hanabi and ramen

The yearly hanabi (fireworks display) sponsored by Kanagawa Shimbun which is held right in front of our office was held today. Wanting to avoid the crowd after the hanabi, hubs and I hurried home when the hanabi was just getting started. There was such a crowd that I didn’t hazard taking a photo anymore; I was only intent on protecting my pregnant belly against the rushers.

Two things I’m glad with with the throng of people: one, there are definitely more people this year than last year – people last year weren’t really particularly feeling festive after the big earthquake in Tohoku region. I’m happy that the people in general seem more buoyed now, more genki. Secondly, it always is really nice to see people dressed in the traditional summer clothes – the yukata. It’s not as elaborate and expensive looking as the kimono but still it’s nice to behold.

We were so hungry but we couldn’t eat in our office area because we wanted to be out of the crowd ASAP. But cooking would take time. Hence we decided to eat near our home. But the best restaurants in our area are the ramen houses. Hubs usually don’t prefer eating ramen but thankfully this evening, he urged we eat ramen. Yey!

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Left one is Atsushi’s. It’s tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen that’s soy sauce flavoured whilst mine on the right is miso flavoured. I could taste the vinegar in Atsushi’s broth. It’s good but I’m happier with my flavour (albeit mine is more expensive and Atsushi’s has more pork slice).

Because we got guilty with all the fat content, we bought fruits in the fruit store just in front of the ramen house.
Plums and grapes for dessert.

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Just balanced, right? 🙂

Torigin for Friday dinner date

Sakuragicho’s giant wheel beyond.

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The chef preparing our yakitori.

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First batch of yakitori!

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Aaahh I missed this! So intent with our yakitori I forgot to take photos of the rest 😀 Forgot to take a photo of the Kani (crab) salad too which by the way was REALLY good together with ume (plum) dressing.

Otsukaresama!

Brasserie La Classe

This restaurant is the most recently opened one in Landmark Tower.

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Wanting some variety, I tried this resto several weeks ago, not having any idea what kind of resto it is. Upon sitting down however, I realised that it’s a fine dining restaurant. With a set dinner price that’s fit only for special occasions. Since I was already seated, I decided to just give it a try. Problem at that time was that I wasn’t really hungry. And looking at the set course already made me feel full and feeling some heartburn.

Thankfully, they have a selection of omelettes and soups as well so I ordered those ala carte. The amount was just perfect for my appetite at that time.

The following week, I was back at the resto. In the same exact table that I sat at the week before. During the second visit, I tried their Quiche de la saison (spinach and salmon quiche) and their soup for the day which usually is a healthy thick soup of something nutritious (my favourite so far is broccoli soup).

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The soup above is red bean soup.

With the salmon, spinach, fresh greens and healthy soup, it’s definitely a great meal for preggers. And it’s so filling at that!

And so since then I’ve been to the restaurant every week, once a week; always at the same table, ordering the same set. Everyone from the crew gives me a smile already and greets me warmly whenever I enter. The maitre d’ also always makes it a point to drop by my table and thank me profusely, with elegant bows and a big smile, for coming again. And even when I just order water (I gag now just thinking about orange juice and apple juice – I think I’ve had too much already) together with my set, they still set my table and treat me as if I’ve ordered the most expensive course they have along with the finest champagne in the house.

Truly exemplary Japanese customer service through and through.

Covent garden

I was already getting exhausted from the short walk we had so after buying Hubs’ Zojiroshi thermos (loved how we discussed which thermos he should buy) in Tokyu Hands, we had tea break at Covent Garden which was in the same building.

Mango Teramisu Fu Pancake

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Hubs taking a pose.

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I’m now energised. Ready to walk home now.