Art and Food

Japanese cuisine is very diverse, from its use of ingredients to the cultures that influenced it. Also the range of styles with which it is served and is eaten is just as varied - from yakitori and taiyaki that can be bought from hawkers on the street to the illustrious kaiseki - multiple course meals served artistically that's sure to cost quite a bit. 


Although kaiseki has a reputation for being expensive and not for the masses, some restaurants in Tokyo actually serve affordable versions of kaiseki. The price has to do with the number of dishes served and the kind of ingredients used. Daimasu restaurant in Ginza offers a wide range of kaiseki meals, ranging from the affordable to those consisting of choice ingredients that command a hefty price. 


For starters, the fennel bulbs ordered the most affordable kaiseki which turned out to be a visual feast in itself. Kaiseki just affirms the Japanese affinity to aesthetics, which no doubt extends to cuisine. 

The meal started with a quartet of appetizers - some grated pickled vegetables, sweetened jelly beans, baked scallop and grilled sweet potato, and deep-fried shrimp. Each had its own balance. The baked scallops imparted saltiness, the shrimps a delicate richness, the vegetables a mild acidity, and the jelly beans the sweetness. 

Next is the main course, which consists of four separate dishes - ちゃわんむし (chawan mushi, steamed egg custard with mushrooms), sashimi (tuna, shirmps, hamachi), a warm cup of vinegared rice served on a bamboo plate with shrimps, eel, and vegetables, and miso soup. Plus, some 漬物 (tsukemono, pickled vegetables) was included. 

Firstly, the red bowl that contained the bamboo basket where the rice dish was served was a lesson in compartmentalization. A hollowed lid could hold the side dish of seaweed and sea urchin. After opening the lid, the main story is unfolded - grilled eel, shrimps, some shredded cooked eggs, and vegetables over vinegared rice. 

Next is the sashimi - shrimps which have been blanched, some fish fillets, tuna, and a little block of konnyaku. The ingredients were all veritably fresh. 

The miso soup was also elegant with two strips of fish cake spiraling, some watercress, and a yellow sphere which tasted like quail eggs. 

Finally dessert was served - sweetened red bean pudding with mochi, and pickled plum. 

All in all, at 2,300Y, this was not bad at all. Also, Daimasu is located conveniently right along the Chuo Dori in  Ginza, across the Matsuzakaya department store. 

*Ginza station can be easily accessed by the Ginza, Marunouchi, and Hibiya lines of the Tokyo Metro. Go out through exit A2. 

La Champetre

French cuisine is one of the most enduring cuisines in the world; and perhaps, it is one of those cuisines with a categorized gastronomy. It's one of those cuisines with so many school of thought, as it were, that it seems one can't really venture into it without acquiring a certain level of knowledge. In any case, it shouldn't be reason why the average person should get intimidated from trying French food. 

In contrast to its elitist image, there is regional French cuisine. This is food prepared and eaten by the local people; and this is what comes to mind when one eats at La Champetre ("The Peasant", in English), at the Fort. Previously known as "Je suis Gourmand", this restaurant seems to offer more or less the same selection as its predecessor. 

For starters, the fennelbulbs had soup. First was the gratinated french onion soup (Php140). It was served piping hot straight from the oven. It was rich, with a hint of sweetness from the cooked onions, which was offset by the saltiness of the cheese. 

Next is the soup of the day which happened to be a tomato soup with watercress sauce laced on top (Php180). It was a refreshing respite from the richness of the onion soup. The peppery flavour of the watercress blends well into the tomatoes. 

Next is the salad topped with warm chavignol cheese stuffed in phyllo pastry (Php390). This is a sublime dish and there are many layers to talk about. Firstly the choice of vegetables - courgettes, lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives - blend well to produce an overall slightly acidic taste, much of it imparted by the dressing. Then secondly, the chavignol cheese - goat's cheese - has a tad salty taste to it but rather on the light side, reminiscent of cream cheese. And thirdly, the texture - there's a phyllo pastry that adds a new dimension to the dish. And it's an experience to basically gather a little bite-sized piece of the pastry with the vegetables, and taste them altogether. 

For the main course, trout in mustard sauce was ordered (Php690). Trout is a freshwater fish and so it has a distinct, lingering flavour. The mustard neutralizes the flavour and an overall pleasant tasting dish is the result. The taste is rather Northern European due to the use of mustard, cream, and a fatty freshwater fish. Parsley potatoes and salad are served on the side. 

Last is the very iconic French dish, the Coq au Vin (Php480). This is chicken stewed in a rich red wine sauce. The rich, herby taste can only be acquired through long hours of simmering. The chicken is cooked perfectly such that slicing through the flesh is a very easy task. Carrots, bell peppers, onions, and potatoes are mixed in. It is another homely dish, as it were. 

Dishes are priced reasonably, and the service is satisfactory. With its convenient and quiet location, La Champetre is a nice restaurant serving great food. 

Big and Homely Flavours

This is going to be quite a late post, but the fennel bulbs were in Manila for the holidays, and it was just timely to eat out and celebrate the season. One restaurant that's quietly tucked in Makati's Legaspi Village just a stone's throw away from Greenbelt Mall is the Balkan restaurant. As the name suggests, it serves food from the Balkan peninsula, in particular Yugoslavian (or rather Serbian) food. 

And most of the food were meat dishes with some vegetables. There seems to be no seafood, after all, this is a cuisine from a landlocked country. And the fennel bulbs ordered a rich dish, pork knuckle stew (~Php650). 

The pork knuckles were absolutely delicious. The pork knuckles were cooked for a very long time until it has become very tender. Also, the flavor was rich and concentrated. Indeed this dish conjures images of homeliness, slow cooking in a kitchen, with all the spices and herbs imparting their flavours to the dish in a wonderful way. 

For vegetables, the fennel bulbs had Sarma (~Php250), which were basically cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat. A rich garlic sauce was used as the base. The dish was served with mashed potatoes. 

In conclusion, this restaurant serves dishes that are big on flavour. A nice yoghurt drink afterwards would be best as a refreshing contrast for all the thick flavours. Overall, Balkan restaurant is worth a visit. 

***

The fennel bulbs were not accustomed to going to the southern parts of Metro Manila, as it was simply too tiresome to get there because of the traffic. But since it was since the holidays, there was not much traffic and they decided to go BF Homes in Paranaque where there are a lot of undiscovered restaurants that should be worth giving a try. 

BF Homes is actually home to a thriving Korean community, which explains for so many Korean restaurants in the area. And the fennel bulbs chose Sam Won Restaurant along Aguirre Avenue. As usual to standard Korean fare, the meal began with a set of appetizers, called banchan (반찬). The diversity of it was quite generous - fried courgettes, tofu, hard-boiled egg in soy sauce, kimchi, spinach, anchovy fry, and baby potatoes. 

Next, kalbi (beef ribs) to be wrapped in lettuce with vegetables were ordered. The flavour of the beef was quite good - it was not too sweet which was all too common with marinades used. The vegetables were in a chili soy dressing. The dish had the delicate balance of richness from the beef and lightness from the vegetables. 

Lastly, kimchi jigae (kimchi soup) was ordered. This is a very delicious dish, and is most ideal food to eat at home during a very cold Korean winter. The flavour was well rounded, and just the same, such flavour must have come from cooking it slowly. The heat and pungency of the kimchi was subdued and developed to a total different flavour, which must have probably been the outcome of mixing it with broth. 

Two dishes were all served with plain rice, and the fennel bulbs couldn't complain with regards to being satiated. A meal for two would cost just around Php600. Price and flavours considered, Sam Won is truly a  bargain! 

And so there goes two restaurants; two cuisines from the East and West - both with rich flavours, evoking feelings of homeliness. :-) 

Wonderful Kichijoji

Away from the chaotic crowds of Shibuya and Shinjuku is the overlooked neighborhood of Kichijoji. A lot of travelers would be familiar with other big places that are serviced by the Yamanote line or by the Tokyo Metro. Kichijoji, on the other hand, is a little quieter and has its own Bohemian feel about it. It is located in Musashino, outside Tokyo's 23 special wards, but just less than half-an-hour's train ride away from either Shinjuku or Shibuya. 

Kichijoji is most well-known for Inokashira park, which the fennel bulbs think to be one of the prettier parks in Tokyo. A lot of performers come here to show off their craft, and a lot of artists and painters also come to this park to sell their works or to just find inspiration. 

And a neighborhood as interesting and lively as Kichijoji is impossible without a selection of very good restaurants and cafes. In fact, some of these need reservations in advance as weekday nights are often very busy, and it is quite often that walk-in customers get turned down. 

A nice restaurant which is frequented by younger people is Medewodine. Another branch does exist in Jiyugaoka. The set menu is moderately priced between around Y1,200 - Y2,000, which includes a cup of soup, salad, and non-alcoholic drinks. For this particular dinner, the fennel bulbs ordered grilled pork fillet with vegetables (豚とろ野菜セット). 

The salad was good, and the dressing resembled the taste of hummus, probably with the use of sesame seeds. The corn soup was a bit anti-climactic however, being served on a simple lightweight cup. 

The grilled pork was delicious. The flavor was mild, as the cooking method is Japanese. The pork meat was also delicious and tender, and the field vegetables blended well with the sauce. The sauce is soy-based and tastes much like Wafu sauce (和風).

Medewodine has a competitive selection of desserts, and since it was almost Christmas time back then, the yuletide apple pie was ordered (1,000Y). The taste was good as it seems visually. The pastry was flaky and the consistency of the baked apples was also very good. 

Another nice restaurant which serves Japanese food is Donburio. The choices are all limited to donburi (rice bowls) only. The most interesting point about the restaurant is its very contemporary interiors with its clean lines and the use of natural surfaces, most notably wood. The fennel bulbs ordered tofu and kelp with soup bowl (豆腐と昆布のスープ丼), Y800. 

Soft tofu was used, and it blends well with the green onions, grated ginger, and the slight saltiness of the kelp. The soup is a bit gelatinous and must have been contributed by the cellulose of the kelp. This is a complete meal in itself as there are 2 side dishes (sweet potatoes and mixed burdock and seaweed). A dessert made of soy with a sweet brown sugar sauce and topped with sesame ends the meal. 

Kichijoji is also home to a lot of bakeries, including Tanakatei which has excellent bread and cookies. The cookies are priced fairly at around Y150 - Y200 per pack (1 pack contains 2 cookies), and as the sticker says, its taste really warms the cockles of the heart. 

But more than the cookies, Kichijoji is a place to warm the cockles of the heart, indeed. :-) 

*Kichijoji can be easily reached from Shibuya through the Keio Inokashira line (17 minutes) and from Shinjuku through the JR Chuo Line (12 minutes). 

Autumn in Tokyo and Environs

Autumn usually brings in a lot of vegetable and fruit produce. Pumpkins come to mind too, especially in the West during Halloween. In Japan, Halloween is quite a celebrated event as well, and people usually come out in creative costumes and party the night away. And similarly, pumpkin is used by a lot of restaurants as a theme ingredient during this period. Such as this tiramisu in Cocolo Cafe in Shinjuku: 

This sumptuous dessert + drink set costs around Y850. Delicious and sweet pumpkins are used and they blend effortlessly into the mascarpone cheese. 

***

A nice and very affordable place to eat in Shimokitazawa is Pebble Cafe. The place is youthful and vibrant, and so is the menu, with its rather simplistic selection: rice toppings, curry (served either with naan or rice), noodles, and dessert. 

The fennel bulbs tried the keema curry with naan (Y900). The naan was baked nicely, and the keema curry is just hearty; not too salty and rich to the palate as ready-made curries tend to be. A simple salad of fresh greens and a sweet/garlicky dressing is served on the side. 

***

The fennel bulbs have gone to Shizuoka just to see more of Japan. Most travelers just go past Shizuoka between Tokyo and the two much larger cities of Osaka and Nagoya. However, this city has a lot of nice views to offer, including magnificent vistas of Mt. Fuji, as long as the weather is clear of course. 

PARCO shopping center just near Shizuoka station has a selection of rather standard run-of-the-mill restaurants; but one just simply caught the fennel bulbs' interest: Baqet restaurant on the shopping mall's top floor serves a set meal consisting of soup or salad, a main course, and unlimited freshly-baked bread and a glass of wine for just around Y1,700.  

Shrimp, broccoli, and egg salad was chosen for the salad course. The dressing is based on mayonnaise, and it was light and refreshing. 

For the main course, a cutlet of chicken breast is deep fried Cajun style and served with vegetables (broccoli, eggplant, and courgettes). The chicken is cooked very well and the quality of the meat is very good. The flesh is not threadlike which usually happens when chicken is fried. A hearty meal, to go with 3-4 wheat/rye rolls and a croissant.

*Shizuoka is around 150 km to the west of Tokyo and can be easily accessed by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen in an hour, or in 3 hours using the JR Tokaido Local Line via Atami. Some spectacular scenery can be viewed along the way. 

Muji Cafe * Soholm Cafe

The fennel bulbs have always been partial to Muji, a big Japanese lifestyle brand known worldwide for its simplicity of style. It sells everything we need from day to day from clothes to furniture, food, and yes, condoms even. The largest store in Tokyo is located in Yurakucho (有楽町), right in the centre of Tokyo. 

Muji has several cafes all throughout Tokyo including one in Shinjuku, and another one in more laid-back Aoyama. The cafe in Yurakucho is rather in the style of a canteen. Surprisingly, noise levels are not at all debilitating and the atmosphere is calm and relaxed enough for one to have a quiet brunch while reading a good book. 

For a light evening meal to end a bit of shopping around, a set of 4 deli dishes was ordered. From top left clockwise: quiche, chicken tandoori, eggplant with cheese and tomatoes, and squash salad (Y1150). Everything was definitely beyond satisfactory.

On another autumn afternoon, after a nice stroll in Shinjuku Gyoen, the fennel bulbs had some cake at Soholm Cafe, a nice cafe serving Scandinavian-inspired snacks. As it was autumn, pumpkin was a very timely ingredient, and they had pumpkin cheesecake. A set with black tea costs around Y700. The cheesecake blended very well with the drizzling of maple syrup. 

*Yurakucho (i有楽町) is a short walk from Ginza. Yurakucho station can be easily reached through the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho line, and through the JR Keihin-Tohoku and Yamanote lines.