Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Hakurakuten 白楽天 焼豚玉子飯

Visited 21.11.2014

The former Kinuyama branch.

B grade gourmet. Was excited to know that Ehime Prefecture has a galore of B grade gourmet. One food caught my attention right away - roasted pork and egg rice bowl, which reminded me of char siew rice we eat at home. This dish was first created by a Chinese restaurant in Imabari city as a boarding meal for its employees. When Hakurakuten was established in 1970, the owner decided to elevate the status of this simple home-cooked rice bowl by incorporating it into its menu. The dish first became popular with students as the restaurant was located near a high school. Popularity grew over the years by word of mouth and has put this rice bowl onto the B grade gourmet list of Ehime; a "soul" food that the locals can naturally associate to Imabari city. Here in Imabari, which is home to ship building industry, there are numerous restaurants serving this dish and each has their very own version/interpretation of what a delicious bowl of roasted pork and egg rice is, which in turn has generated food diversity for customers. Do check out the gourmet map that the Imabari roasted pork and egg rice association (今治焼豚玉子飯 世界普及委員会) has came out with! Website: http://i-ytm.com/

Appetising bowl of rice.

Soul food. Back to the story of the photo which made me drooled. Eager to eat but I could not fully convince myself to travel all the way to Imabari city, which is about 40 mins away by limited express train from Matsuyama JR Station, for just one single bowl of rice. Discovered later that Hakurakuten has a branch in Kinuyama, which was just two train stations away from Matsuyama city (by Iyo Railway) and without further ado I made the decision to drop by here for lunch. Ordered the regular sized rice bowl which came with two nicely fried bright orange sunny side up eggs laid on top of roasted pork slices drizzled with a sweet and savory sauce [650 yen]. Followed the recommended way to enjoy this rice bowl. Divided into two portions, ate the first portion by breaking and mixing the yolk with rice, and repeated the steps for the other portion. Every component of the rice bowl shines and complements each other harmoniously. Roasted pork had a good proportion of fats with good caramelisation on the sides. The delicious sauce cut down the oiliness of the meat and enhanced the overall taste of this rice bowl. Sunny side up eggs were cooked to perfection and stirring the runny egg yolk with rice is a comfort food at its simplest for many Japanese. This is what I will term as a simple yet heavenly taste! All of us agreed that this is one soul food that exceeded our expectations tremendously and definitely one that we will return for. 

Beautiful slices of roasted pork hidden beneath the eggs! 

Note. Sad to know that the branch in Kinuyama has ceased operation when I was compiling this post. For those who want to taste this flavourful rice bowl, you will have to travel further to the flagship restaurant located in Imabari city.  

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Hakurakuten 白楽天 焼豚玉子飯 今治本店
愛媛県今治市常盤町4-1-19 (Imabari city)
Opening hrs: 1100 - 1500 hrs (Lunch); 1700 - 2200 hrs (Dinner)
About 8 minutes walk from Imabari JR Station.

http://www.hakurakuten.net/index.html

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Video. Scroll to 11:33 to view the feature on Hakurakuten. 

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Hozumitei ほずみ亭

Visited 20.11.2014 (Thu)

Taste of traditional cuisine. After alighting from Tetsudo Hobby Train, we had slightly over an hour to spend in Uwajima before we hopped onto the next train heading for Matsuyama. Decided to settle our lunch here and began the search for a restaurant that serves traditional cuisine unique to Ehime Prefecture. Followed the travel guide book studiously and came to Hozumitei, a well known local restaurant which utilises the freshest catch from nearby Uwa Sea to whip up numerous traditional dishes that have passed through generations. Apart from the warm hospitality that the staff showered us with upon stepping into the restaurant, what amazed me was one of the lady staff, in her forties, was able to speak very fluent English (way much better than me). This was what I least expected from a quaint little town like Uwajima. Food ordering was a breeze, without the language barrier and because we heeded her advice to order the signature dishes offered by Hozumitei. Ordered Taimeshi (鯛めし) [980 yen], Satsuma meshi (さつまめし) [980 yen] and Tachiuo Chirimen don (太刀魚ちりめん丼) [980 yen] to fully experience the local fishermen's style of cuisine in the early days.

Counter seats.

Taimeshi - Simplicity at its best!

Soul food. After the Taimeshi was delivered to our table, I diligently followed the instructions given by the staff to enjoy it in the best way, the same way as what the locals do. First, mixed a raw egg, sweet soy sauce and kombu flakes together with thinly sliced raw seabream (otherwise known as "tai"). Next, scooped some cooked rice into a separate small bowl. Poured the mixture onto the rice and tucked in! The combination was amazingly appetising and makes one yearns for more. Within minutes, I gobbled up the first bowl of glittering rice and moved on the second and third serving, until my hunger was fully satisfied. Taimeshi is yet another local soul food; truly a true showcase of simplicity at its best. Had to add this to my list of food to recommend to others visiting Ehime Prefecture. 
 

Hard to resist Tachiuo chirimen don.

Newfound flavours. Our palate were also exposed to new flavours during this meal. Satsuma meshi (さつまめし) is another recipe created by fishermen who used to prepare this dish on board for a quick meal. The shredded meat of grilled fish is mixed with barley miso and broth, cooked using fish bones, to create this white coloured paste. Similar to Taimeshi, Satsuma meshi is eaten by dashing the paste onto a small portion of barley rice. The harvesting season for Tachiuo (or largehead hairtail fish) in Uwa Sea is from summer to late autumn, and it is also during this season, the meat is higher in fat and tastier. Tachiuo chirimen (太刀魚ちりめん) is made by rolling the meat over a bamboo stick. A flavourful dark sauce is swiped evenly over the meat and the meat is grilled carefully over charcoal fire till it becomes crispy and golden brown. 

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Hozumitei ほずみ亭
〒798-0035 愛媛県宇和島市新町2-3-8
Opening hrs: 1100 - 1330 hrs, 1700 - 2230 hrs (last order at 2130 hrs), closed on Sundays.
Approx 5 mins walk from Uwajima Station.
https://s401200.gorp.jp/

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Kisetsu Ryori Taniguchi 季節料理 たにぐち

Visited 19.11.2014　

Gourmet search. Apart from being the last clear river in Japan, Shimanto River is also a habitat for many marine life. These "treasures" of the river are eventually transformed to simple yet delicious gourmet dishes that the locals are proud of. In Shimanto, freshness is guaranteed, since it is harvested from the nearby river, and this is also the key element that brings out the best flavour of the food. There are many restaurants here offering local specialty dishes; dropped by Taniguchi as it was located near our hotel stay for the night (Nakamura Prince Hotel). Taniguchi is a family operated restaurant with a homely atmosphere that can felt almost immediately upon stepping in. Was handed over a Japanese menu but the waitress quickly passed us an English one after she knew that we were foreigners. Food ordering was effortless because pictures with descriptions were made available  in the menu too.

Top left: Deep fried river shrimps; Bottom left: Tempura seaweed; Bottom right: Deep fried goby fishes.

So what is the cuisine created from the freshest ingredients harvested from Shimanto River? Ordered a variety of dishes to find out:

• Deep fried river shrimps (800 yen). These river shrimps have long arms, which reminded me of those we see in indoor prawn catching pools back at home. Shrimps are deep fried until crispy red to lock in and enhance the natural sweet flavours of the shrimps. Recommended for those who are fans of prawns like me. This was the first dish served and was great start to dinner.
• Deep fried goby fish (800 yen). It was my first time eating goby fish. Did not find this dish particularly outstanding because I could not really make out the flavours of this ikan bilis sized fish in my mouth. Restaurant also served goby fishes cooked in other style such as soy sauce broiled, simmered with egg and vinegar marinated. In fact, the best time to savour goby fishes is in March when the goby fishing season starts. 
• Tempura seaweed (750 yen). Known as Hitoegusa (ヒトエグサ), this type of seaweed is hand picked at the river mouth where fresh and salt waters merge. Cooked in the tempura style, I like the crunchy yet fluffy texture of the seaweed. Remember to soak the seaweed in the light dipping sauce which will help get rid some of the oiliness. Highly recommended for all to try!

• Salt grilled ayu or sweet fish (1,500 yen). I have never eaten a failed salt grilled ayu fish so far in Japan. This is actually very good: salt rubbed and grilled till crispy golden brown; sweetness of the meat can be tasted with every bite.    

• Grilled wild eel/unagi. Found this overly priced but decided to give it a try nevertheless. To me, what makes a good grilled eel is to ensure the right amount of time is given to disintegrate the fatty portion of the meat but not too overly done till the moisture of the meat is lost and the savory sauce that is swiped onto the meat during the process of grilling. This grilled unagi met my expectations in all aspects.  

Remember... Overall, the dining experience was pleasant. Apart from the delicious local cuisine, we received warm hospitality from the folks of Taniguchi throughout our stay. Despite the language barrier, they still maintained the same level of service and even tried to engage in a simple conversation with me just before we left. Sometimes, it is these simple acts of gesture that make you forget that you are in foreign country and a good reminder to myself to remain humble and sincere to people around me.

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Kisetsu Ryori Taniguchi 季節料理 たにぐち
高知県四万十市中村大橋通4-50
Opening hrs: 1130 - 1300 hrs, 1700 - 2200 hrs. Closed on Sundays.

How to get there?
(1) 15 mins walk from Nakamura Station
(2) 5 mins walk from Nakamura Prince Hotel

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Totoya ととや

Visited 17.11.2014

Change of plan. Wanted to head down to Hirome Market to try one of Kochi's specialties - Katsuo no tataki (鰹のタタキ) on our first night in Kochi. Plan was shelved after speaking to the owner of Terzo Tempo cafe earlier in the day. He handed me a map and recommended several shops/restaurants to visit in the nearby area. Decided to postpone the visit to Hirome Market on the last night and settle our dinner in Totoya, a restaurant located a few minutes walk away from 7 Days Hotel.

Natural dining. Motto of Totoya is to utilize natural ingredients in their cooking ("自然食材の店" as printed in their business card). In fact, owner approaches farmers and fishermen directly to stock up vegetables and fishes harvested from the land and sea. Cooking style is French inspired to bring out the natural goodness of every ingredient in each dish. The dining area is pretty small and could only occupy at most 15 people. There was only the chef and his assistant (who was also the waitress). As no other diners appeared in the restaurant on our day of visit, we foresee food may not be as good as what the owner of Terzo Tempo has acclaimed to be. Kept our fingers crossed...

Menu was hand written (in Japanese) with no prices mentioned. Was worried that I may end up overspending, therefore requested the waitress to recommend the signature dishes and clarified with her the prices along the way. Eventually, we decided on vanilla grilled red legged prawns and Provence style fried Shimanto chicken. Added one other dish which was recommended by the chef - fried sea bream (freshly caught in the day) accompanied with tasty rice. The delectable flavours of the food caught us by surprise and the food was good that we had to order an additional dish before ending today's dinner - Shimanto pork ragu pasta. Glad to discover another gem in Kochi after Terzo Tempo cafe. This is definitely one restaurant I would recommend and return to if I get to visit Kochi again.

Top left: Fried Shimanto chicken; Top right: Grilled prawns; Bottom left: Appetisers; Bottom center: Fried fish with rice; Bottom right: Pasta with Shimanto pork sauce

• Vanilla grilled red legged prawns: Prawns were not deshelled but halved. Despite that, the prawns were not over-cooked. Sweetness in the meat was locked in and a tint of fresh vanilla flavour can be felt as you bite into the meat. 
• Provence style fried Shimanto chicken: I have to exclaim that this is one of juiciest chicken meat I have ever eaten. Chicken was cut into bite-sized, lightly floured and crispy fried. Served together with fragrant fried garlic, diced tomatoes and parsley, all of us agreed that this tori karaage came up top among the rest.  
• Fried sea bream with rice: Fresh fish fillet was thinly coated with flour and fried to golden brown, accompanied with a lightly seasoned rice. In the midst of cooking our food, the chef came out from his kitchen to pass us a plate of fried fish head and said it was on the house! Fish lovers (like my parents) will like this dish very much.
• Shimanto pork ragu pasta. Pasta was cooked to al dente served with a lightly seasoned meat sauce and broiled greens. Taste felt more home cooked than mind blowing.

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Totoya ととや 
〒780-0822 高知県高知市はりまや町2丁目4−14
Opening hrs: 1730 - 2400 hrs
Closed on Wednesdays.
Less than 3 mins walk away from Hasuikemachidori Station 蓮池町通駅.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Terzo Tempo Cafe テルツォ・テンポ

Visited 17.11.2014

Exterior of Terzo Tempo. 

Atmosphere. Found out that Terzo Tempo means "3rd time" in Italian. Despite a Italian name, this humble cafe has no European flair. From the look of its exterior, I would never have figure out this isolated two storey wooden shop house is a cafe. No eye catching signboard nor attention seeking outdoor decor - some may even find it shabby from the outside. Upon entering the cafe, a sense of tranquility hits you immediately. No fanciful interior design but comfortable, natural colours to welcome its customers. Natural ventilation and lighting came from the entrance into its small dining area. Furnishing are mostly recycled - one big wooden table, a few side tables, benches, an old sewing machine stand used to display potted plants, nostalgic looking analogue wall clock - time seemed to have come to a still in this small space.


Food, drinks & music. Mr Sano is an advocate of art and music; he lends out space to promote works of local artists and sells tickets to indie musical concerts held in the local community. In Terzo Tempo, one can relax to the soothing music played in the background while enjoying a cup of coffee and let time passes slowly. This ambience is in line with the name of this cafe - doing something for a "third time" is a luxury. Ordered the only lunch dish found on their menu - it was chicken curry rice on the day of our visit. Do be patient since the food is only prepared upon order. I must say the wait was worthwhile as this simple plate of chicken curry rice was very delicious - gravy has the right amount of spiciness, accompanied with brown rice and fresh greens. Cafe serves other light snacks such as croque monsieur クロックムッシュ (ham and cheese sandwich) and English muffin. There is a good variety of drinks to choose from, such as coffee, tea, beer, juices, etc. Had the royal milk tea and it was as good as it can get.

Delicious curry chicken rice. 

Remember. One other deep impression I had of this down to earth cafe was the warm hospitality extended by the owners. Since there was no English menu available, I struggled to decipher the Japanese characters. The lady at the counter was eager to help me out on the menu, using a mixture of Japanese and simple English. Later on, the lady went back to the kitchen to prepare the food, while a man appeared at the counter to make us our drinks. Found out from Milly's travelogue (四國，海島漫遊) that he is the owner of the cafe - Mr Sano. He migrated from Tokyo to Kochi to manage this cafe several years ago. Managed to strike a short conversation with him while he was working, with my broken Japanese & hand gestures, as I inquired about the places that I should visit in Kochi. Without further ado, he searched through a stack of brochures stuffed in the file folder and came back with a map of the nearby area. He patiently went through with me his recommendations - a list of restaurants, cafes, bakery, shops and an organic market (held every Saturday) that were worth visiting. Was touched by the friendly and sincere gesture from him and his wife - they are among many strangers whom we met and made this trip in Shikoku a very memorable one!     

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Terzo Tempo テルツォ・テンポ 
〒780-0821 高知県高知市桜井町2-5-30
Opening hrs: 1100 - 1900 hrs
Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
http://terzotempo.jugem.jp/?pid=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kochi.terzotempo/

- About 10 mins walk from 7 Days Hotel.
- From Kochi JR Station, take Tosaden Electric Tram and alight at Hasuike-machi-dori (蓮池町通) stop. About 15 mins walk from this tram stop. 

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Domannaka どまん中

Visited 16.11.2014 (Sun)

I want to eat Awaodori! Ramen comes to the mind of most people when Tokushima Prefecture is mentioned. Deep brown coloured tonkotsu shoyu soup, topped up with a raw egg are some of the unique features of Tokushima style ramen. Personally, I am not a fan of ramen therefore I decided to give this local specialty a miss. What caught my attention instead was Awaodori (otherwise known as Awa chicken 阿波尾鶏), a local breed of chicken well known for its firm texture, sweet taste and is less fat compared to an average chicken. Awa was actually the previous name for Tokushima (i.e. Sanuki for Kagawa, Iyo for Ehime and Tosa for Kochi). Had really good grilled chicken thigh on our first day in Takamatsu (in Yoridori Midori), therefore was looking forward to try this other version in Tokushima. Did a quick search and found one restaurant, Izakaya Tokusan 居酒屋とくさん, specialising in local cuisine located near Agnes Hotel Tokushima. Unfortunately, I later realised that it was closed on Sundays. Kept a lookout for other restaurant along the same street and noticed this isolated, new and modern looking shophouse, located a few blocks away. And yes, once I spotted the Kanji "阿波尾鶏" on the menu, I entered the restaurant without further ado. [Note: though it is stated that the restaurant is closed on Sundays, it happened to be opened for business on the particular day of our visit.]

Top left: Shiitake and Eryngii mushrooms grilled with soy sauce; Bottom left: Awaodori negima kushi; Top right: Egglant in robata style; Bottom right: Awaodori tebasaki kushi.

Blown away! Domannaka is a modern Japanese style restaurant owned by Grand Palace Hotel, the creator behind Agnes Hotel Tokushima as well. Warm lighting and large amount of wooden furnishing created this comfortable dining environment in the restaurant. Were seated at the counter which faced the open concept kitchen, allowing us to observe chefs' display of culinary skills. There is a decent selection of food available on the menu to choose from - skewers, robata, nabe, sashimi, tempura, etc. As Awaodori was the main focus of this dinner, I ordered a mixture of skewers and robata, and a nabe (hot pot) to share. Overall, the dining experience was extremely satisfying and would have been longer if not for the back-end constraint (because we were rushing off to watch the last Awa Odori performance at 8 pm). Cheers to Awaodori!

What we ordered:

• Awaodori negima kushi 阿波尾鶏ねぎま串 (skewer of Awaodori and leek): both lean and fatty portion of the meat was skewed together with leek. During the process of grilling over the flames, the cracking sound created when oil dripped out from the meat into the heat source was so appealing and intriguing to my senses. Meat was cooked to perfection; slight crispiness on the relatively fattier portion of meat and meat juices were fully retained. Crunchy leek complemented well with the meat and helped to remove some of the oiliness from the meat. [210 yen]
• Awaodori tebasaki kushi 阿波尾鶏手羽先串 (skewer of Awaodori wing): I am always wary of eating grilled/BBQ chicken wings because it is hard to make sure the meat is fully cooked to the bone. Lightly salted skin was grilled skilfully till crispy golden brown and sweetness of the meat can be felt as soon as the teeth pierced into it. When chicken wings are cooked well, it is hard to resist and many times I ended up eating more than I should. [320 yen]  
• Eggplant in robata style 茄子炉端焼き: Shikoku is where I had the most number of eggplants during any trip to Japan. Not sure why but eggplant tasted extremely delicious and juicy (like a fruit) here in Shikoku and I could not resist ordering one when I spotted it on the menu. A whole eggplant was roasted over the grill till the skin became slightly charred to impart a smoky flavour to the flesh. Chef peeled off the skin and cut the eggplant into manageable pieces before serving it together with bonito flakes. The taste did not disappoint again! [530 yen]
• Stewed dumplings in Awaodori soup 阿波尾鶏スープの炊き餃子: Soup was very delectable and flavourful, providing an alternative way to savour this locally breed chicken. [1,050 yen]
• Soy sauce grilled Tokushima produced shiitake and eryngii 徳島産椎茸とエリンギの醤油焼き [530 yen]
• Awaodori momo kushi 阿波尾鶏もも串 (skewer of Awaodori leg) [210 yen]
• Awaodori liver kushi 阿波尾鶏レバー串 [160 yen]

Top left: Awaodori momo kushi; Bottom left: Stewed dumplings in Awaodori soup.

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Domannaka どまん中
〒770-0831　徳島市寺島本町西 1-47
Contact No: 088-623-3293
Operating hours: 1130 - 1400 hrs (Mon - Thu); 1700 - 2200 hrs; closed on Sundays.
http://wa-domannaka.jp/

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Yama Roku Shoyu Factory ヤマロク醤油

Visited 15.11.2014 (Sat)

Preserve food heritage. Shodoshima is an island where miracle is created - apart from being the first place in Japan to cultivate olive successfully, it is also a place where food heritage is faithfully preserved to produce the highest quality soy sauce. Though technology has become increasingly accessible and enhances work efficiency, some manufacturing processes remains time consuming and labour intensive, in order to produce highest quality products. Yama Roku is one of the few left in Japan which retained the traditional method of soy sauce production. In the early days, soy beans are fermented in large wooden containers called kioke (木桶) over a long period of time to harvest this essential seasoning ingredient in food. The number of people employing this method decreases as technology progresses, resulting in a decline in kioke demand and the disappearance of kioke construction skills is impended. The owner of Yama Roku decided to made his way to Sakai in Osaka to master the skill of kioke making; to ensure that future generation can enjoy "genuine" soy sauce brewed in the best method upheld by Japanese since the old days. A noble ambition indeed. Now, with its perseverance, Yama Roku has an impressive possession of 61 kioke, handmade from cedar wood tied together by bamboo found on this island and renowned for its excellent soy sauce quality.

Plant tour. Before we embarked on the plant tour, we were each handed a brush to swipe off the dust on our clothings; as the dust could be "poisons" to the micro-organisms which are crucial to the fermentation process. Glad to be assigned a guide was able to explain the manufacturing process of soy sauce in decently good English. As he pulled open the huge gates to the warehouse where wooden containers of fermented black soy beans are kept, an overpowering, savoury odour of soy sauce hit us right away. The wooden containers looked rotten on the outside, well in fact, they have been in use for several decades and are fully covered by bacteria. Was allowed to climb up the wooden stairs to get a peek of the brown viscous liquid brewing in kioke.

Do note! Please refrain from eating natto beans prior to the visit as the microbes are weaker than natto bacteria. You will be warned not to touch the exterior of the containers as you may disturb/kill the thriving microbes in the damp environment.

The entire tour lasted about 15 - 20 minutes and at the end of the tour, we got to taste their creations too.
- Tsuru Bishio (鶴醤): This soy sauce is naturally brewed in cedar barrels. Such method only accounts for less than 1% of overall soy sauce production in Japan. It takes about 4 years to produce this sauce which is characterised by its rich mellow flavour.
- Kiku Bishio (菊醤): This brand of soy sauce takes about 2 years to complete production and is characterised by a light flavour. Used in sushi, sashimi, tofu, grilled fish and many other Japanese cuisine.
- Ponzu Sauce (ポン酢): Stock cooked from bonito flakes and kelp, sudachi juice (a type of Japanese citrus fruit) and yuzu juice are added to the soy sauce. Good as a salad dressing, for grilled meat and shabu-shabu.
- Kiku Tsuyu (菊つゆ): Stock cooked from bonito flakes and kelp are added to the soy sauce. Used as the soup base for somen, udon and soba.

Unexpected flavours. Dessert with soy sauce has never crossed my mind until I saw the light snacks menu offered by Yama Roku. Here, ice cream are actually served with their signature Tsuru Bishio! Carefully poured a few drops of soy sauce onto the vanilla ice cream and the outcome was unexpected. The sauce created this aromatic and sweet caramel flavour taste in the mouth, completely different from I imagined it to be. Also tried out the rest of the food items on its menu - soy sauce flavoured pudding and roasted rice cakes (mochi) brushed with the lighter soy sauce, Kiku Bishio. All tasted good but the taste is not as mind blowing as ice cream with soy sauce. The soy sauce was so rich and delicious that I did contemplate to lug a few bottles back; but decided to give it a miss as we had to travel light. Nevertheless, the brand "Yama Roku" has already been locked in my mind from this short visit. Apart from the high quality soy sauce, their spirit of preserving heritage is something I will relate their name to.

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Yama Roku Shoyu Factory ヤマロク醤油
〒761-4411 香川県小豆郡小豆島町安田甲1607
Opening hours: 0900 - 1700 hrs
Free admission
http://yama-roku.net/

How to get there? 

(1) By bus + walk
Directions from the nearest bus stop is provided on their website: http://yama-roku.net/yamaroku/access.html
- From Tonosho Port (土庄港), take Nishiura line (East loop) heading for Fukuda Port (福田港) and alight at Yasudakami (安田上) bus stop. Walk for another 20 minutes to reach Yama Roku.
Nishiura line (西浦線): http://www.shodoshima-olive-bus.com/dia/dia_nishiura.pdf

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Video: Yama Roku featured in Go Go Japan.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Ryori Yu 料理遊

Visited 14.11.2014 (Fri)

Japanese bar? Izakaya (居酒屋) is an important element of Japanese culture; a place where salaryman and office ladies hang out to relax after a hard day's work. Images of alcoholic drinks overdose, space being engulfed by cigarette smoke, rowdiness of patrons formed a large part of my impression of Izakaya though I have never visited one personally. First read about Ryori Yu in Milly's travel guide book on Shikoku and I was surprised by the exceptionally good review, which totally overthrew all the negative belief I had of Izakaya previously. Decided to uncover the truth myself by paying the place a visit during dinner time.

Where is the menu? When we arrived at the restaurant, the unusually peaceful mood caught us by surprise. But, a completely different ambiance was well kept behind the sliding door. That night, the restaurant was bustling with patrons; entire row of counter seats were fully occupied and we had to share a table with another group of ladies. Language barrier has always been my greatest concern when visiting a foreign country - the first waitress who served us water and towel could only speak Japanese and what made me more dumbfounded next was the absence of table menu (which mean I could not even use Google Translate to scan the pages to perform an auto translation). It was till the next waitress (who most likely have spotted my troubled and foreigner-look face) came by and spoke to me in mandarin which made me heaved a sign of relief! She was an international student (from China), working part time in the restaurant. She pointed me to a lady in her fifties who was busy preparing the dishes while entertaining the guests at the counter seats. She is the owner of Ryori Yu and is affectionately known by regular customers as "mama-san". The waitress told us not to fret as mama-san would normally serve a series of signature dishes to all her diners (unless we choose not to have it). This feeling was so homely, like how we would just tuck into any food which are put on the dinner table by my mother.

Home cooked food. The counter was lined up with many big bowls, all containing mama-san's signature cold dishes. First up was freshly cooked prawns and vegetable tempura, followed by a bowl of delicious and flavourful beef stewed together with potatoes and carrot. Another dish which I liked particularly was the braised eggplant, a simple yet savory soul food. Separately, we ordered a plate of sashimi moriawase (platter) to share; the freshest catch of the day harvested from the nearby Seto Inland Sea was sliced beautifully and plated together with sudachi. Waitress recommended us to try tamagoyaki which was made only upon order. This simple home cooked dish was cooked to perfection; egg roll was lightly seasoned and fluffy. Instead of normal rice, we opted for onigiri stuffed with salmon accompanied with tsukemono (preserved vegetables) and miso soup. Have never tasted a onigiri which is pressed when the rice is still hot from the cooker and it tasted heavenly! Shortly after we completed the dish, mama-san came out from the counter to pass us a plate of cut persimmons and told us to give it a try. Persimmons were in season during the time of our visit; fruit was very sweet and crunchy, In fact, eating fruits was exactly how we normally end off a home-cooked meal. The bill totaled up to 8,200 yen for three of us and all of us felt it was very worthwhile. Just before we headed for the exit, mama-san came out again and thanked us for the visit with a humble tone. Truthfully, we could not thanked her enough for making the entire dinning experience so wonderful and heartwarming.

Warm hospitality, modest personality, affordable yet delicious food summed up my overall dinning experience in Ryori Yu.

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Ryori Yu 料理遊
香川県高松市内町6-3
Opening hrs: 1700 - 2300 hrs

How to get there?
Restaurant is located near Takamatsu Mitsukoshi Departmental Store; about 15 minutes walk away from Takamatsu JR Station.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Cafe Salon Naka Oku カフェ 中奥

Visited 14.11.2014

Followed the signs to reach the cafe which is situated in a quiet and peaceful environment.

Left some room in our stomachs for dessert after a satisfying lunch at Aisunao. Decided to change to a different venue and came to Naka Oku. This cafe is also located in Honmura area but in a more secluded spot; about 10 - 15 minutes walk from the heart of the town. There were wooden signboard displayed along the route that led to the cafe. Followed a narrow path up a small hill and found an old wooden house with a beautiful noren (curtain) hung in front of its door - a way of supporting art in Naoshima. Upon sliding open the door, the strong aroma of coffee welcomed us to the cosy environment. Refurbished from an old residential unit, Naka Oku retains some of the original fixtures both inside and outside the house. Owner stood behind the bar counter, working hard to keep up with the continuous beverage orders. We were led to a table in an adjacent room with tatami mats. Window seats were also added for customers to enjoy their coffee and scenery at the same time. The owner was also a fan of antique - as one of the rooms was dedicated to old toys display. Though it was past lunch hour, business was relatively brisk in the cafe and was popular with foreign visitors. 

Bottom left and center: Chiffon cake and baked cheesecake. 

Coffee time. Curry rice, omelette rice and sandwiches were available on the main food menu. Dessert selection is limited to baked cheese cake, chiffon cake and milk gelatin (from Yasutomi Farm in Okayama). Ordered a baked cheese cake, chiffon cake, accompanied with their original house blended coffee and tea. The baked cheesecake was served in a tart; a nice and rich cheese filling with a crunchy biscuit on the outside. Was taken aback when I heard that the chiffon cake was soy sauce flavour - a combination that I would never think of. Passed the taste test: cake was very light and still tasted sweet because of the brown sugar and the caramel sauce drizzle, while the soy sauce flavour appeared as a subtle aftertaste. Coffee was superb - captivated by strong aroma and tasted slightly acidic. We spent the rest of our afternoon here, catching up with one another over desserts comfortably. Though desserts were not exceptionally spectacular, the comfortable and nostalgic ambience here will still make this humble little cafe stands out on this small island of Naoshima.

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Cafe Salon Naka Oku 中奥

〒761-3110 香川県香川郡直島町本村字中奥1167
Opening hrs: 1130 - 2100 hrs (Closed on Tuesday)
http://www.naka-oku.com/

How to get there?
By town bus. From Miyanoura Port (宮浦港) Bus Stop 2, take the bus heading for Tsutsujiso (つつじ荘) at Bus Stop 2 and alight at Nokyo Mae (農協前). Walk for another 10 - 15 minutes. Along the way, you will pass by some residential houses and will see clear wooden signboards leading to the cafe.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Genmai Shinshoku Aisunao 玄米心食 あいすなお

Visited 14.11.2014

Best food? One of the best memories I had of this smallest main island of Japan is the numerous delicious food it has to offer. Aisunao is one of the many restaurants that I will recommend or even return again if I ever visit Naoshima again. Located in Honmura area (本村エリア) of Naoshima where most of the houses are still preserved in its original state - some are part of Art House Project which converted some of the abandoned old houses here into contemporary art exhibition. Aisunao serves vegetarian cuisine and this 80 year old traditional Japanese style house it resides in was formerly a residential unit. The restaurant is easily recognised by this eye catching noren (curtain) with a picture of a bowl of brown rice is hung in front of its doors.

Menu. Dropped by here for lunch and was given a window seat. Menu comes with pictures and English translation. Ordered Aisunao lunch set (アイスなおセット), which comprised of a bowl of fragrant brown rice, miso soup and several seasonal vegetable dishes - steamed carrot and sweet potatoes, crunchy burdock root, radish and cabbage salad with Japanese dressing/vinegar, beancurd with enoki sauce. All the dishes were well seasoned, appetising and even meat lovers like myself enjoyed the meal very much. Ordered a hot somen set (すすりこセット) for my parents and they liked it a lot as well. Set comes with a bowl of hot somen soup, a brown rice ball and beancurd with enoki sauce. Somen is thin wheat noodles and Aisunao uses good quality somen manufactured from the nearby Shodoshima. Smooth noodles accompanied with a soy sauce based soup filled with vegetables and flavoured with sesame oil. Aisunao also serves desserts such as cakes and soy milk ice cream. Overall, this vegetarian lunch meal was very satisfying; and even my mother will reminisce about the delicious bowl of hot somen she had every now and then and hope to eat it again!

Aisunao lunch set - 850 yen

Hot somen set - 900 yen

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Genmai Shinshoku Aisunao 玄米心食 あいすなお
香川県 香川郡直島町761-1
Opening hrs: 1100 hrs onwards
http://aisunao.jp/

How to get there? 
By town bus. From Miyanoura Port (宮浦港) Bus Stop 2, take the town bus heading for Tsutsujiso (つつじ莊) and alight at Nokyo mae (農協前). About 3 mins walk from the bus stop.
Bus timetable: http://benesse-artsite.jp/uploads/access/naoshima_bus_timetable.pdf

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Yoridori Midori 寄鳥味鳥

Visited 13.11.2014 (Thu)

Keep a lookout for the restaurant located on the second floor of one of the shophouses.

First dinner in Shikoku! Apart from Sanuki Udon, another local favourite gourmet food in Kagawa Prefecture is grilled chicken thigh. This dish is a specialty of Marugame, a city approximately 30 minutes away by rail from Takamatsu. Speaking of its origin, we have to trace back to 1950. The idea came from a restaurant owner in Marugame city after he watched a scene of a woman eating a fried chicken heartily in a Hollywood movie. He wanted to create a similar dish that would give his patrons that level of satisfaction as depicted in the scene; and the recipe of the grilled chicken was perfected after multiple trial and error. There are two different chicken to choose from: the young chicken (wadori わどり) or the mature chicken (shindori 親どり). Each type has its own fan base - young chicken meat is more tender and juicier while the mature chicken meat is much resilient yet flavourful. Scissors would provided to cut the mature chicken for easier consumption.

Cabbage served together with grilled young chicken thigh. Look at the amount of chicken oil on the plate.

Did not intend to visit Marugame but manage to locate a restaurant in Takamatsu offering this similar dish. In Yoridori Midori, Kagawa grown chicken which are served on that day is only butchered in the morning for guaranteed freshness. We chose the young chicken as we were afraid that the matured chicken meat was too tough for our teeth to handle. The chicken was seasoned with large amount of salt and pepper and was grilled in the oven till the skin became crispy. Tender and juicy meat could be peeled off from the bone effortlessly. If not for a travelogue program I have watched previously, I would not have know how to deal with this separate plate of chopped raw cabbage which was served together with the chicken without any sauces drizzled on it. The correct way to eat the cabbage is to dip it into the chicken oil (left on the plate where the grilled chicken thigh is placed) before consumption. And surprisingly the savoury chicken oil helped to enhance the sweetness of the cabbage! Ordered a bowl of chicken rice (torimeshi とりめし) and it tasted completely different from the one I am familiar with back at home. Reason being the rice is cooked with chicken meat and flavoured with soy sauce. Overall, this was a very satisfying dinner which left us a pretty good impression of the food in Shikoku on the first day of our trip.

Very delicious and refreshing eggplant and tomato salad. 

Chicken rice, completely different from the Hainanese version.

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Yoridori Midori 寄鳥味鳥
香川県高松市兵庫町1-24 2nd floor
Opening hrs: 1700 - 2300 hrs (Mon - Fri); 1700 - 2230 (Sun), closed on Saturdays.

How to get there?
Restaurant is located in Takamatsu Shopping Mall, along Hyogomachi 兵庫町. Takes about 15 minutes to walk from Takamatsu JR Station.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Chikusei 竹清, Matsushita Seimencho 松下製麺所

Visited 13.11.2014 (Thu)

Udon map - a useful tool to explore the land of udon.

Sanuki Udon. Sanuki is actually the former name of Kagawa in the olden days. Udon is so popular in Kagawa and this is statement is supported by numbers. Statistics has shown that consumption of udon here is the highest among all prefectures in Japan. I am a fan of udon, therefore being able try this soul food of Kagawa made me look forward to this trip. After dropping our luggage at the hotel, we headed for the tourist information counter in Takamatsu JR Station. Requested for a useful map with an exhaustive list of shops/restaurants serving udon in Takamatsu city; seek advice from the staff on the recommended shops/restaurants to visit and begun on a half day udon feast!

Udon taxi? This is a unique taxi service only available in Takamatsu. Instead of conventional lamps, lookout for taxis which have a food replica of udon with standout characters "うどん", placed on the roof of the cars instead. Based on the duration of hire, the taxi driver will craft out a route to cover udon hideouts which are less accessible by buses/trains. Please note that reservation is required and this can be done either online (in Japanese) or through phone (can get the help from tourist information center or hotel upon arrival). This is an ideal option to try out more shops especially when you only have a limited amount of time to spare.
http://www.udon-taxi.com/

Sanuki Udon featured in Posta Collect regional postcard collection.

Unfulfilled dream. Was quite ambitious to visit as many shops/restaurants as possible in Takamatsu city within one afternoon. As small eaters to start off with, we were already bloated after our second bowl of udon and could not proceed further! In fact, the shop which I wanted to try most was Hinode Seimensho (日の出製麺所) located about 15 minutes walk away from Sakata JR Station. This shop is frequently featured in books and programs; first started out as a noodle manufacturer in 1930 and later served freshly made udon to a long queue of waiting customers during the lunch hour (literally an hour since it is only opened from 1130 to 1230 hrs). Sad to say, we could not make it to this shop because we reached Takamatsu city way past the lunch hour.

Video: Scroll to 21:30 for the feature on Hinode Seimensho. 

How to order? If you have been to Tamoya Udon before in Singapore, you will be familiar with their self service concept. Similar concept is employed in most shops here. First decide on the serving size and type - hot or cold. With your bowl with noodles, proceed to warm the noodles with the strainers and hot water provided at one corner (pour the noodles into the strainers, warm them briefly in the hot water, drain the water away and put the noodles back into the bowl). Choose from a variety of toppings (from fried tofu to tempura items), add condiments such as green onions and tempura bits, and finally add the broth which is normally contained in a dispenser (if you are having the hot version).  

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A group photo taken with the help of a kind staff! 

(1) Chikusei 竹清
〒760-0006 香川県高松市亀岡町2-23
Opening hrs: 1100 - 1430 hrs, Closed on Mondays.
http://chikuseiudon.com/

First meal we had in Shikoku. Reached there before 2 pm and the shop was still packed with diners. Placed our order - requested for the half serving and added two toppings (tempura fish cake stick and tempura soft boiled egg) and followed what the rest did to warm the noodles, add the condiments and broth. The tempura fish cake stick and soft boiled egg were cooked upon order and were served to our tables. Noodles was firm and springy; broth looked light yet surprisingly flavourful. What left me the deepest impression were actually the unexpectedly delicious tempura fish cake stick and tempura soft boiled egg. This is my first time eating a soft boiled egg in tempura style; revealing the runny egg yolk after biting into the crispy coating! Enjoyed this simple bowl of udon at an affordable price of 320 yen only (120 yen for the noodle and 100 yen each for the topping). I can still remember vividly one kind gesture which occurred when I was taking a picture of the shop exterior after the meal. The staff came out from the shop and offered to help us take a group photo. In fact, such warm hospitality from locals were encountered very often throughout our trip in Shikoku - something that I am particularly appreciative of and will associate with whenever I speak about this island.  

Completed the meal with two toppings: tempura fish cake stick and soft boiled egg.

Forgot to take a photo of how the runny egg yolk looked like after biting into the egg. Found this picture placed outside the shop. 

How to get there?

(1) By bus
Take Shopping Rainbow Bus ショッピングレインポー (Anticlockwise direction 反時計廻り) from bus terminal at Takamatsu JR Station and alight at Hachihonmatsu 八本松.

(2) By train. About 10 mins walk from Ritsurin Koen Kitaguchi JR Station 栗林公園北口駅.

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(2) Matsushita Seimencho 松下製麺所
〒760-0008 香川県高松市中野町2-2
Opening hrs: 0700 - 1730 hrs; Closed on Sundays.
http://www.matsushita-seimen.jp/

Made our way to the next shop which is not too far away from Chikusei, Took some time to find this shop which was hidden in one of the small alleys. Dinning area in Matsushita Seimencho was much smaller compared to Chikusei, with only counter tables. Ordered only one bowl to share as we were still quite full from the first meal. Firm characteristic of noodles is also evident in Matsushita; felt that the broth could be a bit more flavourful (was a bit too mild for my liking). Overall, taste was ok but not mind blowing.

How to get there? 
(1) By train. About 7 mins walk from Ritsurin Koen Kitaguchi JR Station 栗林公園北口駅.