Back home

(March 22)

I bought so much stuff to take home as usual. I was worried one of the luggages was overweight but it was fine.


Flight was pleasant. I like ANA. Even the appetizers were seasonal dishes.


Main course, cheese and desert courses.


Breakfast included grilled fish, topped with salt-marinated cherry blossom leaf...so spring.

At LAX, I reunited with my husband, Jason. It was the first time to see him in 2 months since I saw him in Australia in January. He has been in Australia and Vietnam for almost 3 months and came back to LA just one day before me. So happy to see him back home!

Back in Japan (March 2016)...Sushi night

Menegi sushi with a sprinkle of sea salt

(March 21)

It's been already two weeks since I came back to Japan and was the final night of the stay this time.


Tomoko and I went to a regular sushi place in Urawa. Their sushi chef, tamura-san took great care of us again.


He makes wonderful savory dishes besides sushi, too.


The photos were less than half of what we ate. We ate so many savory dishes and more than 10 nigiri each! We also drank 6 kinds of sake.


We even took home cut rolls to snack later.

Very fun sister night.

Back in Japan (March 2016)...Dinner at Hiroo Ichie

Chef Watanabe's custom designed donabe for rice

(March 20)

I met Akiko and Nishimura-kun in Minami Senju in late afternoon.


They took me to a local sake shop in this old downtown area. Next to the sake shop is a "kaku-uchi" which is a drinking lounge attached to sake shop. It also functions as an izakaya, so they serve small dishes.


As soon as we entered the kaku-uchi, I was shocked to see how tiny the space was! It was completely packed with just about 6 people (including those standing), then we managed to squeeze in. There was only one small table inside and people were happily drinking. How fun the ambience was!


They were all locals and having fun. They were so friendly that we started chatting with them. The menu in this tiny kaku-uchi is actually quite extensive including horse medley and seasonal hotaru-ika (firefly squid), etc. I got to try their "Niku-man Oden" for the first time. This is considered as a "micro regional" food, only found in Minami-Senju district in Tokyo. niku-man they make in this town is not a meat filled steam bun, but it's a patty of white fish meat and panko (breadcrumbs) which were deep-fried. Then, it was simmered in dashi broth. How interesting!


After some sake, Akiko and took a subway to Hiroo. We had a dinner reservation at Hiroo Ichie, which is a small Japanese restaurant by Chef Watanabe. He takes only 3 parties a night and handles everything in the kitchen by himself. His wife is in front of the house. We got to sit at the counter to watch all his actions in the kitchen.


Dinner was so seasonal and elegant.


I loved every bite.


Grilled fish over charcoal was fantastic.


He uses custom-designed donabe for his rice. It was kuchiko (very rare sea cucumber ovary) and usui-mame pea rice. Fantastic.


Dessert was domyoji (coarse moch, filled with azuki paste, and wrapped in salt-marinated cherry blossom leaf).

Wonderful dinner!

Back in Japan (March 2016)...Steak night in Aoyama

Chunks of Ichibo (tip of the bottom) and Harami (outer skirt) meat to be grilled

(March 18)

During the day, I visited a friend of mine from high school at his shops in Kappabashi.


Kawasaki-kun is a 3rd generation family owner of a traditional kitchenware shop in the heart of Kappabashi. He also runs a unique artisan kitchen and tableware shop in the same district.


His knowledge about anything kitchen/tableware and artisan producers is so amazing. I had a great time spending time with him at his stores and learned so much from him.


In the early evening, I met Chiharu-san at Cafe Kitsune in Omotesando. Modern coffee house scene has been quite huge in Tokyo.


Then, we went to meet up with the rest of the group at a "hidden" steak house in Minami-Aoyama. It's called T Grill. Chiharu and I worked together at TOSHIBA EMI and got together with old colleagues for dinner there. I worked in the international department there for a little over 4 years and have so many (crazy) fun memories with them.

　
The dinner was really good. We started with vegetable fritter salad, then had grilled hamburg made from hand-cut meat.


The steak was cooked over charcoal grill. So good.


We had such a great time talking about old time and everything. We were laughing all the time.