May, 2017 | Full of Okinawa

May 31, 2017 by ToTos

Masterpiece Lamb Shoulder Chop

This is our birthday week. I had mine last week. YuYu will have hers next week. And we always fall back to our favorite restaurant, Kato Shokudou in Ginowan. Especially we saw that they have the lamb shoulder chop roast in the weekly specials. Cheers! A small fixed appetizer. Don’t underestimate this little appetizer. The cheese and jamon serano (today it was pork shoulder) are gorgeous. Brocoli with anchovy olive oil. Don’t forget to order this little perfection. Our favorite 2 choices from the charcuteries. Pork pate is my favorite. Perfect temp control for the rich pork flavor with a hint of livery flavor. Little chunks of […]

May 28, 2017May 28, 2017 by ToTos

Firewood Grilled to Perfection

It was my birthday dinner. I took this opportunity to the new restaurant that has been shaking the island of Okinawa. Restaurant Ardor. I heard it’s a spanish-italian-french cuisine. Popular local chefs and patissier has come together, under the promotion by the owner of the famous pizzeria Bacar in Naha, to open this restaurant a month ago. Very artistic hallway led to the open kitchen. These counter seats have been recommended, but we couldn’t book them this day. Right in the center is a bathtub, where foods are stored on ice. You can talk to the staff and pick what you like to be cooked for you. YuYu […]

May 28, 2017May 28, 2017 by ToTos

Restaurant Ardor | Hybrid

The local popular chefs and patissier came together to open this restaurant in April 2017. A top-notch european style cuisine with fine ingredients in Okinawa.

in Area 2: Okinawa Central / Cat 1: Hybrid! / Search 0 comments

May 7, 2017May 7, 2017 by ToTos

BBQ Sous Vide Pork Chops

As Japan is having the national holiday week “Golden Week”, it’s time to BBQ!!! It has been a year since I bought Weber Baby Q grill and Anova Sous Vide. I’ve been learning and experimenting with these toys. It’s very fortunate I have friends who want to pay to come for my cooking, so I can play some more. Sous Vide Pork Chop, 62C for 1 hour (The picture was taken some other time and it was set at 70C) Sous Vide machine circulates the water and keeps it at exact temperature you set. While other cooking methods apply high heat like 200C to the outside until the […]

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May 6, 2017May 6, 2017 by ToTos

We missed this feta cheese!

We finally came back to Little Greek Kitchen, but this time in Yomitan. She moved here from the island of Ikei late last year. Now it’s standing on the high hill, overlooking the beautiful coast line of Yomitan. I missed this signboard. OK, here it is. We barely made it to the lunch time. I called her in advance and booked our lunch. I just asked for whatever she can offer. The place is pretty small. About 7 tables. Pamela, the owner chef, runs the place by herself. I think it’s a nice size for one person operation. This is the menu. Actually I didn’t realize it was […]

in Little Greek Kitchen / RESTAURANTS 0 comments

May 5, 2017September 10, 2019 by ToTos

Organic Fruits Bowls and Salads

This is Green Leaf. A very famous organic shop and cafe in Okinawa. They have 2 locations. This one is Yomitan, and the other is in Chatan. I had a meeting to do with my associates and we wanted to check out the place too. (This was in March. I’m pretty backed up on my blog.) This is the shop entrance. It’s a small shop, but they got a good variety. Local fresh organic vegetables. They must have worked hard to get this network of organic farmers. They sell these by weights. It’s pretty common in US, but not much in Japan yet. I love the idea of […]

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May 4, 2017May 1, 2019 by ToTos

Green Leaf Yomitan | Hybrid

Green Leaf is a famous organic shop and cafe in Okinawa. They have 2 locations. This one is Yomitan, and the other is in Chatan. The shop has a good variety of organic products, while cafe serves light, simple, salad bowls which you can enjoy all the raw foods in.

in Area 3: Okinawa North / Cat 1: Hybrid! / Search 0 comments

May 1, 2017May 1, 2017 by ToTos

Kyushu Trip Part 3: Fujimoto Onsen

Ryokan Fujimoto, Aso Onsen We arrived at our second lodge. Our most favorite Onsen, Fujimoto. Ryokan Fujimoto Fujimoto has only 8 rooms. It’s a small ryokan. That’s one of the reasons we like about it. Kurokawa Onsen is a great place with lots of different Onsen spas and the whole village itself is like a heritage. But sometimes it can be too much tourism. Fujimoto is always private. You go bathe in the onsen for so many times and hardly see or hear other people. They recently renovate all their 8 rooms. Very comfortable modern Japanese design. We liked […]

in Kyushu / TRAVEL 0 comments

May 1, 2017May 1, 2017 by ToTos

Kyushu Trip Part 2: Kurokawa Onsen

Our first lodge was Ikoi Ryokan in Kurokawa Onsen, Kumamoto. About 2-hour drive from Fukuoka. Ikoi Ryokan, Kurokawa Onsen Ikoi Ryokan is a pretty lodge with a dozen of onsen baths of different tastes. Ikoi Ryokan, Kurokawa Onsen The arctic cold air mass was pushing down for the last time of the season. It was getting chilly. Just the way we would like it. You don’t get this kind of chill in Okinawa. Walking up the hill to one of private onsen baths. All the onsen baths here are flow-through. The onsen spring source is at 68C degrees and they let the water flow through […]

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May 2017