Travel – Page 80

COMC – Oahu: All those familiar places – Fresh Catch and Tanioka’s

February 11, 2015 mmm-yoso Honolulu, Oahu, Poke, Travel

Funny, the Missus says that my demeanor changes as soon as I get off that plane and the island humidity hits me. Something happens. I'm able to fall right back into my "old self", relaxed, laid back…and then the pidgin starts!

Of course, the next thing we're looking for is poke. Like I've mentioned before, I'm a "townie"….to me there's only one decent place to get poke in the Waipahu/Ewa Beach area and that would be a place i've posted on several times before….

Tanioka's Seafood and Catering:

We always visit a couple of times…….

Much has changed over the years….the question used to be, "limu or shoyu?"

Nowadays, it runs the gamut….

Not the prettiest presentation….Styrofoam and sauce "all ova' da' place."

But it hits the spot.

Tanioka's Seafood and Catering
94-903 Farrington Hwy
Waipahu, HI 96797

We also hit a place around my old neighborhood. Usually it's Ono Seafood, but the Missus wanted some smoked marlin, so here's another I've posted on before.

Fresh Catch:

Man, I remember when this was Pizza Hut!

We actually prefer the smoked seafood and stuffs like taegu tako to the poke here…..

Fresh Catch
3109 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816

Man, I'm craving some poke now…….

Antwerp Day 2: Chinatown, Antwerp Train Station, Stadsfeestzaal and the Chocolate Line

February 5, 2015 mmm-yoso Belgium, Chocolate, Desserts, French Restaurants, Markets & Grocers, Travel

Antwerp was proving to be quite interesting…..relaxed, laid back, even more so than Brussels. There were less tourists, it had more of a urban-local feel, even though we were staying close to the Grote Markt, there were businesses like a meat market, bakery, produce stands, that served the locals.

The Missus wanted to take a nice walk on our full day in Antwerp….to the train station, which I wanted to see anyway, then back. So we set off from Grote Markt, taking some of the back streets.

We stopped at places the interested us along the way, like the very Baroque looking St Charles Borromeo Church. The most popular local citizen, the famous Baroque Painter, Peter Paul Rubens, was raised in Antwerp and spent a good part of his career in Antwerpen. Even this Jesuit Church displays the influence of Rubens who supposedly designed the decorative façade. In fact, there were 39 ceiling paintings by Rubens that were destroyed in 1718 when the church was struck by lightning.

There are wisps of Rubens everywhere, even on this plate. From what I can find, Dr Lazarus Marcquis was on of the physicians who treated Rubens, who died of heart failure due in part to chronic gout.

We eventually found ourselves in front of the beautiful train station….but first, I was distracted by this.

I have a thing about Chinatown's, whether in Lima, SF, Portland, Toronto, Kobe, or even pseudo-Chinatown's like Brussels, I just can't help myself. So I just had to check it out.

And of course, I could not resist the temptation to check out the at least one Asian Market….just to see what was being sold. Markets like this one stocked everything from Sriracha to Datu Puti and Silver Swan. And some of the prices were no joke….sheesh.

We also checked out the various menus; here are a few in case you're interested.

Chinatown is barely a street or two in Antwerp, but it's all interesting to me.

We took a turn and walked back toward the train station. At one of the streets parallel to those of Chinatown I saw one of my favorite signs. Folks, don't even think about "wildplassen" here, ok?

The Antwerpen-Centraal railway station itself is probably the grandest, most impressive train station I've ever seen. Hard to believe that this structure, finished in 1905 was once considered for demolition.

A look inside and it's quite easy to see why they call this structure the "Railway Cathedral". The restoration job on the place was completed in 2007 at a cost of 2.7 billions dollars. The glass ceilings, intricate work, marble, and stone makes a truly impressive sight.

There's actually a level which links the place to the "Diamond District" and 30 diamond shops.

It's easily my favorite site in Antwerp. I've never seen anything quite like it. When looking at my photos I still stop at the one's we took at the train station…..

We walked down the Boulevard named De Keyserlei, arriving at a large street named Frankrijklei. This was where the city walls of Antwerp once stood. Across the way you could see the beginning of the "Meir", the major shopping street of Antwerp. Here you'll run into a statue of another of Antwerp's favorite son's, the Artist Anthony van Dyck, who was a favorite of England's Charles I.

You'll pass many….well, let's just say shops we know quite well on the Meir…… H&M, Forever 21…..H&M and Zara are everywhere in case you need something in a pinch.

But it's this ornate, but rather discreet portal that caught our attention. Through this passageway is Stadsfeestzaal, which is one heck of shopping mall…..let's just say it makes South Coast Plaza look like a trailer park…. Tons of gold inlay….there's actually a champagne bar! Yikes. I understand that this was originally built as an exhibition hall completed in 1906. It was destroyed by fire in 2000. Being a historic monument, it was rebuilt using the original plans and reopened in 2007. It is something to behold…..not sure about the shops in the place, the Missus wasn't moved; but with a grand staircase and such you can't help but admire the beauty of the place.

We our way through the place until the Missus became bored (I was already there) and walked back out into the sunshine of the Meir.

Back out on the street we quickly noticed a place whose name I recalled. Dominique Persoone is a Belgian Chocolatier, whose rather audacious approach to chocolate, along with his self coined handle as the "Shock-o-latier" has earned him quite a following and reputation. He owns The Chocolate Line with shops in Bruge and Antwerp.

You really couldn't help but be impressed with the upscale boutique look of the place….my goodness.

And when the Missus saw the play on upscale shoes….well we just had to take our time in the place.

And while it's easy enough for me to dismiss the rather seemingly kitschy chocolate lipstick and edible chocolate facepaint, along with his nomme de guerre. The chocolate "snort" made me stop and reassess.

And while some of the creations like the various chocolate sculptures and such, were obviously done to impress in the name of commerce.

A snort of chocolate, hmmmm…..what would that do to my already ravaged grey matter? Perhaps I'd change my name to Cadbury? Or perhaps start a campaign to save the "chocolate bunnies"? Who knows, as my train of thought was interrupted with the Missus telling me; "ok, I've got some chocolate, let's get going. Aaaand, I didn't buy any of those chocolate shoes…….can you imagine, shoes of chocolate, like feet and eat them, ick…." And so my Chocolate Gandhi moment was permanently interrupted.

We had bought some to add to the collection for my MIL and had a few that seemed interesting ourselves.

Interesting, but we enjoyed what we got from Pierre Marcolini and Yuzu in Ghent more…… But not being a "sweets person" who's to say, right?

Dinner in Hiroshima at Izakaya Sairai

February 1, 2015 mmm-yoso Hiroshima, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

After lunch at Kazuchan in Okonomimura we walked back to our hotel, the Granvia in Hiroshima Station. We took our time meandering through various streets and shopping arcades.

Fairly close to Hiroshima Station I noticed a photo menu….which looked quite interesting…..it had dishes both the Missus and I love. We headed down the alleyway. The place was closed, but we managed to speak, well that's not true either as the really nice young man spoke no English. Somehow, we got to understand that the place opened during the evening and yes, they served what we saw on the menu.

We took our much needed afternoon nap. When we awoke it was dusk. Time to find our little alleyway restaurant. The Missus had Her doubts, but I have a decent sense of direction and we found the place.

We found the place and headed down the alleyway. We entered the restaurant, but through sign language and my really bad Japanese came to find out that the place was booked solid. The woman then lead us the 2 yards across the alleyway and found the one young man who actually spoke a bit of English….about as much English as I spoke Japanese. Anyway, we could eat here, same menu, same drinks.

It was also mentioned that there were "appetizers" served with an automatic charge of 500 yen…..ah yes, tsukidashi…so this was an honest to goodness izakaya.

They seemed very concerned and wanted to make sure that we knew how the drill goes. It was of course, no problem. I actually think of it as a charge in lieu of a tip…since tipping is not done in Japan.

We were both quite happy to find a place like this….it was homey and comfortable, the staff was very nice…..the head bartender spoke a few words of English, not much, but enough. And of course there was a liquid refreshment. I went with a Miyajima Draft…..the Missus wanted something sort of local, so She had some sake from Saijo, which was really nice….clean, slightly sweet, easy to drink.

And then the fun really began. The Missus could make out some items since She could read Kanji. And I spoke really, really bad Japanese….except for some food.

Some of this was easy…..but some of it was plain hilarious…the bartender seemed to have fun….the Missus would point to something and he'd point to a part of his body, or the Missus would say, I think this is tendon and I'd say "suji"? And we'd get a grin and a nod and end up with a really tasty dish like this.

It was the photo of this dish that got us to come in. Classically flavored, sweet-soy, tender beef tendon and meat…….who could ask for more.

This was the spiciest thing I had in Japan, pickled chilies that brought some nice heat.

The Missus pointed to an item and said, I think these are onions….so I asked "Rakyo"? Which they were….

The Missus pointed to an item and the guy pointed to his abdomen……I asked "horumon?"

Nicely grilled intestine, chewy, well flavored….good stuff…..

Meanwhile, the Missus had another sake and was just beginning to hit Her stride it seems…..

Because when She pointed to the next item on the wall, the young man grabbed his ear! The Missus and I looked at each other and instantly knew we had to have this.

Now, I've had my share of pig ear, and while this isn't the most photogenic, I have to say it's among the best I've had. The pig ear had been simmered to where the external tissue was soft and sticky, it literally melted away on your tongue. The internal base piece was still slightly crunchy making for a fantastic textural contrast. The seasoning was plain, just a dip in salt and pepper, but it just perfect….especially with alcoholic beverages.

By now, the little ten seat bar was full….they actually had 6 reserved seats. So the anatomic charades were up. We had the bartender order something for us.

Which turned out to be a typical yakiniku, bulgogi like beef dish.

I was glad we arrived early. We would have not been comfortable taking up the bartender's time once things got busy.

It seemed like everyone at the bar was ordering the chicken wings; so I had to try the "teba".

A bit over battered and under seasoned and definitely not as good as the ears and guts……

The Missus and I had a blast here…it's our kind of place. I only wish I knew the name and address.

Update: Our FOY and fellow Food Blogger Kat did some sleuthing for us and seems to have found the place:

Izakaya Sairai

5-16 Enkobashi-cho

Minami-ku, Hiroshima

Thanks Kat!

After dinner the Missus and I decided to take the tram to….well, wherever. We got off at random spot to have a bit of a post-dinner walk.

Things were lite up brightly as we walked through the various shopping street we passed earlier in the day.

Along the way we found a Don Quijote. I enjoyed walking around and looking at prices. The Missus had to use the restroom which was in the basement.

This area was were all the arcade games were……while the Missus "did Her thing", I took a walk around and looked at some of the "games". I thought the claw crane games the oddest….one had plastic food as the prize, another instant noodles. It just seemed so odd to me…..

We walked past the bright lights of Nagarekawa.

Getting back to our room; the Missus fell asleep almost instantly. I on the other hand put some music on my iPhone and looked off into the bright lights of Hiroshima Station.

I was having the time of my life here….Japan had drawn me in….I was hooked.

Hiroshima: The Peace Memorial Park and lunch at Kazuchan (Okonomimura)

January 23, 2015 mmm-yoso Hiroshima, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Travel

We left Miyajima before the hoards of tourists arrived and took the tram to Hiroshima Station. We were staying at the Hotel Granvia in the station. We dropped off our bags and got back on the tram for the Peace Memorial Park.

The one enduring symbol from the park is this….

The Atomic Bomb Dome. Situated nearly right below the point of the atomic bomb's explosion at 815 am on the morning of August 6th, 1945, this UNESCO World Heritage site, has remained pretty much unchanged since that date. It was once the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall, designed by Czech Architect Jan Letzel.

It is a sober reminder of the destructive potential of mankind…..

As we wandered the grounds of the park, we could hear the sounds of children singing. This lead us to the Children's Peace Monument, which commemorates the young victims of the bomb. Growing up in Hawaii, I had heard the story of Sadaki Sasaki and the story of "A Thousand Cranes" many times. Her life, death, and story was the impetus for the creation of this monument.

We watched as various "classes" came up to pay their respects and drop off their folded cranes; accompanied by a speach and a song.

It was quite touching……

We can debate justification and all that stuff all day and all night long……but the collateral damage was without a doubt horrible.

There's quite a lot to be seen here. You could easily spend the whole day in the park. The chest in the Centograph stores the name of every known victim of the bomb. As each Hibakusha passes on, their name is added to the list. On the opposite side of the pond resides the Flame of Peace which was lite from the eternal flame in the Reikado on Mt Misen.

We decided to walk our way back to Hiroshima Station, winding our way through shopping arcades, stopping to browse and window shop along the way.

In the back and across the street from Parco Shopping Center is a four story structure which holds Okonomi-mura, basically "okonomiyaki village". There are no less than 27 okonomiyaki stands in this building. I was told that each vendor has a different riff on Hiroshima okonomiyaki and all the stands use a special sauce made especially for businesses in the "village".

The big questions was….which one to choose? While a handful of stands were fairly busy, most were empty at this time of the day. We started on the top floor and startedworking our way down…..

Eahc one seemed to have a theme as well….. I liked the "classic rock and roll" theme of the stand called Kazu-chan, after the owner who is a big rock and roll fan. I loved the photo of the Ventures on the wall and all the old Japanese rock and roll album covers.

And so the lunch process began…. I ordered the pork and shrimp; the Missus natto…..

Hiroshima style okomiyaki is notes for the use of noodles…… it's quite a pile of food.

It did kind of bother me that parts of my okonomiyaki were pre-made…some of the crepe like portions were already prepped. The Missus's natto version was made form scratch though.

Nice of moist and fresh shrimp though and the base protion was made fresh…..

I thought the Missus natto version was much better, but both were surprisingly lighter than versions I've had in the states which weem much more doughy. They do like their scallions on these….and all those noodles, man, what a carb bomb. We would later have Osaka style okonomiyaki which were just plain amazing….perhaps we should have worked a bit harder to find a place….but hey, who can refuse four stories of okonomiyaki? You gotta try it….at least once.

Okonomimura
5-13 Shintenchi
Hiroshima 730-0034

Antwerp Day 1: Dinner at De 7 Schaken, bicycles, the best beer in the world(?), and other stuffs

January 17, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Belgium, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

After walking around the Grote Markt area we headed down South. Stopping at various shops in the Fashion District, finally heading down to the area called T'Zuid, which basically mean "South".

This gentrified area is now a very trendy part of Antwerp. Eight avenues extend from Marnixplaats – Marnix Square. The statue in the square is named Schelde Vrij – Scheldt Free which commemorates the settlement with the Dutch that allowed free passage of ships on the Scheldt River.

Stopping here, we took a nice leisurely stroll back to Grote Markt via various side streets.

The weather was a bit strange, passing clouds would make it seem like rain was on the way, then a few minutes later the sun would be out. This pattern kept repeating itself the whole day.

Before we knew it, dinner time had arrived. There was a place I'd heard about, right across the street from Den Engel.

I don't quite remember how this place ended up on my list, but it did. Located on the main square, I had my doubts, but this pub/restaurant, ended up being pretty good.

There's a bar area and an attached restaurant, which looked rather rustic. The menu had a few Flemish specialties along with stuff like salads and spaghetti….spaghetti?

The Missus was overjoyed to be back in Belgium and be able to order stuff like the Oude Geuze Vieille, which She thoroughly enjoyed.

I just loved my draft Tripel Karmeliet, which seemed much lighter than here in the states. The was a definite spice-pepperiness to the flavor and it was much more carbonated and fizzy than I recalled. It was a heck of a glass!

What did the Missus get? Well, that was quite predictable…Sausage and Stoemp of course. This version came with Flemish style bacon, which was delicious.

As for the rest of it; I preferred the version at Le Fin de Siècle in Brussels.

I went with the braised pork cheeks with chicory.

It arrived in a nice sized pot. The flavor was nicely beefy and the sauce was pretty good…definitely beer in this one. Loved the texture of the braised chicory and the sweetness that cooking it this way brings out. The beef had kept shape but was spoon tender.

The meal came with frites, which I wasn't really impressed with…and mayo of course.

We must have been hungry as we polished off this very hearty meal.

I celebrated being back in Belgium with another beer; this time a draft La Chouffe, which was bit more hoppy than I recalled. Like the Karmeliet, this seemed really light for an 8% ABV brew. I was definitely enjoying being back….

De 7 Schaken
Braderijstraat 24
Antwerp, Belgium

Dinner done, we headed west to the Riverfront….there's really not much to see here, parking lots and such.

Actually, the view of the Grote Markt area from here is much nicer.

One thing we quickly noticed about Antwerp. There were more folks riding on bicycles than anywhere else we'd seen on this trip.

The Missus quickly got into the habit of taking photos of bikes parked around Grote Markt. Here are a few from Her collection.

That little splash of color just makes them look so cheerful…..

While walking back to our flat, I noticed this beer store. I talked the Missus into taking a look. I love the collections some of these places had. While looking in the back of the store a name got my attention……well, it actually screamed out at me.

If you're a beer nerd, it would do the same to you….though probably more intense that what I experienced.

For some, the Westvleteren 12 is the holy grail of beer. It is often mentioned as being the "Best Beer in the World". I asked the clerk behind the counter about this and he sheepishly looked at me and said, "yes, it is the twelve…..have just come in today and I have not put away." He immediately grabbed the case and put it behind the counter. But not before I got a bottle. I was interested because I had worked this beer into a part of our itinerary later on during this trip.

So later in the evening, I opened the bottle…..and my goodness….now I like quads, but this was really boozy and bready….with sweet tones…..it was a bit much even for me. Needless to say, I started having doubts about what I had planned.

Still, we were enjoying our time in Antwerp. It was not overly touristy, the folks rather relaxed, the food decent…..there was nothing to not like.

Thanks for reading!

Miyajima: Momiji Manju, morning at Itsukushima Shrine, and breakfast at Yamaichi Bekkan

January 16, 2015 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Desserts, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Miyajima, Travel

There was a certain kind of stillness as I looked out our window in the morning.

This was Miyajima before the throngs of tourists arrive….the quiet of the streets…you could almost hear the falling leaves hitting he ground, or at least you thought you could.

We had chosen a Japanese style room at our hotel, Yamaichi Bekkan. While small, the rooms were comfortable in this tiny four room hotel. One of the amenities was of course, a tea pot. We'd bought some Momiji Manju, a manju in the shape of a maple leaf, which is the local specialty. As a whole, I don't have much of a sweet tooth, this was fine…..

After some tea and manju, we headed downstairs. We told the very nice owner that we'd be coming back later for breakfast which was included in our room package.

There was one reason I booked a night on Miyajima.

And no, it wasn't to frolic with our four legged friends…..

Rather, it was to visit what is now one of the Missus's favorite sights…….the "floating torii" of Itsukushima Shrine. I had planned being here even when it wasn't "floating". You see, at low tide, you can actually walk out to the gate.

Having seen it during high tide, this seemed quite impressive in its own right……

We'd seen a large group of kids arrive the night before. They were having a fun time. We recognized an older couple. I'd tried to give them my seat on the tram from Hiroshima Station the day before. They gave us a smile and a wave. Ah yes, the island was indeed getting smaller…..

We hadn't actually visited the shrine yet….I'd kinda saved it for the morning….less crowds so we could enjoy things a bit more.

I mentioned a bit about the history of the island and shrine in my earlier post.

This is one of those places that just doesn't take a bad photo.

It was fun watching the "classes" take photos…."say cheese!!!"

We exited on the otherside of the bay. Taking a seat, we could sit and absorb the whole scene.

And do our parody of the ultimate Asian "selfie peace-sign shot".

I sent this out to friends, and "TFD" mentioned that she had never seen the Missus look so happy….

It was time to head back. We decided to cross the "bay area"….after all, this place is covered by water a good part of the day, so couldn't get nice shots like these without getting into a boat during those times.

We walked back via Omotesando Street…basically the shopping arcade which was not ready for prime time at this hour.

Here's a bit of trivia….I was told that the "Shamoji" the rice paddle was "invented" on Miyajima. According to various stories a monk named Seishin had a dream the product of which became the traditional rice scoop. And, in case you're so inclined, you can find the world's largest rice scoop here on Miyajima.

Arriving back at Yamaichi Bekkan, it was time for breakfast. We had a choice of a "Western" or "Japanese" breakfast. You know which one we chose, right?

I'd had my share of what I call Japanese breakfasts. The basic is what I would call "tamago meshi"…which we had at home. Hot, fresh, rice, natto, green onions, with a raw egg cracked over the mess. What I had at Fukagawa reminded me of growing up…before the days when you'd want to "Leggo my Eggo".

Here it was a much more formal breakfast.

And totally wiped me out. Good thing it was still early. I was able to head up back to the room and take a 20 minute nap!

Soon enough we were on the ferry, leaving Miyajima.

I could tell by the Missus's body language that She really enjoyed Her time here.

And if I were a betting man, I'd say that we'd be returning someday……..

Thanks for reading!

Miyajima Day 1: Mount Misen, Daishō-in, and dinner

January 15, 2015 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Miyajima, Travel

As we left Yakigaki-no-Hayashi, we could hear applause coming from the shopping arcade. It was for a wedding procession passing by.

We couldn't help but follow….drawn in by the tradition and romance of it all. It just seemed so wonderful. Until I later saw the posters and pamphlets for "theme" wedding packages…….procession and costume included. Sometimes it's better not to know…..

Oh well, we had to come past here anyway. Walking thru Momiji-dani Park to the ropeway up Mount Misen.

I was more than happy to take the ropeway up. as a matter of fact, I wanted a two-way ticket, but the Missus wasn't having any of that.

After getting out at the ropeway station, it's a rather short walk to the top of Mt Misen. The views as you can imagine, especially on this post-Typhoon Vongfong days were spectacular.

A short walk from the summit is the complex that includes Reikado (Hall of the Eternal Flame). This flame, which is said to have been lit by Kōbō-Daishi has been burning for almost 1200 years. The fire is considered holy and water boiled by this flame is said to have curative powers.

From there it was downhill all the way….literally as the Missus decided we were to do what they call the "Daisho-In course" which ended at Daisho-In

In spite of my creaky ankles and my totally out of shape quads, the uneven steps and paths downhill….I was fascinated by what we saw. There are indeed some rather eye catching sights, but it was those rather discreet and rustic looking statues that caught my eye. It had me wondering the significance of them. You'd be hiking down the path and notice a cave, or some shrubbery, and then looking closely you'd see various figures….. I wish I knew what they represented……

At the end of this downhill hike is Daishō-in, which turned out to be one of the Missus' favorite places in our visit to Japan.

From the Tengu guarding the Mani Wheels…..

You could just tell the Missus just loved the place….I think it had to do with all the various images and statues…..

There are of course those areas that were sobering; Mizukake Jizo, seven images in place to redeem the spirits of deceased and missing children, and the kind of spooky Henjokutsu Cave, lit only by lamps with the icons of the 88 temples in Shikoku.

I could tell the Missus really didn't want to leave, but it was getting pretty late in the day. It was time to head back to our hotel and actually check in.

Of course there was the requisite stop along the way…….

I swear….She could stare at that "floating torii" all day long……

And then there were the deer. Man, these guys are aggressive. This young lady thought they were so cute until they started ripping her bag apart looking for something good to eat.

This little guy almost butted the Missus into the bay when She got his way…… He then came for me. I stopped crossed my arms and went "HA……" and growled, just like I would to Sammy or Frankie. Stunned, he backed off and made a sound I never heard from a deer before "mee-mee-mee-mee-mee…." Not that I've been around a lot of deer.

We waited until the sun dropped past the mountains, went to check in, and freshened up. By this time, things had gotten really quiet, except for a group of what seemed like students who had just arrived on the island.

We wandered around the back streets, found a little market and got some fruit and other things. We tohught we'd ask him for a recommendation for a place ot have dinner as most shops were either really expensive or were closed. He gave us directions to this place.

It was actually close to the water, but the customers seemed a combination of locals, many of them having drinks and Japanese tourists…..

The unfortunate thing for me was that the only seating available was traditional floor seating. Oh man, twice in a day…..it also answered a question I had floating around….not even the locals sit this way!

Good god, the sound of my joints sounded like saplings snapping as Sasquatch stepped on them. Anyway, the menu was full of comfort style and tourist style dishes. What really cracked us up was the disclaimer "the picture is a imagination" next to every photo!

Unfortunately, the place was out of the Missus' first two choices, but the Missus did enjoy the Kaki Oyakudon.

To us, Miyajima oysters were much better after some heat was applied.

I enjoyed my Kaki Curry – Fried oysters with curry.

While the oysters weren't quite as good as lunch; they were still moist, nicely breaded, and had a decent flavor.

This wasn't a bad meal. The real challenge came post dinner as my right foot had totally fallen asleep….there was no way I'd be standing up without doing a good amount of damage to my surroundings…..it was time to order another Miyajima Pale Ale…which was not bad, light, slightly fruity, easy to drink…….

After moving my foot around for a while, I managed to restore circulation and we were able to leave the restaurant intact.

Obviously, it was time to head back and call it an early night, right? Well, not so fast Kemosabe……. There was one stop the Missus had to make. Yep, you guessed it.

Miyajima at this time of the day was very quiet. So hearing some rustling a few feet from you gets your attention. Until you realize it's those deer settling down for the night or digging around for some food.

Man, we were really tired. My body had still not gotten used to all this walking. My only consolation was that the Missus was just as tired. Our room was Japanese style, which means sleeping on the floor. Not a problem for me as I had slept on a futon on a regular basis as a teen.

Looking out the window at the street below us. One filled with tourists during the day, I couldn't help but be happy for the Missus, who had been able to visit a place She'd always wanted to visit since seeing a photograph years ago.

Prague: Our last evening, dinner at U Tri Ruzi

January 3, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Czech Food and Restaurants, Czech Republic, Gastropub, Prague, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

We had really enjoyed our time in Prague. While a bit more edgy than other places in Europe, there's an interesting sense of humor, the sights are quite stunning, as is the architecture. The lively city isn't full of itself, folks don't appear quite as jaded by the mass of tourists as other places, and the food is hearty. We had gotten to enjoy our large and spacious apartment, especially the fact that it wasn't located in tourist central….yes, there were the loud drunks pouring out of the bar in the basement at closing time and the place had so much security, locks, and gates, that you sometimes felt like you were settling into a fortress at night. Still, I think we got a lot out of staying just close enough to the sights, but far enough to interact with locals. The Missus has already put Prague on the "must return" list.

For our last meal, the Missus selected U Tri Ruzi. She had really enjoyed the beer, food, and ambiance of the brew pub the night before. And She really wanted the duck rillette again. So U Tri Ruzi it was.

I mentioned previously how much we loved the wall paintings, many of which involve the Czech history and love for beer.

And that Vienna Red went down as smoothly as on our previous visit.

We ordered the duck rillette, but were given the duck pate. We notified the folks of the mistake and they were going to swap it out, but we decided to just go ahead and have the pate….which was nice and creamy.

The Missus ordered the duck confit and asked if She could replace the potato dumplings with cabbage. They were nice enough to comply and so the Missus was in braised cabbage heaven with both red cabbage and braised sauerkraut.

The duck decently done, fairly moist with a simple, but good duck flavor. They braised the sauerkraut with bacon, so it was double delish for the Missus.

I saw the roasted pork knuckle on the menu, the price, something like 260 CZK, about eleven bucks sounded right. I was amazed at what arrived at the table…..holy smokes.

For some reason, I really didn't think they'd serve me an entire pork knuckle…..sheesh. The skin was adequately crisp, it could have been better, but the meat was very moist and tender, slipping right off the bone without being mushy, the seasoning simple and balanced. Unlike many cases of "the other white meat" here at home, this was nice and porky.

Our Server told us that people do actually finish all of it! He also said that they will be indicating that the portion will be enough for two on future menus.

We saved the leftovers and had it the next morning with all our other leftovers for breakfast before leaving for our flight.

U Tri Ruzi
Husova 10
Prague, Czech Republic

The Old Town Square is just a block away from U Tri Ruzi. Being one of the Missus's favorite places we took a walk over one last time.

Tourists we strolling up and down the square as the shadows grew longer marking the coming of dusk.

Not bothered by the crowd and noise, a solitary dog bathed in the early evening sun.

We spent a few minutes soaking it all in, then headed back to drop off our leftovers.

Taking a few moments to reresh ourselves, we took our last walk in Prague. We decided on a walk down the Vltava River, just strolling, taking everything in.

Near the Most Legii (The Legion) Bridge we saw something that made us smile…….

Do you see it? Here's a closer look:

Two women, faithful canine in tow, heading off into the sunset in their paddle boat. This just seemed the perfect time to call it a day……time for us to head off and think about the next stop on our trip.

Thanks for reading!

And if you want a bit more about our time in the Czech Republic:

Prague: Hospoda u Novaka and getting oriented

Prague: A little self catering and Wenceslas Square

Prague: The Charles Bridge, the Little Quarter, the Lennon (not Lenin) Wall, the Jewish Quarter, and lunch at Kolkovna

Prague: Havelske Market, a walk along the Vltava River, and the Dancing House (Tančící dům)

Olomouc: The Plague Tower and Drapal

Olomouc: The Astronomical Clock, Turtle Fountain, St Wenceslas Cathedral, Svatováclavský Pivovar (St Wenceslas Brewery), and Museum Night

Olomouc: Side trip to Kromeriz and lunch at Minipivovar Moritz

Brno: Lunch at Spalicek and a walk around Brno

Brno: The "Indecent Little Man" of St James Church, a Mediterranean Festival, and a little self catering

Brno: The Cabbage Market, Spilberk Castle, and Sklizeno Foodie Market

Brno: The Dragon of Brno, Jiří Birk's Wheel, and other secrets of the town hall. Dinner at Stopkova Plzeňská Pivnice

Returning to Prague: Lunch at U Tri Ruzi and all those familiar places

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!