torakris

I don't normally buy pop but Pepsi (in Japan) currently has Le Creuset kitchen magnets on their 1.5 liter bottles. At 158 yen ($1.30) a bottle that is probably less than I would pay for the magnets in a shop. Of course I have now been drinking Pepsi all day long and am starting to feel ill... Please tell me I am not the only one who does this...

Thanks everybody! This was exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I think I will pass, it is the way Cook's Illustrated　explains why the recipes work that makes me love it so much.

I love Cook's Illustrated and have vaguely heard of Cook's Country before but wasn't aware it was actually a magazine. This morning I received e-mails with special offers for both of these, buy the 2006 bound editions and the 2005 edition is sent with it for free. Since I stopped my Cook's Illustrated subscription in 2004 because the shipping prices to Japan were so high I pulled out my credit card quite fast. Then I moved on the Cook's Country e-mail (coming from the exact same place, America's Test Kitchen) and it sounds exactly like Cook's Illustrated. Finding the the "best" recipe, product reviews. etc. So is it different in anyway? Do the same things appear in both magazines? Is it worth purchasing the 2005 and 2006 editions for $26.95?

I can tell you picked up a lot of bento goods on your trip here!

I LOVE that picture of the Hello Kitty inarizushi! That is a first for me...

Maybe, probably, could have been?! The menu looks exactly the same. I don't recall seeing any roman alphabet though, so I cannot be sure of the name. I do remember thinking that it was probably a chain restaurant, and I remember noticing that the counter was occupied only by single male diners. And I remember that there were no tables, it was counter service only, and they also had a take-out window. If it was Matsuya, what do you think of that type of food? ← I thought it might be Matsuya because in your son's picture their is the restaurant ad that says プラぎゅう, I popped this into google and came up with Matsuya. It basically means "Plus Beef" and is a campaign that for a certain price you can double the amount of beef in your beef bowl, have beef added to curry rice, etc. I have never seen Matsyua written in English usually it is 松屋、Yopu will see it in the top of this link advertising their campaign. Matsuya, Yoshinoya, Sukiya are all general beef bowl restaurants and I think they offer a great deal. It is easy to get full on a couple hundred yen and if they weren't any good they wouldn't have customers! Depending on their locations however during the week the I probably would feel uncomfortable eating lunch alone during the week. They are usually filled with males, either salaried workers or workmen. Weekends are a different story and I see plenty of families then. It can be hard with a party of 5 though as we may not always get to sit together at the counter. When eating at these type of restaurants we generally avoid the peak hours.

Was that last meal at Matsuya?

This week my co-op was selling sakura umeboshi, this was new to me and though I was intrigued by the thought I really need to finish up the 3 packs of umeboshi that are already in my refrigerator. Though these are more expensive than the ones my co-op was offering the pictures are prettier.

I too buy the stuff in plastic bags, I no longer have the bag from my current bunch but looking at it I see eggplants, cucumbers and ginger. I don't think I have ever bought a version that had myoga in it... Yukari pickles... I used to make these quite a bit before I had kids, not really sure why I stopped they are so easy and taste wonderful. I really liked it with celery.

I think we need Helen here! I don't pickle. I have tried and tried but it is just one of those things that I don't do well (I don't bake very well either), I think it is a problem that has to do with patience....

sk, What great pictures! We had a hanami party planned for yesterday but the unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate... I don't think we are going to be able to get one in this year as my 6th grader is off to school today and tomorrow is the official start of the school year and everyone goes back.

I am sorry to hear that you caught the flu! It was really going around late here this year as well.

According to Gourmet PIA they are open for lunch on weekdays from 11 to 3 and dinner from 5 to 11 (LO 10). On Weekends and holidays they are open from 11 to 11 (LO 10) with dinner menu only. http://g.pia.co.jp/shop/84539 Here is part of the menu, average prices seem to be 3000 to 6000 yen ($25 to $50) for lunch and 12,000 to 15,000 yen ($100 to $125) for dinner.

Sure, with pleasure! I don't know how to write a recipe in a proper way, though. My version is also a wet version. But it lasts for ten days or longer. (Put it in the refrigerator, of course.) ***Maho no furikake (magic furikake) *** (Sounds silly?) Ingredients: 1. Mackerel can, boiled plain (mizuni): 3 (not shown in the photo) 2. Soy source: 6 tablespoons. (I don't have a measuring spoon. Just the large spoon in the picture.) 3. Mirin-fu seasoner: 6 tablespoons (same volume as soy source) (I don't use hon mirin. Mirin-fu is enough for me.) 4. Pepper 5. Sesame seeds How to make: 0. Measure and mix soy source and mirin in a container. 1. Open the 3 cans, drain, and put the mackerel into the nonstick frying pan. 2. Add pepper and sesame seeds. (I can't say how much; just as much as you like). 3. Put the pan on the stove, turn on the gas, and smash the mackerel. (I use a bamboo spatula. See photo) Continue to smash until the mackerel nearly dries out (but still wet). This will take about 5 minutes or so. 4. Put the mix of soy source and mirin, and mix well until nearly dry (but still wet). This will take about 2 minutes or so. And the result is this: Whenever I have little appetite, a munch or two of rice with this furikake makes me work up my appetite in no time. It's true. That's why I call it maho no furikake, or magic furikake. It has the same effect on my wife and children, too. (Sorry, I don't know how to insert photos. Maybe next time...) ← While organizing my kitchen I came across a couple cans of water packed mackerel I had bought quite a while back to make this. I finally made it yesterday! It was wonderful, my kid's really loved it. They had it for dinner last night and breakfast this morning.

Thanks for the great pictures and report! I am glad to hear it is more compact. I have been to Roppongi Hills 3 times now and really hate it. It is so spread out and it is almost impossible to find things (though the food does tend to be concentrated in one place and that is usually why I am there). I was also disappointed in Omotesando Hills, I felt like I was trying to walk around inside a sardine tin. They just opened the Yokohama LaLaport about 20 minutes from me about 2 weeks ago. Though the parking could have been better thought out it is a great use of space. 3 stories, very similar setup to a mall in the US, and loads of restaurants. Unfortunately nothing of the caliber here, but they won't wipe out my bank account either.

Thanks for the pictures, it looks like a wonderful meal. Their web page. The menu sounds great especially the tandoor grilled items, besides the pork with meal have you ever tried any of the tandoor items?

This is the spelling I usually see being used. It is sold in bunches of fresh leaves like spinach and komatsuna and looks like this. Look around I am sure you will find it.

Majra, I am so glad your daughter was able to make a fairly quick recovery! Japanese bakeries are really wonderful aren't they?? I love seeing Japan through your children's eyes...

I realize it's not about food, but I have to ask: Tower Records is still in business in Japan? ← It's one of the major landmarks in Shibuya!

MELOKHIYA!! Is that what I think it is ? Talk about international cuisine Kris. How did that taste? ← Like Jason said melokhiya became very popular here in Japan a couple years back, It can be found pretty much year round in the supermarkets in my area. I usually wait until summer when it becomes cheap, 2 bunches for 100 yen (less than $1) currently they are selling one bunch for 198 yen. I really enjoy the taste (and the texture) it goes wonderfully with natto!

I can't wait to check it out as well as the rest of the area. Tokyo Midtown's English homepage

Looks like another amazing meal! I am drooling over that beef "cebiche".

I haven't pulled this one out in a while! Page 338 the Chicken with Sherry Vinegar Sauce is one recipe I go back to over and over.

Though I don't eat tofu instead of rice, but I do eat a lot of tofu. Often a block of tofu is lunch for me. In Japan hiyayakko is a very popular dish of cold tofu with various toppings. Some of my favorite quick lunches are hiyayakko topped with: natto (fermented soy beans) kimchi (or natto mixed with kimchi) sliced cucumbers and a Thai sweet chile sauce Here is the hiyayakko thread, with lots of ideas and pictures.

some more pictures of previous hiyayakkos that I posted elsewhere: with natto and melokhiya, dressed with a karashi (Japanese mustard) and soy sauce dressing with blanched okra and myouga on the left I minced some kimchee then mixed it with a little soy sauce and mirin, I then drizzled the dish with sesame oil I will definitely be making this again! On the right is tarako (cod roe) with some shiso and drizzled with soy sauce, I normally make this with mentaiko (spicy cod roe) a salad with mizuna and myoga, dressed with a kabosu ponzu left is matcha (green tea) tofu and the right is goma (black sesame seed) tofu I love the goma one (and buy it frequently), the matcha was a first for me and I really didn't care for it, my husband loved it though... blink.gif