Travel – Page 56

Kanazawa – Omi-cho Market and Jimonotei

October 25, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kanazawa and Ishikawa Prefecture, Markets & Grocers, Seafood, Travel

Our next stop after Hida-Takayama was Kanazawa. Why Kanazawa? Well, I've heard the city called "Little Kyoto" several times. Kenrokuen Garden is considered one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, the seafood is supposed to be great, there's Higashi-Chaya, a famous Geisha District, and did I mention the seafood is supposed to be great?

Also, I'd heard that Kanazawa was booming since the Shinkansen extension to the city was completed in 2015. So I thought this would be a fun diversion. We left Takayama, transferred to the Shinkansen in Toyama, and made it to Kanazawa at around noon. I was surprised at how reasonable hotel prices were in Kanazawa, so I figured "what the heck"? And booked us a nice room at the Hotel Nikko. Of course we arrived too early to check in, but were able to drop off our bags at the front desk, and headed off to get some lunch.

I'd decided that a nice place to start would be Omi-cho Market.

If you've read this blog long enough; you know we just love places like this; whether in Laos, Tunisia, France, Vietnam, or where ever, we just love to explore.

And Omi-cho was no exception. You get to see what's in season, what folks are eating, and sometimes other interesting things. Like this film crew……

There are quite a few restaurant in the market area. We just picked one; seafood of course, at random. This one named Jimonotei.

The prices seemed very reasonable and there seemed to be a rather short wait. The customers were a mix of Japanese (both tourists and some folks who seemed to be locals/regulars) and some larger parties of Chinese.

We got seats at the counter rather quickly because it was just the Missus and myself.

Deciding to order was pretty simple; we went with one sashimi combo (1500¥ – about $14 at the time) and an additional sashimi plate (1000¥ – about $9.50). With one "little" addition.

Soon enough the sashimi combo arrived.

Pretty generous for about 15 bucks US. The Missus didn't care for the Chawan Mushi; I think it was the dashi-forward flavor. I enjoyed it. She did enjoy the miso soup, as I never got a shot at it.

The sashimi was solid if not spectacular and at this price point, a bargain. The Amaebi was sweet, the hirame had a nice chew to it, salmon was buttery, the maguro, while not the prime cuts, was passable. Best of all, everything was super fresh. After all, Omi-cho is called "Kanazawa's Kitchen" and has been around since the Edo Period.

As for the other sashimi; with the "special 100 Yen" upcharge?

Kanazawa' history with Gold Leaf goes back to the 16th century and the city now produces 99% of the gold leaf in Japan. The city attributes its mastery of gold leaf production to both craftsmanship handed down over generations as well as to the water in the area. We really weren't going to order gold leaf covered ice cream cones. But gold leaf covered sashimi; for less than a dollar upcharge? Count me in.

While it didn't add any additional flavor; it did give the dish a bit of "bling" don't you think? We couldn't help but laugh……

Jimonotei
Inside Omi-cho Market

After the nice lunch, we walked back to the Kanazawa Station Area. The Hotel Nikko is right across the street from the station. We checked in and it was nap time.

And tonight….well dinner awaited!

Reykjavik – Aurora Reykjavik and Dinner at Matur Og Drykkur

October 23, 2017 mmm-yoso Iceland, Iceland Food and Restaurants, Seafood, Travel

It was serendipity that brought us to Iceland. Well, perhaps to be perfectly honest, it was good pricing. In addition to some bargain Business Class tickets, we decided to take advantage of Icelandair's free stopover program. Basically, if you flew out of one of Icelandair's hubs you get up to a seven night extended layover with no additional charge. So, even though it was going to be the "off season", we thought it would be fun spending a few nights in Iceland. Which is how we ended up flying out of Seattle almost a year ago. We got into Reykjavik in the late afternoon; got our rental car and found our apartment; which was centrally located, spacious, and quite comfortable. By the time we settled in and headed off to dinner; it was pitch dark. And while we both knew that the chances of us seeing the "Northern Lights" on the nights we were to be in Iceland was basically nil because of the weather forecast…..overcast and rainy. When we ran early for dinner; I decided to make a stop at the quaint Aurora Reykjavik – The Northern Lights Center, which was basically right around the corner from our dinner destination.

The place was quaint and the folks very friendly. And we learned all about them Northern Lights.

And even though we didn't see any in person during our trip; we were mesmerized by the presentation in the little theatre.

One of these days!

Aurora Reykjavik
Grandagardur 2
Reykjavik 101, Iceland

Soon enough, it as time for dinner. We headed turned the corner and parked in the lot for the Saga Museum.

No, we weren't visiting the museum as it was already closed.

Rather, we entered the front doors and turned to our left.

After a fairly long day and really wanted some food and drink; which is what Matur Og Drykkur literally means, "food and drink". Matur Og Drykkur is also the name of a classic Icelandic cookbook that was originally published in 1947. The concept at "MOD" is to find classic Icelandic recipes and recreate them with a modern and local twist.

One of the first things I did when we finalized our itinerary was to try and hunt down some restaurants that would serve local specialties.

Along with am a la carte menu; there were three tasting menus on this evening. I chose the Game Menu, while the Missus went with the Seafood Menu.

First off; let me tell you about the wonderful moist and substantial bread and the awesome creamy whey butter.

Whoa, this was some great way to start a meal!

We both started with the Herring, micro potatoes, salted angelica seeds, and mustard.

Very nice, the Angelica Leaves had a nice celery like flavor; very clean. The fish was super fresh, with a nice toothsomeness. The potatoes were lovely and full of flavor.

We both also had Trout smoked in sheep's dung.

Before you freak out; I think this was smoked "over" dried sheep poop. It tasted like a very nice, perfectly smoked, lean fish. Very tender; the horseradish sauce wasn't too pungent and everything went together well.

I also had the Cured Reindeer, Sunchokes, and Bilberry Chutney.

In spite of looks a fairly mild dish overall.

The Missus's Halibut soup was very tasty.

The fish and the mussels were excellent; though I'm still not sold on raisins in soup.

The Goose Heart was delicious; chewy but with a very nice, mildly offal flavor. The smoked buttermilk took this to another level.

As did the peppery watercress, the endive, and slightly floral bay leaf vinaigrette. And yes, those are edible rose petals.

The Missus's Langoustine and cauliflower was also very tasty.

We both really enjoyed the cauliflower with the horseradish sauce. The tarragon added that slight bit of anise-like flavor to add complexity to the dish.

The Missus poached almost all the kale, which was really flavorful from my Starry Ray with Rutabaga and lamb jus.

I thought the lamb jus would really play havoc with the mild flavor of the skate, but this was nicely balanced; slightly rich, the skate cooked perfectly as it just melted in my mouth.

Meanwhile, we both watched the chef break out the torch.

It was for this.

Fish head, something that's treasured in Chinese cuisine. This was so good, the cheek meat buttery, the Missus loves the eyeballs. This was amazing. Though the Missus didn't care for the texture of the tongue, which was fried with almost a tempura like batter. Part of the tongue has a jelly-mushy texture that the Missus didn't care for. The other part is a bit tougher. The flavor is a bit more assertive than the cod head.

We were also provided with a very tasty potato salad.

There was a very enjoyable but assertive flavor in the salad and what I initially though was pickled shallot was definitely not. Our really friendly Server told us it was lovage; both the leaves in the salad and the pickled roots.

My main was Seared Mallard, which was surprisingly tender.

Loved the flavor; the wild mushroom sauce really deepened the savory factor in the dish. The Missus loved the beets.

and then dessert of course; the crowberry granite, was refreshing, though very mild, and with a slight bitteness to it.

And this was my first exposure to Skyr which I instantly loved.

I told the friendly Server to bring us just one Cookie to finish because I was stuffed.

I love meals like this. Not only was it delicious and well executed, the service was friendly and laid back. But I also learned quite a bit about some of the local food products….my favorite way, via my tastebuds. It's a meal I'll never forget.

Matur Og Drykkur
Grandagardur 2
Reykjavik 101, Iceland

Hida-Takayama – The Morning Markets, a Walk Around the Old Town, and Ranka Coffee

October 21, 2017 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Hida-Takayama and Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Markets & Grocers, Travel

Hida-Takayama was one of those places that we wished there was bit more time for visiting. While we'd be leaving that day, we decided to get up early to wander around town a bit before all the day trippers arrived.

As I mentioned in my first post, it had snowed just a few days before we'd arrived. So, even though it was spring, the air was quite crisp. And oh so clean and refreshing.

There are two morning markets in Takayama. We headed first to the Miyagawa Market, located along the river in part of the old town. It was still a bit early and the vendors were either just arriving or just getting set-up.

We decided to stroll on over to the Jinya-mae Market, which is located in front of Takayama Jinya.

The historic streets of Takayama look like something out of a movie set during this time of the morning.

Even the more modern shopping areas have something fun to offer….I've mentioned how charmed we were with seeing Sarubobo everywhere around town.

We crossed over the stunningly beautiful Nakanishi Bridge.

To where the Jinya-mae Market is located. While things were just getting started here as well. It seemed that folks were all set-up for the morning and just waiting for customers.

Along with the usual handicrafts and souvenirs, there were some interesting local products available. We found the varieties of miso to be very interesting.

As well as the local produce.

We decided to return to the hotel and grab a quick breakfast. Which was a very simple western style meal.

We got a kick watching the television show….it featured the "Cherry Blossom" craziness and the news crew was filming from Ueno Park which we had just visited a few days prior.

Since our train didn't leave until 11, we decided to check-out, store our luggage at the hotel, and head back out. While our previous morning walk had been in a clockwise direction, we headed out in the opposite direction this time.

And decided to walk through the more modern shopping street this time. We stopped in at one of the grocers to have a look around.

Boxed Hobamiso ready to take home.

The produce in Japan always looks so beautiful……

One of the souvenir stores was open and we did some browsing. We both got a kick out of the Sarubobo "photo spot"…..they wanted you to take photos here!

It was such a nice morning for a walk….though I don't think this pooch agreed.

And then back on over to the market……

The Missus suddenly remembered that She needed to purchase chopsticks for some coworkers. So we headed on over to Sanmachi Suji one of the historic streets in Takayama.

There was a chopstick shop we had seen the previous day. The shop wasn't open yet, but there was a coffee shop across the street, so we decided to get a little caffeine boost.

This was a pretty classy looking coffee shop.

And the prices were no joke, either.

We were in such a good mood that we decided on splurging a bit and getting that ten-dollar cup of coffee. Which was really smooth. We were instructed to have a walnut with the coffee which really changed the flavor of the coffee, bringing out a bit of acid.

It was a nice little break.

Ranka Coffee (藍花珈琲店)
93 Kamisannomachi
Takayama 506-0846, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

We managed to purchase some nice chopsticks for the Missus's friends and visited some of the shops on the street.

I ended up making a couple of purchases for later on and ran into two older women in one of the stores. They were AJA from Torrance and we chatted for a bit while the Missus shopped. They asked us what tour we were on and were quite surprised when I told them that no we weren't on any tour, we don't speak and Japanese, and we just travelled here ourselves.

By now, things were starting to pick up, and the Miyagawa Market was bustling.

It was also time to pick-up our bags and head to the train station.

We'd miss Takayama; but Kanazawa beckoned!

Paris – The Louvre and Dinner at Sola

October 20, 2017 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Fine Dining, France, French Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

Our time in Paris was nearing end. But we had one last busy afternoon and evening set. First up, a late afternoon visit to the largest art museum in the world; The Louvre. If you've never visited Paris; do yourself a favor, get yourself Rick Steve's Paris Guidebook. While I'm not a big fan of the restaurant choices in his books; he has a whopping 20+ pages on the Louvre….more than I'll ever need to know. In order to really enjoy and not burn out during our trips, we always act like we'll return one day. In other words, we have the places and things we "need to see" and the rest, well, if we get there, it's gravy. Anyway, if you plan on visiting the Louvre, get your tickets online, strategize on beating the crowds, unless you enjoy the crowds. We used the Carrousel du Louvre, the underground shopping mall entrance and getting in was a breeze.

Once in, there are still crowds of course…..some folks seem to have a look of desperation on their faces.

We had kind of planned things out, the best we could, just as we did when we visited the Vatican.

We headed straight for the one thing the Missus wanted to see……you know, right?

Well, the view is actually more like this…..

And if you don't already know, the dimensions of the Mona Lisa is 2′ 6″ x 1′ 9″.

And then we were off; sort of as we took time to enjoy some of the many, many masterpieces in the museum.

Like La Liberté guidant le people (Liberty Leading the People) painted by Delacroix.

Hmmm….where was Venus de Milo? Looks like Bacchus is pointing the way.

Well, there she is!

Such beautiful balance, eternally standing in "contrapposto"

Passing thru the museum, you could peer out the windows and see folks trying to capture their "forever moments".

We enjoyed spending a few hours at the Louvre.

And then taking some time to people (and canine) watch outside.

The Seine makes quite a, well, scene at dusk.

And night seemed to fall very quickly.

We returned to our room and freshened up. We still gad some time to kill before dinner. What to do? Well, hit a café of course. The Missus and I had a nice cup of coffee and relaxed before dinner. When I went downstairs to the restroom, this sign cracked me up.

Our dinner destination was just a few blocks away. The second reservation I made for this trip was at a one Michelin Starred restaurant named Sola. I was especially intrigued by the "Franco – Japanese" cuisine put out by Chef Hiroki Yoshitake. The restaurant is quite discreet.

Only a tasting menu is offered, for a very reasonable 95 Euros. Funny, we both took the drink pairing, which ended up being way too much for us…..which also cost 95 Euros!

Half the customers were actually Japanese and many of the Servers were also Japanese. It was an interesting crowd.

The Amuse was a wonderful, savory-mildly sweet crab in dashi aspic over a thin, light, chawan mushi like egg custard.

Along with an amazing Foie Gras and Miso filled Wafer, touched with the light sweetness of Sake and Maple Syrup.

The Missus really loved the Sparkling Sake that was served with the foie gras.

There was olive oil and bread…..but I really don't remember much about it.

I totally failed on the next dish, as I forgot to take a photo of the Beef Tartare, Beet, and Stratatelli cheese. An amazing range of bright flavors. There was a hint of wasabi detected.

The next item might have been our favorite. Amazingly tender sea beam, topped with thinly sliced, slight pungent and sweet onion, on thin slices of daikon and smoky eggplant.

Let's not disregard the light drizzle of buttery-grassy olive oil. Such a wonderful dish.

The squid in the next dish was so amazingly tender and the baby leek was almost sweet.

I was told that the slightly tangy and eggy sauce was based on kimizu, the Japanese egg and rice vinegar dressing, which did well in this dish.

For me; the star of the Parmesan Crusted Shrimp dish was the Chanterelle Risotto, which was just perfect. The earthy flavors went amazingly well with the shrimp emulsion.

By now we'd had Sparkling Sake, Champagne, and two different sake served in wine glasses. The second of which was matched with shrimp.

Next up was a Chardonnay from Muersault paired with Sea bass and scallop with cabbage and cabbage cream with shiso-celery cream.

Complex, but very clear flavors all around.

We were brought a granite to clear our palates.

We could tell that the last main course was something a bit more robust as a red from Beaune was poured.

This was matched with Wild duck breast with jus and sansho pepper sauce and endive and carrot.

Amazing. That duck was cooked perfectly and was so very tender! The bitterness of the endive helped to balance out the flavors.

And then the desserts which the Missus loved.

There was a sensibility and a certain combination of flavors that just hit all the right buttons for us. A combination of Japanese and French technique and flavors just seemed to work in harmony.

This is a place we'll return to; though we'll share a single beverage tasting the next time.

Sola is currently closed because of a fire, but we're hoping they reopen soon.

Sola
12 Rue de l'Hôtel Colbert
75005 Paris, France

After such a meal (and all the drinks) , we slept soundly thru the night. We awoke for breakfast and then our transfer to Orly. We were flying Business, so we were able to relax in the rather uncrowded lounge.

Soon enough, we heard the call for our flight.

Next stop; Reykjavik!

Thanks for reading!

Paris – Breakfast, Notre-Dame de Paris, and the Marais

October 6, 2017 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, France, Paris, France, Travel

Like I mentioned earlier, we really enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Monge. Even Krista at Passport Delicious agrees.

Breakfast at the hotel was simple, but more than adequate.

I actually ate a bit more than usual as I was sure we'd be doing a good amount of walking on this day.

And breakfast acutally held us (other than a snack of gougères and coffee) until dinner later that evening.

And then we were off……..

We strolled up Rue Monge, onward to the Siene, crossing the Petit Pont (Little Bridge) to Île de la Cité, this island, which shaped like a ship, is considered to be the historical center of Paris.

In fact, if you head on over to Parvis Notre-Dame – place Jean-Paul-II, the square in front of Notre-Dame, you'll find Kilometer Zero (aka Point Zero), the point from which all distances are measured and, depending who you ask, either the center of Paris or France as a whole.

This is just the second Kilometer Zero we've actually visited; the other being in Madrid.

The main reason we were here was to visit Notre-Dame de Paris, one of the most well known examples of Gothic Cathedrals. With the two towers rising over 220 feet above the ground, it was quite a site to see. During the construction of the cathedral, as the rather thin walls were built higher and higher, stress fractures started to occur. To combat this, the architects decided to combat this by supporting the walls using flying buttress.

We were lucky; there was just a short line to get into the church on this day.

We entered and were engulfed by history.

For me, it was more about some of the more interesting items were in the chapels. Like this one.

This was in the Chapel of the Holy Childhood. Notice the hair on the sculpture of the young boy. This is the shrine of Saint Paul Chen who was executed at the age of 23 in 1861, one of the Martyr Saints of China.

This is the Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

And then there's the statue of Joan of Arc, hero to Parisians, who claimed to have heard heavenly voices and rallied the French to several swift victories. Captured by the Burgundians she was turned over to the English, she was burned at the stake in 1431. Pope Callixtus III found her innocent and declared her a martyr in 1456. She was Canonized in 1920.

Notice that Joan is looking upwards…..to this beautiful stained glass window.

Leaving Notre-Dame was crossed over to Île Saint-Louis, the other of the two "natural" islands in the Seine.

Crossing over to the other side of the Seine we entered the district known as Marais.

In the center of Place de la Bastille resides the Colonne de Juillet. Topped by a Statue of Mercury, which looked like it was reaching for the contrail in this capture.

From here we strolled up Rue Saint Antoine, pausing to take in the vibe……

This is the Temple du Marais. It was originally a Catholic Convent, but was given to the Protestants after the French Revolution. It remains a Protestant Church to this day.

From the 13th to the 17th century, Le Marais was home to the nobles who built their mansions (hôtel particulier) in the area.

One that I read about is the Hôtel de Sully.

The courtyard seemed so peaceful, a world away from the busy streets on the other side of the building.

We enjoyed watching this bird taking a refreshing bath…..

This sparrow must have really been having a great time as soon enough, a friend joined in the festivities.

Right out the back of the Hôtel de Sully is Place des Vosges. Originally known as Place Royale, this square was built by Henri IV in 1605.

The buildings that surround the square were once the home to the nobles and aristocracy of Paris.

From here we walked thru the bustling Rue des Rosiers (the Jewish Quarter) and past the Pompidou Center, then decided to head back to the hotel.

With a short stop at Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).

After crossing the river; the Missus wanted to make one more stop.

I'd promised Her that She could get a Hermes scarf during every visit to France. It was time for Her to collect on that promise. So we headed on over to the Hermes shop on Rue de Sèvres, which was a pretty long walk.

We passed this sculpture along the way; it's named Le Centaure de César.

From the Hermes Store back to the Hotel Monge was a bit of a truck and we were rather tired.

We had some late afternoon plans, after all, we had only one full day in Paris on this leg of the trip and the Missus wanted to make the most of it.

But first, a nap!

Paris – A Walk Around the Left Bank, Eric Kayser, and Dinner at Terroir Parisien (Since Closed)

September 28, 2017 mmm-yoso Bakery, France, French Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

While I was sad to leave Beaune and Burgundy behind, the Missus was excited about returning to Paris. We were staying in the Latin Quarter at the Hotel Monge which I ended up really enjoying. I really enjoyed the area around the hotel; Arrondissements 4 and 5. Did you know there's a Roman amphitheatre in Paris? The Arènes de Lutèce is in the 5th arrondissement and was one of the first places we saw after arriving since it was basically right behind the hotel.

The Arènes de Lutèce was constructed during the 1st Century and could hold as many as 17,000 spectators. It was sacked in 280 AD and even though the area was still called les Arènes, the location was lost to time. Until the 1860's when it was rediscovered while building Rue Monge.

It kind of looks like a simple park. More on Arènes de Lutèce here.

After checking in, the Missus was ready to explore. As mentioned earlier; I really enjoyed the vibe of this area. It just seemed a bit more "real" to me, while still being very French.

The Missus was feeling a bit puckish, so we headed up Rue Monge to the branch of Maison Eric Kayser right up Rue Monge.

The place was doing good business. The Missus went for the Almond Croissant and we both had espresso.

And while the croissant looked beautiful; it was a bit too sweet, and the texture of the croissant wasn't to the Missus's liking.

Eric Kayser
14 Rue Monge
75005 Paris, France

We actually enjoyed the croissants and especially the gougères from this nearby corner bakery more….sorry, no photos this time around….

Bolstered by the espresso we headed off; the Missus wanted to see the Pantheon, so we headed up Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, turning on Rue Clovis, passing Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont.

And then hitting the crowds around the corner at the Panthéon.

Where many famous French citizens such as Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, and Voltaire are interred.

There are quite a few impressive structures nearby; like this one, the Mairie du 5e arrondissement de Paris.

Which is the town hall.

A few blocks away is Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Garden), the wonderful green space of Luxembourg Palace, where the French Senate meets. This being a laid back Sunday afternoon, it was a great place to relax for a bit and people watch.

Like I've said many times….folks in Europe really know how to relax and enjoy a leisure day……

From the Gardens, we headed toward the Seine, passing Église Saint-Sulpice.

The church's distinctive round towers reaching to the sky. It's interesting to note that the South Tower, the one on the right in the photo above is actually unfinished. I was told that the an event; one might have heard of, called the French Revolution interrupted the construction and the tower is left unfinished.

From here we wandered the back streets, passing places like Le Deux Magots (The Two Chinamen) Café.

Where folks like Hemingway, Camus, Picasso, and even Jim Morrison used to hang out.

There's quite a bit to see around here; the Hotel where Oscar Wilde died, places where George Sand and Richard Wagner lived…..and even a statue of Voltaire.

There's more than enough history to go around……

That's the view across the Seine from the Pont des Arts.

We decided to head on back to the Hotel Monge and take a short break before dinner. Place Saint Michel was bustling. There were quite a few soldiers patrolling the streets in this area, as crowds gathered around the Fontaine Saint Michel.

There was something happening on every corner it seemed.

After a nice break we headed out to dinner. The place I chose was Terroir Parisien which had been highly recommended.

Strangely, we fond the menu and preparation to be nothing special and very pedestrian. Also, the service was on the brusque side. Terroir Parisien was touted as being a chef driven locavorian (is there such a word?) bistro. For some reason, we weren't particularly drawn to the food here. Since Terroir Parisien has since closed, perhaps others shared our opinion?

Anyway, here's what we had.

Perhaps we'd been eating so well on this trip that we'd become jaded? I'm not quite sure, but everything except the oeufs au plat, lard de Paris (basically two eggs and bacon) was really underwhelming.

Terroir Parisien (Closed)
20 rue Saint Victor
75005 Paris, France

Still, we were enjoying the liveliness of Paris.

And tomorrow was going to be our last in the City of Lights. We intended to make the best of it!

From Quebec City to Montreal

September 16, 2017 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Beer, Canada, Montreal, Travel

We finished up dinner at Le Lapin Saute and took another nice stroll around the Lower Town before heading back to our hotel room.

Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Victoires looked quite stunning at night.

Back at the room, while the Missus drew Herself a bath; I decided to relax and enjoy this last night in QC a bit. Based on what my phone told me, I'd earned it.

I did 53 floors? I really did earn it.

I slept like a baby…..

It was our last morning in Quebec City. We'd had a blast; from walking the streets of the Upper and Lower Town, to visiting the oldest existing grocery in North America, to having a wonderful lunch and getting to use my very limited Japanese, and of course, there's the "Red Door". While we felt like we did quite a bit, there was still much more to do. Seems like QC had become a favorite travel destination for us. While life is full of those "once in a lifetime places", like Easter Island, it's places like Quebec City that we return to.

We had time until check-out and our train wasn't leaving until 1pm, so we took one last walk.

For some reason, I really like this photo.

The horse drawn carriage leading the tour bus down the street.

We stopped for a croissant and espresso at Paillard.

On the way back to our room; the Missus saw another locale She had read about when trying to find out what the "Red Door" was all about.

According to the KorCan Blog, this is the "Christmas Shop" in the series. We stopped in at the little shop where it's Christmas every day. Very cute.

La Boutique de Noël de Québec
47 Rue De Buade
Quebec City, Canada

Speaking of the KDrama; SJP sent me this link to the Chateau Frontenac website; where they actually have something called the "Ultimate Golbin Experience". You can stay in the actual suite where Goblin was filmed….for only $1129 CAN a night! Sheesh….

And then strolled back down Côte de la Montagne, which is the oldest remaining street in the city.

It was once the only street which connected the Lower and Upper Towns of the city.

After a brief respite, we packed and went to check-out. We really enjoyed staying at the Auberge Saint-Antoine. The hotel was so comfortable, the staff and amenities wonderful. There's also a good bit of history here. The property was once both a wharf house and a cannon battery. When the hotel was being constructed, items dating back to the 17th century were being uncovered. So it became sort of a dual construction – archaeological site. Many of the items excavated can be found restored and on display in the hotel.

And then was what I could say was the "crowning moment", the "cherry on the top", that totally sold the Missus on the hotel. I went ahead and settled our bill at the counter. As we walked out the door; the desk clerk, a very nice gentleman, walked after us, calling to the Missus, "madam….madam". We stopped and turned around. He handed the Missus a bag of still warm cookies saying, "Madam, these cookies just came out of the kitchen and this is for you." You gotta love it! As we walked to the train station, the Missus looked at me and said, "we're definitely staying here again….." It's the small things that count.

We took the short walk to the train station and because we had Business Class tickets were able to use the lounge; which was really small, and rather tight. As we walked in and tried to find some seats, the Missus tapped me on the shoulder and said, "aren't you going to say hello to your new friends?" It was the group of Japanese women I translated the menu for at Le Saint-Armour. The were all smiling and waving. I waved back, laughing.

Our ride back to Montreal was uneventful…..other than listening to the woman with the drink cart trying to explain what the different cocktails were to the women….. This one, I had no idea about; so I hung back.

We got back to bustling Montreal. It seems the weather had cleared up and it was getting to be kind of warm. This time around, we stayed at an AirBnB in the Plateau Mont-Royal area. I wanted to stay in the area because….well, the food of course. There aren't many hotels, but I found what turned out to be a huge apartment on Avenue du Parc.

So, we were back in Montreal…..time to start eating!

Hida-Takayama – Sakurayama Hachimangū Shrine and Dinner at Hida Takayama Kyoya

September 13, 2017 mmm-yoso Hida-Takayama and Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Travel

We took a short nap after visiting Hida Folk Village and having lunch at Maruaki. When we woke, it was close to dusk. We decided to take a walk around Takayama before settling in for dinner. As with many tourist day trip destinations; Hida-Takayama slows down at night. Things were so peaceful and relaxed. We got a kick out of watching these kids having fun around the Miyagawa River. Remember, it had snowed just two days previous, so that water must have been pretty cold.

Of course, the kids here must be used to the cold….I guess.

We loved walking the various "preservation" area streets of Hida-Takayama.

And with no one around; you felt transported back in time.

We saw a couple of sake breweries; you could tell by the "Sugidama" (cedar ball) hung in front of the business.

During this walk; we concentrated on the Northeastern side of the Old Town.

Just as we started walking up the street to Sakurayama Hachimangū Shrine it started….the "Golden Hour".

We got lucky again.

To the right (north) of the shrine is Takayama Yatai Kaikan where the floats for the Takayama Festival are stored, some of which are hundreds of years old. Of course, this was dusk and the place was closed. I'm certain we'll be back one day, so I'm keeping that on the "list".

Sakurayama Hachimangū Shrine dates back to the Fifth Century; you can find the story about the founding of the Shrine here. It's a short, but fun read…..and involves a monster, Ryoumen Sukuna, that has 2 heads, 4 arms and 4 legs! and you wonder where all those Japanese monster movies came from, right?

We made a brief stop to walk around a bit……I loved this poor little snowman, who was just trying to hang in there……

We really enjoyed the walk, but it was getting close to our dinner reservation time, so we headed down the street.

I knew if we found the stream that fed into the Miyagawa River, we'd fine our dinner destination.

And sure enough, a few blocks down we found Kyoya.

While trying to find a dinner spot during our one night in Takayama, Kyoya came up several times as a place to try local specialties.

The interior is rustic and warm.

The folks here are really tourist friendly, several of the folks spoke some English.

There are several "set" options on the menu and you know, the Missus was all about the "Hoba Miso Yaki". So we ordered the Hida Beef Luxury Set and the Hoba Miso Set.

The Luxury set (3000 ¥ – about $27/US) had the Hoba Miso with Beef, which was very nice….loved the flavor of the miso, earthy-beany, not salty, very savory.

But we still thought the nuanced flavor of the beef was lost in this.

There was also a serving of beef and yakiniku items.

While we felt, in terms of tenderness, the beef at Maruaki was better; these cuts had a more pronounced beefiness to them.

The miso soup was just delici-yoso….something I rarely say about miso soup; but man, the local miso is so good. Nice savory-beany tones, not salty, really great flavor.

And then there was the tofu…..man, this was the best bean curd I've had in a while. The look and texture seemed like that of frozen tofu….I asked but no one could understand what I was saying.

The flavor was so condensed…….

The Hoba Set (1300 ¥ – about $12/US) is basically vegetarian and we actually enjoyed it more than the beef….go figure.

Wonderful, creamy, savory goodness.

And this came with a larger portion of veggies and beancurd.

The cucumber had a nice fermented flavor; I'm thinking perhaps kasuzuke? There were two different types of tofu provided; the one that looked spongy really seemed like frozen tofu; I'd never had kouya tofu before and we both just loved it. The Missus loves Her frozen tofu….well, just tofu period and these two version had really condensed bean curd flavor.

Both sets came with pickles, rice, and that miso soup.

Funny, we came for the hoba yaki, but ended up loving the tofu…go figure. Maybe it was the three tokkuri of sake? But I think not.

In the end, perhaps Kyoya is a bit touristy……but it's done in the typical Japanese way, for Japanese and non-Japanese to enjoy. Nothing tasted dumbed down, the flavors were good, and the folks were pretty friendly. The prices may be a bit more, but we really enjoyed the place.

Hida Takayama Kyoya
1-77 Oshinmachi
Takayama 506-0851, Gifu Prefecture

There's a kind of quiet peacefulness to Hida-Takayama at night…….

That just set the right mood for us…..

Thanks for reading!

Hida-Takayama – Hida Folk Village and Lunch at Maruaki

September 9, 2017 mmm-yoso Hida-Takayama and Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Steakhouse, Travel

Sitting right behind the Engineer made our 2 hour and change train ride from Nagoya go by rather quickly. It was very interesting to watch the Engineer and the different hand signals he used. We arrived at Takayama Station and made our way to the rather humble Hotel Hana. I'd read a bit about Takayama, or to be more precise when talking to Japanese about the town; Hida-Takayama to differentiate the town from others named Takayama. There's a rather well known Old Town, some charming sights, but I had the town on our itinerary for one specific dish….more on that later.

After dropping off our bags. It was too early for check-in. The front desk person didn't speak a lick of English, so you gotta love Google translate. We headed off, stopping first to take a look at the marbled Hida Beef. Hida Beef, especially "Hida-gyu" (versus Hida Wagyu) is considered by many to be even more delicate, with thinner muscle fibers than Kobe beef and is much treasured. We stopped at Maruaki to take a look.

I gotta say; the beef looked quite impressive. This coming from a guy who has had A5 Kobe Beef in said city.

We did stick around very long since I wanted the Missus to check out Hida Folk Village (Hida-no-Sato, 飛騨の里), which was, according to the friendly woman at the TI stand; about 45 minute to an hour walk, or a ten minute bus ride up the hill. Guess which the Missus choose?

Actually, it was a very nice walk. In spite of the sun it was fairly cool. In fact, the day before we arrived I checked the temperature for Takayama and this is what I saw.

I sent this to a friend of mine in San Diego and she said; "oh, it's about the same in San Diego!" And then I mentioned this was in Fahrenheit not Celsius!

It had actually snowed two days before we arrived! During the first week of April. The air was crisp and clean; it was a nice walk as we got to take in the sights along the way.

Including the Teddy Bear Eco-Village. For real…….

And yes, that's snow….. And no, we didn't stop here. Though perhaps you might if you visit Takayama.

There's a certain charm to Hida-Takayama that, combined with a cool weather really put us into a good mood.

In fact, we were in such a good mood when we arrived that we decided to take the touristy photo…..

So who's that charming red faced character….no not me, the other three? Well, we had no idea! We saw this character everywhere, so later in the afternoon, I went to the TI and asked. Turns out, these little fellows are known as Sarubobo (さるぼぼ), which literally means "Monkey-baby". Traditionally, grandmothers in Gifu Prefecture would make these doll for their grandchildren. It's a good luck charm and both of us wished that we'd actually bought one for us….a Sarubobo of our own! Next time for sure.

Hida Folk Village is an open air museum; with 30 structures, some close to 500 years old, many of them moved from their original villages to preserve them.

Of note are the gasshō-zukuri styled houses, thatched roofs built at a steep angle like hands joined together in prayer (gassho).

The farmhouses are beautifully preserved and we get a look into how daily life was in these villages.

And the traditions…..

The snow on the structures and the fact that we had the place almost all to ourselves really added to the atmosphere.

Just think; if we'd arrived just two days earlier, we wouldn't be walking around quite as much.

We took a short break and got some drinks from the ever present vending machines.

And bade our farewell to Hida Folk Village. If you're ever in the area; a visit is highly recommended.

We headed back down to Takayama. The walk had done its work on our appetites. While walking back, we decided to head back to Maruaki and check out the restaurant. Which is located right next to the shop.

The place was doing some major business and the crowd seemed mostly tourists of all nationalities.

On the wall are photos of the farmers who provide the beef for Maruaki.

And while most folks were ordering one of the set meals of Hida Beef; there was one item I was after – Hoba Miso Yaki.

This dish from the Gifu area is meat and vegetables, with local miso grilled on Magnolia (Hoba) leaves. The Missus loved the version we've had at Okariba in Kyoto, so when planning this trip, I added Hida-Takayama to the itinerary.

The meat was very tender, the beefiness mild, as was the miso, beany-nutty, but not too salty. It almost felt criminal to eat such good quality beef this way; mixed with miso and vegetables.

The meal came with a simple salad; very crisp and refreshing, a light sesame dressing.

Salads can be quite expensive in Japan and I think the Missus was missing this; so we ordered a Beef Salad. Man, the seared beef in this was very tender and tasty.

Service was so-so, fairly professional, quite detached, probably a bit jaded with having to work with tourists all the time.

But we enjoyed our meal.

Hidagyu Maruaki
6-8 Tenmanmachi
Takayama 506-0025, Gifu Prefecture

Now it was time to check in and take a load off.

Thanks for reading!

Quebec City – Lunch at Le Saint-Armour

August 31, 2017 mmm-yoso Canada, Canada Food and Restaurants, Fine Dining, French Restaurants, Memorable Meals, Quebec City, Travel

We decided to cap off a fun morning in QC, with a nice lunch. During our walk around QC the previous day, we wandered away from Rue Saint-Jean and came across one of the restaurants I had on my list; Le Saint-Armour. The lunch menu, while not cheap, looked interesting. One of the Servers came out and chatted with us. Since the restaurant was a short detour from the way back to the hotel; we decided to stop and have lunch.

We were led to our table by the nice gentleman who chatted with us yesterday. He even remembered us.

The elegant, though simple exterior of the restaurant belies the charming, classy, and quite elegant dining area. A garden like ambiance, what seems to be a former courtyard is topped with a glass ceiling….the natural light and colors just give the place so much character. Quite romantic…..

It was easy to pick our choices from the lunch menu…I think we're getting a bit predictable these days….

The baguette was lovely and warm; which doesn't seem to be the norm in QC.

And of course, I started with the Foie Gras.

The foie gras was very refined; super smooth, perhaps too much for my tastes these days; which is now evolving to enjoy more earthy flavors. The purees were interesting; Sea Buckthorn Jelly, slightly bitter with a touch of tanginess and sweetness, and "Apple Spruce", which tasted like a basic apple based sauce.

The Missus's choice was more interesting, called "Asparagus Elegance".

The asparagus had such a nice, pronounced flavor, it seems that vegetables really shine in this part of the world. The parma ham was tender and added a nice salty component to the dish as did the cheese; a washed rind cheese from Charlevoix (in Canada), which added a fairly mild, milky-acidity to the dish. Of course there was that perfectly poached quail egg.

The Missus got the Pork Cheek for Her main, which She loved.

The mushrooms and sunchokes really added nice earthy tones to the dish. The pork cheek was perfectly braised…spoon tender; though the sauce was a bit too strong for my taste.

I got the "Red Deer"….possibly the most tender venison I've ever had.

I could cut that venison with my fork! The jus was seasoned perfectly and added a velvety, earthy elegance. The Missus loved the cauliflower and sweet potato purees. And that one lovely piece of mushroom in the corner had me wishing for a whole plate of it.

Dessert, is of course the Missus's department and She enjoyed both.

I thought the chocolate cake was very nice….not too sweet.

And then there was my shining moment. While waiting for coffee service, I walked over to the restroom. As I was returning, a party of four middle aged Asian women walked up and told the hostess, "we have reservations for xxxxxx". They were Japanese! They sat at the table right in front of us. The Missus was quick to point out the 20k Hermes bag one of the women had. They spoke very little English and the good natured Server was trying his best to explain items on the menu to them. In the end he smiled and said; "Madam, I can explain the menu in five languages….unfortunately, Japanese is not one of them…." I decided to seize the moment, walked up to the table, bowed slightly, and said "sumimasen", one of the few words I know in Japanese. Luckily, when it comes to food…perhaps it wasn't perfect, but I was able to go down the menu and say…."hotate……buta tontoro (while pointing to my cheek)…rokuniku….bīfu-sutoroganofu……." all the four women made that Japanese game show sound "aaaah"! They then asked me if I am Japanese and I mentioned that I'm sansei….so speak very little Japanese. They all thanked me and went ahead and ordered. I walked back to the table head held up high! As the Missus smirked, shook Her head, and said; "you're such a show off!" But even She couldn't bring me down. Heck, I milked what little Japanese I knew!