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May 2007 - Posts

Tofu, mizuna and kabu salad with miso dressing

Contrary to Tony Bourdain's impression of vegetarian cuisine, salads don't necessarily play a prominent role in an adventurous meatless diet. But occasionally, when presented with some respectably fresh greens and impeccably fresh tofu, I get the urge Read More...
Posted Thursday, May 31, 2007 12:05 AM by jason | 0 Comments
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Pajeon and ssamdubu: Pancakes and lettuce tofu wraps

Thanks to my excessive shopping habits, I always end up with a couple of special treats to take home when I travel. During my recent trip to Korea, I grabbed a trio of artisanal sauces in fairly small jars... gochujang , the fermented chili sauce, dwaenjang Read More...
Posted Wednesday, May 30, 2007 12:46 AM by jason | 9 Comments
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Tsukushinbō-don: Tamago-don revised for spring in Seattle

Tamago-don is a homely thing. It's the stuff of busy, frugal mothers trying to throw something together for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. It's the kind of thing a salaryman trying to save a couple hundred yen on lunch might choose during a particularly Read More...
Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2007 7:38 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Morels and bells

Slightly incapacitated by a clumsy foot injury about a week ago, I was doing all I could to avoid going out of the house on Saturday... Leaving would have required me to don a clunky medical foot support boot in order to minimize aggravation of my sprain. Read More...
Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2007 4:00 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Umeboshi cheese no kushiyaki

Crazy, I know. But umeboshi and cheese were always meant for each other. Grilled is even better. I promise. Camembert is probably a more natural fit, but I had some very respectable raw milk farmhouse-style cheddar from a Washington dairy farm snagged Read More...
Posted Monday, May 28, 2007 8:04 PM by jason | 1 Comments
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Gobi and Asparagus

Cauliflower in cashew sauce A simplification of a dish I sometimes make with mushrooms, this dum ki khom -inspired cauliflower dish features a cashew-based sauce with a hint of clove and cardamom. Seasoned with a fair amount of freshly grated ginger and Read More...
Posted Monday, May 28, 2007 10:58 AM by jason | 2 Comments
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Rapini paneer

Rapini, a bitter green, has a hint of broccoli's aroma with a suggestion of mustard's pungency. Somewhat similar to turnip greens, it's also known as broccoli rabe or raab, even though rapini isn't related to broccoli. I usually blanch it briefly, much Read More...
Posted Sunday, May 27, 2007 5:34 PM by jason | 1 Comments
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Last day in Tokyo, at Wai Wai, Italian-Japanese Izakaya

May 8... I had a relatively quiet last day in Japan, and met a friend for a quick lunch while Hiromi started the first day of work after Golden Week. After lunch, I made my way to Yūrakuchō to look for some additional self-indulgent snacks and treats Read More...
Posted Saturday, May 26, 2007 2:03 PM by jason | 2 Comments
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Toraya Cafe: Wagashi reimagined.

After our big lunch , we found ourselves at Toraya Cafe , another fancy Omotesando Hills concept restaurant. You'd think that we couldn't possibly have room to eat more. However, to think so, you must be oblivious to the concept of betsubara ... literally, Read More...
Posted Wednesday, May 23, 2007 11:03 PM by jason | 4 Comments

Yasaiya Mei: Robata-ya for madamu in Omotesandō

If you're a suitably fortunate madamu , you wouldn't be caught dead in your husband's favorite, smelly neighborhood robata-ya restaurant. However, that doesn't mean you would completely eschew the idea of charcoal-grilled altogether. You just want it Read More...
Posted Wednesday, May 23, 2007 12:21 AM by jason | 1 Comments
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Besan roti

You wouldn't know it yet considering how much I'm still focusing on my Japan trip (just a few more things to write about...), but I've actually been back home for a couple of weeks already. I've been eating fairly simply most of the time, but perhaps Read More...
Posted Tuesday, May 22, 2007 12:11 AM by jason | 6 Comments
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Short trip to Mashiko

We made a little trip to Mashiko on the weekend before coming back to Seattle. We went, in part, so that I could replenish my ever-shrinking ceramics collection on YuzuMura.com. I was also looking for some new artists to consider for later in the year. Read More...
Posted Monday, May 21, 2007 9:13 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Kitchen survivalism

Working in a minimally-stocked kitchen that's completely different than your own is pretty tricky. Our weekly apartment was equipped with a rice cooker, a saucepan and a frying pan. We had a few plates and bowls, but nothing close to what I'm used to Read More...
Posted Sunday, May 20, 2007 7:29 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Farro and cucumber-roasted pepper salad

I'm sure I've said it before, but I think I'll say it again... I don't think I can get enough of farro, or spelt. It doesn't take much to tempt me with farro... Cooked in a rice cooker, it's easy to throw together on a weeknight. It's just comfort food, Read More...
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2007 2:53 PM by jason | 1 Comments
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Sake tasting

After our lunch at Bretagne, we again set out in entirely the wrong direction in search of the new Omotesando Hills building. Fortunately, this landed us at Pierre Hermé , where I convinced Hiromi that we needed to try some macarons. We had an "Earl Grey" Read More...
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2007 12:03 PM by jason | 0 Comments

Bretagne in Omotesandō

Omotesandō is a very brand-conscious, upscale, fashionable district in Tokyo. It's home to boutiques by Pierre Hermé , La Maison du Chocolat , Louis Vuitton, and Hanae Mori, among others. It's part of Minato-ku, one of the most expensive wards within Read More...
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2007 12:04 AM by jason | 1 Comments
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Farewell to Aomori

Finding washoku in Hirosaki for lunch was actually suprisingly tough... the streets perpendicular to Hirosaki park were mostly full of meaty youshouku-ya-san and kissaten . Finally we settled into an unremarkable department store restaurant floor, which Read More...
Posted Friday, May 18, 2007 12:04 AM by jason | 0 Comments
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Fujiya Hotel at Oowani Onsen, Aomori

After our cherry blossom viewing, we retired to Oowani Onsen to rest a bit, with the overly ambitious intention of returning to Hirosaki for night time cherry blossom viewing. Fujiya Hotel has insanely roomy washitsu , or Japanese style rooms. The washitsu, Read More...
Posted Wednesday, May 16, 2007 11:27 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Hanami in Hirosaki, Part 2

May 3. Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan. We came back the next day, too, because the weather had improved... Unlike the previous day, May 3rd was also an official holiday, rather than one that people take off to get a continuous week of vacation time. Thanks to Read More...
Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007 10:50 PM by jason | 2 Comments

Hanami in Hirosaki, Part 1

May 2. Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan. Sakura (cherry blossoms) bloom late in northern Japan, and the blossoms typically coincide with the Golden Week holidays. As I always seem to find myself in Tokyo toward the end of March, and never at the beginning of April, Read More...
Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007 10:27 PM by jason | 2 Comments
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Asamushi Onsen, Asupamu, Apple Pie

May 2nd, at Asamushi Onsen, on the way to Hirosaki. We wake up early and have another bath, then breakfast , and we head off. But first we looked out the window, and decided to make a quick trip to the beach... Our ryokan wasn't quite on the waterfront, Read More...
Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007 12:05 AM by jason | 0 Comments
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Asamushi Onsen breakfast

So my low-protein dinner transitioned into the extreme opposite in the morning... not only did everyone have a pot of tofu, made right at the table in bunrai nabe style, but we also had this surprisingly nice egg dish. Where's the egg, you ask? Well, Read More...
Posted Monday, May 14, 2007 6:39 PM by jason | 2 Comments
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Asamushi, Onsen Ryokan, dinner

We stayed at an onsen ryokan (hot springs resort) called Asamushi in Aomori city. Most Japanese ryokan , given sufficient advance warning, are reasonably accommodating of vegetarian needs, though they don't always quite understand them. Usually things Read More...
Posted Monday, May 14, 2007 12:09 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Oirase Trail, Aomori, Japan

Hiromi did all the heavy-lifting as far as organizing and planning our Aomori side trip... I just carried some luggage. She drove us to Oirase Trail in Aomori, not terribly far from the onsen ryokan where we were planning to stay, but a fair stretch away Read More...
Posted Monday, May 14, 2007 4:00 AM by jason | 0 Comments
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Kiri-tampo

A specialty of northern Japan, and particularly popular in Iwate and Akita prefectures, Kiri-tampo are usually made with uruchi-gome , which falls into the category of everday rice. The other two categories of rice are mochi-gome , the pearly glutinous Read More...
Posted Monday, May 14, 2007 12:01 AM by jason | 2 Comments
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Eki-ben on the way to Aomori

May 1st we had an early start... By this time, my jetlagged habit of waking up at 6 am without the aid of an alarm gave way to a more ordinary pattern of begrudgingly getting out of bed around 7:30 or 8. We had to use multiple cell-phone alarms to make Read More...
Posted Sunday, May 13, 2007 5:46 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Souzai and kurogoma-doufu

We had a leisurely morning one day and decided to stay home for lunch. We took advantage of some food Hiromi's parents had sent us away with, all acquired at a supermarket. The souzai (side dish) set, ready to eat, included several small portions of simple Read More...
Posted Sunday, May 13, 2007 2:47 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Yakitori-ya for a vegetarian

On the Sunday before Golden Week, Hiromi had a practice session to attend, so we needed to have a late dinner. Ochanomizu completely clears out during Golden Week, as it's mostly populated by university students, so nearly every place we walked by had Read More...
Posted Sunday, May 13, 2007 12:20 PM by jason | 1 Comments
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Cheerleading and Chuuka

Hiromi and her cheer team had a game on Monday, April 30, just before we headed off to Aomori for a little hot spring vacation and late hanami at Hirosaki. She's part of Club Cranes , a 2nd-division X-League American Football team sponsored by Toa construction Read More...
Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 11:10 PM by jason | 3 Comments
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Cannelini and Masa Harina Frikadellen

I don't really know what these little cakes should be called, but in Germany something similar was called a Frikadelle... traditionally something like a flat meatball, but sometimes an alternative version was listed the token vegetarian dish at the university Read More...
Posted Thursday, May 10, 2007 11:58 PM by jason | 0 Comments

Back in Seattle

I returned to Seattle Tuesday morning... still a little jetlagged, but I managed to pop into the swing of things and sleep almost normally again. I still have a ton of photos to dig through, and things to catch up with... more to come. Share this post: Read More...
Posted Thursday, May 10, 2007 10:18 AM by jason | 0 Comments
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Macchinesti: Coffee in Tokyo

I've been to the smaller, original location of Macchinesti in Akabanebashi two or three years ago with Hiromi, the Vivace-inspired outlet opened by a protégé of David Schomer. But they also run a bigger shop with a simple savory food menu not far away Read More...
Posted Monday, May 07, 2007 11:57 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Department store dinner, hand transported from Shibuya to Kawasaki

On a wet and rainy April 28, Hiromi, Hiromi's mother and I trekked to Meiji Jinguu, then briefly toured Shibuya's Tokkyu Foods Show depachika madness. We were planning to have dinner at Hiromi's home that night, so we actually wanted to pick up a few Read More...
Posted Monday, May 07, 2007 11:25 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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More from Shin-Marunouchi Building

April 28: Just after my first brief visit on opening day, Hiromi and I made our way back to the Shin-Marunouchi building again in search of a late breakfast. It was still a madhouse. Point et Ligne Bakery, Shin Marunouchi Building, Tokyo We couldn't help Read More...
Posted Monday, May 07, 2007 6:43 AM by jason | 5 Comments
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Shalimar, Ochanomizu, Tokyo

An Indian restaurant may not be the most obvious place to eat one's first meal in Tokyo. But this is far from my first time in Tokyo, so I can dispense with the ambition to eat the best possible Japanese food every meal I have in this city. Tokyo is kind Read More...
Posted Sunday, May 06, 2007 7:23 AM by jason | 2 Comments
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A reunion: Rappopo pie with Hiromi

I don't remember how long ago it was, but probably about four or five years ago I was staying somewhere in Nishi-shinjuku... Several times on the way to somewhere more interesting than Shinjuku, I found myself walking right past a tiny bakery called Rappopo Read More...
Posted Saturday, May 05, 2007 7:37 AM by jason | 1 Comments
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Heyri Gallery, Part 3, Ceramics you can go home with

I've been trying to catch up to my Japan trip, but I took far too many photos in Korea. The main goal for my trip to Hanhyanglim gallery was to get some insight on the possibility of importing some nice contemporary Korean pottery, and I was pleased to Read More...
Posted Friday, May 04, 2007 7:20 AM by jason | 2 Comments
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One last gimchi-jeon in Seoul

My last reasonably complete meal in Seoul was a late lunch last Thursday... Somehow, after a week of sleeping six hours a night I didn't have quite the energy level required to search for something more substantial, and I was only moderately hungry that Read More...
Posted Thursday, May 03, 2007 2:35 PM by jason | 0 Comments
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Scenes from an old Korean village

Namsangol Village is meant partially as a tourist attraction, and partially to educate Korean schoolchildren about their country's history. It's a reconstruction of an old Korean village, focusing pr imarily on the accommodations of royalty and wealthy Read More...
Posted Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:43 AM by jason | 1 Comments
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Sanchon: Mountain temple cuisine

Although I tend to make an effort to go to a place like Pulhyanggi whenever I get a chance to go to Korea, I've long wanted to try another Seoul institution which is also known for fairly high end cuisine. Sanchon, located in Insadong, offers an elaborate Read More...
Posted Thursday, May 03, 2007 8:18 AM by jason | 4 Comments
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