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Showing posts with label japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label japan. Show all posts
Monday, November 5, 2018
KUROMON ICHIBA THINGS TO LOOK FOR: OSAKA'S FAMOUS MARKET IN JAPAN

 Whenever I visit Japan, I make it a point to go to their outdoor markets. It gives a sense of how the Japanese are in terms of culture and of course food. Simple snacks and everyday dishes could be found in their markets. For instance, the TSUKIJI MARKET in TOKYO was the go to place for sushi. 5 Things To Do in TSUKIJI MARKET (Click link here) was how I found it to be. Unfortunately, it has started to move to a different location to pave way for the upcoming Olympics. I just don't think it would ever be the same.
 When I visited Osaka, I went back to KUROMON ICHIBA. This market is a known tourist spot that is best visited when you're in the Dotombori or Namba Walk area. Granted that it's not as big as TSUKIJI and it might be a spot more for tourist, it still has its charm.
 If you were like us and walked above ground rather than down in NAMBA WALK, you would be sweating and puffing. Good thing, there are a number of fruit vendors in the market that sells freshly made blended juices. For watermelon fans, they use a hand blender and serve them as is.
 Right about this time too, you would feel a bit hungry. There are tons of restaurants that sell grilled items just for you.
 Most of them have squids, king crab legs, and other seafood dishes.
 Oysters and shrimps are also a popular choice.

 Right beside these scallops are takoyaki. These are flour-balls that are filled with minced octopus and green onion. Since Osaka is near KOBE, some stalls also sell beef steak cubes!!
 Aside from the restaurant stalls, there are a number that sell wasabi. These aren't you're usual processed version. These are the original and more expensive kind. The flavor that you get from them are just amazing.
 To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised with these gingered side dishes. These would work well with deep fried dishes and even curry. To be honest, I bought a couple and gave them away. After trying them out at home, I felt bad and I seriously wanted more.
 After going around, desserts are in order. You could go for these sweet bread filled with bean paste or the sticky rice balls that are super amazing.


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KUROMON Market or Ichiba isn't as big as TSUKIJI and it might look like too touristy for some. FOR ME, it's a definite must visit when in the area. Granted that you may have a lot of steps by the end of the day, the food and the experience you get is just amazing.


 RELATED LINKS TO OSAKA, JAPAN
10 TIPS AND TRICKS WHEN VISITING UNIVERSAL STUDIOS OSAKA JAPAN
HOTEL UNIVERSAL PORT in OSAKA, JAPAN. HOTEL near Universal Studios
PORT DINING RICO RICO: Hotel Universal Port Osaka, Japan




KUROMON MARKET
2 Chome-4-番１号 Nipponbashi,
Chūō-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu 542-0073, Japan


Disclaimer: Wrote this based on my experience. Paid for our visit.
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Wednesday, May 30, 2018
UNAGI TIME in FUKUOKA: YOSHIZUKA UNAGI

Have you ever tried eel? Unagi or freshwater eel is a delicacy that is usually present in Japanese restaurants. In FUKUOKA, there's a well known place that serves this as a specialty. YOSHIZUKA UNAGI is a michellin starred restaurant that has these treats.
Just along a river, a restaurant sits on a quiet part of town. Usually closed every Wednesday, YOSHIZUKA UNAGI is a go to when celebrating special occasions or even for an eel fix.

 I was able to visit them at around 8pm and the place was full. Thankfully, the line was quick and that there are separate floors for every functions. Regular customers would usually take their spot on the second floor. Others have reserved rooms just for them.

Thankfully, they have an English Menu so I was able to pick which dishes I wanted. You could actually choose different items off the menu but if you wanted to taste a lot it would be better to go for a bento box serving. Since I was alone, this made sense.

I went for the MAKUNOUCHI. It's (2,883 Yen at the time) a combination of a number of small dishes with a couple slices of EEL.

I first started off with their soup. To be honest, I thought that it was MISO soup. It wasn't. It's actually a clear broth soup with eel in it. Since it is an EEL specialty store, this was part of it.
The MAKUNOUCHI had two layers. The first had different side dishes including sweets. The bottom has the main course.
I was happy with the different small bites that came with the set.
There's some vegetables, seafood, and even deep fried pork.
I really thought I under ordered but looking back, I did just right. With the eel and the side dishes, I was definitely filled up. Speaking off, the eel was not overly sweet. Its meat was tender and perfectly cooked. Granted that some of the side dishes could have been better, people go here for the eel. So, I was happy with what I had.
Everything was perfect. I had a great time even if I was alone. I was able to munch and taste each individual flavors each part gave. The eel was just wonderful.
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If you're a large party, it would be better to make a reservation. Peak hours would always lead to a queue. Also, they are closed every Wednesday.

YOSHIZUKA UNAGI
Japan, 〒810-0801 Fukuoka Prefecture, 
Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Nakasu, ２丁目8−27


P.S.
I apologize for the image quality.
It seems that I was tipsy that night
and my shots weren't focused as much.
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Thursday, May 24, 2018
FIRST CABIN in FUKUOKA JAPAN: A Capsule Experience

 One of the first thing one should do when traveling is to look for a place to stay at. During my time at Fukuoka, I actually moved 3x. Yes, I went to 3 different places. One was an airbnb, another a capusle hotel, and the last was a decent 3 star hotel.
 I didn't really know what to expect but I went ahead and booked FIRST CABIN. It's a chain of capsule hotels that treat their "bunks" like you're in an airplane.
 I chose this place because it was quite near the different restaurants I wanted to visit. The fact that the building it's in is located quite near the train station and has a 24 hour DON QUIJOTE made it a no brainer.
 Even if it's not really my first time trying a Hostel like environment, it was my definite first in a capsule hotel. FIRST CABIN is located on the 8th floor and there are pretty much signs outside to note if they have vacancies or not. It's better to prebook online rather than heading over there with no plan as they usually get full.
 This is pretty ideal for solo travelers. The female section is different from the male one. So if you're looking for a place to spend with a friend of a different sex, I suggest you look for a hotel room instead. 
Since this is Japan, you're pretty much assured of the safety and also of the cleanliness of the place. 
They have a couple of room designations.One is the economy or the small version. This is perfect if you weren't able to catch that last train and needed a place to stay just for the night. They'll prepare towels and pajamas for you as well.
On the other hand, I went for the bigger room. Somewhat of a business class, this one has space for your luggage to put in. Plus, you have a table, and a bigger television.
Since this is all communal, you'll have access to their washroom as well. Everything was quite clean and well up to Japanese standards.
Of course, you'll have the whole toilet experience with their electronic throne.
Now in terms of showering, it may be a little embarrassing at first but you'll learn to just go with the flow. Usually, you'll sit at a small chair and soap and take a bath while seating down. Afterwards, you could go into the "pool" / onsen to relax. Yes, you will be butt naked. Remember to put the small towel only on your head and not in the water. If this is a bit weird for you, they have a couple of stalls for showering but it's not really covered. So just to give you a picture, once you enter the wash area, there would be places to put your stuff in. In the door, there's the sit down baths on the left. On the right would be the standing shower stalls. At the back of the room would be a pool for you to relax after a long day.
 It was quite an experience to go and have a communal bath. It's not really for me I guess but at least I tried it out. If you really want a bit of privacy go at an odd hour. Just outside the wash/shower area, there's also a single stall toilet on your left.
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FIRST CABIN was quite an experience. I hope you'll be able to give them a go.

FIRST CABIN HAKATA
8th floor
Japan, 〒810-0801 Fukuoka Prefecture, 
Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Nakasu, 3 Chome−7−24 gate's
+81 92-260-1852


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Tuesday, May 22, 2018
CHIKAE FUKUOKA: A Great Start To Eating in Fukuoka Japan

When in Japan, one of the best tips that I have ever learned would be to eat out during lunch. During this time, restaurants often offer set meals. Meaning to say, these are the more affordable versions of their offerings. It's a nice way to try out different dishes that are usually pricey in during dinner time.
When in Fukuoka, Japan, one restaurant that is a perfect example to visit would be CHIKAE FUKUOKA. This place can best introduce you to set meals. Be warned though, there would be lines. It's a bit of a walk from the train station too but it's worth it.
A good rule is to be at the restaurant at least 30 minutes before just to escape the crowd. If you arrive at opening, there's usually quite a number of guests waiting for their turn.
When I visited, I was quite lucky as my place of stay was quite near. More or less, it was a 20 minute leisure walk. I was really happy with the weather during that day so it was perfectly fine. I arrived around 10:30 and was lucky to be 3rd in line.
Once they opened, they usually ask you if you how many are you in your party. If you arrived at the right time, you'll be able to sit at the IKESU with fish cages right infront of you.
For lunch sets, there are a couple to choose from. Both are priced at only 1,500 yen so it's pretty decent. One has sashimi while the other has noodles.
Since I'm a rice lover, I went for the fresh seafood tray.
It had a number of components to complete the meal. First off would be the tempura. Deep fried and coated with perfection, it was good.
It also had a sweet fish dish that is quite similar to tanigue.
The miso soup was elevated to a different level because of the crabs.
Don't forget, FUKUOKA is known for their mentaiko. The orange-red condiment you see is basically that. People would usually mix it with pasta or even rice. I suggest you make good use of it since it's free.
It was quite an experience. The sushi plus the rice and the tempura made everything come together.
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By the time I got out, there was still a long line to get in. I guess that's why it's pretty popular.
Unfortunately, as of February 25, CHIKAE FUKUOKA has stopped doing special lunches. Tatami Rooms are open only through reservation Monday-Sundays 11:30-22:00. The Counter would be open 11:30-22:00 on Saturday, Sundays, and Holidays. For weekdays, it would be open 17:00-22:00.


CHIKAE FUKUOKA
2-2-17, Daimyo, Chuo-ku Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka, Japan
http://chikae.co.jp/language/en/



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