my life through my lens

Whitney

2012-02-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

In shock and disbelief about the death of Whitney Houston. I think this is my first time feeling devastated after hearing someone famous pass away.

The earliest memory I have of ever listening to any artist's record was Whitney Houston's 'Whitney' that my Dad owned. I remember taking the cassette tape from my Dad's car and listening to it non-stop, rewinding and replaying my favorite songs. It's sad to know that there will never be any more songs from the singer I loved and grew up with.

My absolute favorite song from that record was 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' which is still in my iPod to this day. Just listening to it always puts me in a happy, upbeat mood. I love the video for how fresh and cute Whitney is, the vibrant colors and full-on glory of the 80's.

Rest in peace...

Broken...

2012-02-05T20:35:00.000-08:00

My computer died on me = lack of updates.

Hopefully I can retrieve some data at least... ughh, frustrating.

But on a happy note, we went snowboarding in Niigata over the weekend and it was amazing! The weather, snow conditions, food... everything was incredible. Will update more but here's a quick peek.

P.S. Thanks for organizing　グルめい! ;)

Tonkatsu Taihou (とんかつ大宝)

2012-01-26T08:49:00.000-08:00

Taihou in Meguro is a place I go to when I get Tonkatsu cravings. It doesn't happen very often but Taihou never disappoints!

Exterior.

Interior.

Aside from 1 table seat (that we sat at), there are only about 8 counter seats. It has a very "retro" feel and is family-operated.

Simple menu.

We went during lunch time, so this Filet-Katsu lunch was 1,050 yen. (You can get seconds on rice and cabbage too) What a deal!

Craving fulfilled. My belly left satisfied and happy!

ViewRightNow

2012-01-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

It's snowing!!

Oden

2012-01-18T02:01:00.000-08:00

Nothing better than a big pot of Oden on cold winter nights! Whenever we go to Tsukiji and know that we are coming straight home, we buy fresh Oden-Tane, or ingredients from Tsukugon. It is hands down the BEST!

Make some dashi broth, add in vegetables, boiled eggs and all the Oden and just let it simmer...

Close-up.

I love Oden!

Lasagna Christmas

2012-01-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

For Christmas Eve, I made lasagna like I have for the past 2 years in Japan (2010 here). In my opinion, this years turned out the best!

Must have spinach!

Celebrated with some bubbles!

I've been addicted to champagne recently...

Countdown

2012-01-15T09:06:00.001-08:00

Just booked our trip to Paris!

Excited is an understatement... completely ecstatic!

Countdown has begun...

The French Kitchen

2012-01-09T20:55:00.000-08:00

Catching up on some updates...

Champagne Brunch at The French Kitchen inside of Grand Hyatt Tokyo last month.

Entrance.

Interior/Buffet Station.

The absolute BEST part of the buffet part was the Fruit Station. They have a selection of fresh fruit and will freshly cut anything you want. Felt like I got my money's worth with the fruit alone (fruit is extremely expensive in Japan).

Freshly made Egg's Benedict.

Buttery & sugary French Toast.

Buffet.

You choose one main dish. This is my boyfriend's duck dish.

It was the better dish out of our table (I ordered fish, our friend ordered Chicken) but it was unimpressing to say the least...

Dessert is also buffet style.

Personally, I am not a fan of buffets. I hate that overly-full feeling that lingers. But this was a rare case, I really enjoyed the dishes offered for the buffet but didn't enjoy the main dish that came with it. Especially at 6,500 yen (main, buffet & a glass of Louis Roederer Champagne). I wish they would offer a buffet only option for about 4,500 yen.

Oh, and a heads up, I ordered an extra glass of Champagne which cost a third of the price of the entire meal! Obviously, should have asked before I ordered... but it would probably be a better option to hold off on that second drink and instead, enjoy one afterwards on the balcony of The Oak Door upstairs.

vs Winter

2012-01-05T01:39:00.000-08:00

These are my friends to help me battle the cold weather!

Le Berkeley

2012-01-02T22:37:00.000-08:00

Our last dinner date of 2011 was at Le Berkeley. I saw Le Berkeley in a magazine I had bought of good restaurants in Tokyo. It opened earlier this year and the reason I wanted to go there was because the owner/chef lived in Berkeley, CA.

It's a cozy bistro in an upscale neighborhood and I loved the homey vibe. The restaurant is run by the husband (chef) and wife (server). They have three dinner courses and a nice selection of reasonably priced French wines. We ordered a bottle of champagne and a red wine from Rhone. Because I don't know anything about French wines, I asked the server for a few of her recommendations. The food was very hearty and simple but carefully prepared.

First Outing of 2012

2012-01-02T02:22:00.000-08:00

Walked through a deserted Omotesando station...

and waited for the train on an empty platform.

Walked to Meijijingu for Hatsumode.

2012 is the year of the Dragon.

Omikuji.

I love Meijijingu.

Walked around Harajuku afterwards.

Browsed through racks of colorful vintage clothing.

2012!!

2011-12-31T21:24:00.000-08:00

For all my friends back home, hope everyone has a fun and safe time ringing in the new year!

I had a great time with friends and free flow rosé champagne ;)

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012!!

Japanese Christmas

2011-12-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

Starting in November, Japan's streets have been decked out with Christmas decorations. Some pictures I've snapped with my phone:

I can't believe Christmas is in 2 days!!

Cafe Mamehico

2011-12-14T05:58:00.000-08:00

One of our new favorite cafes to go to, to get away from the noise of Shibuya is Cafe Mamehico.

すごくこだわりが多くて、季節によってメニューもコーヒーの豆も変わるの。

Love the long communal table in the middle.

They always have a different tree/flower arrangement too.

Ice Coffee comes in these retro tin cups.

They always have a few selections for hot coffee.

My brother told us about this cafe and he recommended this.

煮豆が入った食パンで、手前のクリームをつけて食べるの。シンプルで美味！

These two were seasonal menus for the fall:

Baked Apple with homemade Ice Cream.

HEAVEN!

Grape Muffins.

葡萄も皮を一粒一粒むいて、すごく手がかかってるんだよ！（リンク）

Les enfants gâtés (レザンファンギャテ)

2011-12-12T06:46:00.000-08:00

On my mom's last visit, we went out for a fancy dinner at Les enfants gâtés in Daikanyama. They specialize in Terrine and Pâté. I knew it would be good, but it far exceeded my expectations, everything was SO delicious and elegant. I just saw their website and found out that they have a Michelin star. Regardless, it was a very pleasant dining experience.

Exterior.

I really like the lighting of the bar area at the entrance.

Fancy setting.

We each ordered the Terrine course (choice of 2) and shared everything:

Even the dessert is Terrine!

They served this platter of cream puffs (eclairs) along with our coffee.

The cream from top: cream with herb liqueur, passion fruit and green tea.

Isn't this a great idea?! The pastry was buttery and the cream was light.

Will definitely be going back here!

Sapi Island

2011-12-07T06:58:00.000-08:00

On our second day, we took a day trip to Sapi Island. It was the "rainy" season so I was worried if we would be able to make it out to the beach, but luckily we were blessed with gorgeous weather!

We took these boats from the harbor, which was right next to our hotel.

That's the whole island! It's about a 15 minute boat ride.

Can you see the fish?

The "entrance" to the island.

Clear water.

We got there pretty early in the morning (we left around 9AM) and were one of the first to get there. We snorkeled...

and took naps with this view.

Roaming around were residents of this island, the Monitor Lizard. They were huge!

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park

2011-12-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

Saw lots of exotic animals and birds at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park. It's a huge zoo and was our alternative to see Orangutans when our plan to visit the Orangutan Reserve failed. It was worth the visit though because they have so many different kinds of animals and most of the larger ones were SO close with no fence.

When we went to see the elephants, it was their feeding time. Yay! They open their mouths and anxiously wait for you to throw the carrots (that orange thing in the middle).

We also watched the Orangutan Show.

Night Markets

2011-12-04T06:12:00.000-08:00

There are many night markets going on every night in downtown KK. It's always interesting to check out markets in the countries you visit.

Ocean Seafood Restaurant (海王城)

2011-11-30T05:58:00.000-08:00

Our 2nd and last meal was at Ocean Seafood Restaurant (海王城). There are a lot of these types of seafood restaurants in the city where you choose your fish and how you want it prepared.

Entrance.

HUGE! This is probably only a tenth of the entire place.

Huge variety of seafood.

Sauteed Scallops with Baby Chinese Broccoli.

Black Pepper Crab.

Steamed Grouper Hong Kong style.

This dish was my favorite!

Aftermath.

*This is most likely where we both got food poisoning. Oh well, it was worth it!

Fatt Kee (Ang's Hotel Restaurant)

2011-11-29T05:57:00.000-08:00

Our first dinner was at Fatt Kee in downtown KK. We walked around for a bit because we wanted a local place to try. We decided to come here because all the customers seemed local and it was constantly packed, always people standing around eyeing the next opening. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the place but here's a link.

Wintermelon Soup.

Prawns in Chili Sauce.

Oyster Sauce Chicken Wings.

(That seriously EVERYONE seemed to order)

Chinese Greens.

Local drinks.

The food was really good and I especially enjoyed the Wintermelon Soup & Wings!

Kedai Kopi Melanian 3

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Our first meal in KK was breakfast at Kedai Kopi Melanian 3.

Our Malaysian tour guide took us here for a local dining experience before taking us to the zoo.

They are located in downtown KK and specialize in mixed pork noodles, popularly known to Chinese people as "Sang Nyuk Man".

Open kitchen.

People flowed in non-stop and the place was constantly full!

Pork Noodle Soup with Kon-Lou noodles (dry noodles).

This set was 5.5 RM, about $1.70 or 130 yen!

We also tried the Kui Teoy noodles which were kind of like thick Pho noodles. Personally, I liked this noodle more. The flavor isn't as strong as it looks and has a sweet, soy-sauce taste. Both the soup and noodles were actually very tasty!

Kota Kinabalu

2011-11-27T22:58:00.001-08:00

Another perk of living in Japan is its proximity to other Asian countries. Growing up in CA, for a weekend trip, we would only really have the option to travel somewhere within the US, Canada or Mexico.

Last Wednesday was a public holiday in Japan and my boyfriend took a couple days off so we planned a quick 2 night trip to Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, one of the 13 states in Malaysia. KK wasn't on our list of places to visit but after some research it seemed like a really interesting destination. They have beaches, jungles, animals, mountains, a city, and most importantly the food which is a mix of various Asian cuisines. What sealed the deal was a direct flight out of Haneda. SO convenient!

Will blog in detail but here is our trip in a nutshell...

Took a red eye and arrived around 6AM.

It's about a 5.5 hour flight there, 4.5 hour flight back. Not bad!

The city is about a 10-15 minute car ride from the airport, which is awesome.

Harbor adjacent to our hotel.

What we didn't know was that most of KK city is a landfill so they didn't have nice beaches that I'd envisioned. But, there are lots of islands nearby!

There is a large Muslim population so there were many mosques.

Went to Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.

Initially, we wanted to go to the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary, and we knew it was on the Eastern side of Sabah but didn't realize that it was another flight or a 7.5 hour drive to get there. Definitely didn't have enough time for that but hopefully we can make another trip out to go there, Kinabalu National Park and Gomantong Caves.

Went to the Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village.

An enormous Bryde's Whale skeleton is displayed and it's impressive!

Day trip to Sapi Island.

Kota Kinabalu is famous for beautiful sunsets:

Day 1

This was after some rain so there were lots of clouds.

Day 2

Stunning!

We wrapped up our trip with food poisoning (both of us!) so although we had half a day before we flew out, we could barely move. Oh well, at least we were able to enjoy two full days there!

Autumn in Nagano

2011-11-14T23:11:00.001-08:00

SO behind on updates...

Last month, my mom and I took a day trip to Nagano.

The weather was perfect and the skies were gorgeous!

We went apple picking. My first apple picking experience in Japan.

So crisp and yummy!

These apples are a new variety called "Aki-bae".

Soba field.

First time seeing an actual Soba plant. It was right before harvesting so there was a nice Soba scent in the air.

Cosmos Fields. So pretty.

Miso ice cream.

Reminded me of Butterscotch... salty & sweet. I really liked it.

We also went Kyoho grape picking.

These had no seeds and were super sweet.

I love all the seasonal food that Japan offers!

Hasshou (八昌)

2011-10-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

Hasshou is a famous okonomiyaki restaurant in Hiroshima. They specialize in Modern-yaki, or Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki which has noodles in it.

Exterior.

Tons of cabbage.

Our okonomiyaki with green onion topping.

It's huge and VERY filling!

P.S. Tomorrow, I am going to Mie-prefecture for work and will be there for a week. Will catch up on more updates when I get back!

Tomisuke (とみ助)

2011-10-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

Catching up on some Hiroshima eats...

Dinner at Tomisuke, a restaurant specializing in fish. It's a small place run by a husband and wife where you choose a fish and how you want it prepared. We got one sashimi, fried and simmered.

Exterior.

Only counter seats. The husband is the chef.

Had some Hiroshima Sake with my meal.

Birthday

2011-10-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hadn't updated in a while... sorry!

It's my sister's birthday today so I wanted to wish her a very happy birthday!!

Lots of food to blog about...

Beautiful sunset from last week.

Kakiya (牡蠣屋)

2011-10-06T00:17:00.000-07:00

Hiroshima is famous for Oysters. We saw on many blogs and was told by locals that Kakiya in Miyajima is worth a visit.

Sign outisde the restaurant.

They are known for their grilled oysters.

Never really had grilled oysters before. It was good, but I still prefer raw oysters! (Raw oyster season starts in late October)

Kaki-Teishoku

Fried, in rice, miso soup and marinated in oil... everything oyster! After raw oysters, I love kaki-fry or fried oyster. Yum.

After our meal, we saw this antique shaved-ice machine with blocks of ice. It was so appealing, I had to eat one.

The ice was incredibly soft, fluffy and just dissolved in your mouth. Huge difference than an automatic ice shaver.

We had the homemade lemon syrup. It wasn't too sweet and the peel had a nice bitterness. It was so refreshing and cleared the oyster aftertaste.

I was curious of how their strawberry syrup tasted like, so we went back for seconds. When will I encounter an hand ice-shaver next? Couldn't resist!

Gorgeous weather, the ocean & a sweet treat. Heaven.

Miyajima

2011-10-05T01:13:00.000-07:00

Last month, we took a weekend trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima. Miyajima is an island that is a ferry ride away from Hiroshima. We were blessed with great weather, especially because it was during the time when a huge typhoon had hit Japan.

The scenery once we got off the ferry.

Anago Bento from the famous Anagomeshi Ueno.

Our view while we ate our bento lunch.

Being tourists.

The symbol of Miyajima.

We were able to walk down to get a closer look.

Walked through the Itsukushima Shrine, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also a National Treasure of Japan.

Saru-Mawashi performances.

Omotesando Koffee

2011-10-04T00:42:00.000-07:00

I had seen Omotesando Koffee earlier this year and had wanted to go.

I read that the owner temporarily rented a small space from an old home to serve his coffee. It said it would be open through 2011 but when I was chatting with the guy today, he said he may be able to extend it another year, depending on the owner of the home.

Was about to walk right past it, until I saw some people walking out with coffee. It's in a residential area and there is NOTHING around it.

Keep an eye out for this "sign".

Serious business.

Making my cup of iced coffee.

Creative "business cards" made out of coffee filters.

There's a small patio/garden in front of the store where it can seat about 4 people, but there were people there so I couldn't take a picture.

Vivid

2011-10-04T00:20:00.000-07:00

Took a nice walk today to the Omotesando area. It was a beautiful autumn day, the weather was absolutely perfect.

Crisp blue sky.

Colorful chairs getting a tan.

Interior shop in Jingumae.

Colorful cars in Omotesando.

Lime green bicycle with green tires.

Loved this display at Pass the Baton in Omotesando Hills. The chandelier was made out of coffee cups!

Bonhomie

2011-09-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

Wow, haven't updated in a while...

About a month ago, we had dinner at Bonhomie, a Bistro in Gotanda. We were so excited because the reviews were excellent and we were finally able to get reservations.

Interior.

It's tiny, there were only about 5 tables and this counter.

They have a "Today's Vegetables" list where you can order individually or a platter with your choice of 4.

We chose: Grilled Eggplant with Tapnade & Cheese, Broccoli marinated in Garlic Anchovies, Carrot Rappe and Tomato Compote.

Marinated Sardines.

The Sardines were so fresh!

Chilled Gold Rush Corn Potage.

"Gold Rush" is a type of yellow corn from Miyazaki prefecture that has a soft texture and super sweet. This was like dessert!

Roasted Horo-Horo Cho (Guineafowl) from Iwate-Prefecture.

I've never had Horo-Horo Cho prepared like this before and it was impeccable. It was super tender and because it wasn't flavored (you add salt) you can really taste the meat. The potatoes (above) were insanely sweet, but I forgot the name...

Hamo & Edamame Risotto.

I think this may have been the best Risotto I've ever had in my life. The Hamo went perfectly well with the cheese flavor, the Edamame added some sweetness and the texture of the rice was perfect.

Roasted New Zealand Lamb with Eggplant Puree.

They certainly do a fantastic job with roasting meats.

Platter of homemade cookies & chocolates with the coffee we ordered.

I definitely want to dine here again, because their menu is seasonal. When we went, their main dishes were all meat, but I'm hoping that they'll have fish the next time we go.

Cossott'e

2011-09-07T23:46:00.001-07:00

My boyfriend went to Cosott'e a few months back and insisted that it was now his favorite yakiniku place. I can see why now. The meat was so fresh, they have unique items on the menu and still serve raw meat (a lot of places stopped, because they don't want that risk).

Our friend generously drove us there so I don't know how to get there by train... but it's sort of near Shibuya?

Exterior.

世田谷の住宅街の中で“こそっと”やってるから、コソットって名前なんだって。Cosott'eって書くと、なんかオシャレ。

Special Yukke

Cosott'e特製ユッケ

こういうユッケは初めて！10月から生肉が法律で禁止されるみたい

Liver Sashimi

レバ刺

The outside was seared, which turned me off in the beginning, but the liver was amazingly sweet and SO good!

Salted Beef Tongue

牛タン塩

Salted Kalbi

特上カルビ塩

Miso-marinated Kalbi

味噌棒カルビ　

ホルモン塩

Salted Stomach

His: Kalbi Chazuke

カルビ茶漬け

お肉のお茶漬けって珍しいよね。一口もらったけど、とてもあっさりしてて美味！

Mine: Cold Noodles

冷麺

夏だから、冷麺！だけど、もっとお酢が強い方が好み。

Lohotoi (ロウホウトイ)

2011-09-05T00:58:00.000-07:00

Lohotoi is a Hong Kong Cantonese-style cuisine located inconveniently in the middle of Ebisu, Hiroo and Shirogane. I forgot to take a picture of the exterior/interior, but it seems like its been here for a while.

Considering that Chinese food (especially in the Shirogane/Hiroo area) is quite expensive, this place was very reasonable. We ordered a lot of what we saw on the Tabelog page and all of them exceeded my expecations. All of the flavors were elegant and refined. It was nice that they offered a small and large size. Everything pictured is a small size.

Crispy Skin Pork (Small) appetizer

皮付き豚カリカリ焼き

Vegetable Steamed Dumplings

野菜の蒸し餃子

This was so delicious! It mainly had mushrooms and bamboo and there were some other chopped veggies in there as well.

Shrimp & Chive Dumplings

エビとニラの焼き餃子

My fave! The shrimp here was really plump and sweet.

Shrimp Steamed Dumplings

エビの蒸し餃子

After having the veggie and shrimp/chive dumplings, we wanted more. Each piece is super small, probably about half the size of American dim sum. But the homemade skin was incredibly chewy and the ideal thinness, just perfect.

Eggplant with Ground Pork and Miso

魚香茄子

Similar to Mabo Eggplant, without the spice. A little salty, which was probably intentional to eat together with rice (although we didn't order any).

Yellow Chive & Bean Sprout Noodles

黄ニラともやしの麺

Everyone seemed to be ordering this noodle, and we understood why. Its very understated, especially the ingredients, but it just came together and had such a delicate flavor.

We finished off the meal with a refreshing homemade mango pudding and almond jelly.

手作りハンバーグ (Salisbury Steak)

2011-09-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hamberg, or Salisbury Steak (didn't know it was called this until I looked it up on wiki) is considered a comfort food in Japan. My boyfriend said that he used to make them often when he was a student. I've only made minced chicken or tofu versions, so on his day off, he cooked us a hearty dinner.

First, finely chop onions and carrots, and lightly saute.

Add the sauteed veggies into minced meat (we used a pork and beef mix, but any type of meat works).

Add in some panko, an egg, salt & pepper and throughly mix.

Shape them into favored shape/size. When shaping, make sure to get the air out by slapping them down on your palm.

After shaping them, lightly cook the the surface to get some color, before simmering them.

To make the sauce, we chopped fresh tomatoes and added Port Wine. Any wine works, but we didn't have any opened red wine, so we substituted with Port, which turned out great.

Add in the lightly cooked steaks into the sauce, close the lid and let simmer.

After adjusting the flavor or the sauce with some ketchup, Worcester sauce, salt and pepper, it's ready to eat.

完成

いただきまーす!

Cooling Down

2011-08-26T02:24:00.000-07:00

Haven't been in Japan during this season (mid-summer) ever since I was a kid. The weather's been super weird; hot, cold, rainy but constantly humid. Just now, there was a crazy, random thunderstorm.

Some things I've been cooling down with:

Beer tastes the best in the summer.

Rising Sun Pale Ale from Baird Beer that I've blogged about before (here).

Matcha Shaved Ice from Ouca (blogged before here).

Shaved ice is only served during the summer time at Ouca. I also had the Apricot last time, but my favorite has to be Matcha.

A new cafe, Sarutahiko Coffee, opened right next to Ouca while I was back home. I love specialty coffee shops (especially single drip!).

Guess the guy wanted to pose for my camera, haha.

Sarutahiko (dark roast) drip Iced Coffee.

Tarantella-da-luigi

2011-08-25T23:55:00.001-07:00

Dinner at Tarantella-da-luigi.

Exterior.

Located in a residential area, less than a 10 minute walk from Shirokane-Takanawa station.

Interior.

Baked Eggplants in Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella Cheese

Spinach Pizza with tomatoes, Italian bacon, Ricotta and Mozzarella Cheese

They serve traditional Napoli-style food, so their pizza is a must. The crust is thin but chewy and the Ricotta cheese was surprisingly light. The flavors of all the toppings came together so perfectly! All of their ingredients (cheese, flour, charcuterie, etc.) are flown in from Italy.

We actually saw this place on TV for their Acqua Pazza & Pasta dish. They come around with this platter so you can pick out a fish. You also pick a pasta which turns into...

this!

The fish was cooked to perfection, so tender and the perfect amount of sodium.

Tomato & Basil Gnocchi.

One of the best Gnocchis I've had. Ever.

Everything we had here exceeded my expectations. It's also very reasonably priced. I will definitely be coming back here!

Aalawi

2011-08-18T21:38:00.000-07:00

Lunch at Aalawi in Ebisu.

I've never encountered any Jamaican food in California before, so this was my first "real" Jamaican Jerk Chicken/Pork.

Exterior.

Interior.

Jamaican Jerk Mix (885 yen)

Mix=Chicken & Pork

They were both really tasty, but I liked the Chicken slightly more.

Ordered a Frozen Peach & Orange with Rum cocktail.

Craftheads

2011-08-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

After dinner drinks at Craftheads.

This was my first time here, and it's a bit of a walk from the station but in a really quiet, residential area of Shibuya. They have a really great selection of imported and domestic beers and whiskey.

Bar.

Interior.

Cheers!

Tenryu (天龍)

2011-08-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Tenryu in Ginza.

We wanted to go somewhere famous for Gyoza and stumbled upon this restaurant that has been around since 1949.

Entrance.

Gyoza

The size is huge (almost double compared to a normal Gyoza), the skin is quite thick and chewy and the inside is super juicy. Yum.

Sauteed Chinese Spinach (空芯菜)

Kushinsai is my favorite!

Beef with Oyster Sauce

It's a really casual restraunt (especially in Ginza) but the food was good and by the time we finished eating a little past 7pm, there was already a line.

Bar Tartine

2011-08-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

Last post from SF...

After driving back to the city from Healdsburg, we had dinner at Bar Tartine. They had really unique dishes. You really couldn't imagine what it would taste like until you ate it.

We got the last seats at the bar.

Loved the atmosphere, interior and that the walls were covered with art. They also had a really cool wooden chandelier.

Bar Tartine is run by Tartine Bakery, so the bread was excellent.

Duck Pate, Rye Bread, Gooseberry Jam, Elderberry and Corriander Mustards.

Never had Duck pate before, but it was so tasty. Out of the three condiments, my favorite was the Corriander Mustard! Loved the wood tray too.

Smoked Eggplant, Cranberry Beans and Garlic Sausage.

The Eggplant was good, but I thought the sausage was too salty and overpowering.

Chicken Paprikas: Baby Shitake, King Trumpet, Shallot, Kale.

The Paprika sauce was so mild and the Kale perfcectly balanced out the taste.

Strawberry Creamcheese Tart.

This was my ideal cream cheese tart. It had the perfect tartness, light and a crunchy, buttery crust. I also love strawberries, so it was the perfect ending to a very satisfying meal.

In Tokyo!

2011-08-09T01:29:00.000-07:00

Safely arrived in Tokyo!

Saw this Evian commercial on tv earlier and thought it was so funny. Bit creepy though...

Going Back...

2011-08-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

On my way back to Tokyo!

I'll miss you California...

Downtown Petaluma

2011-08-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

On the way to Healdsburg, we stopped by Petaluma for lunch.

We had lunch at Della Fattoria, a charming artisan bakery. They bake their breads in brick ovens with wood fires started the day before and instead of using yeast, they use a natural starter consisting of organic flour, water and Weber Ranch grapes (details here).

Interior.

My order: Tuna Melt Piandana (Pizza-dough bread)

The chewy Piandana went really well with the wild Albacore Tuna and bitter arugula. I also ordered the Lavender Lemonade (pink drink in the back) which was a bit too sweet for me but I love anything Lavender, couldn't resist!

My friend ordered: BLT Sandwich

They use Bovolo Black Pig Bacon, which is also a local company. Because Petaluma is known for their farming, the vegetables were so fresh!

After lunch, we walked over to

Petaluma Pie Company

Shared this seasonal Apricot Mini Pie on the patio.

The buttery pie and the tangy apricot went so well together.

Healdsburg

2011-08-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

My dear friend took me on a day trip to Healdsburg. She was saying the locals have recently been going to Healdburg instead of Napa to avoid the tourists.

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.

Once we crossed the bridge, the weather was gorgeous!

Found the Bear Republic Brewery in downtown Healdsburg.

Took a beer break on the patio.

I ordered the Pale Ale and my friend ordered the Rye Ale. They were both really good and so refreshing on a hot day!

Since we were in downtown already, we went to the Kendall Jackson tasting room. I had been drinking their Chardonnay religiously this summer so it was great to try their other wines. For $5, you get to try any 4 wines.

We hung out at Bear Republic too long and realized that most wineries closed around 5pm on weekdays. So we ended up going to Simi, which is really close from downtown.

You get any 8 tastings for $15. I'd seen their wines before but had never tried any of them. I really liked their Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve Cabernet and Petite Syrah.

The people who worked here were super friendly and kind, even though we went 15 minutes before closing. After they closed, they chatted with us and gave us extra pours of wine (which was wonderful).

The garden outside the visitor's center.

The great thing about Healdsburg is that the tastings are very reasonably priced (especially compared to Napa) and most places will waive the tasting fee if you purchase wine. On my next visit, I would love to spend more time and visit other wineries and also dine here. Supposedly there are a lot of great restaurants!

San Francisco

2011-07-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Back from San Francisco!

I was blessed with amazing weather, food and company.

Ferry Building.

Bay Bridge in the distance.

Clear blue skies, not a single cloud.

Pho Ga at Turtle Tower.

My first meal and very first stop, straight from SFO. My favorite Pho Ga.

Homemade Granola, Yogurt & Fresh Fruit Bowl at La Boulange Bakery.

Best yogurt bowl ever.

Snap Pea Ravioli at Magnolia Pub & Brewery.

This Ravioli was so delicious. It had goat cheese and snap pea inside and the crunchy texture of the snap pea remained. Never had anything like it. Went on Tuesday, which is $3/pint day. Had their Pale Ale (didn't like) & Hef.

San Francisco

2011-07-25T01:07:00.000-07:00

In a couple of hours I am off to San Francisco for 3 nights!

It's been a WHILE since I was there for more than one night. SO excited!!

Katsuya Laguna Beach

2011-07-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

I had never been to any of the Katsuya restaurants in LA so the new (and 1st) Orange County location Katsuya Laguna Beach was much anticipated.

Valet & Restaurant. Packed.

I started off with a 'Kiwi Envy' cocktail which had: St.Germain Elderflower liqueur, gin, hand-pressed kiwis, fresh lime juice and sparkling water. It tasted like... Kiwi Juice but with an artificial aftertaste. I didn't taste any gin or the carbonation from the sparkling water.

As a starter, we shared this:

Special Katsuya Roll.

It had some fish (salmon, tuna, scallop) and avocado wrapped with soy paper and cucmber. It sounded better than it tasted and at $16, there was nothing special about this roll.

My friend knew the managers so the manager gave us 2 of their most popular appetizers on the house:

Seared Tuna with Japanese Salsa ($18)

This was a disaster... it was straight up salsa (nothing Japanese about it) on top of 6 or 7 pieces of dinky tuna, poorly decorated with a hideous orange flower on top. And for $18? I would never order it.

The 2nd was: Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna ($14)

So the caption on the menu reads "Our most flavorful dish on the menu and the one Katsuya is most famous for... a can't miss dish."

It was very unoriginal to say the least and if this is what they are MOST famous for and their MOST flavorful dish... I have nothing further to say.

We also shared this: Shrimp Tempura Roll ($12.50)

I expected some Eel Sauce atleast or other fillings (cucumber, yamagobo, etc.) if I were paying $10+ for a shrimp tempura roll. Fail.

Sushi Sampler Plate ($30)

Again, nothing special. My friend ordered this so I didn't eat any of it, but the fish didn't look too fresh.

I think this may have been one of the harshest posts I've done (I prefer not to blog negatively) but for being the new "hot spot" of OC, the interior, vibe and most importantly the food/presentation... everything at Katsuya was a disappointment, over-priced and beyond over-rated. My first and definitely last visit.

East Borough

2011-07-21T15:46:00.000-07:00

Late lunch at East Borough inside The Camp mall. It's a casual Vietnamese/French restaurant (or stand).

The 'interior'. It's all an outdoor space, perfect for the weather in SoCal.

East Borough sign.

Chicken Salad Baguette.

Shredded Chicken breast, pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, cucumber, jalapenos, peanuts and raisins.

The baguette was fresh and it was good, but next time I want to try the Pork sandwiches.

Lemongrass Tofu Vermicelli.

Vermicelli noodles, fresh greens, crispy shallots, peanuts and an eggroll.

East Borough is a great place for a quick and light lunch under the sun.

Mastro's Ocean Club

2011-07-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Mastro's Ocean Club in Las Vegas.

There are a couple of Mastro's in Orange County, but I'm not big on steak so never made it there.

Located inside Crystals at CityCenter.

The best thing about this restaurant is the interior. The architecture is so amazing and I love the simplicity of the furniture.

They start you off with a fancy bread bowl.

We ordered Sauteed Sea Scallops for the appetizer along with 2 salads. The Scallops were my favorite!

Then our food came and I was in shock. The portions here are ridiculously huge. The sides are a meal in itself. FOOD COMA!

I ordered the Fillet of Arctic Char Oreganata. This photo doesn't prove how enormous this fillet was, but it was as big as my palm!

I had never heard of Arctic Char before and the waiter informed me that it was like a blend of salmon and trout. It was good, but WAY too big.

If I come back, I'll probably order the appetizer-portioned Sea Scallops and share some sides or half-sized salads, because entrees are just too much. It has a gorgeous bar area (my boyfriend had a couple Caipirinha's which were excellent) so that might be a better option.

Bistro Don Giovanni

2011-07-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

Wow... hadn't updated in a while. Hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend!

Last post from Napa Valley.

Our family friend took us to Bistro Don Giovanni for dinner. My mom liked it so much she wanted to stop by for lunch before our long drive back.

Entrance.

Really homey, relaxed atmosphere.

They have cool sculptures and art placed all over the place. It's conveniently located at the start of Route 29.

Interior.

More interior, really casual and super spacious. They also have a large patio area as well.

I took some pictures over dinner, but it didn't come out that great because of the dim lighting. So here is what we had for lunch:

Tricolore Salad.

Margherita Pizza.

Ragu Rigattoni.

Butterscoth Pudding.

The waiter really pushed this dessert so we gave it a try. But it was so rich and a bit heavy. I will probably skip dessert next time around.

ad hoc -for temporary relief from hunger-

2011-06-22T16:49:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Ad Hoc in Yountville.

Ad Hoc, meaning "for this purpose" in Latin, has an interesting story behind it (link here). Its a casual, laid back, family-style restaurant from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group.

Exterior.

Entrance.

Bar Area.

Ordered this Blue Apron Ale, which is exclusively brewed in Brooklyn for his Per Se restaurant in NYC. It had a nice aroma and strong flavor but super smooth. We ordered two 750ml bottles (one just wasn't enough).

Then the waiter comes out with Kenzo's Rindo wine that we didn't order. Turns out, Julia from Kenzo Wine (blog here), who had recommended this restaurant to us (and previously worked here) knew that we were dining there that night, so she called ahead to keep us a bottle.

So extremely generous, thank you Julia!!

Started with: Frisee & Watercress Salad

Smoked Duck Breast, Pixie Mandarins, Toasted Hazelnuts, Kalamata Olives, Shaved Red Onion, Breakfast Radish and Citrus Vinaigrette.

Main: Snake River Farm's Kurobuta Pork Shortribs

Marble Potatoes, Cippolini Onions, English Peas, White Corn, Roasted Broccoli Rabe, Fried Hen Egg, Fuji Apple Mustard.

Cheese Platter: Patacabra

Palladin Toast, Marshall's Farm Wildflower Honey.

Dessert: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Vanilla Ice Cream.

They only serve one 4-course menu each night for $52/person (menu changes daily). The main shortribs were incredibly tender, not overly flavored and you can taste the natural sweetness of the pork. I really enjoyed each dish, loved the homey vibe, energy and atmosphere.

Towards the end of our meal, we noticed Thomas Keller himself eating there. My mom got super excited and asked him to sign that day's menu. She said he was super friendly and welcoming.

Auberge du Soleil

2011-06-20T23:09:00.000-07:00

One place I had to go to was Bistro & Bar inside the Auberge du Soleil resort.

Entrance.

It's located on top of a hill and the reason I wanted to come here was...

for this insane view.

No obstructions whatsoever. Tranquility.

They start you off with some house olives.

Took a break from wine with a nice amber beer.

Shared the Charcuterie platter.

(Top to bottom) Mortadella, Salami and Foie Blonde Pate.

The view itself is definitely worth coming here.

Forks Over Knives

2011-06-19T10:34:00.001-07:00

Went to watch Forks Over Knives yesterday.

It's a documentary on eating more whole, plant-based foods and cutting out animal products. It was informative with really interesting research and facts. I don't think I can, actually... I don't want to cut out seafood. (Cannot imagine life without sashimi/sushi!) I could control my dairy & egg consumption, but it would be difficult to cut it out completely. But eventually, I could probably cut out meats from my diet, since I don't eat it regularly anyway. One step at a time...

This film inspired me, and I highly recommend it to anyone. Especially to people who are over-weight or taking excessive medication.

Napa Stops

2011-06-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

Other quick Napa stops we made...

Rubicon Estate

I had been here before, when it was the Niebaum-Coppola Winery.

The Daniel Tasting, $25

You get a sample of 3 Captain's Reserve wines and their flagship wine, Rubicon. All of the wines were great, especially the 2 on the right: 2007 Estate Cask ($65) and 2007 Rubicon ($145). And a great tasting deal for $25.

They have a beautiful rose garden too.

Quick lunch stop at Dean & Deluca.

Turkey Breast & Pesto Panini. So good.

A tasting at Heitz Cellars.

It's one of the few wineries now that offers complimentary tasting (which was how it used to be before, according to my mom).

They also produce Port, which is also very rare in Napa. I don't usually drink Port, but their Port was amazing, not too sweet, not too thick. It was also a perfect gift for my Port-loving boyfriend.

Orin Swift Cellars.

They don't have a "winery", but offer complimentary tasting (by appointment only) in their tasting room located in downtown St. Helena.

They "purchase" local vineyards and grapes to produce excellent wines at reasonable prices. They don't produce too much so its quite rare outside of California. My favorite was "The Prisoner" (on the right).

Kenzo Estate

2011-06-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Located in the middle of nowhere (literally), Kenzo Estate is situated on over 4,000 acres, out of which 70 are vineyards. My family had been raving about it and my brother had brought me back a couple bottles when he went in February. I found out that the wine bar I frequently walked by and wanted to try in Tokyo was actually their tasting room (I ended up going before I came back to CA).

My sister has been to LOTS of wineries in Napa Valley and she said nothing compares to Kenzo and that it is "THE most prestigious wine tasting experience".

Kenzo Estate entrace.

You have to make a tasting appointment ahead of time and call them when you arrive to open the gate.

Follow the one-way road through the vineyards...

to arrive at the Tasting Room.

Gorgeous outdoor area. So serene and relaxing.

They take each party on a private, very detailed tour to walk through the wine caves, processing area and the vineyards.

Our guide, Julia, explained to us how the grapes are grown, harvested and how the wines are made. She was so amazing, with lots of information and just the most friendliest person.

When we go back to the tasting room, our table is all set up. They only have one party per about every 1.5 hours, so that everyone gets a very personal and private tasting/tour experience.

After a glass of their only white wine, Asatsuyu (Sauvignon Blanc), we go on to try their 3 reds; Rindo, Murasaki & Ai.

Loved the design and simple interior.

They only produce these 4 wines. My favorite is Ai, their Cab. It's very full bodied, yet so smooth and delicate. My second favorite is Rindo, but I enjoyed all of them.

Tasting for all 4 wines start at $30. When comparing it to the Opus One tasting (strictly $30/glass), it is more of an "exprience". There are separate glasses specifically designed for each wine and for such an intimate tasting and very personal tour, I thought it was SO much more worth it than Opus One. Julia was also very generous and gave us a couple extra pours, or in her terms let us "revisit" our favorite.

As you can tell from the name of the winery and wines, the owner is Japanese. Kenzo Tsujimoto, the CEO of Capcom, had bought this piece of land more than 20 years ago to fulfill his dream of producing quality wines.

It is absolutely worth it to take the trip out to Kenzo, when in Napa.

Ma(i)sonry

2011-06-09T23:50:00.000-07:00

At Ma(i)sonry located in Yountville, you can have a very unique wine tasting experience. It was originally built as a private residence in 1904, but now, it has turned into an art gallery where you could taste wines from various vineyards. There are interesting and modern art placed and sold all over the place. We got 2 different types of red wine flights in the garden that was so laid back and the perfect setting for wine tasting. All the wines were recommended to us by the server.

Loved these communal tables in the garden.

Cool furniture and sculptures placed all over.

With the wine tasting, they gave us this cheese & nuts plate, complimentary. Pretty awesome.

TOMS Eyewear

2011-06-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

Amazing.

For those who are not familiar with TOMS, they have a movement called "One for One". For each pair of shoes you purchase, they will give a new pair of shoes to a child in need. I own a pair, and for less than $50 for a super light, comfortable pair of shoes, you are actually buying 2 pairs of shoes! So easy!

They just announced their new project, an eyewear line. For each pair you purchase, they will provide either medical treatment, prescription glasses or sight-saving surgery for someone in need. I LOVE eyewear, so I will definitely be ordering a pair (or two...)

Domaine Chandon

2011-06-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

More sparkling wine tasting at Domaine Chandon. This was my first time here and it was a very pretty winery. It was like a huge garden with lots of greens, trees and ponds.

Entrance.

Reserve Tasting.

Sat at the outdoor seating area to enjoy the clear, blue sky.

Mumm Napa

2011-05-31T14:28:00.000-07:00

Visited Mumm Napa to taste some sparkling wine.

The view from the tasting room.

We each got a glass of different sparkling wine.

Out of the top 3 bottles, I really liked Blanc de Blanc (left).

The waiter was super generous and told us that he could pour us if there were any other wines we wanted to try. The bottle to the right, Cuvee M Red, is a sparkling red wine that I really enjoyed. It was very rich, fruity but not too sweet.

Opus Wine Estate

2011-05-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

I don't think it's an overstatement to say that Opus One is one of the most famous wines from Napa Valley. I've had Opus One wine, many years ago, and remembered it being really great wine. Because I had never been to the winery (both my mom and sister had) we decided to stop by for a tasting.

Beautiful architecture.

Nice view.

Tasting for the 2006 and 2007 wines.

We ordered one glass of each ('06 and '07) and sat out on their upstairs deck to enjoy the view.

I was disappointed.

The tastings were very unpersonal, the tasting room was so plain with no character and the glasses were dinky (I expected Cab glasses atleast). And for $30/glass I just thought it wasn't worth it. AT ALL. Opus One now runs $200+ per bottle and I wasn't impressed with how it tasted either. Maybe my palette for wine has grown over the past couple of years, or simply because I've had much, MUCH greater wines more reasonably priced. The only good thing is that now, I can now say that I've been before. Probably my last though.

Anchor & Hope

2011-05-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

We stayed in San Francisco the first night. There are tons of excellent restaurants in SF so it's hard to choose when you only have one dinner there. We all agreed on Anchor & Hope after having a great dinner there last year. We randomly found this restaurant hidden in a small ally in the financial district, on our way to a different place to eat. This place has great tapas-sized seafood dishes, a decent beer and wine list and was definitely a great find!

Exterior.

Bar Area. It's a pretty large restaurant and it's always packed.

Dining area.

Nice, chilled beer after a long drive. Cheers!

Left: Littleneck Clams, Lemon Verbena Fumet

Right: Sizzling Garlic Shrimp, Chile de Arbol & Parsley

Crispy Squash Blossoms, Four Cheese Filling, Basil Pesto & Tomato Vinaigrette

Top Left: Charred Baby Octopus and Butter Bean Salad

Top Right: (Main dish) Idaho Trout on Smoked Potato Puree

Bottom Left: Zuckerman's Asparagus

Bottom Right: Roasted Baby Beets with Goat Cheese Fondue

I haven't had a dish here that was disappointing. The menu completely changed from our last visit, so everything we tried was new. I was so amazed with their Squid Ink Risotto last time and was kind of bummed that they didn't have it. But this time, the trout really left an impression, the meat was cooked perfectly (SO moist) and had the perfect amount of sodium. May have been one of the best trouts I've had, ever.

Road Trip up North

2011-05-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

Haven't updated in a while...

Last weekend we took a road trip up to San Francisco and Napa Valley. I have a lot to update on!

Gorgeous blue skies.

Crossing the Bay Bridge to SF.

Vineyards in Napa.

Vancouver Scenery

2011-05-18T23:46:00.000-07:00

Random shots around Vancouver.

Granville Island, English Bay, West End, China Town & Gas Town. The last photo is Brixton Caffe in China Town.

Vancouver Eats

2011-05-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

I love yogurt. Out of all the yogurts I've ever had, Liberte tops them all. I usually prefer plain yogurt, but this mango-apricot flavor is amazing.

I have yet to see this in stores around here though.. boo.

Oyama Sausage Co. inside Graville Island.

Pate, salumi, proscuitto, cheese, sausages, they have everything deli!

A bit cruel...

Bought some pate and salumi to snack on in the hotel. Yum.

Fresh berries at Granville Island Public Market.

Terra Breads to pick up my favorite...

Blueberry White Chocolate Bread.

More like a sweet focaccia, the tartness of the blueberries and the sweetness of the white chocolate (baked in the dough) is so good. This is a must for me when in Vancouver. We were lucky this day because these came right out of the oven, just in time for an afternoon snack.

Beers inside the bar of Dockside Seafood Restaurant. The beers are brewed in-house. The view from the bar/restaurant is incredible and they have a beautiful patio area if the weather is nice.

Good coffee/espresso at Trees Organic.

The muffins (we ordered a cranberry bran) were also very good.

Phnom Penh

2011-05-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

While browsing through lists of restaurants in Vancouver, Phnom Penh was literally #1 in every Southeast Asian, affordable and casual restaurant ranking. I thought it would be more Vietnamese , but it's actually more Cambodian style dishes.

We went here on a rainy day. It's located on a street with nothing so it was a bit hard to find. Once we found it and stepped inside, there were already tons of people waiting.

Lots of awards on the wall. I was excited when I saw that Anthony Bourdain had eaten here.

Super casual interior.

"Butter Beef"

There is no butter used and the reason why they call it this is because the beef melts in your mouth like butter. It was basically beef carpaccio, and it wasn't as heavy as it looks and the acidic sauce was quite refreshing. Everyone wrote about this in reviews, so we gave it a try.

I also read about this "Cambodian Style Chicken Wings" (we got the 1/2 order) in a lot of reviews and seriously, about 95% of the tables order them. The wings are already flavored but tastes even better when you dip it in the lemony, peppery sweet sauce.

We also shared this bowl of Cambodian style rice noodles, which was super yum. This was my favorite.

Vij's

2011-05-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

Before our trip to Vancouver, my mom was talking about Vij's, an Indian restaurant that she wanted to try. She read on a blog that there would be a line far before opening at 5:30PM.

The day we got there, we dropped our stuff off at the hotel, picked up some coffee and headed to the restaurant a little before 5 to find ourselves 2nd in line. We were chatting with a local couple saying that it was a little slower than usual because of the Cannucks' playoff game.

The line around 5:15ish. People just kept coming and coming.

Interior.

We were seated right after they promptly opened at 5:30PM.

Cute elephant lights on the wall.

Chickpeas in Star Anise and Date Masala on Grilled Kale.

Jackfruit in Black Cardamom and Cumin Curry.

Never had jackfruit in a dish before, and it was interesting. It had a texture similar to bamboo shoots and artichoke but had no flavor so it sucked in all of the spices.

Garam Masala sauteed Portobello Mushrooms in Porcini Cream Curry.

Wine-marinated Lamb Popsicles in Fenugreek Cream Curry on Tumeric and Spinach Potatoes.

This seems like their signature dish and did not disappoint. The lamb was so tender and full of flavor and went perfectly with the creamy sauce.

After our meal, I looked up the restaurant and found that it was quite famous. The food was delicious (of course), and their all-women kitchen staff uses very unique ingredients and blends of spices. But I think what makes this restaurant so appealing to make people want to wait for hours is their impeccable service. Soon after we sat down, they brought us homemade Chai Tea which was perfect, especially after the cold wait outside. Then while we browsed the menu and waited for our drinks, they brought small Indian hors d'oeuvres to munch on. Throughout our meal, they brought out about 4 or 5 different ones. That little thought makes for such a pleasant dining experience.

Kirin Restaurant

2011-05-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

My mom and sister were raving about the dimsum at Kirin Restaurant when they went to Vancouver last year. I actually had been there before on my last visit 7 years ago when the guy working at the hotel I was staying at had recommended this place.

We went to the Richmond location and it was so good that we went to the downtown location the next day. Wish we had this in OC!

Richmond location.

Downtown location.

I came to this location on my last trip and since then, it had been completely renovated. We didn't have a reservation so we got there right after they opened.

I liked that the downtown location had these to keep your tea warm.

Collage of the stuff we had...

Everything was incredibly tasty and so fresh, highly recommended when in Vancouver! The bottom right dessert, a soft mochi with black sesame filling (served hot) is my favorite.

Bao Bei

2011-05-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

One of the waitresses at an amazing Indian restaurant (blogged here) had recommended Bao Bei to us. After looking at the website, it was a cute and girly brasserie and was the perfect setting for Mother's day dinner.

Exterior. Located in Chinatown.

We got there a little befored they opened so I got some great pictures of the super cute interior.

Loved all the details and the color tones. They open at 5:30PM and fill up quick! It was completely full within 15 minutes after opening.

The small portioned plates are perfect for sharing and getting to taste a little bit of everything.

We started with a cocktail, none of which I was impressed with. It seemed creative on the menu, but it didn't taste great. Shared this bottle of Syrah (from their limited wine list). We really enjoyed this wine, although it was a Napa wine. Ha.

Dessert: Assorted Ice Cream

This was so delicious and the flavors were unique: 5 Spices, Jasmine Tea with Caramel Brittle and Coconut. My favorite was the Jasmine Tea (in the front), simply divine.

Overall, I really liked this brasserie. It's so feminine and is ideal for a girl's night out or a date.

English Bay

2011-05-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

Back from Vancouver!

I hadn't been to Vancouver in over 7 years and noticed a lot of change in the city. Lots of new development and lots of new, trendy restaurants and shops. During our stay, it was forecasted to rain every single day. And it did, but luckily we were able to see some sunshine. We walked around English Bay to enjoy the sun.

Kyoto Scenery

2011-05-04T22:16:00.000-07:00

Random Kyoto sceneries. We missed the full-bloom sakura by a week, visited temples, spotted some maikos and saw yozakura (sakura at night). I love Kyoto!

Off to Vancouver tomorrow for Mother's Day.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Kyoto Eats

2011-05-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

Traditional Japanese lunch at Wakuden inside of Isetan at Kyoto Station. They only have course lunches. Here are my top 2 dishes:

Bamboo Shoots wrapped in Tofu Skin

The interior, plating and of course the food was very traditional.

Tai-Sushi (Sea Bream Sushi)

For dinner, we went to Tsukimura, a kamameshi restaurant that has been around for over 50 years. They also have seasonal side dishes.

Interior.

Eggplant with Miso Sauce

The eggplant was extremely juicy and went perfectly with the rich and sweet miso.

Fried seasonal, rare whitefish (Sorry, I forgot the name!)

Tori Kamameshi (Chicken Rice)

I would recommend either of these places when in Kyoto. They were both very authentic (especially Tsukimura) and delicious.

Kyoto Sweets

2011-04-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

We wandered around Kyoto the following day.

I love traditional Japanese sweets and in Kyoto, it's the best because they are famous for Matcha. After walking around after lunch, we randomly found

Yamagishi, a Japanese cafe run by an old couple.

Ordered the Matcha Azuki Kanten (抹茶小豆寒天)

I love when the Matcha flavor is strong and bitter.

After dinner before heading back to Osaka, we stopped by Nakamura Tokichi Honten inside of Kyoto Station. Their first store opened 150 years ago and they are famous for Uji Tea.

We shared this Uji Parfait (most of which was devoured by me)

and sipped on Matcha Cappuccinos.

Before going back, we made a quick pit stop at

Mochitsukiya Naomasa a traditional confectionery shop that is famous for Warabi Mochi. Warabi Mochi is probably my absolute favorite Japanese dessert so I was dying to try.

This man makes all of his confectioneries at his shop. He was so charming and friendly and it was so cool that he used an abacus!

The 3 in the front are the Warabi Mochi. They are different than other places because these had red bean fillings, but they were so good. The outer warabi just melted and the red bean was the perfect sweetness. Heavenly.

Osaka Eats

2011-04-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, we took a quick weekend trip to Osaka & Kyoto. After arriving in Osaka on Friday night, we went to eat...

Okonomiyaki at

Yukari

They were one of the only Okonomiyaki restaurants that were open late.

After dinner, we walked around Osaka city and had a drink at Mille Caresses, a wine and champagne bar.

The next day we spent in Kyoto (will blog separately) so our last day, before our Shinkansen back to Tokyo, we grabbed a quick Osaka-n snack.

Takoyaki at Hanadako.

Negi-Mayo (Scallion-Mayo) Takoyaki

Definitely a Japanese comfort food.

Meguro-gawa

2011-04-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

A couple of days before I left Japan, I went to go see Sakura in Nakameguro. This was my second year in a row making it out to the Meguro River (last year) but this year, I missed 'mankai' (full-bloom). Sakura is so delicate and short lived but I guess that is what makes us look forward to it even more.

This year's sakura felt extra special and beautiful, symbolizing hope and new beginnings after going through such a disasterous March.

My Japan

2011-04-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

My friends have started My Japan, a charity photo exhibition. It is a collection of photos of Japan from people all over the world and what Japan means to them. By 'liking' photos through Facebook (Facebook page) or 'commenting' through the website, you are helping out choose the top 50 photos which will be beautifully printed and exhibited to be sold in Tokyo on May 11th. All proceeds from photo sales will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross. Please check the sites for more info, and get involved by sending in your photos, voting and spreading the word!

きらく亭(Kiraku-Tei)

2011-04-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

I don't eat a lot of beef normally, but I definitely enjoy occasional "yakiniku" dinners. Out of all of the yakiniku restaurants I've been to in Tokyo, my favorite still has to be Kiraku-Tei. The restraunt's location is inconvenient (in between Shirokane-Takanawa and Hiroo stations) but the food is excellent and the meat quality is amazing. It's also always packed with reservations so it's best to make them ahead of time.

椿サロンカフェ(Tsubaki Salon Cafe)

2011-04-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

In Ginza, there aren't too many cafes that are casual and spacious. I had seen Tsubaki Salon Cafe in a magazine and when I met my friend for coffee in Ginza, I suddenly remembered this place. It's a cafe from Hokkaido, so they have a lot of desserts using milk (supposedly, they are known for their pancakes). The atmosphere was warm and it was so spacious. Not to mention, super inexpensive in Ginza. The interior, vibe and the music were so chill, I'll definitely be returning here when I have time to kill in Ginza.

Exterior.

Interior.

Love that its all wood and the super long center table.

The light bulbs were put in Milk bottles. Clever.

I ordered Coffee Jello with Milk Ice Cream.

The Coffee Jello wasn't that sweet and the milk ice cream was so rich. To my liking.

My friend ordered the Tsubaki Roll Cake which had milk pudding in the middle.

I would definitely recommend this place to take a coffee break or to chat with friends, when in Ginza.

銀笹 (Ginzasa)

2011-04-18T21:33:00.000-07:00

Ginzasa was on my list of places I wanted to try. I saw on TV that it opened last October and that the owner used to be a traditional Japanese cuisine chef. When I got there 10 minutes past their opening time (11:30AM), there were people already lined up.

Ginzasa exterior.

Order: Shio Ramen (800 yen)

Fish and chicken broth with thin Ramen noodles. The two white balls you see are made from whitefish. The attention to the little details were amazing.

It was light, not oily but the flavor of the soup had a lot of depth.

This may be my favorite Ramen I've had so far in Tokyo. It's location is inconvenient, but if I am in the Ginza/Shinbashi area, it is definitely worth a trip back.

Spring Time in Ginza

2011-04-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

Just got back to California.

I had been in and out the last month in Japan... sorry for the lack of updates. I have a lot to blog about...!

一周忌

2011-04-14T03:21:00.000-07:00

Went to Fukuoka over the weekend to attend my Grandma's 1st year memorial (一周忌). Sakura was in full bloom at the temple and it was so beautiful.

Nico Donuts

2011-04-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

I had read about Nico Donuts and was curious to try because they use soybean in their donuts. It newly opened in Azabu Juban and when I was close by, I decided to swing by to eat one. The donut wasn't oily, the texture was doughy (kind of like mochi) and the exterior had this unique crisp to it.

I returned (with my camera) to get some more and through their website, found out that they use a soy "paste". They had come up with their own way to make the soy into a paste to keep all of the nutrients, minerals, protein and fiber contained in soybean. A healthy donut? Yes, please!

Exterior.

Tiny shop (more like a donut stand). When they run out of dough, they close!

So simple, so good!

Spring

2011-04-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

is just around the corner!

Cherry Blossoms have started to bloom in our neighborhood. Sakura and blue skies make me happy!

Bistro Aida

2011-04-01T01:10:00.000-07:00

A couple months back as we were walking towards Ebisu Station, we found Bistro Aida hidden on a small back street. It was a tiny, inviting bistro that was packed even on a weekday. We tried to go back soon after but failed to get a reservation. Last week, my boyfriend succeeded in booking a seat for us.

Simple exterior. Only open for dinner.

They only offer the 'Chef's Omakase' course which is moderately priced at 3,800 yen. Every month the menu changes, depending on what's in season.

ヤリイカとクスクスのファルス　イカ墨と白ワインのソース

Couscous stuffed Spear Squid with Squid Ink and White Wine Sauce

I really enjoyed this dish. The Squid was so soft, Couscous was moist and flavorful and it went perfectly with the sauce.

やさしいムースとテリーヌを贅沢に盛り込んだ2種の前菜　カリフラワーをテーマに

2 Hors d'oeuvres of Cauliflower

The 2 dishes in the front were the cauliflower dishes and the UFO-looking dish in the back was a Pumpkin 'Ice Cream' dish that was a chilled mashed pumpkin.

His: 鯛の新筍包み　桜エビのフリットをのせて

Sea Breem wrapped in Bamboo with Sakura Shrimp Fritters

The fish was cooked so perfectly and the fusion of all of the flavors was amazing. This was my favorite!

Mine: 鴨胸肉のローストとフォアグラのパイ包み(+500yen)

Roasted Duck Breast with Foie Gras Pie

The duck meat was finely cooked, but the Foie Gras inside the pie was so minimal, it didn't really taste like Foie Gras.

Inside the pie. You can barely see the Foie Gras.

松坂豚とキノコご飯　柚子の香り　AIDAスタイル

Matsusaka Pork & Mushroom Rice with Yuzu AIDA-Style

This rice was bursting with flavor! The yuzu added a nice scent and the black and red pepper added a nice kick. Yum.

オレンジシフォンケーキと三種の柑橘系　ショコラショーとロイヤルミルクティーのアイスクリーム

Orange Chiffon Cake with 3-Types of Citrus, Chocolat Chaud & Royal Milk Tea Ice Cream

This was an interesting dessert and it wasn't as heavy as it looks.

Bistro Aida=2 thumbs up!

The food was delicious and unique, the plating was creative and original, the atmosphere was casual and the service was friendly. Not to mention, an excellent deal for less than 4,000 yen. I love restaurants that changes their menu according to what's in season so I will definitely be coming back here!

Seoul Eats

2011-03-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

I love Coffee Bean... why don't they have any in Tokyo!? Please get rid of some Starbucks for Coffee Bean!

Korean BBQ at Bornga

The thin-cut beef is marinated in a clear sauce. After grilling the beef...

you wrap it in lettuce with Korean Miso paste and Kimche. I was amazed at the variety and how fresh the leaves were.

ユッケ！(Yukhoe)

冷麺 Spicy Cold Noodles

Congee Breakfast at 栄養粥、栄養餃子

Really enjoyed the Abalone Congee.

Samgyetang Lunch at 百濟参鶏湯

This black Samgyetang is made from 地鶏の烏骨鶏 (Free Range Silkie) and is a delicacy in Asian countries. It is said to have more nutrients than regular chickens. It looks a little grotesque but the meat is firmer and the soup was richer. Definitely recommend trying this when in Seoul.

Dinner at Gorilla in the Kitchen

Ordered the Grilled Prawns with Crab Fried Brown Rice.

Although it wasn't Korean cuisine, the menu options here were very healthy and light. It was quite pricey compared to the other meals we had in Seoul though.

Seoul Scenery

2011-03-30T05:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we took a quick trip to Seoul. I've only been to the airport as a layover so this was my first time being in the city. Since it was a short stay, we didn't really get a chance to explore the historic sites but we definitely got around to eat! (Will blog about the food in a separate update)

Gorgeous sunrise from the plane.

Seoul Tower from Myong Dong.

Dongdaemun.

Cool architecture at Gangnam-Gu.

Loved the Apgujeoung area.

Cool sign in Apgujeoung.

Lots of posters, banners and donation boxes in support of Japan.

頑張れ！日本！

Ganbare Nippon!

2011-03-29T02:42:00.000-07:00

The week after the earthquake, my brother and I went down to Fukuoka to stay with our relatives. Stress built up from the frequent aftershocks, uncertainty and being overwhelemed with so much information definitely took a toll. It was a great break being away from it all but a part of me was left feeling guilty.

It's been nice being back in Tokyo, although there hasn't been drastic improvements. There's still not much we can do here except to donate money and necessities, conserve energy and to hope. I am also trying to help the local community by dining out. The restaurants and stores have been hit hard.

Yesterday, I took a few shots of the bent Tokyo Tower (you can see it if you zoom into the picture) because the weather was amazing. It's finally starting to feel like spring.

P.S. If you haven't already, please donate! I donated through the Japanese Red Cross but there are a lot of organizations that are doing all they can to help those affected by this devastating earthquake and tsunami.

JAPAN

2011-03-14T00:07:00.000-07:00

Japan has been hit with a devastating 9.0 earthquake and tsunami.

As of this point, there is not much people like me in Japan could do besides hoping, donating and conserving as much energy as possible. There are still crazy amounts of aftershocks and a nuclear meltdown, but I am so thankful that my family and friends are safe. I was also extremely fortunate having my friend's grandmother's home to stay the night when I couldn't get home due to the public transportation halt. Many of my friends, including my boyfriend, walked hours and hours just to get home from work or stayed over at their offices.

I know some people from the Sendai area and I am praying for the safety of their loved ones.

Yasaiya Mei Azabu Juban

2011-03-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

Yasaiya Mei opened a new restaurant in Azabu Juban late last year. I've wanted to try it and happened to walk past it for lunch one day. They had an excellent lunch set at 1,000 yen each (what a deal!) and were mostly healthy because like the name of the store, their main focus is vegetables.

I've blogged before that my favorite restaurant group is eatwalk. I've tried most of the stores around this area and my top 3 are Kotatsu, AW Kitchen Laplatina (here) and now this one!

Sat at the counter for dinner.

(After we went for lunch, I went twice for dinner in less than 2 weeks.)

Bagna Cauda

Must order this.

パクチー餃子 Cilantro Gyoza

The taste of cilantro is faint, but the texture of the gyoza skin is like mochi but slippery and is so good! (This was on our first visit, the skin had spinach so it was green. The second time I ordered it, the gyoza skin was orange from carrots.)

蓮根ちぢみ　Lotus Root Jeon

蓮根が入ってるからすごくもちもち！上の揚げた蓮根とのバランスが◎

塩銀杏　Salted Gingko Nuts

日本でフレッシュな銀杏を初めて食べて、やみつきに。今は大好き！

山芋焼き

Elio Locanda

2011-03-08T22:31:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, our friend took us to Elio Locanda Italiana in Kojimachi. It had an "authentic" Italian feel and a lot of the workers (waiters and chefs) were Italian as well. What I really liked about this place was that they will plate a little bit of everything (if you ask) so that you can try a lot of dishes.

Interior.

Appetizer; Bruschetta, Mozzarella alla Caprese, Carpaccio di Pesce (fish of the day was Yellowtail)

We chose the appetizers that we wanted to try and they plated it like this.

Ravioli with Black Truffle Sauce

The homemade Ravioli had excellent texture and the scent of the truffle was an added bonus.

Spinach Tagliolini with Fresh Tomato Sauce

I chose this one and I really enjoyed it. It was very light and the homemade tagliolini was awesome.

Fusilli alla Calabrese

Sasage Fusilli that the waiter had recommended to us.

We also ordered a Parmiggiano Risotto (didn't turn out well in pictures) and the boys ordered a steak for the main. I skipped because I was so full from all the carbs.

Another awesome thing about this restaurant was when we ordered our 3rd bottle of wine, they gave us cheese with homemade grape jam as a "dessert" on the house.

my life through my lens

Whitney

Broken...

Tonkatsu Taihou (とんかつ大宝)

ViewRightNow

Oden

Lasagna Christmas

Countdown

The French Kitchen

vs Winter

Le Berkeley

First Outing of 2012

2012!!

Japanese Christmas

Cafe Mamehico

Les enfants gâtés (レザンファン ギャテ)

Sapi Island

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park

Night Markets

Ocean Seafood Restaurant (海王城)

Fatt Kee (Ang's Hotel Restaurant)

Kedai Kopi Melanian 3

Kota Kinabalu

Autumn in Nagano

Hasshou (八昌)

Tomisuke (とみ助)

Birthday

Kakiya (牡蠣屋)

Miyajima

Omotesando Koffee

Vivid

Bonhomie

Cossott'e

Lohotoi (ロウホウトイ)

手作りハンバーグ (Salisbury Steak)

Cooling Down

Tarantella-da-luigi

Aalawi

Craftheads

Tenryu (天龍)

Bar Tartine

In Tokyo!

Going Back...

Downtown Petaluma

Healdsburg

San Francisco

San Francisco

Katsuya Laguna Beach

East Borough

Mastro's Ocean Club

Bistro Don Giovanni

ad hoc -for temporary relief from hunger-

Auberge du Soleil

Forks Over Knives

Napa Stops

Kenzo Estate

Ma(i)sonry

TOMS Eyewear

Domaine Chandon

Mumm Napa

Opus Wine Estate

Anchor & Hope

Road Trip up North

Vancouver Scenery

Vancouver Eats

Phnom Penh

Vij's

Kirin Restaurant

Bao Bei

English Bay

Kyoto Scenery

Kyoto Eats

Kyoto Sweets

Osaka Eats

Meguro-gawa

My Japan

きらく亭(Kiraku-Tei)

椿サロンカフェ(Tsubaki Salon Cafe)

銀笹 (Ginzasa)

Spring Time in Ginza

Les enfants gâtés (レザンファンギャテ)