mmm-yoso – Page 300 – As in, yoso-silly, yoso-hungry, yoso-full, or best of all; mmm-delici-yoso!!!!! A San Diego based food and travel blog. An Ex-Pat Kama'aina and Friends explore food, restaurants, and travel from San Diego and points beyond.

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

Farmhouse Bistro – New in Yuma

January 22, 2015 ed fromyuma American/New American Restaurants, Burgers, Fine Dining, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

After a short run, Farmhouse closed. Krouse's Flattop Grill is in the space now in 2016 and doing very well.

If you have visited here before, you know mmm-yoso is KirkK's foodblog, mostly featuring his wonderful reports on dining in San Diego and worldwide. Cathy helps keep the blog going and has an encyclopedic knowledge of San Diego eateries, particularly those that the rest of us might miss. Some days, Ed (from Yuma) will post about eating on his travels and especially about dining in Yuma. Today is one of those days; you have been warned.

The most exciting new addition to the Yuma dining scene is The Farmhouse Bistro:

Its location – set back from the street with limited signage and lighting – makes this a tough location and many eateries have occupied this site for brief periods since I moved to town, including Mi Playita, TJ's Marisquero, Viejo Loco, Small Fries, Rusty Spoon, and most recently Spanky's Chophouse. But long time Yumans know the location as "where Hensley's Beef, Beans, and Beer used to be," a steakhouse that thrived here for 20 years, 1979-1999.

The interior is small and simple. Of course, there are a couple flatscreen TVs and a bar area that can't yet sell alcohol:

But most of the dining area is filled with about 10 tables of various sizes, and the rustic painted walls are reminiscent of a rural farmhouse (and when packed at lunch, the room almost sounds like the mess hall at a ranch):

While the decor is nothing to speak of, the menu looked interesting right from the start.

On my first visit, my friend and former colleague, Dawn, wanted the lamb burger ($12), so I went conventional and had the basic burger ($14). Hers looked like this:

She said the flavor of the ground meat had a distinct lamb flavor, and she loved the brie cheese topping. My farmhouse burger looked similar and different:

I was happy. I loved the char from the grill, the medium rare doneness of the patty, and the beefy taste of the meat. The restaurant tries to source all of their meats and produce locally – if possible. Maybe that’s part of why it tasted so good.

We were both delighted by the french fries (and surprised as the menu had not mentioned that they came with the burgers). While not crispy crunchy, they were full of real potato flavor – clearly none of them had ever seen the interior of a freezer. People with more perceptive tastebuds may have detected the touch of truffle oil on the potatoes, but I was just happy to get real honest french fries.

On my next visit, I had to try the pork belly tacos ($12) –who could pass up Korean style pork belly tacos? There were 4 well filled tacos:

This close-up gives you a better idea of what is going on:

The thick chunks of pork belly were simply prepared; I could detect no Korean marinade or seasoning, but I was delighted by the smoky char of some pieces. The coleslaw with red and regular cabbage was lightly dressed and definitely not sweet or goopy. As far as I could tell, the only "Korean" seasoning was the ground red chili powder sprinkled over the slaw.

Nonetheless, I had no complaints. The flavor of the pork belly was excellent, and the preparation of the tacos emphasized the chewy, porky, chargrilled flavor of the meat. I would have this again.

Currently The Farmhouse has no liquor license, which is a bad thing for the restaurant I am sure, but it can be a good thing for customers because diners can bring bottles of wine (and maybe beer?) with them to enjoy – and pay no restaurant markup on the beverage. I'm not sure when they will get a liquor license, but let me suggest that my wino friends come try the bistro now when you can save money.

For those not interested in alcoholic beverages, The Farmhouse offers your standard choices plus this amazing beverage ($3):

What you are looking at is a glass of kale lemonade (no I'm not making that up). It is complex and refreshing and probably even healthy for you. Welcome to 2015.

Since two lunches had been a success, Tina and I decided to come by for dinner. We started our meal (after the kale lemonades) with the most unusual sounding item on the menu, fried pickle ($7):

The restaurant brines a range of vegetables – this night included green beans, zucchini slices, small cauliflower florets, sweet potato chunks, and onion strips – dips them in tempura batter, fries them, and serves them with their house sauce, a spicy teriyaki mayo.

Eating the fried pickles was a treat for the palate. Sour, salty, and crunchy/greasy all at once. These were definitely addictive, if a bit repetitive, and we ate every piece.

The main courses continued to challenge our taste buds and our expectations. Tina chose the diver scallops ($26), which were perfectly cooked – charred at each end and rare in the middle. But look at how they were served:

What a treat for the eye. The scallops were perched atop a mound of beet risotto. The little white puffs are goat cheese quenelles, and the mound is surrounded by a buerre blanc sauce.

And what a treat for the mouth. The riced red beets with rice balanced the scallops nicely and contrasted with the goat cheese much like the old school borscht/sour cream combination. Tina (with a little of my help) happily ate everything on her plate.

I chose the duck breast ($28):

The breast, topped with garlic lemon purée, was served on a bed of lemon risotto, accompanied by three superb giant fresh local asparagus spears. I love asparagus and it doesn't get any better than those three spears. Moist crunchy tender flavorful.

The duck breast was cooked a perfect medium rare:

I enjoyed how the chef used the garlic and lemon flavors to contrast the richness of the duck breast. Certainly the best duck I have ever had in Yuma. The risotto was perfectly prepared, the rice being both creamy and al dente. If I had any quibble, it would be that the lemon risotto flavors were monochromatic. While the risotto was a perfect match to the duck breast, it was less interesting by itself.

For dessert, we had wanted to try the grilled peach, but of course, peaches aren’t in season (even in Yuma) so we opted for the banana crema ($9):

The small mason jar is a nice farmly touch. The banana crema itself was the bottom half of the desert. A layer of crunchy banana flavored cookie crumbs separated it from the raspberry/banana flavored crema at the top. The desert was certainly rich and unusual. It was also nice to see cheese courses on the dessert menu.

For me, The Farmhouse has exceeded expectations. The menu is certainly the most varied and interesting in town. The kitchen can turn out a wide range of dishes skillfully. Farm-to-table ingredients – witness that incredible asparagus – should be a perfect fit for Yuma, at least in the winter. In addition, the place is well staffed, and the service on each visit has been professional and personable. Of course, The Farmhouse is in a tough location, and the menu with lunches or salads between $9 and $14 and entrées from $25 up may intimidate some folks, but the restaurant has been busy and I hope that Yuma will support creative quality cuisine.

The Farmhouse Bistro, 2855 S. 4th Ave., Yuma AZ 85364, (928) 276-9735; open11- 2, and 5-11 Tuesday through Saturday, Sunday brunch 9-1. Closed Mondays.

Recently Consumed

January 21, 2015 mmm-yoso Cooking

I think I've mentioned that things have been pretty busy recently. After our trip to Seattle, I took only Christmas Day, New Year's, and one Sunday off. This means, either eat out (I even worked almost a full day when we did the 30th Street stumble), or make simple things at home….because, well, I'm kinda fried on certain days. Which means that if I do cook, I just want it to be a simple prep and go……

On the Sunday I took off, I was a smoking/grilling fool. I actually bought a six-and-a-half pound turkey breast, brined it and smoked it.

It took a good long time and I thought it was going to be dry as heck, but man, it turned out really well with just doing an overnight brine in water, kosher salt, brown sugar, and some of my rib rub. I used my standard poultry rub on it, mopped it with apple juice, finished with a combo apple juice and agave syrup.

We actually finished the whole darn thing in a week!

I also smoked some sausages I bought, tomatoes (yummy), potatoes, chicken liver for Da' Boyz…..you name it, I just made sure to use every single bit of those coals up.

Strangely, the Missus's favorite thing was to mix cubed smoked turkey with avocado, extra virgin olive oil, Maldon smoked and sea salt, black pepper, some cayenne and smoked paprika. She could just eat the stuff by itself or on a salad. I tried it one night…..you can tell it's mine since the Missus doesn't eat bread at home…..or even out these days.

I used the turkey in dishes that actually looked like breakfast……..like this pseudo hash using the smoked potatoes, Kale and Chard form our yard…and eggs of course.

Sometimes it seems that doing these hash-scramble type dishes for dinner really works out well.

Having everything on hand makes things easy and I'm pretty fast at prep. To the right is a smoked merguez, smoked tomato, smoked potatoes, and onion scramble.

One thing I have missed, is not being to stop by Catalina Offshore. But finally, this Saturday, the Missus requested some fish….so I went to Catalina before heading off to work.

Oh, do you notice the Missus's current favorite veg? Right now, She's wanting Romanesco at least once a week. Coated with sea salt and olive oil and grilled with a drizzle of lemon juice. Stir fried….whatever. It's all about this broccoli that costs a mint. Well, at least we're eating our vegetables, right?

So tell me…..

What have you been eating?

Tim Ky Noodle

January 20, 2015 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

I was a bit sad when Tan Ky on Mira Mesa closed down. The place wasn't amazing, but they did serve some pretty solid dishes. So of course when I saw Tim Ky Noodle was taking its place, I made sure to check them out. And you know how that goes…….I try to check places out a couple of times whenever possible.

They've done a decent job of freshening up the place. New lighting, wood paneling….though you can still recognize it as Tan Ky.

The menu is typical of these type of shops, a million and one combinations of Hu Tieu or Mi noodle soups, fried rice, all the usual suspects.

I had been craving Beef Sate Egg Noodle – dry and my lousy visit to Luong Hai Ky did nothing to diminish things. So of course I had to try it here, right?

First thing I noticed was…this place was into that "big bowl" facade thing. The portion was noticably smaller than what Tan Ky delivered. On the good side, the egg noodles were done adequately….I like mine with a bit of crunch still in them, but not raw with a powdery edge. There wasn't enough sate in this as things were too mild and the beef "fair to middlin". The broth that accompanied the dish was much too light and plain bland. I'll probably not order this again.

The young man who served me was very nice and friendly. I asked him what he thought the specialty of the house was. He said it was the Bun Suong, which was surprising. If I recall, it was a noodle soup that looked a lot like Bun Rieu.

The folks here were very nice, so I came back to try the Bun Suong, which ain't cheap at $8.45.

This was pretty good. They used the thin bun for this; the type that would be appropriate for Bun Rieu. There were 8 shrimp "meatballs" that weren't too squeaky and still had some shrimp flavor. The annatto oil did make it look like bun rieu a bit, though the broth was milder. Liked that fact it wasn't loaded with MSG and the broth had a decent flavor which kind of reminded me more of chicken than pork.

This was not bad. I'll have it again.

It would only be a matter of time before I tried the Won Ton and Dumpling Egg Noodle soup ($6.49).

This was the best bowl I had here. It's been so long sonce I've had a decent Won Ton/Dumpling egg noodle soup that I'd become jaded….so perhaps that amplified my enjoyment? There were only 2 won ton and 2 dumplings in this, the dumplings were definitely superior to the won tons. But I gotta say, instead of the usual hard as rock fillings, these were adequately tender.

The broth had a nice flavor to it and even some decent richness as you can tell by the dots of fat floating around. I do wish the soup were a bit hotter.

This was a nice bowl.

I might have pushed my luck a bit when I returned and had the Duck Leg Egg Noodle Soup ($7.49). I actually wanted the roast duck version, but they were all out. The broth reminded me a bit of a watered down Thai style duck noodle, with dark soy sauce giving it a deep, dark color and the shiitake mushrooms in the soup.

There were faint hints of flavor….the mere wisp of star anise, but just not enough oomph for me. The duck, though tender, had a bit of a stale, refrigerator flavor to it. No complaints about the temp of the broth on this one as I had to figure out how to break down that duck leg floating in scalding broth.

I'd like to try the roast duck version next time, but otherwise will stick with the dumpling egg noodle soup. Plus, it looks like they have chicken wings on the menu as well.

I like the folks who work here….even the kind of serious server, who, while not too friendly, is nice enough. So of course I'll be back.

Tim Ky Noodle
9330 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

COMC Roadtrip: The most exclusive restaurant in LA? Dinner at Totoraku

January 19, 2015 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Road Trip

The most exclusive? Well, so says the Huffington Post and Los Angeles Magazine and a whole host of others. Last year, I had a chance to check them out. I really hesitated at first, because exclusivity kind of bothers me. There's something about having to be someone "special" to enter an establishment that grates at my blue collar, Hawaii background….

And yet, I've always been in search of delicious food……

I was torn. In the end, my friend "C", Yummy Yummy, and Quanito ended up having dinner at Totoraku. The place where you have to know the chef, or have the recommendation of a customer. There's the magic business card with the secret number to call for reservations.

The story of the place is the thing of legend…… Kaz Oyama was working at Hide Sushi when a customer talked him into a partnership and opening a restaurant of his own. Unfortunately, Kaz lost all that money….he did open Teriyaki House Pico, which soon shuttered. This eventually led to Totoraku. And I've got to give it major props when it comes to a success story.

So let me say this about the whole experience. "Chef Kaz" is a joy, friendly, schmoozing…he loves his quality French Reds, so you probably should bring a bottle, since they don't have a liquor license. So, the $200 price of dinner doesn't include that. With that in mind, the place is a relative bargain.

You will knock on that door and someone will open it……just slightly, like some yakiniku speakeasy. You have to have reservations, otherwise it's goodbye.

The writer from LA Mag called the place a "kaiseki" style restaurant, which is to me is not quite true "light meals to ward of the pangs of an empty stomach" says Yoshihiru Murata, but not really…..I tend to consider the modern definition which incorporates fresh seasonal preparations and ingredients. Looking at it this way, other than the opening foray, which really looked like a major Hassun course, Totoraku is yakiniku.

This was a kind of hit and miss….some of the items were ice cold which killed the flavor. The shrimp with caviar was quite good.

The beef carpaccio was nice, except for the few pieces that were a bit too metallic for my taste.

I didn't care for the beef tataki, much too tough, not seared enough, and kind of bland for my taste.

However, the yukkwe may possibly be the best version I've ever had. The very clean flavor and texture was nicely cut by the Asian pear……it was tender, with richness from the egg yolk. This could easily be the best item of the night.

At this point the Konro was brought out and the parade of protein started.

I will say, sone of it was quite good……..outside and inside rib eye, some of it not to my liking….the gyutan, beef tongue was much too thick. But overall, it was a nice yakiniku selection.

I really enjoyed the "Korean rice soup"……..nice sesame oil flavor, hearty, it had that "aaah" effect.

For me the bookend dishes were what made the meal. Other than that, it was a nice yakiniku dinner.

What was kind of disturbing was the phone conversation we all overheard.

Apparently, a "regular" and most folks here were regulars, had a reservation for 12. According to what we heard, he wanted to add 4 four. So Kaz is talking to this guy, who I guess is quite "important"……after all, you literally survive on regulars, right? The solution? Kaz was cancelling a reservation for four, who "were first time here and from out of town." So let's think about this…….that would be us if we weren't already here. Someone had worked and finagled to arrange a meal here and you were going to cancel them for some flaky customer who wanted 16 instead of twelve? Oh well, it's Hollywood after all, right? There are those who are entitled and those who are not. What really struck me was this….we had reservations for 4….we were from out of town….it could have easily been us. The four of us looked at each with the "wow, that kind of stinks" look. And yet, I understand…….this facade of exclusiveness, it indeed cuts both ways.

I'm glad to have had the experience. It's just not the kind of place for me…….

And no it's not even close to being Urasawa.

Little Sheep Hot Pot for Lunch (revisit)

January 18, 2015 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!! Kirk and Ed(fromYuma) and Cathy are the primary bloggers here, trying to stay on the subject of food. Today's post is pretty direct.

Again, it was December when The Mister's tastebuds kind of went all wacky and he started bugging me about craving the Little Sheep 'spicy Hot Pot mix', which we had at home, but I didn't feel like finding all the other ingredients needed. So we headed West, to Clairmont Boulevard at Diane Street. Kirk posted about Little Sheep twice when it first opened in San Diego and I wrote a post a few years later when The Mister and I met Ed (from Yuma) and Tina here, yet I know all of us have been here quite a few more times, just without photographing the meals.Although a chain, there is only one San Diego location. Each table (as well as each seat at the bar area) has induction cooktops built in.Being seated, menus as well as an ordering sheet were brought out. I noticed you could order a low sodium broth, and chose it for both the spicy and original; the herbs and other flavorings for the original are so different from the 'spicy' and we didn't notice any lack of sodium…Each add in has a different flavor when cooked in a different broth. The veggie combo platter ($8.95) is pretty much always an order, because there is so much variety and we never can decide which vegetables we want…although next time we will also order mushrooms; I felt that was what was missing, if I were to be nitpicky.This visit, we knew we wanted the large order of lamb wonton ($5.95) instead of any sort of noodle.For the protein portion, the beef and lamb ($10.95) was today's choice.

Of course, we also had hot tea (no charge) and had a wonderful time cooking and enjoying yet another meal here. As mentioned, swishing and cooking each ingredient in the different broths yields a different set of flavors to enjoy. Hot Pot in general is a great way to satisfy everyone's cravings.

I hope your week is going well.

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot and Grill 4718 Clairmont Mesa Blvd, San Diego 92117 (858)274-2040 Opens 11:30 a.m. daily. Closed between 3 and 5:30 p.m. M-F. Closes at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 9 p.m. other days. Website

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.

Mr. Spicy (Grantville)

January 14, 2015 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Here we are, mmm-yoso!!! Blogging about food. Cathy has blogging duty today, because Kirk and Ed(from Yuma don't want to blog; they are busy.

Going out for a meal with The Mister has always been random. We get to an intersection, "left or right?", drive more, turn more, exit because of traffic or not and at some point the question of "fingers, forks or chopsticks?" is asked, answered and we each begin a search for signage of anything that looks interesting.

Things changed a bit in December and pretty soon the equation and questions became a bit more detailed: "spicy?", "Mexican, Thai or Chinese flavors?" became part of the routine. About that same time, a new place opened just down Mission Gorge Road, at Zion near Friars Road.
First, we only noticed this small sign on the edge of the mall where Chamorro Grill is located. This mall is just Kitty Corner from the Kaiser Hospital corner (where Longhorn and Pho Xpress still are going strong) and next to the mall which contains Ra-Ka-De-Ka, Troys Greek, San Diego Brewing Company, Saigon Star and Gaglione Brothers.Clean, neat and small (less than 50 seats), this family run business seems to have a steady flow of clientele picking up 'To Go' orders. There are lunch special plates (Mon-Fri 11-3) with prices ranging from $5.99-$7.99 and the regular menu has a maximum price of $13.99. The admonishment at the bottom of each menu page is the same: "Hot & Spicy- Please be aware of the spiciness for the spicy food". This fact is confirmed when you order.When we first sat down, I had no expectations. The standard Chinese Zodiac place mats, forks, plastic tablecloths were all signs of this place being "ABCDE" (American Born Chinese Dining Establishment). Into the ordering process, I was happily disproved while asking questions (we asked for and got chopsticks) Our waitress took our order and went to the kitchen window and *yelled* it in to the chef. This talented man works magic with the wok.First up, a simple sesame pancake ($1.99). Fresh, flaky, delightful and this would prove a perfect item to use when sopping up flavorful oil.The menu does not provide much in the way of description other than categories of Noodles/Rice (where the pancake was listed), Green Chili, Sizzling Plate, Dried Pot, Boiled Bowl, Pork/Beef/Lamb, Chicken/Fish/Shrimp, Vegetable/Tofu, Soup and Featured Specials.

Above, Chicken with Green Chili and Hot Sauce ($8.99). Red and green bell peppers, a spicy fresh green chili (looks like a jalapeno but it isn't), dry red chilis, garlic, black beans and plenty of chicken. This is delicious and so very fresh."Featured Special" Twice Cooked Fish with Dried Red Pepper ($11.99). Wow. Dry red pepper, ginger and garlic make the heat and flavors, as did the celery, sweet red bell pepper and plenty (we counted eight) filets of twice cooked, lightly breaded, perfectly crispy fried fish.Returning later in the week, with the intention of ordering a lunch special, the waitress recognized us and brought out two cups of the daily soup before we had ordered. Turns out that the lunch specials looked kind of dull to us and we each were more curious about other menu items. Above, Boiled Bowl two kinds with Hot Sauce (I chose lamb and beef) ($10.99). The bowl is HUGE. Here is a bit of what is in the bowl. Not only beef and lamb (each meat you could taste through the heat of the pepper and garlic) but also plenty of cabbage. The leftover sauce and cabbage was used as a base for soup at home that night.Chicken in dried pot ($8.99)- there is a sterno flame under this pot, which had the most flavorful melding of spices, almost chocolate-like.Underneath all of that were onions (which kept cooking in the heat until almost melted) and really nice, fresh sprouts.

We will be trying the rest of the menu.

Mr. Spicy 6618 Mission Gorge Road San Diego 92120 (619)546-6686 Mon-Sat 10:30-9