We are here to exhibit at NYIGF (New York International Gift Fair), which starts tomorrow. We had such a busy day getting ready...decorating our booth and going shopping for additional items needed for it. My lunch was some onigiri (rice balls) I picked up at Panya Bakery (East Village)...I ate them in a cab!
Our efforts paid off, so we are happy with how our booth looks. We'll find out the real results in the next 5 days of the trade show.
After we wrapped things out, we were so thirsty as well as hungry. It was still very early, but we went straight to Matsuri Restaurant for dinner. Nagatani-en's donabe (clay pot) is used in the cover picture of a hot pot cookbook, which is written by Tadashi Ono (the owner/ chef of the restaurant). Because it was still so early, we were basically the first customers who arrived there, but the place got filled up quickly soon after. This spacious restaurant has the nice "exotic" Japanese look and made us feel like as if we were in a movie set.
We had a nice dinner there. Their menu is quite extensive Japanese izakaya fare. Among the dishes I like were shrimp gyoza and octopus sashimi salad.
We also enjoyed 2008 Dashe, Grenache, Dry Creem Valley (very smooth texture with juicy fresh dark berries and spices), and 2008 Andrew Will, Columbia Valley, Merlot (darker color, rich black berry, smoke and spice, gentle tannins).
Another fun night.
We will start working even harder tomorrow.
Happy donabe life.
You can find premium selection of Nagatani-en's donabe products at toiro's website.
