Marble Ice cream

This is the best chocolate ice cream ever. I thought that in 2009 before I left Japan. Tasting it again, I re confirm this. I wish I could taste the other flavours - citron milk.

Restaurants in Japan

Here is a list of restaurants we visited while in Japan.

Aozora, Tsukiji Market
Aburiya - Fu Do, Nakameguro
Bills, Kamakura
Burger Arms, Yoyogi Park
Ceylon Inn, Nakameguro
Ho Ho Ho, Shirokanedai
Karashi, Shirokanedai
Ninja Restaurant, Akasaka
Negiya Heikichi, Shibuya
Omotemise, Tsukiji Market
Seirinkan, Nakameguro
Su Shi something, Shirokanedai
Ten Ichi, Ginza

Aburiya-Fu Do

While Daniel was staying here I found this restaurant on www.bento.com. The review suggests that they use a superior choice of beef in their yakiniku. So we got into the car and headed for the 'unknown'.

They dropped Nathan and I while the boys went to look for parking. I got nervous - what if they didnt like the place?

It was fantastic. A small well used restaurant, heavy with wood and charcoal. Downstairs is the bar in the picture but the customers sit on the floor and not bar stools. We were seated upstairs in a wood panelled room. And our host didnt speak a word of English and we too little Japanese.

First the appetizer arrived. It was a wonderful cabbage salad with a strong fried garlic and soy dressing in the silver bowl. The first food competition to arrive. We had yakiniku which brought us a braisier to cook the meat on. A most delicious nabe: Daniel wanted a soup and this came with some offal. Our host suggested he put it in and we didnt have to eat it and we all agreed. It was delicious. The combination of the offal, collagen, and simple ingredients of cabbage, chilli threads and whatever was to die for. Just dipping this rich soup into rice was all we needed to eat.

Our rice, which was meant to end the meal but we requested early for Nathan was a red rice full of grains and health. A kimchi and yakitori to complete the meal.

Gin and Tonic

Some delicious things in Japan:

I am enjoying the realest Gin and Tonic. No more the horrible sugar filled Schweppes Tonic to accompany the Gin. We have Japanese real Tonic. And it tastes real, no sugar-substitute after taste, just plain tonic.

I have discovered why Gin and Tonic became a drink.

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I found its cheaper to buy alcohol in bulk than to keep running down to the supermarket every time we run out of sake. As the lack of alcohol at home seems to definitely motivate trips to the supermarket which instigates spending of other sorts. This bulk buying seems to be a savings on money and on effort carrying all those bottles up. Today's trip was bigger than normal as I found they also sell mineral water. Nathan adds this to fruit juice to make an 'ade. I also chose 6 1.8l bottles of sake. AND I was tempted and didn't allow myself to think about it and bought 24 bottles of this fantastic tonic. In the back of my mind, I am thinking that I have to finish all of it before July when we are most likely to have to leave Japan. Can I achieve this? Should I have bought the accompanying Gin or Vodka as the beer will last till we leave? Will I have to throw a Gin and Tonic party? Perhaps in July, I shouldnt any earlier.

I think this would be one thing I will miss from Japan.