CLOSED: Yuzu No Hana (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto Canada
Address: 236 Adelaide Street West
Type of Meal: Dinner
Our visit to Yuzu No Hana was to further develop our taste buds in preparation for a future visit to Japan.  We ordered to omakase menu to allow the chef to determine what is freshest and his best dishes in hopes of trying something we might have never ordered. Yuzu’s nine-course menu costs $80 a person and requires at least one-day notice for the restaurant to adequately prep the ingredients.  If you’re allergic or truly detest something don’t worry, they do ask for these ahead of time and will adjust the menu accordingly.


The first course was an shooter made with a raw oyster and quail egg, flavoured with ponzu (a citrusy vinaigrette) and garnished with uni (sea urchin), tobiko (fish roe) and green onions. Downing it in one shot, the oyster was a tad briny for my taste. But when the tastes from the other ingredients, most notably the green onion, kicked in it really wasn’t too bad.  The raw quail egg also needs some getting used to when the sliminess hits your tongue and raw yolk mixes into everything.  Overall, these textures are not my favourite but the other guests at my table thoroughly enjoyed it.


 


 A platter of appetizers arrived next and had a beautiful autumn spirit to the decor.  Starting from the egg at the bottom right and going clockwise:
 
  • A steamed duck egg arrived with a portion of uni on top. Rather than eat the it separately, I mixed it into the custardy egg so that it added a thicker creamier texture to everything with just a hint of brininess. Expecting the uni to be very fishy, as I’ve heard like some Japanese ingredients it’s an acquired taste, I was pleasantly surprised that it was pretty light and resembles tomalley (the greenish substance found in lobster) but thicker and slightly calmer tasting.
  • An emptied persimmon (a fruit popular amongst Asian countries) was filled with a cold boiled shrimp and piece of whitefish covered with a puffed rice coating.  Perhaps it’s because I tried this after the egg, but found both things bland.  Nonetheless, I enjoyed the crispy whitefish, just wished it was salted a bit.  Perhaps, since it was served in a persimmon, a slice of the actual fruit could have been provided to add a hint of sweetness. 
  • The small unassuming piece of lightly battered lotus root tempura was one of my favourite parts of the platter.  Each hole in the lotus root was filled with tobiko so that the crunchiness was also mixed was some salty bursts of flavour.
  • Yuzu dressed up the typical cold and sweet seaweed salad with shredded crab meat (real), pickled baby cucumber slices and a deskinned cherry tomato. Thankfully, the delicate crab meat was left on top, rather than mixed into the salad, so that I could actually enjoy the natural sweetness of the crab. The seaweed was the darker variety and seems more natural than the spearmint green ones that other restaurants sometimes serve. 
  • Lastly, adorning the plate, threaded on a pine needle were ginnan (ginkgo seeds/nuts).  You may also know it as ginkgo biloba, a drug that supposedly helps with memory enhancement or the yellowish seeds found in congee or Chinese dessert broths.  Personally, they’re not something I enjoy as they have a slightly bitter taste.

 


 When the teapot first arrived and was placed in front of us, we were intrigued.  Inside was a Japanese soup called dobin mushi (translates to teapot steamed) commonly served in the colder months.  We were advised that unlike most soups, this is not boiled but rather infused and steeped to allow the ingredients let off their flavours.  On the side is a small cup and you enjoy the soup by pouring out small portions of it into the cup and drinking it (much like tea). 
The broth is a clear golden colour with a rich earthy seafood taste from the ingredients (matsutake mushroom, shrimp, whitefish and gingko nut).  The server suggested drinking all the broth first and then opening up the lid and eating the ingredients.  We of course obliged but really the star is the soup as the shrimp becomes powdery and matsutake mushrooms lack flavour.  Only the piece of whitefish was delectable and still had a tender flakey texture.


 


Next, a beautifully presented plate of sashimi arrived.  During our visit it was made up of fluke, yellow tail, horse mackerel and salmon with caviar.  The fluke was a delicate tasting white fish with each slice adorned with a small piece of gold leaf (in the picture just barely visible from behind the large leaf); I quite like the lightness of the fish and the relatively non-fleshy texture.  On the leaf were two thicker slices of yellowtail which has a unique harder consistency akin to a cross between fish and conch.  The horse mackerel, beside the salmon rose, was decent and I’m glad this was thinner as it’s a stronger tasting fish that may be overpowering if the slices were larger. 


 


Following is one of my favourite Japanese dishes – roasted miso glazed gindara (a.k.a. black cod or sablefish). The plump fish was marinated for two days in miso and merin then slow roasted until the meat flakes apart yet retains its juicy tenderness.  Due to the marinating process, the fish was so well flavoured that the flavours permeated the meat rather than being slathered on through a sauce.  Yuzu’s gindara is one of the best I’ve eaten and may have just overtook my top spot (previously held by Blowfish).   A bright fuchsia green onion, coloured from pickling, sits on top adding décor and also acting as a palette cleanser.


 


A slice of panko crusted rack of lamb arrived next which is atypical of Japanese cuisine.  I thoroughly enjoyed the way the lamb’s thin layer of fat mixed into the panko crumbs to form a robust crust. It’s just a shame that the lamb was so overdone that the meat was starting to get tough and slightly dry from a lack of juices.  A chanterelle mushroom and braised mini daikon accompanied the meat (daikon needed some salt) with several edible flowers tossed on top to finish.


 


The last savoury course was five pieces of nigri sushi. My favourite piece was the tempura salt-water eel (first piece on the left) which was plump and tender with slivers of creamy avocado, the most modern of five.  Salmon was presented two ways – one a leaner cut of king salmon while the other a fattier belly lightly blow torched and topped with pickled onion.  Being a big fan of the heated fattier fishes, I loved the salmon belly and the smoky pickled taste. 

Kampachi, a dense white fleshed fish like white tuna, was served chopped up and mixed with tobiko (?) on top of rice wrapped in egg.  This is certainly inventive and a nice combination of the tamagoyaki (egg sushi) with fish.  Lastly, more of the delicious delicate fluke was served.  The rice itself wasn’t very memorable, unlike the amazing experience at Solo Sushi Ya, but what makes Yuzu’s nigri shine is the variety of flavours and textures used in the ingredients topping the sushi. If the restaurants could combine Solo’s rice with Yuzu’s toppings my ideal sushi would be created!


 


For dessert a square of sake cheesecake was presented.  The cheese was smooth and light but the flavours still quite strong with hints of sake flooding through. 




Our visit to Yuzu definitely fulfilled the purpose of trying new things; this was my first experience with the dobin mushi, uni, horse mackerel, kampachi and fluke.  If any of the above sound delicious to you, I urge you to make reservations and go soon as menus change seasonally and these dishes may soon disappear.  But, if you’re an adventurous person and are opened to trying new things then there’s no rush. Half the fun is sometimes not knowing what you’ll eat; after all, it’s through tasting menus that we may learn we like something we’ve never heard of. 



Overall mark - 9 out of 10

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 ____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!



CLOSED: La Cascina (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 1552 Avenue Road
Type of Meal: Dinner

 When an Italian friend recommends an Italian restaurant, you know it has to be decent. Located on Avenue Road directly across from the luxury grocery store Pusataries and sandwiched between a Greek restaurant and a dry cleaner, La Cascina has an unassuming façade and might be missed.  But, someone must know it’s there because we found the restaurant 80% full with the remaining tables reserved – our table sat ready for us with a personalized reservation sign on it.

 What you’ll find at La Cascina is authentic cuisine from the Abruzzo region.  No, it’s not the meatballs of Sicily or the pizza of Naples.  Instead, Chef Rosso serves up stewed legumes & vegetables, whole fishes and house made pastas doused with fragrant olive oil. 

 Having owned a restaurant in Italy, he came to Canada and decided to restart the restaurant (with the same name) to share the “agriturismo” experience with Canadians.  What exactly is this?  It’s the concept of “agriculture tourism” popular in Italy that invites tourists to go to rural resorts and enjoy meals produced with locally farmed ingredients. Of course, it’s doubtful everything served at La Cascina is made in Toronto, but the understatedly presented dishes of wholesome foods sure taste homemade.

 La Cascina isn’t a place to visit to grab a quick bite.  Service is unhurried with our meal turning into a three hour affair. Upon being seated water is poured but some time goes by before the wine menu is presented.  Dinner menus came afterwards allowing customers to focus on one thing at a time.  

 How food is ordered is an interesting concept – first you receive a menu with only the chef’s selections of the day, after having time to peruse this then the full menu is given.  Who were we to argue with what the chef knows best? We stuck with his recommendations for the antipasto, pasta and because we visited on a Friday could also try their famed fish.  The waitress warns that sharing is encouraged as serving sizes are large and meat dishes arrive without sides so ordering just the fish would make for an interesting meal.

 A standard plate of bread arrives, which in itself is nothing special.  What makes it shine is the great olive oils that accompany it – one plain and the other spicy.  The plain one has such a robust taste; it’s making me reconsider purchasing the Greek variety and buying Abruzzo region ones instead. 
The antipasto La Cascina ($28 for two people) began with a charcuterie dish with two slices of capicola, salami and sopressata.  All were not overly salty with a light curing so that the taste of the spices shone through, the sopressata was my favourite with some heat left on the tongue after eating.  On the red cabbage were slices of cheese that is a harder variety but yet smooth in texture and doesn’t crumble which was enjoyable.  


Dishes in the middle contained white beans mixed with pickled onion and garlic which was surprisingly delicious and I’d like to have as a bean salad any day.  Large green olives were in the other and not overly briny so even people who detest olives may want to try these. Lastly, slices of paper thin pears were on the platter adding some sweetness to the dish in place of the typical cantaloupe.

The second part of the antipasto were five clay pots containing hot stewed items including spelt with sundried tomatoes (one of my favourite dishes and cooked well so that the grains broke through and had a slight creaminess to it), lentils with carrots (surprisingly rich on account of being stewed in olive oil), eggplant with scrambled eggs (simple and tastes exactly as it sounds), stewed beets (enjoyed that they didn’t add any further sweet elements to it so that the naturalness of the beets were showcased) and dandelions with turbot (the greens were lightly wilted so it retained its crispiness while the fish had an interesting brined texture without being salted).
Next came a bowl of fettuccine con castagne, funghi e fagioli ($20) which was the highlight of the meal. The pasta was thicker and wider than most fettuccini and although cooked al dante was still soft throughout and had some elasticity. Unlike other pastas, there wasn’t a drop of marinara or cream in it.  Rather, the pasta, chestnuts, mushrooms and white beans were flavoured with a simple oil and herb mixture that was delicious.  The dish was certainly large enough for sharing and even though made with simple ingredients was fairly flavourful with hints of earthiness throughout.
You may know the orata con finocchio ($44) as sea bream or brandini.  This white fish arrived whole with the middle spine removed, stuffed with fennel and celery then roasted whole. It was cooked perfectly so that the fish flaked apart but was still tender and moist.  The stuffing really didn’t add much in terms of taste but I have a feeling helped keep the moistness in the fish.  I personally enjoy simply prepared fresh fish so found this dish pleasant.  But, there were still smaller bones left around some areas of the fish so I’d be mindful while eating to avoid any hazards.
Accompanying the fish was a simple mixed salad ($6) made with arugula, romaine, tomato and a dressing of olive oil & light red wine vinegar. I like the Italian tradition of ending with salad because the acid from the vinegar helps with digestion and if you’re really stuffed you can easily skip this course.
The only disappointment of the night was the dessert, tiramisu di Luca ($8), where we didn’t follow the chef’s suggestion – always stick with what he suggests!  My friend and I both found it way too sweet and lacked the espresso flavour we were craving that would help cut through the sugar and moisten the lady fingers.  La Cascina’s version is topped with chopped chocolate shavings rather than unsweetened chocolate powder which adds a crunchiness against the smoothness of the mascarpone cheese.  Some may like the contrast, but I prefer this dish in its traditional format so could have done without the hard chocolate bits.
La Cascina’s vibe is great; the unhurried service where conversations are encouraged and time given to savour each course.  The staff were always attentive frequently filling our water and wine glasses and cleaning off the tables of all crumbs in between each course.  A jovial atmosphere exists with patrons laughing loudly giving you a sense of how life may be like in a small rural village.  So, if you’re coming for a romantic date, I suggest you try requesting a table by the window which may help you focus more on your date. All in all, I love the authenticness of La Cascina’s creations and look forward to trying more of Chef Rosso’s delightful pastas.

 Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10



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 ____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Bier Markt (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 58 The Esplanade
Website: http://www.thebiermarkt.com/
Type of Meal: Lunch
With three locations across Toronto and off shoots in Montreal and Mississauga, Bier Markt is soon becoming a beer chain empire.  Personally, I still like the flagship Esplanade location best with its sizable venue, convenient location and live music offering (if you like that sort of thing).

In past visits, their mussels have been my go to dish and have always found them delicious – a generous size, full of flavour and great to dip the accompanying baguette ($21; dinner menu) or munch on the hot house made fries ($17; lunch menu). My personal favourite is the Spadina which is a fragrant Thai option made with lemongrass, coriander, ginger, shrimp broth and some chillies.

On this visit, I decided to branch out and try something different. To start, the table shared orders of smoked meat poutine ($15) and smoked chicken flatbread ($13). You really can't go wrong with poutine and Bier Markt doesn't disappoint with real potato fries, melted cheese curds and smothering of gravy. Freshly shaved slices of tender and juicy smoked beef brisket top the fries adding a delicious punch of salt and pepper flavour.  This is a dish made for sharing as just a few forkfuls was enough to satisfy me.
The smoked chicken flatbread had a thin crispy base topped with a liberal amount of smoked chicken, brie cheese, cremini mushrooms and roasted garlic. The brie was a smart addition as it added creaminess to the flatbread, yet stayed neutral against the chicken and garlic. I only wish it had arrived hotter as the ingredients were starting to congeal a bit on my first bite.
My main of grilled Atlantic salmon ($19) was pleasantly delicious. Cooked perfectly to a medium doneness the fish retained a translucent pinkness in the middle and was flakey and tender. Flavoured with a sprinkling of pungent garlic chips, this isn’t a meal you want to have on a first date. Below the salmon were two crispy quinoa cakes which was a nice alternative to latkes; they held up pretty well and had a nice smooth texture. It would be interesting to see if they could be made thinner so they’d begin to resemble a roisti, which would be more in line with the European theme of Bier Markt's menu.  
 With over 150 beers to choose from, the options seem endless. So, it’s a brilliant idea to provide pairing ideas for each dish (match the bin labels on the food menu to the drink menu for names and descriptions). It sure made choosing easier, unless your meal is paired with the $60 bottle of Chimay grand reserve magnum (bin 275) perhaps. 

Service has always been pleasant during my visits, although sometimes the person taking reservations can be a hit or miss. I find their knowledge of the beer menu astounding as they always seem to know how the beer is offered (draft, bottle or can) despite the abundance of options.

In the summer, all Toronto locations have a patio so if you can score a seat it’s a great place to enjoy a pint and people watch.  Just don’t expect to get reservations if you want after work drinks as it seems to be strictly for food eating patrons only.  Overall, Bier Markt is a good reasonably priced restaurant with much better food than the new Amsterdam Brewhouse.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10

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 ____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Manhattans Pizza Bistro and Music Club (Guelph)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Guelph, Canada
Address: 951 Gordon Street
Website: http://www.manhattans.ca/
Type of Meal: Dinner

 Manhattan’s, a restaurant and music club in one, offers a busy artistic calendar including piano performances, jazz, funk and even art shows (visit their website for the full roster of acts and showcases). Located front and centre in a plaza, its skyline logo is hard to miss and open but cozy interior makes it a great spot for relaxing meals.  

 Despite an already carb filled menu, a plank of warm crusty bread arrives after ordering with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a great spice mixture for dipping. Who am I kidding? I won't turn down freshly baked bread but with Manhattan’s significant portion sizes do try to control yourself!

To start, their Caesar salad (large size; $8) was more than enough for my husband and I to share.  The garlicky dressing on crisp romaine is expected, so what makes it different are the real thickly cut bacon bits adding smokiness to everything. Even the croutons were coated with chili oil first to give it a ting of heat. 

But, what keeps people coming back is their pizza – a well done thin crispy crust that’s loaded to the edge with fresh toppings.  Our favourite is the Gillespie (medium 16” size; $28) prepared with garlic pesto oil, roasted chicken breast, caramelized red onions and spinach.  Normally, I’m not a fan of sweet and salty combinations, but something about the drizzles of honey topping the pizza makes everything work so well together. The bottle of chili oil, accompanying pizzas, make it even better; great for dipping the crust into.


Manhattan’s medium is easily the size of a large compared to other restaurants so even with two hungry eaters there's leftovers. Of course, we could always order the small size, but why would we deprive ourselves from leftovers for the next day?

 Aside from pizzas, they also offer salads, pastas and a variety of mains so there’s something for everyone.  Glasses of wine, offered in 6oz and 9oz options, seem to be much larger arriving in large bulbous glasses. Whether you come for the pizza and stay for the show, Manhattan’s is a great spot for delicious reasonably priced meals.  The entertainment is just a wonderful bonus.

Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10


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 ____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


CLOSED: Wildfire Steakhouse & Wine Bar (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 3438 Yonge Street
Type of Meal: Dinner

When my friend found a Groupon featuring a 4-course meal with wine at $175 for four people, it was deal hard to turn down. Having gone to Wildfire twice in the past (albeit about 3-5 years ago), I remember the restaurant was decent so happily agreed to join in.


Upon arriving, Wildfire looked familiar with the dark red and black colour scheme, yet appeared to be more lounge-like with the curtain of strings separating tables.  Even though we visited on a Friday night the restaurant was at most 70% full, which was surprising as in my past visits was packed. But, the unfilled capacity did ensure we had quick and attentive service the entire time.  Even though we were sat on the top floor, our waiter dutifully kept coming back frequently to check on us. In fact, a basket of airy warm bread and hummus was brought as soon as we sat down.
The first course was an appetizer platter to share amongst the table.  Ours consisted of shrimp cocktail, bruschetta and cucumbers topped with smoked salmon mousse. Served on a wooden cutting board it didn’t look overly impressive but the shrimp were decent and the bruschetta a good flavour.  Only the cucumber and salmon was a miss for me as the mousse was extremely fishy leaving a bad taste in my mouth.


Under all the greenery and julienned carrots is grilled calamari; really all the garnish is a bit much when it completely masks the main ingredient. After the poorly executed salmon mousse I was a bit apprehensive about my appetizer, especially when it didn’t smell the best when first presented. Thankfully, it was actually quite decent with a nice smoky char and a flavourful tomato, caper, olive and red onion salsa.  My fellow diners agreed it was a much better choice than the escargots they ordered which arrived unseasoned and bland.
Wildfire’s portion sizes are quite impressive. On a previous visit, I remember ordering the ribs and being astounded by how much they gave and having to take half of it home.  My friend ordered the ribs and it was nice to see the sizes haven’t changed at all … if anything it may have grown! The meal consists of a full rack of ribs layered over each other (hidden beneath the pictured two slabs is a third piece) and if finished would likely give you the “meat sweats”. Alas, the quality wasn’t the same – a bit dry and lacked the plumper juicy fall-off-the-bone characteristic of the past.


My New York striploin was also another large hunk of meat, dwarfing the accompanying roasted vegetables and scoop of roasted garlic mashed potatoes. By all accounts it wasn’t horrible, but certainly lacked any qualities that would make it worth the normal $40 price point. Quite frankly, it tasted like something I’d normally make at home and I’m by no means a great cook.  And like my own barbequing, the steak was overdone and not close to the medium rare I enjoy – at best the thicker part a medium but most of it bordering on medium well.


The housemade crème brulée was perhaps the best dish of the night. I enjoyed the higher ramekin so that there was more custard and less caramel crust.  The custard was rich, creamy and had a nice vanilla essence, while the crust easily broken with a spoon. Perhaps it could have been bought out of the fridge a little earlier to allow the bottom of the custard to warm up to the perfect room temperature, but other than that an enjoyable dessert. My friend’s caramel brownie cheesecake (sorry forgot to take picture) was also a rich, dense and delicious.


Below, I’ve calculated the savings you’d get from the Groupon. Certainly, the 50% sounds impressive but has been inflated as I don’t remember Wildfire being as expensive in previous visits. Whereas in the past it competed with the Keg, it’s now priced closer to Reds, Hys or Ruth Chris … which I’m sorry to say quality wise isn’t up to par yet. Nonetheless, the service was great, atmosphere comfortable and with the deal an enjoyable dinner. Overall, I was happy with the experience, but don’t think I’ll be returning anytime soon to eat at the regular menu prices.

Is Groupon worth it?

As a special feature of the deal blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).

Groupon - $175 for 4 people = $43.75 per person (before taxes and gratuities)

Regular menu - $86.90 - hors d’oeuvres ($10*), wine pairing ($9), grilled calamari ($14.95), 10oz New York striploin ($40.95*) and crème brulée ($12)

Savings - $43 or 50%

* The hors d'oeurves and 10 oz striploin isn't on their regular menu; prices based on a wild estimate by me and the average of the 8oz and 12oz striploin mains.
Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10


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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!



CLOSED: Kochi Fukaba 東風吹かば (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 21-1, Udagawacho, Shibuya (in the Seibu Store, B2F)
Type of Meal: Lunch 

During cold weather nothing beats hot soups and shabu-shabu, a Japanese method of placing thinly sliced meat and other ingredients into bowling soup, certainly hits the spot. Koichi Fakuba, located on the B2 level of the Seibu building in the heart of Shibuya’s busy scramble by the train station, offers this cooking method at reasonable prices.   


When the pot of soup is first brought over a lump of collagen sits in the broth; slowly it infuses into the soup as it heats up. I’ve heard about the Japanese practice of eating and putting collagen products on their skin for beauty benefits and thus excited to try it. After returning home and researching more about it on Livestrong.com, it’s a bit disappointing to find out that your digestive process would break down any of the amino acids in it and thus there is no benefit. Luckily, there is nothing harmful with it either and I’d like to think that I did myself a great service for eating shabu-shabu for lunch.



Koichi Fakuba offers all you can eat and a la carte options.  We decided to stick with something where we wouldn’t over indulge, so I ordered their pork and beef (¥1,480) meal. A dish of approximately six slices of thinly sliced meat and another filled with vegetables (pumpkin, shredded root vegetable & carrots, spring onions and napa cabbage) arrived. The meat only took a few swishes in the boiling broth to cook through while still retaining its tenderness. There really wasn’t that much taste to the beef or pork but ponzu (a citrus soy sauce) and goma (a creamy sesame sauce) accompanied the platter to help flavour the cooked products.  The goma went perfectly with the meal and I enjoyed how its thicker consistency helped stick to the ingredients more.

A pot containing a ladle and strainer is used for skimming the impurities off of the top of the soup, gathering up all the slivers of vegetables and if you incline for scooping up the broth to add to the rice or drink on its own. Personally, I found the meal was the perfect amount of food so that I was satisfied without being overly stuffed.  Plus, for only ¥1,480 it was also an affordable option.
 Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


Like the blog? You can now follow me on twitter for notifications - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog

 ____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Hasegawa Saketen 酒友 (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 4-12-10 Jingumae,Shibuya (3F) but various other locations
Website: http://www.hasegawasaketen.com/index_en.html  


Hasegawa Saketen is a retail store with an onsite stand-up tasting bar.  With various locations across Tokyo, we stopped by the Omotesando Hills location situated on the third floor of an architectural high-end mall.



Sure you could have a glass of beer or wine, but what Hasegawa is known for is their artisan sakes. Their website describes Koichi Hasegawa, the president, as a powerful sake critic in Japan. But, he believes anyone can get to know sake and what it takes is more experiences with tasting it. Lucky for me, as up until this point I’ve only tried it a handful of times and know little about this Japanese rice-based spirit.
For the first round, we decided to rely on the expertise of the bartender and informed him, with the help of a Japanese speaking friend, that we like dry and crisp tasting sakes. He pours us three different kinds – my apologizes I can’t remember the names of them but the bottles are pictured for your reference and each shot ranged from ¥500 to ¥600.
When they are presented side by side, the differences are apparent simply by looking at them.  The cloudier one, we’re told, is younger and therefore has more impurities in it. In fact, the bullseye coasters are supposed to help you look through the sake to spot any sediment.

My favourite one was the one on the left, which had that clean & crisp taste and drier finish we liked. Meanwhile, the younger sake was a bit harsh for my palette and the one on the right a tad sweet.

For the second round, we ordered things off the menu which sounded interesting.  My choice was sparkling sake (¥400), which based on the menu changes daily. During our visit, it was gorgeous pink colour and arrived in a flute looking and even tasting like champagne.  My husband opted for the kanehachi genshu shochu (¥525; pictured on the right), another type of distilled spirit except in this case made with barley (although Hasegawa also offered another made with sweet potato). Shochu, with its 42% alcohol content, is like sipping tequila and I really could have used a lime afterwards.  In the middle, was another sake called ugonotuski Daiginyo (¥800) and interestingly was served in a wine glass. Perhaps, it’s the glass, but I loved being able to swirl it and stick your nose in to really smell it.  Out of everything I tasted, this was definitely the best – still a crisp dry finish but with a bit more body.
A huge thank you to our friend L. in Japan for introducing us to Hasegawa, it was a lovely end to an afternoon of site seeing.  Hasegawa also has a fridge the size of a wall filled with sakes to purchase and bring home.  If liquor isn’t your thing, there are also glasses, accessories and snacks that would make great souvenirs and gifts.

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Kamakura Gozan Bekkan 五山別館 (Kamakura)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by

Location: Kamakura, Japan
Address: 1531 Yamanouchi (right across from the Kenchoji Temple)
Type of Meal: Lunch
Kamakura is a region in Japan, only an hour train ride away from Tokyo, filled with shrines, temples and forests. During our day trip, I was determined to try shōjin ryōri (vegetarian Buddhist cuisine) but after leading our group on a 30 minute walk away from Kamakura’s city centre towards Kita Kamakura found the restaurant closed.
Too hungry and tired to walk back, we went into Kamakura Gozan Bekkan, a little noodle house across the street instead. Their menu is also limited to vegetarian options, except is soba or udon in various soup bases (tsukimi, natto, sensai, hiyshi sansai, etc.).



I ordered the house speciality, kenchin udon (¥900) an autumn vegetables based soup simmered together with tofu, miso and sesame oil. There were so many ingredients in it that I’m sure I’m missing some.  I recall soft root vegetables (radish and carrot), crunchy preserved veggies, a root jelly (could have been lotus or burdock?), onions, delicate tofu and toasted nori (seaweed) strips. It had such a wonderful scent and so warm & welcoming after a long cold walk. The hot broth was amazing … a little thicker and filled with flavour. The udon is thinner and softer than the North American versions but went well with everything.


After warming up and exiting Kamakura Gozan Bekkan, we realized Kencho-ji (one of Japan’s earliest Zen temples) was directly across the street.  Originally, it wasn’t one of the attractions we were planning to visit but ended up being the highlight of the trip! The buildings in the temple were ornate and pleasant but really weren’t that different from other shrines and temples across Japan.

What made the Kencho-ji visit so worthwhile was walking towards the back of the grounds and climbing all the stairs to the top. 

 If you continue past Hanso-Bo (a prayer area with a bell) and walk up the makeshift rocks going up the mountain, you’ll eventually get to an observation deck in the forest. We were treated with an amazing view of Mount Fuji, the Sea of Japan and Tokyo. So, what could have been a disappointment ended really well – a delicious bowl of vegetarian noodles and a lovely tranquil view of Japan.
Overall mark - 7 out of 10

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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Il Pappalardo (Kyoto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Address: ４５１-１ Myohoin Maekawacho, Higashiyama
Website: http://www.ilpappalardo.com/
Type of Meal: Dinner 
When you’re visiting Japan, finding freshly made pizza and pastas generally isn’t high on the list of priorities.  But, eventually you may tire of delicious fresh seafood or hearty noodles and want something different.  Enter Il Pappalardo, a quaint Italian restaurant on a quiet street a short cab ride from Kyoto Station (cost us ¥640), which was well worth it; especially if you’re tired of the bustling crowds near the station area.

Having been in Japan for a week, we missed white bread, so when a basket arrived with chewy French loaf, soft & salty focaccia that wasn’t greasy and crunchy bread sticks we were delighted. Paired with a fragrant olive oil, available for sale from the restaurant, it was heaven.

Thankfully, we shared the parma ham with buffalo mozzarella (¥2,000) as a starter because it was a surprisingly big portion. The thinly sliced prosciutto seemed “younger” than most as it wasn’t overly cured and the meat's texture less waxy than when it's been drying for long periods of time; it was nice and fresh. As you’d expect, the buffalo mozzarella was soft and delicate but had an interesting tangy taste which complimented the ham’s saltiness quite well.  All this along with the peppery arugula was a good start.

My linguini with scampi shrimp (¥2,200) was absolutely delicious and reminded me of one I had port side in Positano, Italy. The pasta was al dante and smothered in a non-tangy tomato sauce which likely was mixed with olive oil and shrimp stock to give it that depth of flavor. While the shrimp were a tad overcooked, they still retained their natural sweetness and other than this slight slipup the linguine would have been perfect.

With a variety of pizza on their menu, my husband opted for one; I forgot to jot down the name but it consisted of cheese and spicy salami (¥1,900).  The Neapolitan style crust was chewy and airy with lightly scorched air pockets, yet the bottom had been cooked long enough to allow the pizza to be picked up with one hand.  The salami added a nice heat without being over powering and the fresh mozzarella, according to Il Pappalardo’s website which is flown in from Naples three times a week, was gooey and stringy. 

All in all, I was impressed with the quality of ingredients used, the relatively affordable prices and decent portion sizes. If you’re in Kyoto and in the mood for something Italian, I’d certainly recommend checking out Il Pappalardo.

 Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10

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 ____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Menya Iroha 麺屋いろは(Kyoto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Address: Kyoto Station (10th floor in "Ramen Alley")
Website: http://www.menya-iroha.com/
Type of Meal: Dinner  

After visiting Japan, I’ve learnt two things about the beloved bowl of ramen:
1.    In Japan, they consider these to be “Chinese” noodles as some believe it originated from China’s hand-pulled noodles, whereas in Canada, we describe ramen as “Japanese”. In reality, the more traditional Japanese noodles are soba and udon; and
2.    The different soup bases are actually linked to different regions in Japan with miso being popular in Hokkaido, tonkotsu developed in Kyushu and black (dark soy) from Toyama.
With so many regions it feels impossible to try them all. Luckily, the 10th floor of Kyoto Station consolidates eight restaurants into Ramen Koji or Ramen Alley. Most are outposts of popular ramen chains from across Japan. My husband and I ventured to the floor and found each set-up similarly – with a vending machine order system out front and a series of tables / bars seats making up the dining room.
After doing a full circle, we ended up choosing Menya Iroha as it didn’t have a line-up but still seemed busy. I’ll admit, the big poster of Iron Chef Chen also caught our eye even though we couldn’t understand what it was advertising.  Something that’s endorsed by an Iron Chef must be good right? Upon doing some research afterwards, it turns out Menya won best ramen in the Tokyo Ramen competition for the last few years with their black ramen… hence their bragging rights.

Alas, I didn’t realize this was their specialty and after purchasing a combo of ramen, rice and gyoza (¥1,150) and being asked whether I wanted “white” or “black”, I naturally went with white as I prefer salt based soup over soy.  Had I known their crown jewel was the black ramen I would have ordered it – my husband did and said it was delicious.

Having been use to the smaller bowls of noodles served previously, we were surprised with the large size presented to us about ten minutes later. Topped with tons of Japanese scallions, bamboo shoots, a soft boiled egg, two slices of pork, three dried shrimp and a sheet of nori there was a lot of food to get through. The noodles are thinner & softer and the broth more watery than the springy noodle with thick soup combination I’ve become accustomed to in Toronto. I personally prefer the noodles to be more al dante, but enjoyed the broth as it wasn’t as heavy so I could have more of it with the ramen. The slices of pork were marbled to a bacon like consistency and so tender that it just flaked off. If only everything was hotter this would have been one of the better bowls I’ve had in my life. 
Alas, I only had a bite of the rice as I couldn’t even finish the noodles. Luckily, I wasn’t missing much as it’s pretty average - sticky rice with sprinkles of sesame seeds and very hard pieces of dried seaweed. After adding some broth into a spoon with the rice and seaweed it did help rehydrate things and make it more appetizing. 
The gyozas also needed more heat. But, I still loved the lightness of the wrapper and flavourful crust on the bottom; these wrapper didn’t get hard and rubbery as some can get once it’s been sitting out for a while. The simple pork and chive filling was pretty tame so a bit of soy sauce and chili oil was needed to give it the right flavour.
Menya Iroha’s dining space is quite small but has a fair number of counters and four top tables, each equipped with a pitcher of ice water and condiments. If you are looking for a quick and inexpensive meal, this is the place for you. We were in and out in less than half an hour and couldn't finish our meal with their hefty portion sizes. For the price it was a great quality and very satisfying. If you can’t make it to Japan, Menya also has an outpost in LA which may be a bit easier to get to.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10

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 ____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!
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