Shopping and dining out have often been touted as inseparable pairs by shopping mall owners to the point of cliche. However, the quality and the depth of the scene often create a pleasing experience for both activities.
In Tokyo:
While in Tokyo, the fennel bulbs went to the Dover Street Market Ginza, a multi-brand boutique owned by renowned Japanese label, Commes des Garcons. In seven stories of retail and art space one can find collaborations of the famous label with other authorities in the fashion industry. Dover Street Market has also collaborated with Rose Bakery, an international chain owned by Rose Carrarini, who first set up the restaurant in Paris. The Ginza store is not a bakery at all, as it is more of a cafe.
The staff were cordial and attentive. European staff are also available for those who cannot communicate in Japanese, although their Japanese is impeccable.
On one occassion, we ordered the daily special which on that day happened to be grilled salmon with organic vegetables. (JPY1,600). Rose Bakery prides itself in using only organic and fair trade produce, and one can imagine that the ingredients are a bit more expensive as a result. Some bread was served with pale rich-tasting butter and Himalayan salt. Upon arrival at the table, the salmon and the vegetables indeed seemed to be delectable. The marriage of hues from the salmon, mushroom, capsicum, and potatoes and those of the okra and haricot verts was definitely an enticement.
The taste was a lesson in refinement: the quality of the ingredients plays a major role. Herbs and seasonings only seemed to function as to enhance the intrinsic flavours of each ingredient. The salmon tasted fresh, and the okras were crisp, the viscous and clear juices oozing with every bite. The mushrooms were cooked well, and had an earthy taste as if it were plucked on the morning of the day itself. With potatoes underneath, this dish is nutritious, it does provide sufficient carbohydrates, but it does not make one too full; indeed a highly recommended dish for women!
On another occasion, the fennel bulbs ordered Kedgeree (JPY1,200). Kedgeree is a British dish from colonial India, and it consists of cooked basmati rice, curry amongst other spices, chopped bits of seafood (shrimp and fish), and hard boiled eggs. Rose Bakery was creative enough to have the yolk and the white split and crushed. The bits are sprinkled on top of the dish as if it were a yin-yang. At first, we thought it was cheese! The dish had the hint of Biryani and if we were not mistaken, that distinctly metallic saffron taste can be quite sensed too.
For dessert, a green tea layer chiffon cake (JPY700) was ordered. The chiffon cake was like a sponge, but perfectly baked. It was infused with green tea which yielded a mild addition to the chiffon. Custard was spread in between the layers. It was a light tasting dessert, and one could hardly feel the sinfulness of eating a very good dessert.
Lemon and Coconut pound cake (JPY580) were ordered too. The coconut was mixed in with the pound cake. The lemon frosting on top blended well with that nutty flavour imparted by the coconut. One could have imagined the exactness to produce such a hearty pound cake, and we think it was all good!
Outside Tokyo:
Located across Tokyo Bay is Chiba prefecture. Around an hour and a half ride from Tokyo by train, and around an hour on bus (in the easiest of traffic conditions), is the town of Kisarazu. This used to be a progressive industrial town, but when the economic bubble burst in the 90's, much of the town lost much of its hustle and bustle as businesses moved out. But the town is picking up again, and one obvious development that's bringing in people from all over the Kanto region is the Mitsui Outlet Park, a retail park showcasing the most sought-after names in fashion.
The outlet park has created a warm open atmosphere of shops and restaurants guaranteeing a good dining experience. As it was a Sunday and hordes of people are just flocking to the outlet park, there were likewise long queues in the various restaurants. In any case, we chose Obon de Gohan, which serves modernised Japanese cuisine, as well as 洋食 (Western-style food).
The menu was available only in Japanese, and we confined ourselves to those items whose names we can manage to understand. Obon de Gohan serves healthy and balanced food in a cosy cafe setting. As it was a Sunday, the restaurant was too busy for what would have been a regular cafe, but the staff managed to remain efficient and polite.
We ordered sauteed fish in a black vinegar sauce with five-grain rice (JPY1200). The fish was cooked superbly well. It seemed to be either sea bass or hamachi. The sauce was thicker than black vinegar itself, and it could have been mixed with soy sauce, sugar, and some cornstarch for thickening. The sweetness and sourness blended well together. Among the sidings was a delicious potato salad in mentaiko (cod roe) sauce. The rice, which consisted of several types of grains and sea grass (known as 鹿尾菜, hijiki, in Japanese) was nutritious and rich in fiber. One could actually choose from around 5 kinds of rice to go with their set meals after all the Gohan (ご飯）in Obon de Gohan doubly means a meal, or cooked rice.
Afterwards we ordered some green tea chiffon and fried rice balls topped with ice cream (JPY450). The green tea chiffon tasted heavily bitter but it was subdued by the vanilla ice cream. The fried rice balls were perfectly cooked, and it seems they have been toasted or baked to attain that texture.
Obon de gohan also has branches in other parts of the Kanto region, mostly in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture.
Note: To get to Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu, one can take the Sobu line from Tokyo Station to Chiba. Depending on the train schedules, some Sobu lines also continue on to Kisarazu (木更津）and Sodegaura (袖ヶ浦) on the Uchibo Line. Mitsui Outlet Park can be accessed either from Kisarazu or Sodegaura stations through local bus. The fare for the train ride from Tokyo station is around JPY1500 - JPY2000. Alternatively, one can take the bus that crosses the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line for ~1300JPY. The bus station is located across Tokyo Station and crosses Tokyo Bay to Kisarazu and Kimitsu. If you are lucky, you can catch a bus that goes directly to Mitsui Outlet Park from Tokyo Station.
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