Kaisho Sushi （海商寿し）

Kaisho Sushi 海商寿し

千葉県船橋市本中山2-22-13
2-22-13 Motonakayama, Funabashi-shi, Chiba, Japan

Tel: 047-336-7028

Website: http://horoyoi.jp/detail_id_t415.html

予算：約2000円
定休日：月曜日
下総中山駅から2分

ちょっと前にテレビでもネタが新鮮で安いと話題となり、一度は食べに行ってみたかったお店。
千葉まで足を運び、1度は臨時休業につかまり・・・かなりがっかりして、出直してようやく入れたお店。お店はローカルな商店街の一角に佇むこじんまりとした建物。一度、わからずに素通りしたくらい（笑）

店内は、常に満員状態で4人席でも相席を勧めるほどぎゅうぎゅうにお客を詰める。店内だけでなく、外でも人はいつも待っており、その人気ぶりは健在なようだ。

ちゃきちゃきと働く板前さん

店内には、その日のおすすめなネタなどひとつひとつ掲示されており、常に新鮮でその日最高のネタ用意しているのも伺える♪お寿司は、単品で１つ１つ頼むことも可能だが予めセットにしてある１4種のセットは、旬のものやお店おすすめなネタが食べれること間違いなし。

お寿司を食べる際に重視したいのは、ネタの新鮮さだけでなく、シャリの大きさ、味の３点。ネタの新鮮さは、普通のところよりはずっとよく、生き締めにしてあるのか身はよくしまっていて美味しかった。しゃりの大きさは、ネタに対して少し大きいようにも感じたが、小さめにも注文できるようだ。味は、もちろん新鮮なネタあってか一つ一つ魚の本来の味が堪能できた。淡白なものやコクのあるもの、旬のキンメダイは程よい油の乗りでうまみも凝縮されていた。これにサービスで汁物が付いて、1980円はかなりお得！一つ残念だったのは、軍艦の海苔がしんなりしていたところ。どうしても混み合っていて、一つ一つ作るのにも手間がかかるが、せっかくの新鮮なものがこれ一つで台無しになってしまう。パリっと海苔も新鮮であれば、海苔の芳醇な磯の香りと楽しめたのになと思いつつ、久しぶりに美味しいお寿司を堪能することができて大満足。セット以外にも単品で頼んだものもあり、どのネタとってもこだわっており、はずれがなかった。また、行く機会があれば、ぜひ行ってみたい場所のひとつだ。

The Great Burger Tokyo Japan

The Great Burger Tokyo Japan / グレートバーガー

東京都渋谷区神宮前6-12-7 Ｊ－ＣＵＢＥ　Ａ　１Ｆ

J-CUBE A 1F 6-12-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
03-3406-1215
website: http://www.the-great-burger.com/
price: 1000yen ～2000yen

 A friend of mine decides to go on a burger quest in Japan to find all the delicious burgers out there, so I decided to join him and his friends. The store is located near Harajuku station where you can enjoy myriads of hamburgers, sandwiches, and hot dogs. Also enjoy different types of beer brought from different parts of the worlds. We shared a pitcher of Heineken, so I did not end up drinking the unusual beer; but I was definitely interested in the Egyptian beer that they had there. I guess I will save it for next time.

cute hamburger objet in front of the entarance

 The small interior can only seat about 30. We waited about 15 minutes to get in, which always seems that way. Always filled with customers, the interior seemed very at home and cozy being back in the states again in a western bar. It reminded me of the university days that I had been in North Carolina enjoying the southern style BBQ. 

Hamburger with French Fries 950 yen

 The burger was a satisfactory, not outstanding. The bun was crisp on the outside and soft in the inside. The main part of the burger was juicy and grilled just fine to have the smoky taste. As I recall, the sauce was amazing. A touch of mustard inside mayo and finely chopped pickles and some other things. The sourness of the pickle made accent to the burger. You could also arrange the taste by putting Heinz mustard or ketchup set aside on the table. The great thing about is you could enjoy many different taste at the same time, but I still thought that you did not need to add any taste to it; since there had already been so much taste to it. I was even a bit concerned about the saltiness of the burger and the potatoes. I will have to try there amazing beer and there different menus. Of all the few burgers I had in my life, I think it is ranked high despite some critiques about the taste.

Cafe de F.O.B.

Cafe de F.O.B. 広尾本店

住所：東京都港区南麻布5-10-32
TEL：03-3446-5332
website: http://www.fobcoop.co.jp/stores/stores1.html
定休日：無休

店舗入り口

広尾駅3番出口を出てすぐ右手にあるオープンカフェ。
ヨーロッパの田舎町にあるカフェを思わせる店内に入ってみると厳選された雑貨やオーガニックティー・ジャムなどが置いてある。フランスから輸入されたものや自家製の食材を使い、細部までこだわり抜いたものを扱うカフェの店主はフランス人♪きさくに話かけてくれてとても感じのよいお店だった。おすすめメニューから食材の説明までしてくれてとても参考になった。

店内＋店主の後ろ姿（笑）

こじんまりとした店内には、所狭しと雑貨が置いてあるが、窮屈感はなく見ていて楽しい。すべて外国から輸入した雑貨は、日本にはない珍しいものばかりで食事が来るまでのいい時間潰しにもなるのだ。食事が来るまでの間、店内を見渡しているとバターのいい香りとともにおすすめのスーププレートとドリンクセットが運ばれてきた。

フレッシュオレンジの入ったアイスティー

スーププレート＋ドリンクセット　1200円

まず、驚いたのがこのスープ。
オニオンとキャベツをふんだんに使ったこのスープは、まるで具がメインかのようにスープボウルの底まで具がぎっしり！その味は、独特でドイツのザワクラウト（キャベツの漬物）が入ったような酸味の強いスープ。トッピングは、シンプルで生パセリとジュニパーベリーの乾燥したもの。シンプルながら、珍しい食材のジュニパーベリーを使うこだわりよう。日本では、あまり手に入らないんだとか。そのお味がまた独特でクセが強い。香りが強く、一見コリアンダーのようなスパイスを思わせるような強い香りと共にほんのりベリーの香りが鼻に抜ける。さらに、噛み進めていくと種の部分に達し、苦味を放つ。この苦味がスープの酸味を包み込むというかぎゅっと引き締める役目を果たしている何ともクセになる逸品♪正直、好き嫌いがはっきりと別れる一皿だと思った。個人的には、味わったことのない味だったがとても気にいった。

次に、パン。
トーストにハムを載せたシンプルなものだが、食材の味一つ一つを活かした一品だった。自家製のパンにバターを塗り、生パセリ・ハム・粒マスタードを載せてトーストしたもの。食事を待つ際に香っていたバターの香ばしい匂いはきっとこのパンだったのだろうー。パン自体は、見た目以上にしっとりしていてバターの香りが口の中に広がる。バターがたっぷり塗ってある割に油っこくなく、しつこさもない。生パセリの香りと粒マスタードの酸味、ハムの塩気が絶妙な組合わせだった。

最後にサラダ。
サニーレタスとアーモンドのスライスにビネガー、オリーブオイル、塩、粒マスタードを和えたもの。シンプルでおいしいが、サラダもスープもすっぱいから少し違う味を取り入れてみても良かったかも。
統一感があっていいのだが、ビネガーのドレッシングでなく、オリーブオイル・塩・こしょうとシンプルにまとめ、最後に香りの強い、コクのあるチーズ（ミモレットやパルメジャン）のスライスをあしらっても美味しいサラダに仕上がったかもなんて想像してみたり・・・笑　

全体的にとても美味しく、いろんな食材に出会えたランチだった。天気もよく、散歩がてらいい時間が過ごせた。もし点数をつけるのならば、5点中3.7点くらいかな。減点の理由は、外が大通りに面している店舗のため、窓から外が見えてとってもいいのだが、騒音と風景が店内とミスマッチ。そして、食材の使い方。クセの強いものをうまく使っているものの、味の統一感が逆に単調になってしまっているような気がしたから。今度行った際には、デザートもトライしてみたいな。

国際色豊かな広尾に立ち寄った際には、ぜひこのお店に立ち寄ってみて？本場の味を楽しめること間違いなし！

Patisserie a la campange 自由が丘

Patisserie a la campagne 自由が丘

東京都目黒区自由が丘1-3-13
1-3-13 Jiyugaoka Meguro-ku Tokyo, Japan

Website: http://www.alacampagne.jp/index.php/shoplist/shop24

Price: 1000～2000yen

 Cafe and Patisserie in Jiyugaoka along the Suzukake street with many cafes. The famous Hara Donuts (Donuts made out of Tofu) store is next to it.  I love its retro exterior and its wooden interior. Its tile floors and the wooden tables and benches welcomes you with a warm touch. It feels like you are right at home.  First floor consists of take out cakes, breads, and gifts such as cookies, and sweets. The second floor can seat up to 60 people made as a cafe. Enjoy lunch with your friends, and families. Along with lunch, enjoy a nice relaxing afternoon tea with a cup of coffee and a cake. The coffees come in a fairly large cup so take your time to sit back and relax with a long chat. Many kind of cakes awaits you to try and even displayed in the windows to look at them outside. I know for sure that you will be impressed by the work they do on those cakes. They look gorgeous and filled with many fruits used especially on tarts. The cakes are not too sweet and a good size to finish. I would give this store 4 out of 5 stars. I will have to try their lunch menus.

Blood Orange Tart

Fruit Tart

I tried these tarts and they were wonderful. I loved how they use unusual fruits like blood orange to make tarts. The tart pies were crispy and filled with cream, but not too sweet and dense.

Cafe Au Lait

艸楽庵 （そうらくあん）

艸楽庵 (そうらくあん）

神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本茶屋208　天山湯冶郷
サイト：http://tenzan.jp/
塔ノ沢駅から1115m　
参考地図：http://r.tabelog.com/kanagawa/A1410/A141001/14001691/dtlmap/

時間：12：00～19：30（ランチ営業）
定休日：木曜日、第2・4金曜日

そばは、話題の暁庵や御殿場にある民家が経営している小羽根山というそば屋も食べに行ったことがあるが、ここのそばが一番好き。

そばで一番こだわりたいのが香り、つや、のど越しの良さ。そばもコシと言うが、うどんほどコシが命ではないような気がする。もちろん茹で過ぎでやわらかいそばなんて論外だけど。

艸楽庵は、箱根に位置するそば兼湯治場のある場所。お店の横には沢が流れ、まるで時間を忘れるほど静かでゆったり出来る森の中にあるこじんまりとしたお店。最近では、人気が高まり、開店と同時に人が押し寄せ、ものの10分で満席になるほど。湯治場で湯に浸かった後に利用するお客さんも多いようだ。個人的には、湯治場はおすすめできない。凄まじい利用客で中は芋洗い状態・・・。

お店入り口

雰囲気ある入り口が大好き

店舗まで続く苔道

店舗入り口　テラス席にもお客さんがいっぱい！

店内

せいろそば

 そば本来の味を確かめるには、やっぱりせいろそばが一番。茹で上がりのつや、喉越しともに良く、香りも芳醇だ。二八そばだけど、そば粉の粉っぽさもなくとてもきれい。つゆも味が濃くなく、かつお出汁が利いていて美味しい。寒い時期には、鴨南蛮そばもおすすめ。何より出汁が美味しく、鴨も癖がない。ねぎの香りと鴨の独特な香りをかつお出汁が包み込んでくれるような美味しさ。ぜひ試してみては？

帰りも待ってるお客さんでいっぱい

休日を利用して、ちょっとしたドライブがてら箱根の天山に立ち寄ってみてはいかが？おいしいそばに舌鼓を打つこと間違いなし。周辺には、日帰り入浴を楽しめる場所も豊富。リラックスできる休日になることでしょうー。

Trattoria Gargas Tokyo

Trattoria Gargas Tokyo
〒104-8212
東京都中央区銀座4-6-16 銀座三越11階

4-6-16 Ginza Chuo-ku Tokyo 104-8212 Japan
Ginza Mitsukoshi 11th Floor
tel: 03-6228-8233
website: http://www.vinvino-to.jp/gargas/
price: lunch 1500 yen ～　dinner 5000yen～

A famous Italian restaurant owned by Juliani Gargani in Firenze, Italy finally opened its branch in Ginza, Tokyo. The restaurant is located inside the renewed Ginza Mitsukoshi Department store on the 11th floor.  The interior of the restaurant is compact and small with many artistic painting produced by Gargani himself.

The start of this restaurant dates back in 1979 where Juliani Gargani and his wife opens a small restaurant on Via del Moro. The name of the restaurant "Gargas" comes from his nick name.  In 1984, now the chef of Tokyo; Elio Cotza joined this restaurant who served as Gargani's right hand.  Working over 25 years in Firenze, he now is the main chef of Tokyo Branch.

finally the entrance after an hour wait in the line!!

 After waiting for an hour to get in, we finally got into the restaurant. We predicted that it would be very busy since Mitsukoshi had its grand renewal opening in September. It had not been long that I went to the restaurant since its new opening.

Paintings along the walls and ceilings

 I loved the compact interior with many drawings on the walls and ceilings. I felt as if I were in a small antique cafe in Italy. I had a great time looking through the interior while waiting for the food to arrive.

oops...a little blurry there.

I ordered the Pranzo Pasta, Pasta lunch comes with mixed salad, pasta, and bread. (1500 yen)
Pasta- Handmade Tagliorini with Veal Ragot sauce (+300 yen)

service bread...not very fascinating. very small and cold...

mixed salad

The mixed salad was rather a simple salad with olive oil and rock salt. Good mixture of greens, prosciutto, and the tomato. The saltiness of the prosciutto matched very well with the mixed greens. Since the lightness of the dressing, I liked how it represented every taste of the mixed vegetable.

Tagliorini with Veal Ragot sauce

Prosciutto, Porchini, and Eggplant Pasta in Parmesan

Pasta I found it very impressing actually. The one I had above, from the name of it, it seems very thick and heavy, but it was not at all thick or heavy. The pasta came just right in al dente, the taste was rich but seemed to made it light and smooth with use of chopped carrots. I also liked the pasta that my mom had in which let a strong but again not heavy scent of Parmesan cheese with the right saltiness of Prosciutto. I especially enjoyed the scent and texture of Porchini as well as the use of egg plant.

I will have to go try dinner. The one thing that ruins the whole place is that I saw no windows in the restaurant. How I thought it would be nice to glance out of the 11th floor and enjoy a nice Tokyo night scenery. Oh well, I will just have to go with the interior of the restaurant and some wine will do good:) 

Mokichi Foods Garden

Mokichi Foods Garden
Address: 〒253-0043
             神奈川県茅ヶ崎市元町13-1
             13-1 Motomachi, Chigasaki-shi, 253-0043, Kanagawa, Japan
Tel: 0467-84-0123
Closed on the 3rd Tuesday　(第３火曜日)
Website: http://www.kumazawa.jp/
Price: Lunch: 1500 yen～　Dinner: 2500yen～

An old beer brewery factory renovated into an Italian fusion Restaurant located in the Shonan area of Kanagawa Prefecture.  The restaurant can fit in well over 150 people also suit for private reservations. Enjoy the bakery set aside of the restaurant on your way back home.

Come with friends for a nice casual lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. Wedding parties are held with a nice party course or a buffet style. Play space is also available for families with small children.

The old machines in the brewery is now used as signs and art to design the restaurant. The wooden building dates back before the war used as a beer brewery for making its original beer the "Shonan Beer."

entrance to the Restaurant

Terrace Dining also available

Enjoy lunch on a sunny day with your pet in the breezing air from the beach along the Chigasaki coast.  The interior of the Restaurant is decorated with antique books and furniture develops more character of the old brewery.

Interior of the Restaurant

Appetizer came with the Pizza Lunch menu below

pizza lunch 1380 yen

Avocado and chicken sandwich with Edamame Gazpacho, salad and marinated vegetables 1280yen

Pizza was a satisfactory. The pizza baked in a masonry oven came out crispy on the outside, soft inside. Good variation of toppings! Asparagus, potatoes, Eringi mushrooms, ham, and a hint of spicy chorizo sausages.

Despite its good assessments, I thought the crust could be a bit thinner... It can not be helped that dishes become cold, but it was a bit heavy and chewy by the time we were three quarters finished with the pizza. A bit disappointing to know...

The avocado and chicken sandwich came out a surprise because of its salsa flavoring. I thought the salsa was a good combination as it functions to moisten the chicken breasts as its often firm and rather dry. I especially liked how they used avocados not only they match very well with salsa, but also thickens and mellows the light taste. 

Tea chiffon cake and chocolate pudding

I thought that the price was inexpensive for its volume of the dishes.  Along with appetizers and the lunch plates came drinks and dessert. By the time we were finished with it all, my friend and I were in a food coma. Will have to try different dishes for lunch because they have different variations of pasta and french style lunch plates as well.

おぼんdeごはん/ Obon de Gohan

Obon de Gohan

Address:

〒247-0056 神奈川県鎌倉市大船一丁目

4番1号 大船ルミネウィング店7F

4-1-1 Ofuna, Kamakura-shi, 247-0056 Kanagawa, Japan
Ofuna Lumine Wing (connected to JR Ofuna station) 7F

Tel: 0467-48-5164

Website: http://www.obon-de-gohan.com/index.shtml

Price: around 1000yen

バランスの取れた健康に留意した食事を扱っているということで一度立ち寄ってみたかったお店。日本食本来の主食・主菜・副菜のそろった食事が取れるということで女性層に大人気なお店。主食のごはんは、3種（白米・五穀・五穀ひじきご飯）の中から選べ、おかわり自由。栄養の整ったものを食べることが出来、思う存分たら腹食べれるのがここの魅力かな。

ショーケースに飾ってあるから食べたいものが一目でわかる

ランチ・カフェメニュー

彩とりどりでバランスの整ったメニューが豊富

清潔感ある店内はお客さんでいっぱい

鶏肉の黒胡椒焼き定食

手軽にバランスよく、たくさん食べたい人におすすめなお店。私は、普段から和食中心に食べているからあまり新鮮味がなかったかな。鶏肉の黒胡椒焼きに横の筍とちりめんのごま油和えは、ちょっぴり脂っこかったのが残念。外食の多い人や普段不規則な生活を送ってる人は、時にはおぼんでごはんでお腹を休めるのもいかが？

和・Sweets 四季の実 Tea Room / Wa Sweets Tea Room

和・Sweets Tea Room/ Wa Sweets Tea Room 

Address:　神奈川県横浜市中区桜木町1-1-7
              コレットマーレ地下１階

              1-1-7 Sakuragicho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa
             Colette Mare BF1
             ( the new Department store just off of JR Sakuragi Station)

Tel: 045-263-6746
Website: http://www.shikinomi.jp/index.html
Price: ～1000yen

Modern style Japanese tea cafe in the new department store Colette Mare opened March 2010. A great mixture of old and modern interior with modern style Bonsai(?) and the new style of mochi dessert.

you can also take out the Aburi Mochi for 90 yen each.

It's perfect for a casual afternoon tea while shopping in Colette Mare. Enjoy a new style of mochi dessert with extensive varieties of Japanese tea. The Mochi balls so called "Aburi Mochi" is a rice cake ball baked on a special pan; comes in different flavors. Hard and crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy in the inside.

Aburi Mochi Set : Three assorted Mochi Balls with Japanese Tea (Genmai-cha) 580yen

The three Aburi Mochi I ordered were Mitarashi (Mochi filled with Soysauce and Sugar sauce ), Yomogi (Japanese Mugwort <herb>mixed in the mochi dough with Red Bean Paste inside) and Koshi-An (Red Bean Paste).

The teas come in different styles as some of them are combined together. The original tea they serve at the Wa Tea Room, "Oishiyasu" is the combination of Sencha and Tencha. The first brew comes with a 70℃ hot water to enjoy the fruity taste and the scent of the green tea. Then second brew with the 90℃ hot water to extract the original bitter and deep flavor of the tea.

doesn't this remind you of something? Takoyaki. It looks like a Takoyaki machine.

It was quite disappointing to find out that the mochi balls sticks to your teeth and I was full by the time I had two of them because I had a nice Mexican Lunch before this.  Despite the fact, overall it was nice to calm down and have Japanese tea to soothe my upset stomach then. I will have to try the different desserts and the tea served here.