ToTos

 by ToTos

Bluefin Tuna in Season!!!

Did you try bluefin tuna yet? Did you know all the fish markets in Okinawa are all stirred up by the seasonal arrival of this treasure fish right now? You should go and get it for yourself as soon as possible because it will be around only for the next couple of weeks.  Then it will be gone.  And right now, this fish supply is so much in the balance of fish auction, it’s unbelievably cheap!  If you want to knock yourself out with the fatty tuna belly “Toro”, now is the time!!!   So we came to Tomari fish market in Naha.     I think you can get bluefin tuna […]

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 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 […]

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 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 […]

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 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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 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 […]

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 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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 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 […]

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 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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Kyushu Trip Part 1: Fukuoka

  It was March.  We had the craving again to go to a cold place and bathe in onsen. I grabbed a sales with Peach Aviation and got a JPY12000 round trip to Fukuoka.   Arrived in the morning.  We hurried to our favorite breakfast.   Uogashi, Fukuoka   Uogashi is located in Nagahama Fish Market Building.   This place is a high-class restaurant for expensive dinner.  But they provide very cheap, super fish plate for breakfast and lunch.   Saba (mackerel) sashimi and teri braized Mackerel.  This is JPY1080.   Goma Saba.  This is Fukuoka special.  Mackerel sashimi with sesami powder with sweet Kyushu soy sauce.   This is light-roasted Sardine on […]

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 by ToTos

Vegan Cafe for Gentle Curry

Niceness is a vegan cafe, sitting quietly alongside the river in Nago city.   We were greeted by a beautiful cat. She greets you when you come in, also she sees you off.   They used to run a restaurant in Naha, and they moved here about 2 years ago.  They came here because they wanted to be near where the vegetables are grown.  And they built this place by themselves.   Wow.  Handmade for sure.  But very carefully handmade and also handkept.  Everything is put in where it is supposed to be.   Very homy, cozy atmosphere.   Somehow this floor pattern is very memorable and it’s what I remember […]

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