About food in Japan

French - Ogino (オギノ)

In Tokyo, we still feel, a few times or more in a day, aftershock of the huge natural disaster happened 2 weeks ago. We have another concern about radioactive contamination as my previous posts. However we cannot turn down a chance to visit this restaurant, Ogino. The French restaurant with 20 seats is often featured on gourmet page of magazines and it is so popular that we rarely can find a vacant table even if we try to call for a reservation many times.

Fortunately a few months ago a friend succeeded in making a reservation for dinner on a weekday evening of March. We had been looking forward to being at Ogino since that time. That has not changed for us even after the unexpected very sad event. For all of us, it was the first pleasant gathering or dining out with good friends since 11^th of March. On the way to the restaurant, we found the town of Shibuya seemed to be back to normal and streets were filled with young people as we saw before.

Ogino is located in Ikejiri Ohashi (池尻大橋), just a stop from Shibuya. The owner chef, Mr. Ogino mentions about the restaurant’s concept on its official homepage. It is “bistronomy” (bistro + gastronomy) or a mixture of different category of French dining, bistro, brasserie and gastronomy (luxury). It allows diners to visist the restaurant in different occasions. The quality of meal is as high as like upscale restaurans but the atomosphere is rather casual like bistro. That is what the owner wants himself and he made it in reality.

 

Yes, I agree that Ogino is such a place, as the chef aims, bistronomy.

Let’s see some of what we had that eveinig.

First of all, it was really hard to select one or two plate from the very attractive a la carte menu...

 

Starter

Left: broccoli mouse, scallop and club, jelly of beef consomme

Right: white asparagus orange hollandaise sauce

 

Soup of fish

 

Main dish

Rabit from France, onion confit stuffed

 

The restaurant Ogino offers selection of wine not so much expensive, mainly made after year 2000 but they are interesting ones. 

 

It worth waiting for a few months and I hope that I can visit there again near future.

 

Restaurant name: Ogino

Address: 2-20-9 Ikejiri, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://french-ogino.com

 

 

大きな地図で見る

Nihonshu bonbon (日本酒ボンボン) - Sake candy from Kyoto (京都)

I got an interesting souvenir from Kyoto. It is described as "Nishonshu bonbon"(日本酒ボンボン, sake candy) on the red label pasted on a white paper box. Many of us know "whiskey bonbon" or chocolate with whiskey inside. I am also curious more for the words "Jizake" (地酒, locally-brewed alcohol) and the branded sake production area "Fushimi" (伏見) in Kyoto. 

 

 

 

Opening the box, I found white frosted-glass like candies filled.

 

It is much more delicate than glass and is broken soon after being put in mouth.

 

Then "sake" liquid spreded from the sugar taste shell...

 

What an inetersting way is to taste locally brewed sake from Fushimi, Kyoto.

 

The Nihonshu bobon is made by a local pastry company called Furansuya (in Japanese, meaning "French house") based in Kyoto for decades and the sweets is sold at gift shop(s) in JR Kyoto station.  

 

Official website of Furansuya (Japanese only) http://www.furansuya.jp

 

#smileat One drink for Tohoku(東北)

We need smile + eat even at a difficult time...

Several restaurant owners in Tokyo started chality campaign #smileat to coop each other, to encourage people in difficult time and to revitalize the economy for Japan's recovering in their own ways. The participant restaurants or bars offer special menu or drink promotion which lead to a donation from their revenue to people and area suffered from the huge natural disaster damage in Tohoku.  At the same time, for people living alone or only a few, dining out is to contribute "energy saving" that we are encouraged to do.

That is another way to help people in Tohoku and Japan's recovery!

Let's have a meal at participant restaurants and contribute to help people in difficutl situation.

Information about #smileat (Japanese) http://smileat.posterous.com/

Here are a part of participant restaurants

Paxi House (nearest station Kyodo) http://paxihouse.com/tokyo/

Related post: http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/03/coriander-lover.html?cid=6a0120a609fb30970b0147e361a270970b#comment-6a0120a609fb30970b0147e361a270970b

 

Sala Sontana (Thai food, nearest station Kyodo) http://sontana.net 

 

Three restaurants by Butagumi (specialized in pork, in Nishiazabu or Roppongi) 

Butagumi Shabuan (Pork shabushabu, Roppongi)  http://www.butagumi.com/shabuan/shopinfo/

Nishiazabu Butagumi (Pork tonkatsu, Nishiazabu)  http://www.butagumi.com/nishiazabu/about.php

Seizan Butagumi Hanare (Izakaya)  http://r.gnavi.co.jp/a585200/

 

Izakaya restaurants by AP company http://www.apcompany.jp/shop/

 

Sushi Saisho (nearest station Oimachi) http://www.saisho.net/

 

Many other restaruants will be found on the list of #smileat http://smileat.posterous.com/

 

Radiation and food safety update 2

Early this morning the government announced that radioactive materials were found from more spieces of food made in Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures. As the result, the food distribution ban is expanded to some of affected spieces. They are brocoli, cauliflower, turnip and leaf vegetables harvested in Fukushima prefecture and milk, parsley taken in Ibaraki prefecture. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare instructed local governors to expand the monitoring of radiation scanning from 4 prefecutures to total 10 prefectures surrounding the affected area. We can find reports of inspection resuts from Kanagawa, Niigata, Ibaraki, Fukushima prefectures, supporting this goverment's decision on the website of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as of 22th March 2011.(In Japanese)  http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/houdou/2r98520000015txf.html

The government, Consumer Affair Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as well as academic or private-sectore specialists in the field of food safety are asking consumers, food retailers, and distributers to react based on scientific, objective information and facts, in a calm manner and not by unsupported rumor, because current level of radiation would not cause immediate health risk on human by intakeing the food occasionally.

 

 

Radiation and food safety

Last Saturday, 19^th March 2011, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Japan announced radiation-contaminated food were detected. They were milk collected in Fukushima prefecture and spinach picked up in Ibaraki prefecture, located next to Fukushima. It followed by agricultural productes from other prefectures in Kanto region; Tochigi, Gumma and Chiba. The government explained “the levels of radiation for these products pose no immediate health risks if consumed.” After the Fukushima nuclear plan crisis broken out, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare immediately set up the new standard of radiation contaminated in food and has instructed local governements to monitor radiation levels in some fresh food like milk, vegetables, drinking water, egg, meat, fish and sea plants, in order to eliminate radiation-contaminated food from the market. The relevant prefecture governors are asking farmers voluntary to refrain from shipping their products. The national government asks the publc to stay calm and cosniders posing a new regulation in food distribution from the affected areas.

We need to keep our eyes on this issue and urge the local goverments and related organizations to monitor and examin the food safety level continuously and appropriately then to disclose information to the public so we will be able to feel safe and to get out from anxiety.

It is a pitty today I am not able to introduce you how we can enjoy food in Japan.

I will keep you informed if we find any update on this topic and I hope this uneasy situation is terminated soon..

 

Related links:

The Japan Times online -  Q&A Latest threat: radiation-contaminated food

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110321a4.html

 

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare – Press release in English

“Handling of food contaminated by radioactivity”

“Handling of food contaminated by radioactivity”(separate sheet) – letter to local governments

 

Food is always important for our life…

 

Pray for the victims and wish for live saved

As many of you know, the tragedy of earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku area, claimed thousands of lives, hugely made us shocked. From last night, the weather condition became severe for refugee. It is snowing sometimes and the temparature is below or around zero degree. Rescue teams are having hard working for live-saved. Another risk of nuclear power plants followed and was revealed. It is really hard to look at the reality happened in Japan at this moment. But we cannot be devastated for longer and would never lose hopes in future. Many of us are greatly impressed by warm messages and supports from the world. I deeply appreciate warm hearts of each of you. Now it is the toughest time but personally I am sure that my country is able to overcome this crisis.

If you would like to help the earthquake and tsunami victims and refugee, one way I recommend is to make a donation from below link.

CIVIC FORCE (emergency response team) : http://civic-force.org/english/index.html 

Online donation to CIVIC FORCE : http://www.justgiving.com/civicforce-japan?utm_source=JG%2Bhomepage&utm_medium=image&utm_campaign=Japan%2BAppeal%2BNon-UK

 

How about situation in Tokyo?

As reported on some media, power cut is conducted for a few hours per day in  Kando region including residential area of Tokyo. Central Tokyo is out of the plan but many of business organizations in town such as retail stores, leisure facilities, tranportation services readily paticipate in cooperation of energy saving. They could close the door earlier or operate with limited facilities or less frequent services.

 

Food shortage?!

Another event we encounted in Tokyo – scarcity of food and commodities observed for last few days. It happened from a few reasons; available supply are sent to Tohoku area for refugee / because of energy short, people in Tokyo rushed to daily needs for storage. For last two days, after office hours I could rarely find breads, milk and eggs at supermarkets. It does not mean we have no food for today. We can still find fresh fruits, fish, meat, drinks, some snacks and grocery as usual. Many restaurants open and offer enough number of selections. It is never be a problem considering people suffering in Tohoku area. Just our daily life is maybe too convenient. Retailers are planning to source storage from West part of Japan and it is expected to improve the scarcity.

 

Today’s my dinner, two pieces of Onigiri: seasonal flavor “Sakura” cherry blossoms…Spring is just around the corner!

 

 

Headline - earthquake in Japan

Today 11th March 2011, at 14h46, one of the biggest earthquake hit Japan.

The most damaged area is in Sendai, Miyagi about 300km away in North from Tokyo.

At this moment I am home in Tokyo. Electricity and internet are fine but phone line is not available.

Some area, electricity is down. We still feel tremor, minor shock time by time. In grater Tokyo area, all train lines are stopped for tonight. Fire occured some places.

If you would like to contact to someone in Japan, it may be better to do through email or facebook, twitter rather than phone.

 Still we do not know how big and serious the damage is... Please check major new sources for update and further information.

Thank you.

 

TAP PROJECT 2011 - Clear water for all the world's children

"World Water Day" is coming on 22nd of March. TAP Project 2011 will be taken place during 19 to 27th March 2011 in Japan. The project was started in New York in 2007 and this is the third year of TAP Project introduced in Japan.

As per the official homepage of TAP PROJECT, one out of five children under the age of five grows up in an environment where the water is unsafe to drink.  TAP PROJECT help UNICEF with providing access to clean and safe water. 

How can we participate in the event? During the TAP PROJECT period 19 to 27th March 2011, visit a participant restaurant and donate Yen 100 or more for the water served to you. It is very easy! 

TAP PROJECT donnation from Japan will be used for supporting to provide clean and safe water as well as basic sanitation services in Madagascar. 

********************** UPDATE 15 March 2011 *********************************************

Seeing the severe natural disaster happend on 11March 2011, TAP Project organizer has changed supporting target to victims of earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku region, Japan.

 ***************************************************************************************************

 

Here I list up some participant restaurants in Tokyo from my previous posts but much more in town.

Waketokuyama (分けとく山) 

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2011/02/waketokuyama-%E5%88%86%E3%81%A8%E3%81%8F%E5%B1%B1-japanese-michelin-2011-.html

Restaurant I

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2011/01/made-in-tokyo-french-restaurant-i-%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3i-by-keisuke-matsushima.html

La Bettola (ラベットラ)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/09/la-bettora-da-ochiai%E3%83%A9%E3%83%99%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%80%E3%82%AA%E3%83%81%E3%82%A2%E3%82%A4-casual-italian-in-ginza%E9%8A%80%E5%BA%A7.html

Aux Bacchanales 

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/07/french-caf-aux-.html

Hanasansho (花山椒)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/02/hanasanshou-mic.html

 

Other restaurants can be found at the official site. (in Japanese)

http://www.tapproject.jp/restaurant/

 

 

This is the sign of the project participant restaurants, on table. 

 

 

Official site TAP PROJECT 2011: http://www.tapproject.jp

 

Sanchoku Inshokugai, Yurakucho (産直飲食街 有楽町)

In Japan, we can often see very casual local restaurants on "underpass" of railways. Such places are called "gado shita (ガード下)" in Japanese, which means "beneath girder". "Gado shita" around Yurakucho station along the railway of JR Yamanote line is one of the most typical and popular ones. 

Local restaurants of "gado shita" are likely to be so casual to welcome you by simple tables on four metal pipe legs and/or yellow plastic square box used for deliverling beer bottles but hear for accommodating you as a chair. Tables and chairs are placed close each other. It is a lively place where working class middle or aging men are repeatedly gathering everynight after their hard work. That is a typical type of gado shita restaurants. As you can imagine, it is rarely appreciated by ladies. For last a few years, such images of gado shita restaurants have been diminished by several newly developped streets in central Tokyo. That keeps live atmosphere of "gado shita" as well as clean and open-minded hospitality.   

 

Yurakucho Sanchoku Inshokugai (有楽町　産直飲食街), opened on November 2010, is one of these new types of gado shita restaurants. 

Just a five-minute walk from JR Yurakucho station. Its exterior decorated with naked light bubles and retro style signboards remind us a good old days in 60's or 70's.

 

By the way, "sanchoku" is abbreviation of "sanchi chokuso" (産地直送) that means "sent directly from produced area" and at the same time it implies "fresh foods". Inshokugai (飲食街) is equals to "eat and drink street".  So "Sanchoku Inshokugai" (産直飲食街) sounds tasty, isn't it?

As the name shown, food and drink served at Sanchoku Inshokugai are directly from four food production regions in Japan. The restaurant is devided into four area of food stands,each introducing one of regions; Shizuoka (静岡) for seafood, Kumamoto (熊本) for horse meat, Iwate (岩手) for pork, Nagano (長野) for chicken dishes. 

All these area are known for rich nature montains, fishing ground or good soil as well as their local specialty foods, "kyodo ryori" (郷土料理).

We visited the last part of the gado shita restaurant, Shinshu Shinkei (信州神鶏), where chicken plates from Nagano are provided. It was a bit early time so was not crowded at the beginning. It is cozy and warm place surrounded by wooden furniture, floor and walls. Some flyers and bus time table(imitation copy) on the walls make the place as if it were situated in countryside of Nagano, rather than very central of Tokyo. We felt that we were in a scene of a film in 70's...

 

What we ordered are...

"Fresh chicken" sashimi (刺身) plate

Yes, they are NOT fish but fresh chicken meat.

It is rare to be found in Tokyo...

The taste is bland never be strong.

 

Left: Tsukune (つくね, minched meat balls) with egg yolk, the best dish I had here.

Right: Chicken wing sticks and "shitake" mushrooms

 

 
Left: fresh vegetable plate at "sanchoku" restaurant is must-have item.

Right: fruites liquor are also made in Nagano, apple and yuzu citrus.

 

 

It is an good opportunity to discover fresh food and local specialties of different regions and to be relaxed in an atmosphere of a good-old-day in Japan.

 

Restaurant name: Yurakucho Sanchoku Inshokudai (有楽町 産直飲食街)

                            Shinshu Shinkei (信州神鶏)

Address: 2-1-11 International Arcade, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

 

大きな地図で見る

French - Brasserie Paul Bocuse Daimaru Tokyo (大丸東京)

Mr. Paul Bocuse is one of the legends in French cuisine. His restaurant in Lyon, France, has been awarded as 3 stars for decades by Michelin guide book. Hoping that his French cooking is expanded to the world, the master of French cuisine also produces French brasserie style restaurants which serve at reasonable prices in casual atmosphere.

Brasserie Paul Bocuse at Daimaru Tokyo (大丸東京) is one of the units by the master French chef. As its named, the restaurant is located in Daimaru Department store, just off from JR Tokyo station. Why not to try the authentic French menu before or after your excursion to Kyoto, Kansai or Tohoku. It is less than 10 minutes to get out from crowds in the railway station and to go up to the 12th floor of the major department store adjucent to JR Tokyo Yaesu exit. 

  My case, it wa an event of wine tasting with special menu though. The weekday lunch course starts from Yen1200 and dinner course from Yen3500 to enjoy fine sesonal French cuisine. What's a resonable fare considering the quality of food and central location. It will be a good opportunity to pop in for lunch and to take a peaceful break during shopping at Daimaru Tokyo Department store. 

I recognized that taste of baguette (French bread) served there reminds me ones in France. I found the reason when I asked to a waiter. The bread is "made in France" and brought to Japan. Then the baguette is baked after arrived. Amaging logistic and technology...

 

For the French made bread, the restaurant offers butter by "Echire" which is known for the highest quality and is rare to find in Japan.

 

 

 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These plates were for the event of wine tasting, rather than regular one on the list.

Starter - Cheese mouse

Fish - Cod Bouillabaisse soup and safran risotto

Main dish - grilled Magret duck and duck confit (both on a plate!)

with dessert

Defenitely I hope to come back here for nice wine and French cuisine at reasonable price.

 

Related post, about another Brasserie Paul Bocuse unit in Tokyo:

Brasserie by Grand Chef at National Art Center Tokyo

 

Restaurant name: Brasserie Paul Bocuse Daimaru Tokyo (大丸東京)

Address: 12th floor Grand Tokyo North Tower, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.paulbocuse.jp/eng/daimarutokyo/

より大きな地図で ブラッスリー ポール・ボキューズ 大丸東京 を表示