My two pennies
Head Chef Agustin Balbi was born in Argentina, but spent time exploring culinary techniques in Japan. One could easily tell the latter's influence by his focus on attentively adorned small plates, substantial use of raw fish and seafood delicacies as well as the combination of common South American and Japanese ingredients. The Argentinian character, however,… Continue reading Andō: Solid, but lacks wow factor (8.3)
Readers who know me probably know that I am not big on sushi. I often felt that the combination of fish and rice was not greater than its parts alone. I miss out on the minute details of either if I have to take them together in one bite. That, and the fact that I… Continue reading Sushi Mamoru: Still phenomenal (9.5)
Mamoru means to protect, and in this case, it is to uphold the art and tradition of sushi making. To me, it also seems to serve as a reminder to preserve the passion for the highest quality. It sounds like an easy thing to say, but serious diners will be able to discern whether that… Continue reading Sushi Mamoru: Phenomenal (9.5)
This is by far the worst sushi experience for as long as I can remember. For loyals of Sushi Kohaku, do not fall into the trap. Sushi Takenori contacted Sushi Kohaku’s old customers (of which I am one) to offer them 20% off until the end of June (Sushi Kohaku is the old sushiya of… Continue reading Sushi Takenori: Beware (6.8)
We arrived promptly on Friday night and were the first to be seated in the center. It’s always a pleasure to be seated right in front of the action if one isn’t having a business meal or a catch-up session with a friend who will distract you from the food itself. The meal was a… Continue reading Tokami: Outstanding (9.5)
Whenever having omakase for dinner is a last-minute whim for us, I would need to try very hard to secure two spots because the Covid restriction on halving restaurant guests just makes seats at well-known sushiya so undersupplied. This evening was a Monday, and we thought we could pull it off, but we couldn't, and… Continue reading Sushi Sumi: Solid Off-the-beaten-track Option (7.9)
Black Sheep has always been one of my favorite F&B brands because their hospitality is just so over and beyond the typical standard that you get anywhere in the city. Granted, sometimes their hosts are way too attentive and chit-chatty that it seems to overwhelm locals who are, well, culturally less adapted to this genre… Continue reading Crown Super Deluxe: A Brief Stop in Kobe (8.5)
今日提前預訂的是十二月的菜單（師走の献立）。「師走」，日文 「しわす」（shiwasu），是十二月的別名（以前更是指農曆十二月）。十二月是一年最後的月份，快到過年之時，需要為節日的儀式忙碌地奔走，才有“師走”的別名... →
Ganguya literally means "toy store", and the storefront looks exactly like one, with a life-sized ultraman and lots of anime figurines lining the cupboard on display. But once you open the door, you are led down to a basement restaurant that's decorated more like a home than an izakaya. The main dining room is centered… Continue reading Ganguya: Otaku-style izakaya (7.3)
We have a book about Jiro on our bookshelf and it was kind of dispiriting to see it while I was tidying the books. Covid and its distancing implications are not necessarily a difficult thing for me, as I don't need to be around lots of people all the time. But it means a halt… Continue reading Sushi Sase: Simple and sensual as is (8.8)
stickystories 