Travel – Page 79

Prague: A walk to the Castle Quarter and Lokal

January 2, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Czech Food and Restaurants, Czech Republic, Prague, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

The day after returning to Prague, we started things early. We'd been to areas like Wenceslas Square, the Charles Bridge, and Old Town Square countless times. But after all of this itme, we hadn't visited one area, Hradčany – the Castle Quarter. Located up the hill from the Little Quarter, it seems that the Missus was "saving" this place for our last day in Prague.

Of course, the Missus couldn't just head on out to the Castle Quarter….ooooh no. Just like the day before, we started out at the Powder Tower and the Municipal House. I gotta say, it looked much prettier sans the crowds, cars, buses, and tour groups.

The sun was shining brightly, even this early in the morning.

Though it was kind of weird seeing the Old Town Square so empty. Kind of eerie in the bright sunshine.

We had gotten used to the crowds, which made us fell like we were almost on a movie set. Strange, we usually enjoy having a place all to ourselves, but it just didn't feel right. Though it was great for taking photos.

Not dodging folks ocming right at and past you, we had a chance to notice other things….like this sign I love; "Techo! House! Jungle Rap ! disco duck?" You gotta love it.

The Charles Bridge was sedate, peaceful, sprakling in the morning sunshine as we looked up at the Castle Quarter.

The Missus decided we'd walk up the hill to the Castle Quarter (of course). Walking up steep Nerudova Street, you can't help but notice the charming buildings that line the street, various restaurants, embassies, hotels, most of which sport very distinctive signs above doorways.

These signs used to indentify the location/residences. Thing of them as addresses of a sort…..

Soon enough, we'd made it to Castle Square…..

Th courtyard area is quite impressive, though nothing tops St. Vitus Cathedral whose spires rise high above Prague and can be seen from quite a distance.

We had arrived pretty early and the ticket offices weren't open yet.

We wandered around just taking in the area, relaxing, grabbing a cup of coffee.

And then, one of those "only in the Czech Republic" moments happened. Every hour, there's a changing of the guard. Nothing odd about that. The band was playing, the sun was shining….then the music stopped and a motorcade appeared, though the car only had a driver. A demonstration of precision driving I assume?

They drove around the courtyard doing figure eights, loop-de-loops, and other patterns from the precision driver's handbook……

Then the motorcade drove away into the distance and the Castle Guards appeared, looking quite dapper and cool behind those shades. They went through a drill routine and marched to music from the band. I stopped when I recognized the music….I swear, it was the theme to "Mission Impossible"! Da-da-da-duh, da-da-da-dah…. Yikes! I actually filmed part of it on my iPhone but it never came out. Bummer……

A few minutes later, we had gotten our tickets and headed off…with the theme from Mission Impossible still playing in my head. Quick, try not to think of that catchy tune right now. Couldn't, could you?

The very Gothic looking Cathedral has quite an history. It was started in 1344, but plagues, wars, deaths of the various Master Builders, and lack of funds delayed the completion of the Cathedral until 1929, almost 600 years!

There's quite a bit to see here; the Royal Mausoleum, amazing stained glass work, The Czech Crown Jewles reside here, displayed once every 8 years. I was especially taken by the wood carving of Prague, which was done in 1630. You can still see familiar landmarks.

As we left, a visiting choir, walked to the middle of the cathedral and began an impromptu performance in an area that seemed to have perfect acoustics….it was amazing; beautiful and haunting. It actually gave me "chicken skin".

The view of the Cathedral form the back is no less impressive….

Close by is the Old Royal Palace, once Bohemian Princes governed from here. The most impressive part is huge Vladislav Hall.

It is so large that it was used for jousting tournaments. In fact, that large stairway used for exiting the building was where the Knights and their horses entered the Hall.

The views of Prague are quite tranquil. It hard to believe that in 1618 two Catholic Governor's were thrown out of the windows of one of the offices in the Ludwig Wing by angry Protestants. Luckily, a dung heap saved them from certain death. This act, called defenestration, started the Thirty Years War.

As you exit the Palace, you can't miss the understated, yet stunning in its own right, the oldest existing church within Prague Castle, the Basilica of St George.

Originally founded in 920, the interior is fascinating and haunting, built in the medieval Romanesque style.

A few steps downhill and to the left is a small street of tiny dwellings called "Golden Lane".

Named for the Goldsmith's that originally worked and lived here, this tiny street also housed castle servants and was in use until World War II. Number 22 is quite popular since it was inhabited by Franz Kafka from 1916 – 1917. Ah, if those walls could talk…..

You exit via a staircase and thru a cannon tower, cum prison which is stocked with a few examples of….well….let's just say "devices".

I know, it's a loooong post and you're wondering "where's the food?" I know by this time we were getting hungry. Though the Missus has a way of making me earn my calories and this was no different. We walked the couple of kilometers to Dlouha, pretty close to Kolkovna to a place I'd read about perhaps 2 dozen times. A pub named Lokal.

The interior itself is quite interesting…..one long hallway….the smoking section is (thankfully) in the back. We arrived a bit early so managed to get a table with no problem.

I had read that the Servers here were actually supposed to be gruff and short with you….it's part of the…well, theme, I guess. But the guy serving us didn't have a nasty bone in his body.

It was a pretty hot day as you can tell by the photos. If there's anything Pilsner Urquell was made for, it was to quench your thirst…..amazingly, the Missus had two!

We started with the "Pork terrine with onion and vinegar dressing". This basically a head cheese, a very nice head cheese!

This was lovely, they don't screw around with flavor here. This was nicely porky, sour, pungent, and probably the best head cheese we had the entire trip.

The House Sausages with Mustard and Whipped Horseradish was fine, if not particularly memorable.

Meanwhile, the sausage made from Prestice Pig, a Czech breed, was very nice. Moist, very much like a tender Kielbasa….a very tender and moist Kielbasa.

The pork neck was very nice as was the gravy. You can order bread dumplings as a side…….which is all you can eat. Even though these might be the best I'd had in Prague, who could eat more than one serving of these belly bombs?

A pretty nice meal.

Lokál
Dlouhá 33
Praha 1, Prague, Czech Republic

We rolled out of the place and walked, quite slowly back to our apartment…..those bread dumplings meant a nap was in order. We'd enjoy our last evening in Prague after a nice nap.

Seattle: Brunch at The London Plane

December 27, 2014 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Breakfast/Brunch, Seattle, Washington, Travel

**** The London Plane has closed

I don't sleep in much. Remember what they say about needing less sleep as you get older? I'm not sure I buy into that, but I usually wake at 5am on work days and by 6:30 or so on weekends. But there's something about the weather and coziness of Seattle that just makes you want to sleep in. Or perhaps it was that wonderful dinner and the rather long walk we had the night before. Regardless, by the time I threw back the curtains on our hotel room, it looked like a glorious day.

Our flight wasn't leaving until 5pm, so I had arranged for a late check-out. We'd just loaf around until then. But first, we needed sustenance.

We'd passed by The London Plane, a wine bar, cum bakery, cum specialty food shop, cum cafe the day before. I'd heard of the place, so we stopped in and looked at the brunch menu. The menu looked interesting, so we decided on yet another Matt Dillon shop for Saturday brunch.

Though the rest of the "in transition" Pioneer Square area looked pretty empty, the London Plane was almost half full.

Much like The Walrus and the Carpenter we just got some really nice seats….upstairs…overlooking the open kitchen.

Our Server told us, "I think you got the best seats in the house…." And I don't doubt him. I love watching the timing and coordination of the different stations. An open kitchen means you've got to work really clean….which this place totally did.

Wanna make a food blogger's day? Give them seats at the counter or open kitchen.

We started with the Smashed Avocado and local Albacore Toast ($12).

I believe the albacore was oil poached…still, it was rather dry, and a bit "fishy" to my tastebuds. Guacamole on toast….why didn't I think of that before? I actually enjoyed the avocado – olive oil…the sourdough, which I think is one of the shop's hallmarks is very good and the red pepper…well, not flakes, but crumbs brought a nice mild smoky, pungent, heat to the whole deal.

Take a look at some of my coolking posts over the last couple of years and you'll notice how various vegetables have started to really take up a bigger part in our diet. So there's no wonder that the Missus decided She wanted brunch here after seeing different assortments of vegetables available for brunch.

By far, my favorite were the Roasted Baby Carrots and Red Emporer Onions with pistachios and mint (far left). I really enjoyed the levels of savory sweetness….it never went too far, the light touch of mint really added a nice touch. The Missus loved the roasted delicata squash (duh…) and kale (double duh…) with tahini and pumpkin seed. Nice balance here as folks tend to be rather heavy handed with tahini.

The raw beet, apple, fennel, and celery slaw with walnuts was definitely no shrinking violet, but was a bit too tart for my taste.

One bad thing about having several enjoyable dishes is that as the meal goes on, the higher the expectations. Since I make gravlax at home, the Missus expected the lox in the Salmon lox, potato, pickled peppers, and creme fraiche was going to be something sublime. I guess simply being "lox" was not good enough……

Of course the Missus loved the romanesco……..but was less than impressed with the rest of it. Deconstructed; the potato is the "bagel", the pickled peppers the red onion and capers, and the creme fraiche….well, creme fraiche. I would love a bit more dill and something more herbaceous to set this off. Not a bad dish by any means….but while carried out well, quite mundane.

As we left, the dining room was packed, and the shop quite busy. We'd enjoyed our meal here and the service(and the coffee) was quite good as well.

The London Plane
300 Occidental Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104

This was a bit more than we'd usually have for breakfast….which left us ready to roll back in bed. Having a late check-out, that's exactly what we did. After all of the walking the last two days, the extra rest was welcomed.

After our nap, we walked around a bit, then checked-out and headed off to SeaTac. Man, the light rail makes everything so easy.

We managed to grab a beer at the airport since we got there early.

And even a grilled cheese and some cheese curds from Beecher's near Concourse C.

Like I learned in Madison; those cheese curds will hold you for a good long time……they were really good; garlic and herb flavor. We didn't get to the grilled cheese until getting home!

Anyway, we had a blast in Seattle; it remains one of my favorite cities. And we surely won't wait another 7 years to return!

Miyajima Day 1: The beauty of Itsukushima Shrine and the “Floating Torii”, plus lunch at Yakigaki-no-Hayashi

December 20, 2014 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Miyajima, Seafood, Travel

Over the last couple of years, I've tried to plan something a bit "different" on our trips…..while it might not be different to the adventurous traveller, for basic folks, not on a tour, without a guide or handlers….well, it might be. When we visited Istanbul-Rhodes, we did a side trip to Symi. When in Tunisia, we travelled to Ksar Ghilane and slept in a tent in the Sahara, on our trip to Portugal and Rome, we visited Malta, on our trip earlier in the year, we took the train to Poperinge, then rented bikes to get to SAint Sixtus, in search of Westvleteren 12…..I know, there's a lot of catching up to do.

I knew there were places the Missus had always dreamed of visiting…..in some cases these places were just something from a photo She had seen. There was a classic photo of Japan……that looked something like this.

The "Floating Tori"…….. So when making plans, between trips to Kyoto and Osaka, I made arrangements to stay over night on Miyajima. That way we'd be able to get past all the day trips. Luck was on our side as Typhoon Vongfong hit the night before we were set to leave.

And by the time we left, it was clear skies…..

Three people emailed me asking for photos of the Shinkansen……so here are a couple of the "Bullet Train" arriving at Kyoto Station.

Getting to Miyajima is a slam dunk….get to Hiroshima Station and change trains to Miyajimaguchi and catch the ferry. The only delay was when the train stopped for about 30 minutes midway. I'm thinking there were still some problems post-typhoon that were being taken care of.

The ferry takes about 10 minutes or so, and finding our hotel, which was right across the Ferry Terminal was a slam dunk. We dropped off our bags and headed off. What I didn't know was that we'd be so busy doing things we wouldn't return until nightfall!

What I really didn't anticipate were how, well, interestingly persistent these residents of the island were.

The deer here are quite, well, I'm not sure if "tame" is the right word. They are used to humans and will grab your bag or tear into your pockets looking for something to snack on. On the other hand, it was funny seeing kids tease the deer and then suddenly have the tables turned…..

There was, of course, one thing the Missus wanted to see. ….so we headed off ASAP. It wasn't hard finding the Floating Torii.

This torii is the gate to Itsukushima Shrine which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This Shinto Shrine is dedicated to the daughters of the God of the Sea and Storms, Susanoo-no-Mikoto.

The island itself was considered sacred, so the shrine was built, out into the bay, so that pilgrims could visit without setting foot on, and defiling the island.

In fact, I've read that to this day, no deaths or births are allowed in proximity to the shrine and no burials are allowed on the island!

It seems that the island was simply created for one to marvel in the beauty of it.

It's obvious why Miyajima is considered one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.

Photogenic sites like the 5-Story Pagoda look really beautiful, but not so much close-up.

It's much better to take a photo like this…..

And while the waterfront and the main shopping arcade are busy and full of tourists. It seems like the back streets are not. Right down the back steps from the pagoda things looked like this.

We caught the scent of coffee and found a little shop, which we later found is pretty popular named Sarasvati and had a nice cup fo coffee.

The great smell of coffee……it seems that Japan does love coffee and takes it to the next level.

It was a nice break. We sat and put together a plan for the rest of the day….which seemed quite easy at the time.

Of ocurse, everything seems simple over a nice cup of iced and non-iced coffee.

We hadn't eaten since our "Vongfong snacks" the night before so getting a bite ot eat would be the first priority.

I had received a recommendation for Miyajima from a friend. Now the trick was finding the place……addresses on Miyajima, much like other places in Japan are kind of a mystery to me. Though in terms of being a trick, it wasn't nearly as amazing as what what that pooch was doing standing on the dude's shoulders! That is one talented and well trained dog.

Anyway, bolstered by our coffee we set off….trying to find our lunch destination. One really nice thing about Miyajima, and Japan as a whole, is people are so very helpful.

As we wandered the back streets, we'd ask people for directions and they were so helpful.

The place was actually located in the main shopping arcade, duh. Here's a photo of the front of shop later in the day.

When we arrived, there was a line outside the restaurant and that oyster grill was going full tilt. Unfortunately, there were only "tatami style seating available. So, there I was….when was the last time I sat this way? I could hear my joints, making a sound like twigs snapping in a windstorm as I tried to sit correctly. My left foot immediately fell asleep and I had the mental picture of trying to get up and falling over on another table and impaling myself on one of those little replicas of the Floating Torii that accompanied the raw oysters.

It was oyster season, so guess what we ordered……

The Nama-Gaki, oysters on the half-shell, really didn't make much of an impression.

While very meaty, they lacked any real, distinct flavor, that would make an imprint in my mind. Very mild, lacking in any great aftertaste, really not impressed. This would be great for the "oyster gringo", you know, the guy who hits the raw bar and says, "gimme the biggest oysters you got…..".

The anago really didn't impress me as well.

Things turned on the kaki-furai….the fried oysters seemed to highlite the best of the local bivalve.

My goodness, the initial crisp texture, followed by the meaty follow-up…something happens when you apply heat to these oysters; the briney-beefy flavor is magnified. This was quite delicious.

The crescendo peaked with the grilled oysters…..

The smoke from the grill just added an additional layer of flavor which took these meaty morsels to the next level. Now I understood what the deal was with Miyajima Oysters……

Life was good. I managed to get up after our meal without falling over onto another table.

The Missus had made Her plans for the day and now it was all about surviving it.

Yakigaki No Hayashi
505-1 Hatsukaichi
Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

Clearing Out the Memory Card: Our favorite restaurant in Rhodes Town (Greece) – Taverna Kostas

December 19, 2014 mmm-yoso Greece, Greek Food, Rhodes, Travel

As much as we enjoyed Rhodes, we had been kind of underwhelmed at the food we'd had. It's the tourist trade that brings in the money, I get it. It wasn't until the end of our stay on Rhodes that we found a place, a humble taverna in the Old Town, just a block or so off the main tourist track, named Taverna Kostas.

You walk in and it looks like a simple little shop.

The first time we visited, we peeked in the front and had our doubts, but the older gentleman sitting at the table peeling garlic, stood up and warmly greeted us…."welcome, welcome….come in!" And we couldn't turn back. This was Kostas, whom we loved…….warm and friendly, with a gentle demeanor.

We were led to a much brighter and nicer dining area at the rear of the restaurant.

There were no other workers in the place………everything was done by one man….and done with great joy.

When we mentioned how much we loved the olive oil he served, Kostas, smiled and said he got it from one of his relatives…..

Then proceeded to show on the standard issue Rhodes Taverna paper tablecloth, cum map where he got the olive oil from.

When a larger party came in, we noticed they set the table themselves, putting on the tablecloth and getting water………as they conversed with Kostas, it became clear that they were regular visitors who came to Rhodes every year and ate here….they knew the drill.

The next night, after walking past several places, we decided to head back to Kostas. After walking in, we set our own table, which just delighted Kostas! "Good, good….thank you….you are now family!"

The item the Missus enjoyed the most were the Gigantes Plaki.

Something which I've been making since we returned from Rhodes.

My favorite was the octopus salad, tender, full of herb flavor, and stil lquite refreshing.

The grilled octopus, while not o the same level in prep or flavor as Vasiliko in Chania on the island of Crete, was still good enough for us to order it twice.

And while some of the other dishes were less memorable, none of them were bad at all.

Of all the meals we had on Rhodes, it was this humble taverna that we enjoyed the most. On another funny note, one of the restaurant owners of a place in Rhodes I posted on has sent me a couple of emails ordering me to delete my post or be slapped with a law suit….really? C'mon, get serious. Just kind of tells you about the folks who run that place…..

And then you have Taverna Kostas. A little place on a side street with well priced, unpretentious, honest food…. and one heck of a nice owner.

Taverna Kostas
Pythagora 62
Rhodes Town, Greece

Kyoto Day 3: Typhoon Day – Nishiki Market, Shopping, Katsu Don, and Gyoza

December 18, 2014 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Markets & Grocers, Travel

The Missus had made some plans for our third day in Kyoto. Unfortunately, the impending arrival of Typhoon Vongfong made us change our plans a bit. Masae, the owner of our Machiya kept us apprised of the Typhoon situation, as did Kat. So instead of doing the Philosopher's Walk, we headed off to Shijo-dori to wander around and do some shopping.

Strangely, most things seemed like business as usual. We walked through the Gion and over the bridge, first heading to Nishiki Market, which, unlike the mass of humanity we encountered on our first day in Kyoto was quite sedate at this time of the day.

A handful of businesses were closed, but for most it was just another day it seemed. Like these two who were out scrubbing the walkway in fornt of their shop…….right before a Typhoon?

My favorite stop was the knife shop….with all the handmade scissors and knives.

At the east end of Nishiki Market on Teramachi street is Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine.

The lanterns are quite stunning.

The water that comes from the deep well in the shrine is supposed to be so pure and clean that it has no odor and the temperature is usually at a steady 65 degrees.

The shopping arcades were quite empty at this time of the morning……in startk contrast to our previous visit to the area.

We couldn't help but notice all the "Kyoto drip" gear in a shop called Holly's Cafe as we walked past.

The Missus, who's become a bit of a coffee nerd over the last year just had to stop. So I had a nice Kyoto cold brew….which was very cheap compared to the states….like about $2.50 or so!

It was a nice and relaxing break…….sitting and watching the folks walk by on a slightly wet Sunday morning.

Refreshed we headed off, across the Kamo River for the umpteenth time.

On the corner of Hanamikoji and Shijo streets the Missus found a bustling shop…..full of make-up and other stuffs. One of the objectives of this trip was to stock up on various brands and products, so the Missus was in heaven.

The store was a outpost of Yojiya a time honored Kyoto brand known for their facial blotting paper. The Missus had a blast and purchased a good number of gifts.

We'd done a pretty good job of passing the time and the Missus was getting hungry. She was still craving that karaage from Karako, so we headed up Higashishoji-dori, first stopping off to unload our purchases.

Unfortunately, Karako was closed due to the impending storm. I recalled a couple of shops across the street and we found one of them open. We decided on eating here based on the plastic food display.

No English spoken, but not a big deal….. I had the Tempura Soba, which was nice and hot.

The Missus had been wanting to have a Katsudon, one of Her favorite dishes since we got to Japan, so She got Her wish…though what She really wanted was a Chicken Katsudon, which seemed to be pretty rare…..anyway, She finally got a katsudon.

She actually enjoyed the miso soup the most. As for the katsudon? I think it did the job, though She did tell me; "you know what….you make a pretty good katsudon."

Usually, when we travel, I get some aches and pains from all the walking……with the Missus making fun of all the "grandpa" noises I make. On this trip, I could tell that all the walking was taking a toll on the Missus as well. Somehow, it just made all my aches feel that much better….I guess sharing the wealth does that to you.

Heading back for a post lunch nap we passed this shop.

This place specialized in Yatsuhashi, one of the most well known confections of Kyoto.

We decided to get a few nama yatsuhashi….the soft, unbaked version to try.

I'm not big on sweets and the Missus doesn't care for cinnamon flavored confections, so while it was nice to try these, I don't think we'll be racing back to buy any.

We headed back in a rather roundabout way, taking our time. It had started to rain intermittently, the sky was getting pretty dark, and the wind was starting to pick up.

Even the ducks in Shirakawa Canal seemed to think something was up as they all faced the same direction….upstream.

We headed back to the machiya, the Missus took a nice long bath, and I worked on a post. We'd been going at a pretty good pace so an easy day was a nice treat and just what we needed.

After a short nap we awoke and decided to take a walk around. It was starting to rain pretty hard and the wind was blowing pretty good…..but there were still quite a few people and cars out and about.

We wandered around a bit, then headed back….

Meanwhile, many of the shops in the shopping arcade started closing up early. Even with all of this; things just seemed to happen at a very relaxed pace. Before leaving Tokyo, we chatted with Reiko about the Typhoon. She said, "yes Kirk-san, there will be some rain, maybe some wind……." Some rain? Maybe some wind?

Darkness seemed to fall quickly, like someone pulling a shade down. The big question was, "what are we going to eat?" There was always picking something up at Family Mart….you could basically live out of convenience stores in Japan….though I'm not quite sure what your sodium levels would be after a couple of weeks.

We'd noticed a gyoza shop right around the corner from the shopping arcade the previous day. This seemed like a simple, light meal.

Just one of the many shops you see everywhere…. Serving basically one thing; here it's gyoza, with a few small "salads" on the menu. And cold beer……nice, cold, and refreshing beer.

The gyoza was as good a gyoza can be; crisp on the bottom, the filling nice and light….nothing like a good guotie, mind you, but still good.

We actually enjoyed the onion salad more.

Earlier in the evening, Kat sent me a text, reminding me to pick up some snacks since we wouldn't be going out and about this evening. Thanks Kat! So on the way back, we dropped by the market, which was pretty busy…….. I guess everyone was buying some snacks on typhoon night!

So that's what we did as typhoon Vongfong passed. The Missus was upstairs reading….while I turned on a television for the first time during this whole trip and watched storm reports….

While having a couple of beers and some snacks.

Sometime before drifting off to sleep the Missus said, "you owe me……another trip to Kyoto". I told Her, "no problem, we can come back anytime you want." We have unfinished business here. Which I'm hoping to take care of in the near future.

Thanks for reading!

Seattle: Intrigue Chocolates, Sitka & Spruce, Starbuck’s Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room , and some Figgy Pudding

December 14, 2014 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Caffeine Fix, Chains, Chocolate, Desserts, Fine Dining, Seattle, Washington, Travel

The Missus felt refreshed after Her nap and I felt good after taking a walk around the Pioneer Square area.

Before heading off to Sitka & Spruce for dinner, the Missus needed a couple of gifts. Chocolate is always appreciated. I looked up a couple of places and found a listing for Intrigue Chocolate who specializes in truffles.

The kitchen, cum shop is located….well, I'll quote the website:

"The shop, which is also our industrial-style kitchen, can be a little tricky to find because we are not on the street level. Easiest way to find us is to find the entrance to Sake Nomi (Sake bar) and continue up the stairs. Then it's just down the hall which turns to the left, and we are the clearly marked brown door, third on the left."

The two guys running the place were so enthusiastic, they'd let us try everything if we'd been able to stay longer! They also make a nice cold brew concentrate as well!

Our favorites were the Juniper Berry and the Nutmeg & Chipotle.

We loved the place, they just seem to enjoy what they do…..and even though they currently use, high quality Belcolade chocolate, we were given a taste of a work in progress, the chocolate they are developing on their own. It was nice talking coffee and Belgian chocolate. We'll be back.

Intrigue Chocolate
76 S Washington St. Suite 104
Seattle, WA 98104

We headed back to our room, dropped off the truffles, and headed off to….

Sitka & Spruce:

**** Sitka & Spruce has closed

The walk was a tad over a mile, though the hills…..sheesh…anyway we did pretty good time, about 20 minutes to Melrose Market in the popular and trendy Capitol Hill neighborhood. We loved the setting; Sitka & Spruce is located in back of the brick building, understated, in that warm, yet somewhat industrial style, high ceilings, a large communal table, and open kitchen…..

The restaurant itself is not large; just a few tables, counter, and communal table seating. As is our MO, we try to eat early, before the rush and crowds. We usually get a better experience and the restaurant is able to do "it's thing".

My main reason for selecting S&S was the menu, which is nice and tight, focusing on seasonal Northwest products. We both thought the tapas-type dishes were much more interesting and we prefer having a tasting style meal. Our diet has changed quite a bit over the last couple of years and the small dishes at S&S seemed right up our alley. A variety of great local produce with interesting combinations of texture and flavors. So we were quite excited to try this establishment of the Matt Dillon empire.

There was one interesting thing about the beverage selection…..based on our dinner the previous night at The Walrus and the Carpenter and now Sitka & Spruce, it seems that Wine and Cocktails are still king for meals in Seattle. Which I thought strange since I usually see Seattle ranked in the top 10 beer cities in the US. Here it's nothing on tap, five choices Hilliard from a can or Rainier?

Whatever….I guess we'd just go and find the Stumbling Monk, or another place after dinner.

We started with the Charcuterie ($25)

While the air dried ham (aka prosciutto, though they can't call it that) was "meh", really bland and lacking in the deep cured flavor we love, there were some real winner here. The chicken liver, basically a a light, spreadable pate really caught me off guard, sweet molasses at first, giving away to savory, with that chicken liver finish. I'm not a big fan of metallic chicken liver flavors, though I love my pate's. This gave me a wonderful ride. The duck rillette had a tremendous almost condensed duck flavor. The head cheese was nice and balanced and the pork terrine was also very tasty. Loved the variety of flavors present here.

Next up Delicata Squash, Haloumi, and Pumpkin Seeds ($15).

We started seeing Delicata Squash on menus last fall. The Missus loves them; moderately sweet, with a nice texture, and an edible peel….heck, even I enjoy them. So it goes without saying the Missus loved this. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors, the nuttiness of the pumpkin seeds, the light subtle milkiness of the haloumi cheese. I thought the amount of nuttiness and milky flavors went beyond just the haloumi and pumpkin seeds. When I mentioned this to our Server, she also noted that the sauce was made of whey and argan oil. The mint also added another dimension of flavor…….

My least favorite dish of the night was the Charred Celeriac, Braised Quince, Ambrosia Apple and Bread Crisps ($15).

I really didn't care for the amount of almost tart-tannic flavors. The celeriac was lost in the dish. Tongue numbing and not in a good way.

The Smoked Potato, Pickled Seaweed, Anchovy, and Egg Yolk ($16), took me to that edge…..I loved the smoky flavor, the seaweed added a nice oceany brine, the anchovies were teetering on the edge of too salty, but that egg yolk somehow seemed to temper the salt.

I loved the smoked potatoes….why hadn't I tried that before? Smashed potatoes also seemed to be "the thing" in Seattle. The Missus said She'd have preferred bacon, but I told Her, "that would be so TGI Friday's". Loved the crisp skin on the potatoes as well. you can tell by the meal I made the day after we returned, that this dish made an imprint.

By far, the best single dish we had on this trip was the Hen of the Woods Mushroom, Guanciale, Oyster Cream, and Cider ($18).

My goodness, the earthy-savory aroma, meaty texture of the Hen of the Woods mushroom, more familiar to me as Maitake, was just superb. The sage along with the cider added an citrus tone, along with a hint of sweetness. The oysters in the sauce just took the flavors to another level. I'm not sure of the purpose of the guanciale as I couldn't make out any pork flavors. But who cares. In terms of an outstanding dish; this has our votes.

I realize that the dishes we chose and enjoyed at S&S might not be for everyone; especially the hardcore carnivore. There are 3-4 entrees on the menu any given night….this time it was chicken, black cod, and rabbit. I just chose dishes that best reflected the foraging background of Matt Dillon. I believed that this would be the strongpoint of the restaurant and it seemed that way to us. Our check came in at a bit over a hundred and it was worth every penny.

Sitka & Spruce
1531 Melrose Ave
Seattle, WA 98101

We were a bit too full and decided against finding a pub. But, as we headed back toward Pike Street we noticed a crowd of people being let into a building. We walked up Pike a bit, then headed back down. When we passed the building again, the Missus couldn't help it…..we had to go and check it out.

The place seemed buzzing….hip…..totally perfect for the Missus….totally wrong for me.

Arriving at the door, we asked the gentleman inside what was going on. "This is the grand opening of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room, please come in……" Wow, it seemed like a big deal.

Just looking at the equipment, it looks like Starbucks is experimenting with going more high end.

I'm not the biggest fan of Starbucks….but kudos to them for seeming to ride the Third Wave.

This place looks fantastic and smells wonderful. Roasters were on hand to explain the different processes and equipment.

These guys really know how to market…….

Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room
1124 Pike St
Seattle, WA 98101

Heading down Pike, we ran into the inevitable shopping crowds…..heck, Christmas is around the corner.

But the crowd seemed extra dense and we heard music in the air……and my goodness…Sugarplum Elves?

Well, it turns out we ran into the Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition near Westlake Center. Man, this was cute and fun.

This was the 28th annual contest and it was such fun. The proceeds goes to the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank. I'm guessing this is a good cause and event since even the Ferguson protesters we'd seen the night before decided to cancel their demonstration on this evening.

It's a fun event……all ages participate.

It's all these things that makes Seattle special for us….there's always an interesting surprise.

We talked about this as walked back to Whole Foods……the Missus wanted me to get in as much exercise as I could. This was the reason I was thinking of moving here before I met the Missus.

And while I don't think we could live here; it's a bit too cold, there's not enough Asian food within a 2 hour drive, and there's not enough sunshine. The city holds a special place in our hearts. So I guess we'll have to keep coming back.

Seattle: Breakfast at Lola, Pike Place Market and Piroshky Piroshky, a visit to Tom Bihn, and other familiar places

December 12, 2014 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Markets & Grocers, Seattle, Washington, Travel

After putting in the miles the previous day, we awoke to what I consider a rather typical Seattle morning.

It always makes me want to jump right back in bed…… We usually wake very early when travelling. Getting up at 4 or 5 am is the norm, whether in Hanoi, Prague, Antigua, or Istanbul. When in Seattle though, we usually get a great, long, night of sleep. And usually awake famished……

The Missus picked the spot for breakfast; Lola in Belltown. I was interested as well, since this is part of the Tom Douglas empire. In spite of all my visits to Seattle, I'd only eaten in one Tom Douglas restaurant; Dahlia Lounge back in 1994, when he won the James Beard award for Best Chef: Northwest.

It was 8am on a Friday morning and the place was packed!

The Missus ordered the "Lola Breakfast" ($15)…..and for some reason ordered Her eggs boiled…6 minute eggs. One of the eggs that arrived had cracked and the albumen was oozing out sloppily. She asked about it and the Server grumpily removed the plate and it was brought back very quickly….so we knew they had just scrapped off the egg whites and dropped the plate back on the table…. the eggs, were also way past 6 minute territory.

Other than that, the smashed garlic potatoes were wonderful….I enjoyed the fingerling the best. We had potatoes this way twice in Seattle, something that I had done at home a while back, but now I've been inspired to do potatoes this way again. The bacon was very nice, great flavors, crisp around the edges, chewy in the center.

I ordered Tom's Favorite Breakfast ($19). I had read that Lola is Greek inspired and this "hash" of sorts featured octopus, which did not disappoint.

The octopus was among the best I've had in ages, perfectly tender, yet slight crisp from the griddle. The winter squash added a wonderful, mild sweetness to the dish, the bacon, salty-smoky flavors, and let's not forget the leek, which brought the entire dish together.

The poached egg was adequate, though I'm not a fan of the sourdough toast here….they are still into hard and chewy breads here.

We both enjoyed the coffee and instead of feeling weighed down by breakfast, both thought this hit the right balance in terms of portion size.

Lola
2000 4th Ave
Seattle, WA 98121

We then headed off to this Seattle landmark and truly one of my favorite places in the world.

No matter how many times I've visited Seattle; I've never gotten tired of checking out Pike Place Market.

We have our favorite places; the Missus never gets tired of watching donuts being made at the Daily Dozen Doughnut Company and I enjoy checking out Beecher's Cheese.

And then of course, as I mentioned back in 2007, Piroshky Piroshky is a must stop……

Well, make that "used to be" a must stop. I got a Sauerkraut, Cabbage, and Carrot ($4.20) which seemed to be a shadow of its former self….did they change the recipe somewhere in the recent past? First, the filling was pretty cold and strangely bland, second, the pastry lacked the buttery-yeasty flavor that we both recall.

Kind of sad since this used to be a tradition for us…….

Piroshky Piroshky
1908 Pike Pl
Seattle, WA 98101

Still, it's always grest to visit Pike Place Market and to check out places that weren't around the last time we visited……I did want to taste the shot of the brine at Britt's Pickles, but no one was around….so we'll just have to go next time.

We then started off to our next stop when it started to come down a bit. So we ducked into Seattle Coffee Works…the Missus had Her V60 pour over and I had some iced coffee.

When things settled down a bit we caught the route 131 bus down to SODO. Now, I might joke about the Missus and Her love for Chanel bags and such……but I've got a bit of a bag fetish as well. You see, I'd been searching for the perfect carry-on bag for years. We only do carry-on when we're travelling, unless we'll be bringing stuff back….we have a foldable duffle for that. A few years back, I got a Tom Bihn Tri Star, basically a European sized carry-on and I loved it. The Missus complained about spending so much for luggage, ya-da, ya-da, ya-da…..Until the Aeronaut 30 came out and I got Her one…..now She's a Tom Bihn-nite as well.

Anyway, Tom Bihn's factory and only showroom is located on Ohio Ave South. So we caught the bus, got out at the South Dawson Street stop and walked to the showroom.

The showroom is basically a partitioned off section in front of the factory floor. But…. I was in travel bag geek heaven! Anyway, the Missus determined that I should get an Aeronaut 45, which can actually hold a lot more than I believed. So yes, another bag for me…….

Tom Bihn

4750A Ohio Ave S
Seattle, WA 98134

We caught the bus back to Pioneer Square. By now we were getting a bit hungry. So we stopped by this fast casual shop named Sprout, ordered a Cobb Salad and went back to the room and shared it. By now it was nap time for the Missus and usually, I'd be joining Her. But, for some reason, I was still a bit jazzed. I guess that 10 hours of sleep I got he night before really did me good….except for my legs of course….

It had dried out a bit, so I decided to take a walk around the area….to some of those places I hadn't been to in a while.

Man, the last time I actually visited the Waterfall Garden was back in the 90's.

And though the area is still kind of gritty…..kind of like the Tenderloin in SF, things look a lot better than I remembered. It looks like folks are starting to move into lofts, we saw folks walking their dogs…..

I had a destination in mind…..funny, how you get into a pattern of things. By habit, I went to the "old" location of Uwajimaya…..and then remembered it had moved over a block back in 2000!

Picked up some bottled tea and water and walked back to where we were staying. I was kind of suprised to smell so much reefer in the air as I walked around Seattle. I don't ever recall that before!

I'd been gone over an hour, so the Missus had a nice nap. It looked like it was going to be a nice evening…..

And we had reservations at Sitka & Spruce for dinner…..

Seattle: Lunch at Salumi Artisan Cured Meats and walking to The Walrus and Carpenter

December 7, 2014 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Italian Restaurants, Seafood, Seattle, Washington, Travel

The Missus and I have always said that Seattle is one of our favorite cities. I had even considered moving here before I met the Missus. We’ve always enjoyed the personality and vibe of the city; the unpretentious, tolerant, down-to-earth, polite, though perhaps a bit introverted folks….. We used to visit every year and our best visits were during the holiday season, so shame on us for not visiting since 2007. And double shame on us for not visiting during the end of fall/beginning of winter in 10 years!

There have been alot of changes in the 7 years since we visited, the very inexpensive Link Light Rail route from SeaTac to Downtown Seattle didn’t even exist back then. Now it’s an inexpensive $2.75 from the airport. I’d have never even considered staying near Pioneer Square when I first started visiting in 1993, yet here we were dropping off our luggage at the Courtyard Pioneer Square. It was easy making eating plans for this trip. Included in those plans was a visit to the Walrus and the Carpenter. The Missus jumped at the plan, since most of our past trips have kind of revolved around oysters. Of course She had Her own little twist on things. I’ve long mentioned various “death marches” the Missus had taken me on. Well, this time the Missus had an urban version planned.

She wanted to walk from Pioneer Square to the Walrus and the Carpenter. A walk of approximately 5.72 miles. In Seattle, in winter, yikes!

Just for kicks, I posted the question of this walk on the Chowhound Seattle Board. Unlike some of the other CH boards, the folks here seemed quite helpful. I didn’t expect 20+ answers….such varied opinions, from being a terrible (read: a nice way of saying certifiably insane) idea, about 50%, to being an urban adventure. As a joke, I mentioned the comment about going to Fremont, since the Missus had never seen The Fremont Troll. Well, She was all in….which made the walk over 7 miles long! Double sigh…..

Still, we were to start at Salumi. We’d never had a chance to check out this very popular shop, so I was more than happy to start here.

I was told that there’s always a line at this shop run by the Batali family….yes, that Batali family. It’s an interesting story that you can read here. So, of course there was a line, which moved very quickly, with folks replacing those in line at about the same pace.

I’ve read rave reviews about the pochetta and all that stuff, but this is a salumi shop. Plus, the Missus doesn’t eat much bread these days, so the salumi plate ($13) was an obvious choice. Man, this was good, nice, distinct, yet balanced flavors to all the salumi. And only $13??? Boy, does what we had at S&M recently seem highly over-priced. My favorites? I loved the addition of a hint of curry to the traditional fennel salame, the Finnocchiona Salame. The flavors of the Agrumi Salame, hints of citrus, also was fantastic.

The beef tongue is not sold by weight, so we ordered a sandwich ($10). The tongue was very nicely flavored, beefy, not too salty, nice seasonings, fantastic tender texture. It’s a bit too much bread for my taste and I felt bad about not eating it all….but I just couldn’t do it; especially after the Missus ate all of the meat of one half the sandwich. A bit too much olive spread for me as well. The ratio is kind of off….but oh man, that beef tongue…..

On a whim, the Missus ordered a single meatball ($2.50) and it was love at first bite.

I loved the sauce, it had just about the right balance for my tastes…..simple, tangy, lightly sweet, that flavor of sunshine…..

The woman managing the orders was very nice. The place is super packed, so she told us to sit at the “front table”, which is basically the front display window. Kind of odd and cool at the same time. You feel like some kind of window display and yet, it’s interesting to people watch.

We really enjoyed our meal and we look forward to returning next time. More meatballs for the Missus.

Salumi Artisan Cured Meats
309 3rd Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104
Hours:
Tues – Fri 11am – 330pm

After this, the death march ensued. We basically headed straight down 2nd, past all those familiar places. Up Pine, past Westlake Center and one of the places we used to stay at; the Westin, swinging around back and down Westlake Avenue which used to look a bit more industrial, but now there quite a bit of construction going on. And I swear, the Space Needle used to seem a lot farther away than this……

And when did Whole Foods get here? Must be after 2003 which was the last time around these parts.

This can only mean one thing…..this part of the Denny Triangle is obviously doing well. I was told all the construction going on in the distance were buildings for Amazon in Belltown….

As for the three fairly odd statues right outside, they are works by ceramic sculptor, Akio Takamori, named “Young Woman, Girl, Mother and Child”.

From here we passed a ton of newer buildings, intertwined with more industrial businesses like a Firestone Autocare, before arriving at Lake Union…..

And all those houseboats…..

It started drizzling a bit more…..though temperatures weren’t too bad….in the mid-high 40’s. We hastened our pace a bit, before finally coming to the Fremont Bridge and that sign I love…..

Of course, after crossing we’d have to climb up to visit The Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge which is on North 36th Street.

After crossing the Fremont Bridge, I was a bit wet and somewhat sweaty….it was time for a break. We stopped at Milstead & Co, the Missus had a coffee and I some iced jasmine tea, which really did the job.

We then hikes up the hill, to visit the troll, who seemed to have a mesmerized fan.

The young woman in a blue coat, who looked Japanese, just sat very still and quiet, like she was trying to communicate with the beast crushing a VW. She moved not an inch….she was quietly sitting in place when we left. For all I know, she might still be sitting there, meditating in front of a troll.

Down 36th Street is another of Fremont’s “(in)famous” art pieces…..

Yep, that’s a statue of Lenin (not Lennon), as in Vladimir, wishing you Merry Christmas. The story of how this statue made it from Poprad, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia) to its current resting place is quite interesting. It’s funny how you find little threads if you travel enough, this statue which was in front of Poprad’s Lenin Sqaure was removed during the Velvet Revolution, which I mentioned in a previous post about Prague.

It was just about 310……and so it was time to head off to our dinner destination…..which was a “mere” 1.9 miles away! Lovely…..

And so we walked on, past the Bev Mo and and the Fred Meyers….and all those industrial areas in between. I’d never been to the Ballard area before….but knew that as long as we saw the #40 bus, we’d be ok. Walking along Ballard Avenue NW, I knew to look for the sign… The Missus walked right pass, but I knew what to look for.

You then had to go down a hallway and at the end you hit paydirt.

It was 345, we’d done pretty good time, about 35 minutes. We were the third party in line(no reservations at this small place)…not bad. I went down the stairs to the restroom, following one of the guys who exiting the restaurant. I was a bit wet and somewhat sweaty from the walk and the drizzle. The guy asked looked at me and said, “drizzling down a bit out there?” I told him that it was a combination of things since we walked here from Pioneer Square, via Fremont. “You what? “I heard that this was where we needed to come for oysters….” “Ok, then, you’ll be happy, we got some good oysters tonight.” Nice guy! I got myself a bit more presentable and headed back upstairs.

We were asked where we’d like to sit and requested a seat at the bar, which turned out to be a great decision. Remember the guy in the restroom? Well, he was the one working the raw bar….. I just knew this was going to be a nice meal. After all, we were here for the oysters, all local, no middle men, no brokers……..

The restaurant itself is tiny, cramped, but warm and inviting and without pretense….like I guess what your little secret neighborhood spot serving world class seafood would be like…..

As for the oysters…..well, I asked for recommendations, describing that I enjoy the finish that’s interesting and more on what I call the “nutty, rare beef side”, though I appreciate that cucumbery flavor as well. David, our master shucker, chose us, “the oysters he would choose on the menu today.”

The first dozen were composed of Treasure Cove, Blue Pool, and Baywater Sweet. The Missus immediately took to the Treasure Cove, which took real well to the mignonette. When it comes to good oysters, I just do a drop or two of lemon, it does just enough to balance out the salinity for me. I just took to the finish on the Blue Pool, it was sort of funky, slightly nutty, with a deep and long lasting finish….. it was just what I’d been wanting.

Meanwhile, our first garde manger dish arrived; the Duck Breast, rockwell beans, masutake mushrooms, sea wolf croutons, and tarragon.

In terms of what we had, this was the weakest dish; but by no means was it terrible, it’s just that the duck breat was dry and lacking in the duck flavor we enjoy. The masutake mushroom and especially the beans were the stars of the dish for us. Loved the use of tarragon as well.

The beef tartare was very nice.

Buttery, with a clean, refreshing finish. This went very well with the rye toast and is osmething I’d have weekly if I could.

Our second dozen oysters; Nordic Knute, North Bay, and a repeat of Blue Pool.

I still loved the Blue Pool…..

The Missus demanded equal time, so we got another dozen with Her favorite, the Treasure Cove, plus the Hove Cove and one of my old favorites the Hama Hama.

The Hama Hama had that almost acid like citrus flavor I recall, but the Treasure Cove were still the favorite of the Missus.

Meanwhile, we got to chatting a bit with the master of the raw bar between plates. He was super fast and shucked with amazing ease. Anyway, “David” is David Leck a champion shucker. If you’d like to see him doing his thing, check this out.

We had a great time…… we loved the oysters, the vibe, the folks working here…..they have a great cocktail program and a nice wine list….but I wish they’d do a bit more with the beer program.

Still, when in Seattle, we’ll be back. David made it a great night for us.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
4743 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107

**** The Noble Fir has closed

Speaking of beer. A bit further up the street is a beer bar named The Noble Fir. We stopped by….because; well, I wanted a beer. Luckily they were having a nice progressive. Which I enjoyed while the Missus went meandering around the local shops.

Anyway, the big name in the progressive was the Bourbon County Imperial Stout, boozy, with coffee-caramel-molasses tones, and a boozy hit. It was a bit too much for me, but the Missus really liked it. She also had a Blueberry Ale from Cascade brewing.

Funny, the thing I enjoyed most about the place was the great 80’s music they played!

The Noble Fir
5316 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107

After our liquid refreshment, we walked over to the bus stop and caught the 40 back to downtown Seattle. The Missus, still believing we needed “more exercise”, decided that we should get off at 3rd and Virginia. Which was kind of nice, since we’d get to enjoy the walk through downtown and those sights we’d gotten used too…..

Years ago, we flew into Seattle right after Thanksgiving and ran into a Holiday Parade. At the end, the star at Bon Marche was lit. So even though it’s now Macy’s, it’s still the Bon Marche star to us.

You never know what you’ll run into in downtown. On this night it was a Ferguson protest…..

We skirted the protest, which seemed very peaceful and headed down 2nd……past some very familiar sights.

And some that weren’t around the last time we visited.

Making back to our hotel. It had been what seemed to be a long day, but it was barely 8pm! I dunno…..maybe old age is settling in, but all that walking….perhaps 9 miles or so really wiped me out!

Still, it was nice to be back in Seattle and we were eating well!

I realize this was a supr long post. Thanks for reading!

Kyoto Day 2: Ippodo Tea, dinner at Okariba, and the Awata Jinja Lantern Parade

December 3, 2014 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Markets & Grocers, Memorable Meals, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

On the way back to the machiya, we ran into Masae, the owner of the property and also the craft beer bar in the shopping arcade. We asked her about finding some tea. She recommended a visit to Ippodo Tea. So after a nice shower and a short nap, we headed off to find Ippodo. Up Higashioji-dori, then west on Marutamachi, crossing the Kamo River…..left on Teramachi-dori right when you hit Kyoto Imperial Palace Park……about four block down, you'll find Ippodo.

The shop and the connected Kaboku Tearoom, where you learn to make and also taste various teas was doing some brisk business. One of the young ladies spoke excellent English. We didn't have time to dally, but she went over all the main types of tea with the Missus and we got to sample a few. We ended up purchasing a few packages…..which the Missus loves. I'm thinking we'll be back.

Ippodo Tea
Teramachi-dori Nijo, Nakagyo-ku
Kyoto

We really weren't sure of exactly where our dinner destination was. I'd heard of a place serving rustic wild game; I recall the term "mountain food" a couple times when reading about the place. It really didn't take us long to find the place. Masae pointed out it was near the Hotel Heiannomori, right past Okazaki Shrine.

The rabbit is the spirit of the shrine and is also said to house the god and goddess of easy childbirth.

It's a nice peaceful place to visit.

Right past the shrine, you can't help but locate Okariba. You can't miss the signs. The place is dark, warm, and very rustic looking. The trappings are simple; a large grill in the middle of the room; beer kegs lie about, the lines drawn to the taps. The owner is a very gentle and soft-spoken bespeckled gentleman named Aoki-san….whose mild manner belies the name of the place; "Hunting Ground" as well as the firearms hanging on the wall.

The Missus took a quick look at the sake bottles on one of the tables and said; "he has his own sake, with the name of the place on it."

And so we sailed off on our maiden voyage at Okariba, with simple, but nicely braised slices of daikon and aburage.

The sake was mild and sweet, but really, this type of food called for beer. After starting with this; it was beer all the way.

Things started off with what is probably the signature dish here (though folks who came in later all ordered trout); the grilled wild boar. Wonderful, surprisingly tender chunks of wild boar with a classic Japanese marinade and tare; smokey from the charcoal, slightly sweet, nicely porky, but mild. The portion size was quite a surprise for us; this is enough for two or three to start.

We weren't going to Kyushu, but I knew I could get a specialty of that area here; basashi – horse sashimi. I really love the flavor of horse; I know, it's not PC…..but it's not endangered either, right?

This was very nice; served just slightly frozen, just the way I was told it shoud be, the flavor is quite clean, with a mild sweet finish. The texture is like beef, with a tad more toothfullness. I love this dish…..

Arriving with the basashi was a combination of preserved vegetables and something else….more on that in a bit. I grew up eating items like takana-zuke, so I loved the pickled greens. I'd never had fuki-miso, basically akunuki butterbur, stirfried with miso, then preserved.

The most interesting thing was the "Inago" – locusts, which had been glazed with a wonderful sweet mirin-soy. These were nice and crisp and so sweet and salty….going well with beer.

The Missus's favorite dish by far was the hobamiso…….

A wonderful, savory, but not salty miso with mushrooms and scallions grilled on a leaf. It was funny; we thought we were doing pretty well; but Aoki-san came by……and decided he needed to show us how it was done….it became this wonderful, miso-mess of flavors.

This just screamed for another beer; so we ordered one. And were soon surprised with this….Aoki-san brought it over and said "gift-tu"….. Some nice home made tofu.

Then another "gift"….this was fantastic. I'd never had Wasabi-zuke before. This was wonderful; made from the leaves and stems of the wasabi plant; on occasion you'd get a super pungent bite, but the flavors were amazing, sweet-pungent-bitter-sour-salty…totally my kind of dish.

When this arrived, I just thought I needed to have another beer…..he's giving us free food. So I had another beer….at which time fried tofu arrived.

By this time I figured out…the more we drank, the more stuff would be coming out. I'd better quit here or we'd be literally rolling back! If there was a time I wished we could tip in Japan, it was here. The warmth and hospitality made me want to do something. I should have brought some omiyagi, or something……

As you can tell….we loved this place.

Okariba
Okazaki Higashi-Tennocho 43-4, Residence Okazaki 1F
Kyoto

The Missus decided that we needed to burn off some of this, so we'd walk back to Shijo-dori…..I figure, that's like 2-3 kilometers? It was really a fun walk though……this was a lively night.

Folks were out and about, having a good time.

Karako, the place where we had great karaage earlier in the day has quite a nice line going.

We decided to follow the Shirakawa canal through Gion. I took this photo on one of the cement bridges, the type with no handrails that passes over the canal near Shinbashi.

Crossing over the Kamo river, we then headed up, the now busy Ponto-chō, restaurants now going full tilt.

As we passed by a hair salon, something caught my eye. I pointed out the one guy doing "hair" in the salon, which was closed to the Missus. She said, "yeah, he's doing hair, so what?" I told Her to take a look….that head had no body! He was actually working on a wig placed on a mannequin head. I'm not sure if this is SOP….but it just seemed a bit, well, strange……

And finally, there as Shijo-dori….while not crazy as Tokyo; which seems to actually be pulsating with it's own heartbeat, the crowds and objective sure were a contrast to the Gion.

The Missus really seemed to take to Kyoto. The size, the crowds, the shops, were just Her speed.

At this point, we decided to head back…….the Missus was tired for a change.

As we crossed Furumozen-dori, we noticed some activity up ahead. Lanterns, laughter, drums……and strange specters seemed to float ahead.

Suddenly we both remembered. Masae had told us that Awata Matsuri was happening this weekend. This was the Awata Jinja Lantern Festival! We were told that one of the key points of the Matsuri was that this was the day when both the Buddhist and Shinto Priests actually get together and celebrate together.

Then of course, there's the inevitable intermingling that occurs when everyone takes a break at Family Mart!

Once things got started, we quickly made it back to the machiya. Why? Well, because the lantern parade went right through the shopping arcade, right past where we were staying…..

It's quite amazing. The paradox, the new, modern, somewhat glitzy, but there's always the respect for tradition that pulls things in….bringing order to things.

I won't pretend to understand what any of these floats mean….but, if you're interested, you can read this wonderful and informative post. It describes all the lanterns/floats and what they mean.

And frankly, I just felt honored to be here…..

And also very thankful. For the fire control, who instantly put out all the burning embers from the fire which was placed on the ground for some symbolic reason. Once it was lifted back up, they sprung into action and made sure everything on the ground was put out in the blink of an eye…….that's Japan in a microcosm.

Having started our day before 5 in the morning, we'd walked at least 7-8 miles easily. The Missus, for the first time I can recall was totally bushed. It had been quite a day. I'd planned our "red-lettered day" in Tokyo; starting with Tsukiji Market and meals at Michelin starred Sushi Iwa and Suzunari. And while that was an epic and unforgettable day. This rather unscripted, hastily planned day was its equal…..Sushi Iwa and Suzunari showed me the skill, execution, and polish of a great restaurant. Karako and Okariba displayed the heart and soul……each has its place in my eating universe.

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Kyoto Day 2: Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, and the best fried chicken at Karako

December 1, 2014 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Ramen, Travel

Our first day in Kyoto was pretty tiring……I gotta admit, I get pretty wiped out when we travel; but man, the Missus was totally fried as well. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow and up before 5am. After encountering the crowds at Fushimi Inari the day before, I just knew that the best way to experience the place would be early in the morning or late at night. So we got on the Tozai line, transferred at Yamashina to the Biwa line, got off at Kyoto Station, which wasn't quite as confusing as the previous and got on the Nara line….getting off at Inari Station. Fushimi Inari-taisha is literally right across the street.

Fushimi Inari is the head shrine of Inari Okami, the Kami…..which is hard to describe in English, let's just say it's the spirit, god, or deity of most importantly, rice, but also fertility, sake, and foxes…… which, if I recall serve as messengers for the Kami. At the entrance of the shrine, you'll see a statue of a fox (no, it's not a "doggie") holding the key to the granary. I remember learning about the kitsune serving the rice god in elementary school….funny what you recall at odd moments in life.

For most folks……us included, the most stunning feature of Fushimi Inari are the 30,000 plus gates that line the paths up the mountain, which is also named Inari. Each torii (gate) is paid for and donated by businesses….which you totally forget about when you see it.

It is both beautiful and haunting seen at dawn with nary another person around. Just the sound of your footsteps and the wind whispering through the trees.

No loud chatter or folks brandishing "selfie poles".

This is what I saw in my mind's eye when I thought of Kyoto.

After taking in the atmosphere of Fushimi Inari, we headed back to Inari Station, got back on the Nara line, getting off at the first stop at Tokufuji and hopping on the Keihan line, getting off at Kiyomizu-Gojo. from there it's about a 20-25 minute walk past all the shops.

And a shrine or two.

Up the mountain to Kiyomizu-dera.

This most well known feature of this temple complex is the veranda of the main hall, which has great views of Kyoto. Though, I think more people take photos of people taking photos on the veranda.

I understand that not a single nail is used for any structure in the temple complex…..

Heading past the three story pagoda and down below the main hall is Otowa Waterfall. Drinking of the water from the waterfall is supposed to bring good health and a long life.

So of course the Missus had to partake!

Heading back down the mountain, you'll notice some steps and a sign to your right, this leads to Sannenzaka, then Nannenzaka. Two well preserved neighborhoods.

This was one of the most pleasant walks we had on our trip. It was early, with few tourists, so you could really enjoy the restored structures. It felt like a trip back in time.

We took a break at a little shop near Yasaka Pagoda and Kodai-ji Temple.

The coffee….all pour over, was great and restorative. We made plans for what we'd do on our next leg. It was nice respite.

We'd head up to Maruyama Park and Chion-in Temple.

Somehow, we got a little of course and ended up at Higashi Otani Honganji. There was a large service going on…..

As we righted our course and headed toward Maruyama Park, we could hear country and western music playing…..the singing was of course, in Japanese. Apparently there was a Country and Western Music Festival close by….it was just another one of those strange and rather surreal moments.

Past the park is Chion-in Temple, which was going though some major restoration at the time of our visit.

By now we were "hitting the wall". We'd seen the places we really wanted to see and temple fatigue was setting in. It was time to change our focus…..so we headed bacl to the machiya to freshen up…and then off to lunch.

We had decided on a ramen shop I had heard off named Karako. The address 12-3 Okazaki Tokusei-cho was a bit difficult, but it looked like it was right on Higashioji-dori….which is kind of where we found the place.

We were the first customers to arrive and the older gentleman pointed to some seats at the end of the counter.

We quickly placed our order and he spoke the only English I heard our whole time there, pointing to the hijiki, tofu, and green salad on the counter he said, "helpu you self….."

The prices were very reasonable – ¥650 for the Kotteri Ramen.

The chashu was wonderful, full of flavor, just melt in you mouth delicious. The noodles were fine, just chewy enough. In spite of being "kotteri", as in extra rich, the broth really lacked the tongue coating texture and the richness in flavor I enjoy. This was my least favorite bowl of ramen during our trip.

The Missus got the Chashu Rice Bowl ¥320 – which had the wonderful chashu.

The one item which was a total surprise was the karaage. It has got to be one of the best I've ever had.

Light and crisp, moist and succulent, with wonderful flavor, a touch of ginger, slightly sweet, shoyu tones, and something else…..deep and savory. And a bargain at ¥500 – like five bucks!

This was just fantastic fried chicken……probably worth a side trip to Kyoto!

A few minutes after we sat, folks started streaming in. The older gentleman ordered the special, which was a bowl of ramen, a bowl of rice, and chicken….which turned out to be an entire order…five pieces for ¥880!

We kept watching to see how he heck he was going to finish his food…well, he's got his own system down. He ate the ramen and took the rice and chicken to go!

We actually tried to return to Karako the next day, but they were closed…..bummer. But hey, next time we know what to order, don't we? As in this old saying.

Karako
12-3 Okazaki Tokusei-cho
Kyoto

There was of course, a requisite short nap after this lunch, so we headed back. Little did we know that we'd be having another wonderful experience for dinner.

Stay Tuned!