Tag Archives: japan

Komeraku (Sakuragicho)

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A year ago, I wouldn’t have thought myself capable of eating, much less LOVE eating ikura or salmon roe (fully ripe ovaries or egg mass of salmon).

(Yes, it-is-expensive besides!)

Nor did I foresee myself having mentaiko (roe of pollock or pollack) as a favorite!

If truth be told, they look GROSS. Hubby said though that for Japanese, the site of roe is appetizing. And I could understand why – probably because they already knew how good it tastes and remembering how good the roe tastes makes your mouth water at the mere site of it.

One friday last March, after picking up hubby in the office for a date, he hauled me off to Komeraku in Landmark Tower. The poster up in the store front features a mentaiko meal set and for me, it wasn’t appetizing at all . I was scared of trying it, to be honest! But hubby encouraged me to try it because it’s one of them traditional Japanese food and I should give it a shot at least once. And boy was I so thankful hubby insisted.

I chose the mentaiko set because it had pork in it. Figured that if I can’t stomach the fish eggs, there’s always the pork to eat.

The pork (the one at the far right) was re~~ally good. Tasteful and so tender, so yasashii! Yet, although the pork was good, it was a far cry from how the mentaiko (pink one on the left of the pork) tasted. It-was-just-so-good I repeatedly told hubby how good it was the whole time we were eating. Pardon the blurred photos though.

The teapot nearest me in above photo contains flavored hot water which you can use to make Ochazuke. I wanted to taste the mentaiko as much as possible hence I poured too little water on my ochazuke. Yep, that’s how good the mentaiko is.

Last Wednesday, hubby and I were craving for the mentaiko again hence off we went to Komeraku. Once seated though, the lady staff told us that the mentaiko set is already sold out for the day (it was already 8pm). Feeling adventurous, I chose the Ikura/salmon roe set.

It turned out I made a great choice. The meal was truly an explosion of flavors.

Ikura on top of flavored rice, peppered with salmon bits, herbs and arare (small rice crackers). Besides being truly flavorful, the meal is very interesting what with the salty-flavorful little eggs exploding inside your mouth as you chew, and the arare giving a bit of crunch.

The meal comes with a special sauce. Pardon though in that I don’t know how to describe it further other than that it made my meal even more flavorful.

This time, the ingredients on my ochazuke had the right proportions.

Nori and arare are available on each table to add more taste to your ochazuke . Nori addicts as we are, hubby and I emptied out the container, I think, after our meal.

Ahhh..so good. What made Komeraku even better is that aside from all the good food (and additional helping of rice besides), your meal comes at an affordable price of ~1200~1000yen only.

If you’re in the area, do check the place out; be adventurous and you’ll be rewarded with good food. 😛 Komeraku is just right in front of Tonkatsu Wako in Landmark Tower Ground floor.

a Japanese wedding

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NSO took their sweeeeet time in verifying my records when I was still applying for my spouse visa hence I wasn’t able to attend Hamakawa-san’s and Akika-san’s wedding which Hubby and I sooo wanted to go together.

Thankfully though, this time, we can go together to the wedding of hubby’s bandmate, Hosogai-san. Trust that I was a bit nervous with this social function as it’ll be the first time I’d be meeting all of Hubby’s bandmates.

To aid me for the function: Shu Eumura loose powder, hand lotion, meds for headache, L’Occitane peony perfume, my Inden-ya purse containing the essentials I should always have with me when I go out – my alien card, my train pass, my atm card.

Have to look my best, as I was with the bestlooking guy in town. 😀

Hubby’s unusual but cute necktie pin sure got a lot of attention.

And no, it doesn’t actually move, much less cut.

The wedding was also a good opportunity for us to wear the couple bracelet that our Ninang Vanz gave us for our wedding. 😀

We were a bit early (or make that almost 2 hours early) so we lounged in Hotel New Grand’s cafe. Loved this honey lemon iced tea. One of the best I’ve had so far.

This being my first to attend a Japanese wedding, I absolutely have no idea how the ceremony and reception is. Albeit this is actually not a very traditional ceremony because the formal ceremony is not held in a Shrine but in the hotel. Still though, there were quite a number of interesting customs that was kept in place.

The entourage is just composed of the “lightbearers” who carried a slim torch and lighted the two candles set up in a candelabra up in front. I was wondering why they left the middle one unlighted. A few minutes later, I knew why. The couple will use the light from the side candles to light the candles they’re holding so that together, they can light the center candle. Yep, this is the Unity Candle. Seeing this, I realized why there were some priests (ours didn’t allow us!) who doesn’t allow Unity Candle ceremony in Church weddings in the Philippines: it really isn’t Catholic tradition and was just “copied” from another culture’s wedding rites. And I wouldn’t blame couples copying the Unity Candle tradition, I would want it for ourselves as well, if only the priest allowed us. It really has such a beautiful symbolic meaning – the coming together of two families (the bride’s and the groom’s) into a single familial union. It follows then that the lightbearers in yesterday’s wedding was the sister of the groom and Hosogai-san’s brother. Too bad I wasn’t able to take a decent shot on it. My phone camera has limited powers.

The couple enter and leave the ceremony room together albeit the groom is walking a couple or so steps ahead of the bride. My interpretation on this custom is that it signifies the groom as the head of the family, leading the way, with the wife supporting and obediently following behind.

This is age old custom. But I am so thankful Atsushi and his family didn’t insist on us walking like this as I do want us to be side by side, holding hands as we leave the Church and (symbolically) face our future together.

The formal ceremony took only around 15 minutes. Before the Unity Candle lighting, the bride and groom each had a speech and had their vows. The Unity Candle lighting was followed with an exchange of rings and after which was the signing of the official marriage documents, with the lightbearers signing as well as tthe witnesses. We then proceeded outside for the pictorials, and then proceeded further to another part of the hotel for the reception.

Japanese wedding receptions are actually pretty organized as more often than not, the affair is really an intimate one with guests definitely less than a hundred. After giving our cash gifts, hubby was given the reception program booklet wherein the seating arrangement is conveniently mapped out.

The couple also had their short bio in the leaflet which I will not post here for privacy reasons.

I love what greeted me in my seat.

If I’ve come across the idea of handwritten messages for the guests before our wedding, I would have done so, especially since we only have less than a hundred guests.

What about food, eh? The vegetable-seafood cake with caviar as appetizer was interesting as well as serving the grapefruit sherbet before the beef entree. My favorite though was the seafood doria and the dessert. And the coffeeeee!!!

Halfway through the reception, the bride is escorted by her father out of the hall for her to change out of her kimono into a western bridal gown.

Sometime later, the groom is escorted by his mother out of the hall for him to change as well into western groom tux.

Group picture!

Hubby and I look very “healthy” in this picture. 😀

Now, the most touching parts of a Filipino wedding are mostly parts of the Church Ceremony, and the earlier parts of the reception. But usually when the reception is drawing to a close already, the guests are also somewhat preparing to wrap themselves up, getting ready to leave.

But the most emotional part for me during the wedding was actually the last part wherein the bride and groom ceremoniously goes to their parents to give them flowers and gifts. This has got me crying big fat tears alright. Thankfully, lights were turned off and the spotlight was focused on the family.

Another detail I loved in this wedding was the message slideshow that the couple prepared. Yes, they had the growing old slideshow as well but they prepared another slideshow which they showed at the end of the reception. Aside from the personalized message they put on each guest’s seat, they also had personalized slideshow message. It was just one liner for each guest, yes. But there’s something good about waiting for your name to flash on the screen; the anticipation of knowing what the message for you will be impressed in me a very good feeling. If we can do our wedding again, I’d definitely have this as well.

And, as it goes, it all comes in threes. A third detail that I would have wanted to have had incorporated in our wedding was for me and Atsushi with both our parents line up near Ville Sommet’s door to personally see off each and everyone of our guests. The chat may not be long and it may be more formal, but at least you get to see off all of your guests.

They were giving out a small neatly packaged souvenir at this time. This is on top of that paperbag in the picture which is the takeaway loot each guest are which contains a bom cake and the formal giveaway expensive glass set.

I was delighted though when I opened the small package they were handing out at this time.

They had it personalized at decocho.com. Love how they chose the pictures for the chocolate giveaways: a photo each for when they were kids, a photo together, a photo of the reception venue’s grand staircase and a photo of the university where they went to together (Waseda University). I love it how the packaging is so like the usual Japanese food packaging. It has information on the flavor as well as the calories! This particular one has 55 kcal for each square chocolate. Again, pardon for the blurriness, I’m just using my phone camera.

I may not understand the language used but still, the wedding has touched me. And had me commeding the bride on the detail she did for their wedding.

Congratulations and Best wishes Mariko-san and Takashi-san!!!

An afternoon with Okasan

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After my medical check yesterday (that one in itself is blog worthy if only I was able to take photos of the hospital), I met up with Okasan who was here in the Kanto area for some business. As Hubby has to be in the office till 6, Okasan and I were left to our own devices for 3 hours or so. Even though I only know for now very few Japanese and Okasan as well is learning English, still, we had a great afternoon.

After coffee break with the spectacular view of Minato Mirai splayed before us and after shopping (thank you Okasan!), we headed to Cosmo World to ride the Kanransha (big clock ferris wheel). It takes 15 min for the big wheel to make its complete round hence we were looking forward to some relaxing sightseeing. Along the way however, we stopped by one of the puri kuras or picture booth. Fun! The type we got though is not the sticker type. Hence, i’m using my half of the photo print as bookmark on my Nihongo Breakthrough book. 😀

My 100-yen coin purse gave up on me two days after I bought it, 2 months ago. So yes, not all 100 yen stuff are durable.

I never really got around to replacing it though, busy as I was (before). And anyways, it was still functional. It was just as good though as Okasan’s omiyage from Yamanashi was just right for me. I loved the Yamanashi Inden-ya coin purse Okasan gave. Loved tha lacquer-embossed flower.

It also has two pockets to put folded bills on one and another where I can put my alien card and train pass. Perfect to bring for short errands out of the house. Just what I was looking for.

Now i’m so glad I procrastinated on buying another poin curse. 🙂

Thanks Okasan! And mata ne. 🙂

Michelin 3 starred Esaki

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Tucked on an unassuming sidestreet in Aoyama, Esaki’s basement location makes the restaurant a hard-yet-good-find. And with Esaki being on its second year on the Michelin 3 stars list, it sure is one good, if not great, find!

The chef and his apprentice.  Oh how I envy the apprentice! I wonder what it takes to be one.

We had our reservation for lunch. Esaki has only one 6-course menu for lunch and it was at 5250yen – which I think makes Esaki the most affordable among the Michelin Tokyo 3 stars list, at least for lunch (dinner menu is around ~20k or more). Their ume shu is certainly not cheap though, at 1000yen a glass. In other restaurants, normal price of ume shu is at 200~500yen.

the brown-sugar one (darker) that Hubby ordered tasted better albeit it was stronger

As a support to the nationwide, if not worldwide, campaign to help Tohoku recover  fast, Esaki used ingredients taken from the quake-hit regions.

First off, Sazae and Asparagus in sazae liver sauce. Sazae, a turban shellfish (that looked more like a snail) harvested in Chiba, tasted mushroom-like and a bit tough for a shellfish. The asparagus, which was from Hokkaido, was so tender yet crisp. The sazae liver sauce has a really curious alternating taste – bitter, salty, sweet. It was so delectable though that you’d find yourself spooning the sauce when you’ve already eaten the meat and veggies. 

Mushroom and veggies. The mushroom came from Fukushima. I love the yam sauce with the mushroom. It was slimy yes, with just a very slight hint of saltiness. The one in the apex of the triangle has a sesame and peanut sauce. It actually reminds me of the peanut sauce in the Filipino Kare-kare. The beans on the other hand means to off-set the taste of the two, I think, with it being almost bland – no flavor whatsoever.

Sashimi. Thin, almost translucent slices of hirame. Very fresh, very nice.

Now this one’s my favorite among the entrée. Salmon with black rice. This kind of salmon matures during autumn. So when this kind is harvested at this season when they’re still adolescents, it makes for a creamier meat that’s almost boneless (I certainly didn’t see nor felt any bone on the one served me). The salmon was fried perfectly, no fishy taste and smell at all in that I even ate the skin when normally I always keep the skin at the side of my plate, uneaten. The black rice was curiously crunchy and sticky. Fatsia sprout (taranome) tempura was also added in. The whole lot is sprinkled with salt that was extracted from the bottom of a hot spring. Very very nice.

True to the Japanese custom, rice was served last. We had Takikomi Gohan (boiled, flavored rice) with Miso soup. The boiled rice was seasoned and cooked with the cabbage from Miura Peninsula. Even though meatless, the rice was so flavorful in itself. The miso soup served was one of the most unique miso soup I had ever tasted. The button mushroom was made more slimy and flavorful by the natto added to the soup. Yep it has got that distinctly natto taste – similar to soybean yet more stronger.

The rice and miso were great combi with the houji-cha or roasted wheat tea.

Now, for dessert! We were served a bowl with a lid that would make you think that whatever is inside is something hot. Hence I had some difficulty connecting it with the fact that it was now time for dessert.

When we opened it, we got this. Suggestive of a tomato sauce.

But once we took a spoonful of the rich redness – ahhhh, it was heaven. It-was-just-so-good that each sip was almost orgasmic. So goood. Ahhh, so good. Yep, it’s so good you just can’t stop exclaiming so with every spoonful. As Hubby said, it was the best dessert he has ever had in his entire life so far (glad to have had made the breakthrough on his birthday 😀 ). Puree of Amaou Strawberry from Fukuoka with a teeny weeny scoop of sherbet.

My dessert went great with the herb tea.

Ahhhh…good food!!!!

By the way, Esaki’s toilet is so pretty and clean I can stay in it and while the day away. 🙂

An interesting fact: With 14 restaurants having Michelin 3-stars rate, Tokyo still tops Paris this year, making Tokyo still the center of the gastronomical world. Very interesting. And exciting, especially if you’re living in the area.

Address: Hills aoyama B1, 3-39-9 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Telephone: 03.3408.5056
Home Page: http://www.aoyamaesaki.net (In Japanese)

stir-fry it in!

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When it’s already past 3pm and we don’t have food stocked up on the fridge and I am yet to go out to the groceries, I almost panic sometimes. It’s cause I can’t think of what to cook for dinner. I email my hubby and ask him if he has any specific request. Sometimes he’d say “anything is ok”. But mostly he says “something healthy would be good”. I usually cook one main dish and a side dish (which sometimes, depending on the menu I’ve thought of, is almost like a main dish as well but more on the veggie side). So still at home, and with very vague requests from Hubby, I panic what to cook for the night.

But then whenever I go to the groceries store, I smile as I thought of different menus to experiment as I walk down the (groceries) aisle. I’m basically teeming with ideas! Weird thing is that the ideas ebb out of me whenever I walk out of the store haha. Suffice it to say that I usually end up buying much more than what I initially intended.

I was just initially thinking of bacon with mushroom as side dish. But I picked up a small pack of shrimp, baby corn, asparagus, green bell pepper as well. In the end, what was originally a side dish became a full main dish. I tossed it in Japanese soy sauce. Hubby kept on exclaiming it was so good the whole time he was eating. haha!

If you want to try this, you may opt to shell the shrimp. I preferred it with the shell kasi. 😀

 

So hmm, what’s for dinner tonight?

bacon with hourenso (spinach)

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Now this combo is reaaally good. I got addicted with this on my previous assignment here in Japan; ordering a serving or two in some popular family restaurants here. But it was only now that I finally worked on making this combo at home.

It’s quite easy to prepare though.

  1. Boil water and sprinkle some salt and pepper. You can also put the Japanese soup flavoring “hondashi” for that slightly Japanese taste.
  2. Once boiling, put the spinach and wait for about 2 minutes to let it cook.
  3. Drain.
  4. Sauté the bacon with olive oil until lightly brown or until natural juice comes out.
  5. Add in the hourenso.
  6. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

Tada!