamed the rice with plenty of konbu, she then prepared it as sushi rice. She mixed it with pieces of Kanikama, thin slices of cucumber, pimento, avocado cubes, cresson and home-pickled sanshyo/Japanese pepper. She decorated the top with the same!

The salad and dessert box was very colorful, too!

Salad of violet potatoes and boiled black beans on a bed of lettuce!

Dessert with plenty of fruit: Nashi/Japanese pear, grapefruit wedges and Red Heart Kiwi Fruit slices!

Very colorful and so tasty again!

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

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/59): Sakura Inari Sushi & Sakura Ebi Tamagoyaki Bento!

Yesterday was the official opening of the Autumn Season (as opposed to the Spring Season) for sakura ebi/桜海老/Cherry Shrimps caught exclusively off the Shizuoka shores!
Naturally, the Missus bought some at a local supermarket!

This time she prepared the rice as inarizushi!

The pouches for inari zushi are made with deep-fried tofu sheets readily available in any supermarkets. You first cut them in halves and then cut inside with a sharp knife to form a pouch. Of course you can also buy them as the finished product!
The Missus prepared sushi rice and mixed it with sweet preserved sakura/cherry blossoms for a cute color!

A side box with beautiful colors again!

The Missus made tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette with sakura ebi and leeks! Soooo tasty!

Fresh lettuce, pickled fuki/bog rhubarb from Nagano Prefecture, Shizuoka plum tomatoes and home-pickled cucumbers seasoned with golden and black sesame seeds!
For dessert, red heart kiwi fruit. Incidentally Shizuoka Prefecture is a major producer of kiwi fruit!

Did I say I loved it? LOL

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

Deep-sea Fish Restaurant: Uoshige in Heda, Izu Peninsula!

Service: Very friendly and family-style
Equipment: Old and basic. This is real rural Japan!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Deep-sea gastronomy!

Heda is real rural Japan but it has so many merits making it a must visit in Izu Peninsula:
The small but very efficient Heda Tourism Office will provide you with all kinds of information including the full list of restaurants serving the real local food!
And the local food includes a true local specialty: deep-sea fish!

Some time ago the locals decided to create their own brand of “hanpen/はんぺん/fish patty with the deep-fish caught in their nets chasing other fish. Throwing back these fish into the sea was simply stupid waste and unecological. Some of them found their way on the plates in the form of succulent and rare sashimi or deep-fried fish but the rest were minced and mixed with local vegetables into patties to be first deep-fried into “hedatoro hanpen/ヘダトロはんぺん/Heda Fish Patties before being served cold or heated! The other reason, would you believe, was to find a way to have children eat vegetables! These Hedatoro Hanpen of course are made in every home according to individual recipes!

We decided to visit Uoshige among the 8 recommended restaurants because we found that it was a meeting point popular with bikers who come in great numbers to enjoy the roads and views of Izu Peninsula!

Live Takaashigani/高足蟹/Japanese Spider Crabs in the aquarium just as you enter the establishment!

Poster of the local deep sea food served according to seasons!

I ordered deep-sea fish sashimi set lunch!
All meals are served with “shiokara/塩辛/preserved salted squid”, but they were kind enough to serve my lunch without it as this is one of the very rare foods in Japan that don’t agree with me!

Freshly steamed rice and beautiful miso soup full of local seaweed!

The sashimi that you will not find anywhere else!
On the left very tender, “Mehikari or Torobchi/めひかり・トロボチ/Brighteye” and on the right both tender and crispy with fine soft bones, “Megisu/めぎす/Large-eye Sillago”!

“Mehikari or Torobochi/めひかり・トロボチ/Brighteye”!

“Megisu/めぎす/Large-eye Sillago”!

The Hedatoro Hanpen/Heda Deep-Sea Fish Patties!

They even have a leaflet all over town introducing the 10 restaurants and shops serving/selling them!

Uoshige’s patties are arguably the most celebrated as many TV Channels came all the way to report on them. Very light, tender, healthy and so yummy!

These patties are also made with “Mehikari or Torobchi/めひかり・トロボチ/Brighteye” and “Megisu/めぎす/Large-eye Sillago”!

Tofu, o-shinko/Japanese pickles and local mandarine to finish!

The Missus had the enormous Tendon/天丼/Tempura Bowl Lunch Set.
I did have to help her finish it!
Can you see the shiokara/塩辛/preserved salted squid in front…

Her very generous tempura consisted of large prawns/kuruma ebi/車海老 and two other deep sea fish:

Gehou/げほう, or officially Toujin/トウジン/Caelorinchus japonicus (Temminnck and Schlegel)!

Donko/どんこ, or officially Nodoguro/のどぐろ/ I could not find the Latin name, rare as it is!

Succulent little monsters that many a Japanese wouldn’t mind crossing the country to taste!

If I have not convinced you yet to visit Heda, look forward to more articles very soon!

UOSHIGE SHOKUDOU/魚重食堂
Heda, Numazu Shi, Shizuoka ken (in front of the bus stop and Tourism Information Bureau)
Tel.: 0558-94-2381
Business hours: 11:00~15:00, 17:00~19:00 (Snack open on the 2F from 19:30)
Closed on Tuesdays
Smoking allowed

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

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

Shizuoka Seafood: Heda Fishmarket in Izu Peninsula!

Although a small village, not even a city as it is part of enlarged Numazu City, Heda in the north west of Izu Peninsula is nonetheless a major shipping harbor in Shizuoka Prefecture with more than 1,400 years of officially-recorded history!
It is the only place where for example you still can see live Takaashigani/高足蟹/Japanese spider crab, the largest crab in the world!

Yesterday I had the occasion to visit the Heda Fishermen Cooperative Direct Sales Fishmarket/戸田漁協直売所.
It is not big as more than 95% of the fish and seafood caught in Suruga Bay by the fishing boats of Heda will at once been dispatched far and away (especially Tokyo!). But at least that little establishment gives you an idea of what beauties are caught in the vicinity!

Let’s have a good look at what we have here…

Enormous te-naga ebi/手長海老/Scampi/Gambas!

Megisu/目鱚/a variety of sillago found in very deep sea, a specialty of the region!

Aka ika/赤烏賊/Red squids caught overnight! I actually saw the boats coming back home!

Madai/真鯛/True Seabreams!

Kawahagi/カワハギ/Threadsail Filefish/Leatherjackets, a most underestimated delicacy!

Budai/ブダイ/Calotomus japonicus (Valenciennes) and Kasago/カサゴ/False kelpfish; Marbled rockfish (smaller one)!

Ridiculously low prices for such fresh beauties!

Warasa/ワラサ/Young Japanese Amberjack!

Kinmedai/金目鯛/Spledid Alfonsino, a top-class fish on Tokyo tables!

More warasa at ridiculous prices!

Takahasigani/高足蟹/Japanese Spider Crab! A small one, although it already reaches almost a meter from leg tip to leg tip!

Sazae/サザエ/Turbo shells! Another expensive delicacy on Tokyo tables!

Live Iseebi/伊勢海老/Spiny lobsters!

Izu Peninsula is celebrated for its extravagant salt: Ida Shio/井田塩 gathered in Ida near Heda!

Top-class nori/のり/seaweed!

Izu Peninsula produces half of all sun-dried fish and seafood/Himono/干物 in Japan!
Aji no Himono/鯵の干物/Dried Horse Mackerel!

Kinmedai Himono from Heda! Again ridiculously low-priced!

Saba Himono from Heda/鯖/Mackerel!

And this is only one of many reasons to visit Heda!

Access: Go down at Mishima JR Station, take the local train/Izu hakone Line to Shyuzenji at the local station just beside the Mishima Station Entrance (30 minutes, 510 yen). Take a bus from Shyuzenji Station to Heda, terminal No 6 (54 minutes, 1,000 yen)

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

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

Sushi Restaurant: Atsu in Shizuoka City!

Service: Friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: Expensive
Strong points: Top-class seafood. Rare Shizuoka sake!

Eating sushi in Shizuoka City is even an experience in Japan!
Chefs can choose to use only local seafood, only seafood from other shores, or a personal mixture of the two with equal success.
Atsu in Shizuoka City is of the third kind, which means that the chef, Atsu Mochizuki, does come up with some rarities!

Atsu serves no less than 16 local Shizuoka Sake, from rare to extremely rare with the consequent prices!

The four of us last night opted for a “makase/chef’s course.
The pictures will surely tell you enough about the quality!

Shako/蝦蛄/Mantis Shrimp! Served as they are!

Tamagoyaki/玉子焼き/Japanese omelet!

Shiroebi/白海老/White Shrimps!

Ishidai/石鯛/Striped beakfish, Barred Knifejaw!

A rarity, Kawamatsu Karei/川松鰈/a variety of righteye flounder/turbot!

Kohada/小肌/Marinated flesh and skin of a Konishiro/鰶・鮗・鯯・鱅/Dotted gizzard shad

Another rarity: Keiji/鮭児/A rare variety of small salmon!

The bones and meat of the dame grilled!

Hamaguri/蛤/Large cockle/Clam!

Amadai/甘鯛/Tilefish!

Anago Aburi/穴子炙/Grilled Conger Eel!

Shime saba/〆鯖/Lightly pickled mackerel!

Maguro Zuke/鮪漬/Marinated lean part of Tuna!

Uni Gunkan/海栗軍艦/Sea urchin mounted on a rice ball wrapped in dry seaweed!

And for the finale, kuruma Ebi/車海老/Large boiled prawn!

To be continued…

ATSU/篤
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Oshika, 1-4-19
Tel.: 054-2854010
Opening hours: 11:30~13:30, 17:00~
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK

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

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

Shizuoka Fish & Seafood at Shizuoka JR Station Parche Supermarket! (October 2011)

Middle bottom: Kanpachi/環八/Great Amberjack. Left, large and red: Kinmedai/金目鯛/Splendid Alfonsino. Right, long and grey: Tachiuo/太刀魚/Scabbard Fish

One way to know your local food is naturally to visit regularly the local supermarkets.
In Shizuoka City we are blessed with a fantastic, maybe not in size but certainly in variety and quality, supermarket inside the JR Station Parche Building.
Now, this is the place to study all about the local (and from other shores!) marine life that will find its way onto your plates!
I do make regular visits just for the joy of it, so let me share with you the photographs of exclusively local seafood caught in the Suruga Bay or around the Izu Peninsula!

Click on pictures to enlarge and copy them!

Front: Ma-aji/真鯵/True Horse Mackerel. Left, top, Aka Shita Birame/赤舌平目/Red Sole. Right, top, Kinmedai/金目鯛/Splendid Alfonsino.

Enormous (and expensive) Isei Ebi/伊勢海老/Spiny Lobster!

Left bottom: Ishigakidai/石がき鯛/Spotted Knifejaw. Left top: Matoudai/まとう鯛/John dory, St. Peter’s fish. Right top: Itoyoridai/いとより鯛/Golden Threadfin-bream,Besugo

A closer view of the Itoyoridai/いとより鯛/Golden Threadfin-bream,Besugo!

A closer view of the Ishigakidai/石がき鯛/Spotted Knifejaw!

A closer view of the Matoudai/まとう鯛/John dory!

Watarigani/わたりがに/Gazami Crab, Blue Swimming Crab!

Amadai/あまだい/Tilefish!

From bottom top: Itoyoridai/いとより鯛/Golden Threadfin-bream,Besugo. Kuro Shita Birame/黒舌平目/Black Sole. Kuro Mutsu/黒むつ/Japanese bluefish, Bigeye.

Kisu/きす/Sillago.

Very cute Kasumi Sakura Dai/かすみさくらだい/A variety of (Kasumi Sakura) Seabream found almost only in Suruga Bay!

Meidakarei/めいだかれい/Frog-flounder, Finespotted flounder.

Honkasago/本かさご/True Rockfish, Marbled rockfish, Scorpionfish.

Finally, the pride and joy of Shizuoka Prefecture! Sakura Ebi/桜海老/Cherry Shrimps, just back in season!

To be followed…

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

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

Sashimi Appetizer Plate at Tomii (October 2011)

Service: Professional and attentive
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness, superb washroom
Prices: Slightly expensive
Strong Points: Refined Japanese gastronomy. Great list of Shizuoka Sake.

Tomii is the typical Japanese high-class Japanese restaurant with all the trappings you ought to expect. The quality certainly warrants the prices, but it is always an experience, be it for a quick visit or a more elaborate repast.
The other day, taking a break away from the computer, I restored myself there before going back to work. I would like to introduce the individual sashimi appetizer plate I ordered then:

An indeed very sophisticated serving of five different sashimi!

Maguro akami/鮪赤身, lean part of tuna.

Kampachi/勘八, great Amberjack from Sagara, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Kochi/鯒, Sand Borer-Papilloculiceps longiceps, from Mochimune in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Hata/羽太, Grouper

Aka Ika/赤烏賊, red squid.

Naturally, the freshly grated wasabi and the shiso, sprouts and other vegetables are from Shizuoka Prefecture!

To be continued…
TOMII
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-274-0666
Business hours: 17:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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

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

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/51): Beef Chirashi Sushi Bento!

“Chirashi Sushi” means “Decoration Sushi”. Contrary to what you might think it does not have to include fish or seafood.
The Missus can make a beautiful one with beef!

It certainly looked colorful and appetizing!
I couldn’t wait to break it in! LOL

The Missus first concocted the Chirashi Sushi rice as a normal sushi rice before mixing it with small pieces of beef and vegetables as well as chopped shiso and others.
She then covered it first one half with shredded beef stir-fried with sauce of her own (blending) making including soy sauce and black sesame seeds.
She covered the other half with soboro tamago/Japanese-style scrambled (sweet) eggs.
She drew a boundary with a mixture of shredded carrot and shishito/thin peppercorns seasoned with wasabi vinaigrette!

The side dish for all its colors required the Missus’ hand for all the ingredients!

The aubergines/eggplants and goya/bitter melon, both from her mother’s garden, were prepared as o-hitashi, that is, first steamed/cooked and then lightly marinated.

The renkon/lotus roots, also coming from her mother’s garden were prepared in two manners. They were both sliced and boiled first. Half were pickled in umboshi and umezu/sweet vinegar into a pink color, the other half was marinated in soft wasabi paste of her own making!

As for dessert, the Missus cooked apples in wine and grenadine!

Beautiful colors reminiscent of the Fall season! Beautiful in many senses!

VRECOMMENDED 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

Japanese Gastronomy: Katsuo Tataki at Waga!

Service: Very friendly and easy-going! Slow food!
Facilities: Very clean overall. Large and clean washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great list of sake and shochu. Typical izakaya gastronomy with a personal touch!

Shizuoka Prefecture, thanks to its long shores along the Suruga Bay, the richest Bay in Japan, and around the Izu Peninsula is replete with fish and seafood all year round. Comparatively little fish is imported from other shores and people here keep to seasonal fish.
Katsuo/鰹/Bonito, also called skipjack tuna, is a very popular fish in Japan and probably the only sustainable tuna species these days. It is also extensively eaten in the Maldives, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, France and Spain.
At the beginning of the Fall large schools swim across the Suruga Bay and the quality of the fish in Shizuoka supermarkets, sushi restaurants and Izakaya is simply extraordinary!

Naturally, it is delicious consumed raw as sashimi or cooked as “nimono”, “teriyaki” or in curries, but my preferred cuisine is tataki!
Although the method is simple enough, timing is crucial!

Freshness is also crucial.
Instead of preparing it beforehand, the chef at Waga, upon receiving the order, will cut out a large chunk from a fresh skipjack filet and grill it directly over the flame just long enough to sear the fish a few mm deep. He will then plunge it into icy water to stop the cooking and wipe it dry. Simple? Yes, but try it, and you will find out a lot of little details have to be taken into account!
The chef will then cut the katsuo in large slices and serve them artfully arranged on a plate with a light cold sauce/dressing.

For a perfectly balanced and beautiful dish he will prop the fish atop plenty of lettuce and decorate it with finely cut white leek and a quartered large plum tomato, all grown in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Of course, the dressing is a secret but it is based on soy sauce, ponzu and lime juice with soft spices!

WAGA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, takajyo, 2-1-20, Kuroyanagi Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-271-7121
Business hours: 17:30~23:30, 17:30~26:00 (on Fridays, Saturdays and National Holidays)
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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

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