mmm-yoso!!!

Pho Banh Mai Revisited

The opening of Pho Duyen Mai (whose owners used to run Pho Banh Mai) has cut down on my visits Pho Banh Mai. But a few months back, I started wondering how things were going at PBM, so I headed over for breakfast since PBM opens at 9am on the weekends.

Things were pretty quiet on this weekend morning.

I had, for all intents and purposes decided to check out the Banh Xeo, to compare it with the version at Duyen Mai. But I got distracted along the way with the "new" specials menu.

That Vietnamese Steak and Eggs (with pate!); sounded really interesting, so there was a change of plans and I order that. What arrived was a sizzling plate; with a pseudo bo luc lac and an egg frying.

Man, look at all the oil in the plate! It did make this kind of a greasy breakfast. The meat wasn't very tender, very mild in flavor, it could have used a more effective marinade, and it eventually bled all over the egg. I actually used all the nuoc mam cham on the meat. I rescued the egg before it started getting burnt, the yolk still soft and enjoyed that with the cube of pate provided on the banh mi.

I couldn't help thinking that I should have ordered the Banh Xeo.....

And that was it for a couple of months. Then, a few weeks before our trip, one of my meetings finished early, so a colleague asked me if I wanted to grab some lunch. And let me choose; so it was off to Pho Banh Mai. She got to choose a dish and I got to choose one. Oh, and those "specials" were no longer to be seen.

Sadly, even after explaining that the Nem Nuong Cuon and the Chao Tom Cuon were better than the Goi Cuon (she kinda freaked when I mentioned shrimp paste or pork "sausage") here, she insisted on getting that.

Man, this was really dry and tasteless, lacking in any herbaceous flavors....it was also two shrimp slices per spring roll. The best part of the dish was the dipping sauce; which had just enough sweetness to balance things out.

I must have done better describing the Banh Xeo to her as I was allowed to order that. Of course, when it arrived, she stared at it like it was going to jump up and bite her. In the end, after demonstrating how to eat it; she loved it.

Actually, I think this version is a tad better than what I've had at Pho Duyen Mai; it's a bit more crisp, the filling moist....not super stuffed, but a nice light arrangement of pork and shrimp. The lettuce and herbs were sparkling and crisp; though the nuoc mam cham seemed a bit more watered down than what I recalled from previous visits. I do think the Banh Xeo has actually gotten better here over time.

So, while I probably won't be having lunch with this person anymore. I'll try to drop by Pho Banh Mai more often. The service was different during my two visits; perfunctory during the breakfast, but friendly during lunch.

Pho Ban Mai
8991 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

The Nakasendo Trail - Onward to Tsumago

After heading uphill at Magome; the well marked trail meanders off; up and downhill, across roads and sometimes for short spans alongside the highway.

Occasionally, you'd hear the ringing of the "Bear Bell" off in the distance. So, we started doing the same as well when coming across those bells.

You'd sometimes come across a small village.....

Some of which look like the real life rendition of a painting.

There are a couple of restrooms along the way and a few rest stops. The mild drizzle, wasn't much more than a mild nuisance. After heading down from the summit of the Magome is this place; the Tateba Tea House (Ichikoku Tochi Tateba Chaya), a nice rest stop.

Volunteers from the local preservation association runs this quaint, rustic tea house, and it gives you insight into life during the days before electricity and other conveniences.

A "kagizuru", the traditional Japanese hearth is central heating; though there was also a wood burning cast iron stove onto one side. We learned that the smoke keeps insects and pests out and helps to harden and treat the wood.

There was a tour group of German and French who were just getting ready to leave when we arrived. The guide greeted us in Japanese and I answered. When I thanked her for the nice history of the building she looked shocked, then laughed. I guess we really can pass for Japanese here! You get a nice pot of tea and some snacks gratis. Just don't forget to leave a small donation so this place can keep on doing their thing.

It seems that everything has a story here. Like this union of two cypress trees that have been joined as one.

A "Husband and Wife" tree.

The forest near the halfway point between Magome and Tsumago is quite beautiful. Tall, straight trees reach to the skies.....

The crystal clear water in streams roll pass.....

Much like when we hiked the Samaria Gorge; we found some fallen branches and ended up using them as walking sticks.

Leaning them against a wall at the outskirts of Tsumago, thinking they may be of help to folks walking in the opposite direction one day.

Eventually, you get to the hill that overlooks a couple of villages with Tsumago in the distance.

And you follow the signs as the trail leads to Tsumago.

Tsumago itself is quite atmospheric; you feel like you've stepped into the past.

And the overcast skies and occasional drizzle seemed to add to things.......

We came across this display in one of the buildings.

Man, it was quite an impressive Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day) display. According to the sign; this region celebrates Hinamatsuri one month later than other areas.

If you'd like to see the panoramic photo below; I'd click on it to enlarge.

The Missus was just struck by the harmonic beauty...but I was getting hungry.

Since the Missus can read Kanji; She pointed out this Soba Shop.

So we decided to grab some lunch.....

Hot Soba sounded quite nice on this damp day.

The Missus went with this version of Sansai Soba.

I went with the Tororo (grated yam) version.

Nothing fancy, but nice a soothing on this day. The noodles were not quite the texture I enjoy, but the broth was quite nice.

Turns out this place is pretty well known in the guide books and such.

Yoshimuraya
860-1, Azuma, Nagiso,
Kiso,399-5302

Bellies full, we headed off to the "bus station".......

For the bus to Nagiso.

Our train from Nagiso back to Nagoya, wouldn't be leaving until nearly 4pm, so we stopped by a shop and got some tea and wagashi.

We arrived back in Nagoya a few minutes after 5pm. It had been a wonderful day.

Thanks for reading!

And if you want a bit more; check this out

Doing Part of the Nakasendo Trail - Starting Off in Magome

As I've mentioned before; during our trips we like to take a detour; whether flying over the Nazca Lines, spending a night in a tent in the Grand Erg Oriental (albeit, quite a luxurious tent), hiking from Matra to Taphin, the Samaria Gorge, or the Great Wall from one province to another (sounds more impressive of an effort than it is), I try to plan something that's "fun" for the Missus. Which usually means I'll be huffing and puffing along while the Missus has a blast. While planning this trip; I'd read about the Nakasendo Trail, one of the "Five Routes", the administrative routes created during the Edo Period, which connected Edo (now Tokyo), to the outer provinces of Japan. Because of where I had projected our "path" on this trip, taking in that Kyoto was a "must" and trying to make it as fun and interesting for us as possible; I picked Nagoya as our hub for a whopping three nights....remember, the Missus doesn't like staying anywhere too long. So when I read about the most frequented (and easiest) portion of the Nakasendo trail, from Magome to Tsumago being within easy reach....I thought it would be a great day trip.

And so, there we were waiting for the Shinano 1 on track 10 at the JR Nagoya Station. We were bushed and it seemed the Ekiben pickins' were a bit slim (there was something we wanted to try, but it was too early), so we did the obvious and headed to.....the vending machines.....

And a few yen later, we had some nice hot black coffee (there's a brand I like, but for some reason I can't remember it right now) and some red bean soup and some corn soup (I've loved the stuff since I had it on Sapporo). Though we didn't do nearly as well as the older gentleman who was hitting the Kirin at 7am! For those who watch Gourmet Samurai and saw episode 1 (FWIW, while I enjoy GS, I really enjoy Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories) and saw the inner turmoil of deciding whether to have a beer with lunch or not.....that dude had no qualms! You gotta admire such decisiveness, right?

The train took us to Nakatsugawa. Of course, due to my not quite understanding the bus schedule from Nakatsugawa to Magome; we arrived a bit early.

Though when you're on vacation, those things seem minor....so we set about to grab a cup of coffee and maybe a snack and headed off from the train station.

And found there wasn't much going on at 745am in Nakatsugawa....at least close to where we were at.....

I did mention that the visitor center/TI opened at 8am, so we headed there.....

Where there is the inevitable "local products" shop....something we love so much. The Missus bought some local tea and I grabbed one wagashi......the Missus loves persimmon, so I got what I basically believe is suikanshuku, thinking I'd grab some tea from the vending machine. But, after paying for our stuff, the really nice gentleman working, insisted that we have two cups of the local green tea.

Which is why we both love Japan so much. Anyway, along with some water....and those two cups of tea.....well, the Missus really loved the little treat.

Soon enough, the bus was leaving.......it was about a 25 minute bus ride....and to think the Missus wanted me to walk to Magome!

We finally made it to the stop, at the bottom of the street from Magome.

The air was so crisp, the view beautiful.....and so quiet. No cars are allowed on the main street in Magome.

So we headed up from the main road.

It's a beautiful walk up the winding streets that takes you to a different time.

The Missus and I decided to wait and let the other pass and head off. No offense, but there's a kind of amazing lack of chatter in Japan that makes us want to hear something other than the sound of voices.....

So we took our time.......look at the specials of the day served here!

We saw a stand selling steamed buns and decided to stop there and have our breakfast.

It was what seemed to be an intentionally rustic little stand, to fit in......with all the charm that is Japan. The service was gracious and kind and the steamed buns were decent....I actually enjoyed the preserved vegetable more than the eggplant, for that wonderful spinach-chy, slightly salty, chlorophyllic flavor I enjoy. 

We then headed up the hill.........

And then down, to come across something interesting.......

So every 200 meters or so are these bells....and from what I heard, you can go to the TI and get your own, handy-dandy, anti-black bear bell.......so you ring the bells to scare away the bears. But being the somewhat cynical person I am, I wondered two things; heck if I were a black bear, this wouldn't scare me away....this would be the "dinner bell", though secondly, we saw some interesting four paw tracks along the way....which freaked me out a bit......and I forgot to take photos....my bad. Still, it was fun to hear the bells "ringing" along the way....take no chances and all that, right?

The trail itself went up and down hills and even across current roads/highways......

But you'd always come across something interesting....like the replication of the traditional town notice board.

These Kosatsuba laid down the law for all who passed.

The Missus really enjoyed this hike. Along with the seasonal beauty......

Was a bit of history. Which made things a lot easier.....at least for me.

Thanks for reading!

Hotaru Ika (Firefly Squid) at Yakitori Taisho

You could probably figure that my first "Japanese" restaurant meal since returning from Japan would be at Yakitori Taisho. We've decided that we love the spring bounty in Japan and wouldn't you know it; Taisho had one of those items; Hotaru Ika - Firefly Squid. We actually had a nice version at our favorite restaurant, Suzunari in Tokyo.

I had expected this to be possibly a bit dried out, but it was not. Fairly tender, it basically bursts upon biting and is kind of acquired taste; oceany with what I would call a rather pleasant bitterness from its liver. I enjoyed it.

So we can now add this to squid beaks, Babylon snails, gizzard "skin", quail, and one really awesome beef tongue dish.

And I had all the usual items of course.

And I had a nice chat with Taka-san about his hometown of Nagoya....and of the regional specialties of course.

And this place that we visited.....

Man, I'm missing Japan already......

Yakitori Taisho
5185 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117

Top Choice Fish Market and Eatery (Carlsbad)

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today; she has time and Kirk as well as Ed(from Yuma) are just too busy.

There are many posts on this blog about the Carlsbad Grocer and Restaurant, Tip Top Meats.  It's a great German owned and European style meat store, grocery store with a small restaurant inside.    When The Mister and I drove up last November, we saw that a new Fish store was being constructed inside the adjoining former produce market.  We finally had time for the drive North the other day.  Turns out Top Choice opened less than a month ago. 
Stepping inside, there is a refrigerated display case with prepared items and above that, menu boards, the same as at Tip Top, but the prices aren't listed on it, yet.    We were given a paper take out menu, which was helpful.  We ordered, paid and found a seat (there are some larger communal like picnic tables out front and inside, but not as much seating as the meat store.


 While waiting, I walked over to the fish market side.  It's small, the prices are fair (not inexpensive) and everything was very fresh.  I enjoyed that the menu has a similar to the meat store 'Special Steak Dinner', mentioned at the bottom of this post-The 'Showcase Fish Platter' feature of picking out any fish from the case and you pay the price of the fish, add $5 for two sides. The fish will be sautéed or broiled as you request.  

 Since this was a first visit and the menu was so interesting, we decided to try simple basics.  The Bouillabaisse (cup $2.98, bowl $5.98, bread bowl$8.98)was a wonderful choice.  The garlicky broth was filled with a large piece of grilled solid fish (a various 'fish of the day'), two large shrimp, five clams and three mussels.  Next time we might just order two bowls of this, although I am curious about the New England clam chowder and house made special fish stew soup.  The Fish and Chips (substitute cole slaw for the chips) ($9.49) came with  five large pieces of lightly battered and fried Alaskan cod.  The batter and its frying was proper: crisp, thin, to a light brown.  The fish was flaky and light flavored.  A quite large side of house made tartar sauce came with the plate and was very good. The slaw seemed to have small bits of pineapple but also some pungency, almost like horseradish or maybe a special mustard.  In any case, it was very good.  

All in all a great meal.  We will be back.  

Top Choice Fish Market and Eatery 6118 Paseo Del Norte, Suite B Carlsbad 92011 (760)517-8680 Open 7 days.  Fish Market 8-8, Eatery 11 a.m.-8 p.m. website

Los Pollos Cuban Bakery (Chula Vista)

Thanks for returning to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Kirk is very busy at work this week, Ed (from Yuma) is busy learning the ins and outs of his new computer and that means Cathy is writing today's post...she isn't as busy as she had been.

I've been in Chula Vista a lot this year, always noticing this small storefront in a far corner of a mall anchored by a CVS and Grocery Outlet.Finally having time to drive South without needing to rush, The Mister and I stopped here for a light lunch.
  Small, with only two tables inside and four tables out in front, the limited menu looked interesting.      There are two display counters.  The one on the left has heated items (typical Cuban bakery items) while the one on the right is refrigerated.  The refrigerated items were what I would call 'eclectic international desserts'- European fruit topped custard pie, coconut macaroons, French macaron, Italian cannoli,  custard, rice pudding and flan.. 
 Even though the first items of the menu listings indicate a relationship to the name of 'Los Pollos' as the specialty here, the rotisserie chicken wasn't ready and so we ordered a couple of items from the warm display,    a chicken empanada ($1.79) and a meat pastry ($1.65). The chicken empanada was baked (not fried). The wonderful simple flavors of rotisserie chicken mixed with garlic and tomato wrapped in the fresh pastry was delicious.  About the size of my palm, the whole empanada had quite enough filling; its ratio with the amount of pastry was just right.

The filling for the meat pastry was a very nice picadillo -ground beef mixed with vegetables. The delightful, crispy puff pastry was perfect. This serving was quite large and very good.   
We ordered a Cuban sandwich ($6.50) and were surprised to see it was served with plantain chips as a side.  Those fried snacks, unsalted, are just a perfect compliment to the pressed sandwich, filled with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese as well as a salty pickle and mustard. Of course, the bread was wonderful.  
Since we had ordered a small cup of Americano coffee to share, well, there was this cheese pastry ($1) in the warm counter that I really wanted to try.  It, too, was wonderful.  Just a bit of a sort of cream cheese/ricotta like cheese mix, surrounded by a sugared puff pastry.  

We will return for the chicken...soon. 

Here is a link to cc's visit, which I read and immediately forgot; should've stopped here sooner.

Los Pollos Cuban Bakery 1372 Third Avenue Chula Vista 91911 (619) 870-1225 Mon-Sat 10 A.M.- 8 P.M., Sun 9 A.M.-5 P.M.
 

Getting Back to the Routine - Revisits to Thai Papaya and Mien Trung

For some reason, we're taking a bit longer getting back to our usual routine after our last trip to Japan. Call it what you may...we might be getting a bit older....work has been much busier for the both of us....or whatever. Still, we're starting to settle in, which means visiting those familiar places. I'm not sure you got this out of my last set of revisit posts, but one thing I do miss when visiting Japan is food with a nice amount of spice. So naturally, I do a bit of catching up when we get back. Here are two recent revisits.

Thai Papaya:

**** Thai Papaya has closed

It's been a while since we've been here. For some reason, winter just doesn't seem to be the right time for spicy Issan inspired Thai food. But this past weekend, with temps inching into the 80's...well, it was time.

Things have changed a bit since our last visit. The menu has been expanded and a lot of our Sab E Lee favorites are now on the current Thai Papaya menu.

We started with the Bamboo Shoot Salad; we're getting a bit wimpy in our old age and now went with a heat level 7, which was enough for us.

And some sticky rice. Nice earthy springtime tones from the bamboo shoots...almost meaty in texture. Good spice, a nice start to the meal.

We also got the Missus's favorite; the Papaya Salad with salted egg.....

In spite of being a bit short with the green beans; this was excellent. The salted egg adds a nice interesting pungent-savory layer of flavor to the salad. Loved the refreshing crunch of the shredded papaya, with hints of sweet-acidic tomatoes. On this day, that sauce was right on......I ended up dipping my sticky rice in it to get every drop. And for some reason, the pungent-sour flavors make the cabbage taste even sweeter.

As is the case with the Issan Sausage.

And while there might be better versions of Thai/Lao style sausage in San Diego these days....this is still a staple during our meals at Thai Papaya. It has that balance of sour-herbaciousness, that combines so well with the ginger and/or peanuts with a little ball of sticky rice; letting a bite of cucumber cleanse your palate between bites.

This was just the perfect meal on a nice spring day.

Thai Papaya by Sab E Lee
2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111 

Mien Trung:

We chose Mien Trung of all places on Easter morning for breakfast. And so did a bunch of other folks as the place was packed. The Missus had the Bun Rieu and I went with my usual Bun Bo Hue. We ate sitting elbow to elbow with other folks in communal style.

Man, this was a lot spicier than I recalled. Still; with all the veggies and herbs, slippery noodles, and deeply flavored broth......I worked up a nice sweat and got that capsaicin high....my head feeling nice and clear.

For more on this place; just enter Mien Trung in the search box......I think we've got over a dozen posts on the place.

Mien Trung Restaurant
7530 Mesa College Dr
San Diego, CA 92111

Sunday Sandwiches - Rose Canyon Deli

Both my accountant and PCP moved offices over the last year. Both of them slightly closer to me....though in an area I'm not too familiar with. Apparently there's a whole world of business and office parks on streets named Moraga and Jutland. This little place occupies a spot where Morena turns and becomes Ariane.

Three parking stalls a rather crowded counter and indoor area, run by an older couple, this shop reminds me of The Sandwich Place.

There's a small, but neat patio eating area.

The menu consists of everything from chili to paninis to breakfast sandwiches and simple salads....the everyman's corner sandwich shop. I've mentioned having a curiosity about places like this before. Places that aren't chains, but fill a role in places where chains wouldn't think of placing a shop.

The prices for most items; sandwiches and such run the gamut from the mid-sixes (for an Egg Salad Sandwich) to near eight bucks (for the gyro with "handmade" pita.

In this day, I wanted something with a little crunch and ordered the ham and cheese panini ($7.40).

Nicely pressed; the sourdough bread not too hard, crisp, not greasy. The Swiss cheese adding a mildly milky component to the slightly salty ham, the "you know the brand" mustard helping to cut through everything.

Not a super stuffed sandwich; not a bargain sandwich, but a simple, satisfying one, good enough for me on this day.

A few months later....well, it's tax season and my accountant's office had moved close by. Having to drop off some pre-preparation documents, I decided to drop by for lunch. In spite of the inevitable "Kronos" poster, I decided to try the Gyros Sandwich ($7.99). I had a seat outside and my sandwich was quickly delivered.

As you can tell; it's the typical Kronos mystery meat, gummy and fairly mild in the flavor. It could have done for a bit of caramelizing. The tzatziki was also fairly watery and I wished there were more tomatoes and onions to add some interest to this. And in spite of my doubting that the pita was "hand made", it was indeed the best part of this sandwich. Light, warm, and fluffy. So this wasn't a total loss.

Interesting thing. During my two visits...even though it was quick; eat and run, there wasn't a single other visitor. Though that phone kept on ringing with take-out orders. I'm guessing most of the clientele are regulars. Folks who decided to not bring lunch to the office on this day. Not a bad gig by any means.

While it seems that these unpretentious, independently owned simple sandwich shops seem to be disappearing (not everyone can be Supernatural or Big Front Door), I'm sure there'll always be a spot for them. And I'll check them out if I happen to drive pass one.

Rose Canyon Deli
4901 Morena Blvd. Suite 301
San Diego, CA 92117
Hours:
Mon - Fri 730am - 330pm 

Tokyo to Nagoya and Dinner at Hitsumabushi Bincho

Each of our three trips to Japan started and ended in Tokyo....naturally in Tokyo Station (actually Narita Airport, but you get the point). By now, we kind of had a habit when catching the Shinkansen to whatever our destination was. One of the items on that list....hit up an Ekiben stand.

This one was a special, to celebrate the one year anniversary of the Shinkansen line to Hokkaido. It was about ten bucks and yes, that's real crab. The oysters were decent; but it was the ikura that made this delicious. It's always fun to watch the Shinkansen go by and count how many people you see eating a bento. Well, when in Japan we're one of those.

Like any large city, it's also fun to people watch. We like to sit for a while in the seats across from the Shinkansen ticket machines. and while I missed taking a photo of the portly man wearing pink "Hello Kitty" sweats....I was basically in shock. I found this guy interesting as he carefully documented all his omiyage.

For some reason, I really noticed a lot of the signs, especially on trains and in train stations on this trip. I found them interesting and sometimes a bit humorous. Like this one titled "How to use a toilet".....just in case you've forgotten. Step 1 is the most important..... I'm always wondering, how many cases of what behavior inspired these posters.

While planning out this trip, I found that Nagoya fit perfectly in our plans. So while we'd made a quick dinner visit in the past, this time we'd be staying. Since we travel very light; we need to have facilities with a washer a few times during our visit. In Nagoya, this meant finding an AirBnB, which was super conveniently located, literally within two blocks from JR Nagoya Station. Though the downside was it being spartanly furnished (my original reservation for what looked like a larger, nicer unit was cancelled) and that it was literally next to the train tracks.

I was relieved that the noise at night didn't bother the Missus too much. And we were gone for most of the days in Nagoya.

One of the great thing about Japan is that every town or city seems to have its specialty....at least in the snack department. Nagoya has several special dishes that I wanted to try. Taka-san at Taisho said I really needed to have Hitsumabushi; Nagoya's version of Unadon. After doing quite a bit of walking already, we decided to stay close by for dinner. Right at the exit of the JR Nagoya Station are escalators leading down to ESCA Underground Shopping Center. Much like Tokyo Station "City", there's a couple of interconnected malls under Nagoya Station. In ESCA, I had mapped out Hitsumabushi Bincho, a Nagoya based chain well known for their Nagoya style Unagi bowl.

Here unagi is grilled over what is regarded as high quality binchotan. The place was pretty quiet when we arrived at about 5pm.

We decided to order the 1 1/2 order of Hitsumabushi to share and a couple of other dishes. And of course "nama biru"......

I was quite happy to see Unagi Hone-senbei on the menu.

I really enjoy fried fish bones....potato chips of the sea. Savory, lightly salted, fairly light and very crisp. Nice savory flavors...and heck, I get my calcium too! Did I mention that it goes great with beer?

We would find other versions that were much cheaper than this, but it was a nice start for me.

The Missus, curious about some of the dishes ordered the Grilled Eel Liver (kimoyaki).

I've had this before and warned the Missus about how bitter it can be. Actually, the tare used on this was just sweet enough to ward off some of the bitterness, though it still caught the Missus a bit off guard. The aroma of the caramelized tare was fantastic. Maybe the best version I've had of this dish.

She also ordered a version of Itawasa. This one was interesting.

The "kamaboko" was very nice, great balanced salty-savory flavors.....all I can say is "good surimi", something I'm not really used to here in the states. The wasabi dip was interesting. There was some minced vegetable in it; a mild bitter-pungent, and a strong fermented flavor; which is probably miso, but the texture was interesting, like perhaps fermented fish? It was quite lovely and a great pairing; the sweet-pungency of the wasabi based dip with the fish cake. I know, I've just written almost a hundred words about eating kamaboko.

And then the main dish....which was accompanied by an instruction card. This one in both Japanese and English.

Apparently, eating this dish the "Nagoya way" is serious business. According to the documentation, this is a three step process. Which we, of course followed.

The Eel itself is wonderfully textured. In the states, the skin is often chewy, here it isn't. The tare is quite complex, mild sweetness, deep interesting flavors. The flesh of the eel basically melts in your mouth, the fat content quite good.

The rice, in comparison to other places in Japan is ok, a bit too hard by my standards. The best combination is number 2, with wasabi; the floral-sweet-pungent tones and the green onion really brought out the best in the eel and added texture. The Chazuke just seemed to water down the flavors for us.

This was a nice and quite filling first meal in Nagoya for us. The service was very friendly and as with most places in Japan quite accommodating.

Hitsumabushi Bincho (ESCA Shop)
ESCA Underground Shopping Center (#45 on the directory)
Tsubakimachi 6 No. 9 Gosaki Esca
Tsubakicho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya-shi, 453-0015
Hours:
Open Daily 11am - 330pm and 5pm - 10pm

We took a walk around the area, stopped at the 7-11 to pick up a couple of beers, went back to the apartment to relax and celebrate the fact that we were back in Japan. Tomorrow, we'd be "hiking" (again, remember, I'm here with the Missus) part of the Nakasendō trail. I needed to rest up.

Thanks for reading!

 

Tokyo - Breakfast at Yaesu Hatsufuji (again), Ueno Park, and Kitanomaru Park

After having a nice dinner in Tokyo the night before; we awoke nice and refreshed. We wouldn't be leaving for Nagoya until 130pm, so the Missus was really interested in checking things out. She was really excited about getting to see the Sakura. I'd been monitoring the Cherry Blossom Forecast and told the Missus we'd probably be missing things in Tokyo (until we returned) and Nagoya, but looked like we were on schedule for Kyoto. Still, I decided we should go to Ueno Park.

But first, breakfast. The Missus really enjoyed breakfast at Yaesu Hatsufuji on our last trip and wanted to eat the simple, but satisfying Japanese breakfast here again. We found a convenient locker, near the JR office, stowed our bags, and found the restaurant soon after.

It was still early, so we strolled around a bit. When we got back to the restaurant, there was already a line!

As the place opened, the line to the ticket machine moved quickly. We made our choices, paid, got our tickets...walked into the place, gave the woman our tickets and were guided to a table.

The Missus enjoys the tea that is provided. She went with the Natto Set (620¥) again; which She loves.

What really surprised me this time around was how good the sashimi was!

I got the Tonjiro Set (520¥), with the exchange rate a bargain at about $4.75!

The miso and pork based soup/stew was quite comforting, not too salty....in spite of being the end of March, there was still a bit of a chill in the air in the morning and this did the trick. Man, that rice was really good too......something that I notice about the Japan.

This place is a favorite of ours. I've posted on it before, so I'll leave it at that.

Yaesu Hatsufuji
Yaesu underground shopping center North 1, 2-1, Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0028

So, this is Japan. You eat and get the heck out of dodge....breakfast was less than 20 minutes long so it was not long before we caught the JR Yamanote Line, getting off in Ueno in less than ten minutes.

Ueno Park is pretty large, with a number of Museums and a Zoo on its property. But, we were here for the cherry blossoms. The thing that stuck with us the most about our visit here is learning about the phenomenon of the Hanami Party.

So Hanami basically means "flower viewing" and it's obvious that in this case it means Cherry Blossom viewing. But there's this kind of interesting, for us, a bit goofy, thing called a Hanami Party. Here it seems like folks reserve a spot....setting our plastic tarps to celebrate. It looks like someone needs to keep on the reserved bit of real estate until the party. Man, it was still pretty darn cold at night here.....that's kind of nuts. It does seem like the "spring renewal" has an effect on people....there's this infectious, well, goofiness that is all around. Hope springs eternal.

And for all the partiers, there're the folks who can't walk past a tree without taking a photo.....two interesting groups.....

And while things weren't quite perfect yet....those folks will probably be spending a few more cold nights sleeping on tarps in the park, the transposition of colors is still quite stunning.

I saw a small folded tarp with one guy lying on it....just enough space for him.....which is when I asked the Missus; "is there such a thing as a hanami party for one?"

Just ask the statue of Prince Komatsu Akihito.

It seems that it was all "Hanami" for us right now.......which distracted me from all else that Ueno Park has to offer.

Though I did take some time to check out a couple of things. Like the Hair Pagoda for Priest Tenkai......check out the link. It's an interesting story...plus, he lived to be 108!

And on Kiyomizu Kannon-do; the recreation of the Pine Tree of the Moon. Though I spy some food stalls on the path to Benten-do.

And based on all the food (and drink) booths around; this must be some kind of party at night........

By this time, the Missus was ready to head back to Tokyo Station....though it was still early. So I thought we'd head out of the station.

And around the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace.

And over to Kitanomaru Park. Where we strolled around and saw two young ladies pushing carts with very young kids in it.....

It was fun watching the little ones having their day at the park......

We enjoyed walking the trails.....

Soon enough, it was time to head back to Tokyo Station. We decided to walk through the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. This is the Tōkagakudō, the music hall.....

I think there were places open on this visit that were closed off the last time we were here. Of course, folks were enjoying the Cherry Blossoms here as well.

We got back to the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station and the Missus decided She wanted to try one of the "sakura" drinks at Tully's Coffee.

Which She enjoyed.

I guess that's the deal with spring here. Everything is born anew....hope is in the air....life begins.....and you have no choice but to enjoy it.

Thanks for reading!