Feasting Pigs

in osaka, japan (jan’24)

quite far out north-east countryside of osaka is this very notable small udon shop. lines begin from about an hour prior to opening and thankfully they do go pretty quickly.

opted for the warm bukkake udon, as it was freezing in osaka this time of the year. but the udon retained its chewy nature, but not too much so that it hurts the jaw. the beef used was also so nicely cooked, lightly sweetened and of a decent quality that it was smooth and soft without stringy tendons. the dashi was also really nice, not too salty nor sweetened, so works really well with the combination. one of the best udon shops i’ve visited, highly recommended to all udon lovers. would love to try their cold ones served in ice buckets or ones in soup next time.

黒毛和牛肉ぶっかけ (¥1280)
ちくわ天 (¥150)

would revisit: yes
reservations: no
price range pp: under ¥3000
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📍手造りうどん楽々
location: 6-6-1 ikuno, katano, osaka
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in osaka, japan (jan’24)

second tonkatsu shop i went is at this small tonkatsu joint in a residential neighbourhood with only 5 seats. really glad to snag seats and enjoyed one of the best tonkatsu experiences i’ve had, and given i don’t really love tonkatsu made my experience here even more eye-opening.

we selected the full course in which we sampled the best cuts of some of the top pork breeds, but my favourite still remains to be tokyo-x, with the right amount of lean, juicy and rich pork flavour. the batter here is double fried, but still remains light, aerated and thin without feeling greasy at all. the tokyo-x hire (fillet) really set the scene, the second type, 望来豚ロース loin was a bit less succulent in comparison, and the 林spf ロース loin was juicier and richer in flavour. the last cut of the リブロース rib loin was a bit too much for me as it was too fatty overall.

to end, we had a choice of a shoyu katsu don or katsu curry, much much preferred the curry. on top of the katsuo boshi, the katsu don was topped with vegetables and shiso, with generous soy so i found it a bit heavy. the curry had the inclusion of raisins and was overall lightly sweet so it was easy to eat especially after all the fried goods. one to definitely try out when in osaka, a very nice interactive counter tonkatsu experience.

noguchi omakase set: (¥4000)
3 types (~260g)
shoyu katsu/ curry don mini size
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📍とんかつ乃ぐち
location: heike apartment 102, 3-14-2 nakatsu, osaka
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in osaka, japan (jan’24)

visited two tonkatsu shops this time in osaka, first was this long standing tonkatsu shop south-west osaka, on the outskirts of the city, where they take daily sign-ups from 8:30am in store to then return at the allocated times.

i was utterly disappointed here, ordered a half and half set course of their deluxe hi-re (fillet) with my choice of the tokyo-x loin. as they were the pioneer shop which used tokyo-x and with their accolades, i had some levels of expectations. but the batter was rough and thick, with some residual batter inside the coating yet to be fried. the pork quality itself was good, seasoning was underwhelming and relied entirely on the choice of charcoal salt or white truffle salt. the set lunch with additional costs was served with rice, miso soup, salad. a shop which i believe much passed it’s ‘peak visiting time’, i think chef has lost his passion when visiting, and many other new and rising tonkatsu shops have surpassed his level. not worth the line, the travel nor the price.

ハーフ＆ハーフ half and half:
特上ヒレとんかつ, tokyo-xロース (¥2820)
+ 定食 set (¥600)
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would revisit: no
reservations: register from 8:30am
price range pp: ¥3000-¥6000
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📍とんかつ マンジェ
location: 2-3-22 yokoen, yao-shi, osaka
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in osaka, japan (jan’24)

a incredible first dinner in osaka, huge thank you to the hosts @tomokohappycamper for the invitation. chef ayumu cooks in an 8 seater restaurant which has now ‘closed’ but still open only for regulars from previously. used to be (and still is) one of the most famous innovative style chef in kansai, his menu changes daily and he cooks whatever he feels like in the moment, with no fixed menu or recipes. when given the opportunity, i jumped at the chance and it really was one of the most incredible ‘innovative’ restaurant i’ve yet to visit in japan.

utilising japanese ingredients with a bit of french technique, all ingredients and sauces highly complement each other and really shocks the palate. for instance the lightly torched sawara with a fukinoto sauce, maguro zuke with a concentrated fish based sauce and basque chilli. loved his take on pasta with a sicilian chilli and pesto with bear ragu, his cooking on the french averyon duck with the sweetest yurine was also sublime. tori dashi prepped with somen and fresh herbs was so warming, before we decided to add a couple more dishes to round this dinner off.
albeit, a pricey meal with the addition of wines, but his cooking, preparations before and during the meal and really pristine ingredients, makes it one of the most memorable meals i’ve had of the trip. one i highly recommend visiting if given the opportunity.

(english menu in comments)
発酵柑 白味噌 九州のたけのこ
さわら　蕗の薹のソース
白菜の中心 鶏出汁 キャビア
本マグロ漬け バスクのチリ 干しハヤのソース
鮑のゼリー 大根 かぼちゃの油
河豚の唐揚げ トロンペットキノコパウダー
赤ぜ海老 ブロッコリー 胡麻と酢橘ソース
熊のラグー ペストパスタ
フランスの鴨 ゆりね 昆布とトリュフソース
鶏出汁の素麺

鯨 発酵ハラペニョ
玉 ブファラモッツァレラ
ゆりね 鴨 イタリアのブロッコリー 炒め物
生姜 干し鮎 スッポン スープ
蟹とたけのこの炒飯
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would revisit: yes
reservations: members only
price range pp: ¥60,000-¥100,000
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📍COMPTOIR FEU
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in osaka, japan (jan’24)

touchdown osaka, my first time properly exploring this city and i do have some skepticism. casual food is dominating in this part of japan, namely the well-known takoyaki and okonomiyaki, but tonkatsu, ramen and udon scenes here are quite affluent as well.

began here at kadoya shokudou, one of the more renowned shops in osaka known for their chinese inspired noodles. got one of the most popular options, the tsukesoba, was indeed really impressed with the smoothness and al-dente texture, wheat flavour was slightly mild. but the dipping broth here was unbearably salty, the pork belly and chunks within are also super dry which made me believe its the residual meats from the soup making. the additional order of egg was also both visually unappealing and very salty as expected. unimpressed and unsatisfied, not a shop i would recommend despite its accolades.

つけそば 並 (¥1600)
味玉 (¥300)
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would revisit: no
reservations: no
price range pp: ¥1000-¥3000
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📍カドヤ食堂
location: 4-16-13 shinmachi, nishi ward, osaka
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in antwerp, belgium (jan’24)

extended my trip in antwerp just to make it here and it was soooo worth it, best meal i’ve had of the trip and exceeds any and all french/european cooking i’ve had in france and london. super small and cozy shop tucked in the residential district, specialising in offals and neo-traditional french cooking.

amazing start with an amouse bouche of pigs head terrine with mustard and pig’s brain mayonnaise, and a veal mayo that goes with the bread on top of the butter. got two starters cuz i couldn’t choose, really loved the veal brain tartare, light and creamy texture like shirako and was lightly dressed in a bright acidic dressing that balanced out the richness. followed by a chicken liver pate with a sweetened black pudding ‘jam’ and brioche, loved the creamy spreadable texture, flavour was also so rich and balanced.

for main i went straight for the veal kidney ‘stroganoff’ that came with a medley of grilled veggies. perfect cookness, the quality and freshness of the kidneys was so apparent, truly truly wow. sauce was veal and beef based, cooked and reduced from a bunch of root veg which worked super well with the rich kidneys. the dish came with some frites which is hands down some of the best i’ve had, cooked in beef fat, it was perfectly salted, crispy and with a soft center. ended with a dame blanche, a rich vanilla ice-cream drenched in a rich chocolate sauce, and with a chocolate biscuit twirl. so simple but so decedent, especially when each component is done right. highly highly highly recommend, want to come back to antwerp just to come back here again.

veal brain tartare (€26)
chicken liver, black pudding, brioche (€26)
grilled kidneys of veal ‘stroganoff’ (€38)
chocolate dame blanche (€12)
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would revisit: yes
reservations: yes
price range pp: €100-€300

📍BISTROT DU NORD
location: lange dijkstraat 36, 2060 antwerpen
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in antwerp, belgium (jan’24)

heard some good stuff about this seafood heavy restaurant within a repurposed chapel with high vaulted ceilings. a bit of nordic and japanese touch also, and really appreciated that most the dishes weren’t too heavy or rich.

starting bites were nice, very light and delicate, followed by the agnolotto which was one of my favourites today. stuffed with squid and topped with more fried squid. really enjoyed the sea urchin flan which was sweet and not very rich in urchin flavour, the signature oyster with a hefty amount of ingredients like tuna tartare, caviar, buttermilk sauce with bread miso was also surprisingly tasty. fish and other shellfish had good cooking but not too memorable, before a deer course to end all the seafood dishes. dessert was slightly underwhelming with too much hints of the bitterness from root vegetable that doesn’t really draw a good close to the meal. overall solid meal with a very long course, not a lot of wow factors and the flavour profile of the meal was more or less unanimous.

tasting menu: (€275)
grey shrimp, burrata, pumpkin
buckwheat blini with robiola and currant
amaebi, bottarga, radish
agnolotto, manzanilla, chipirones, squid
smoked seabass, kaffir, crème cru beach crab
sea urchin flan, eel
signature irish mor oyster, balfegó
pollock ‘meunière’, mussel ‘à la crème’
langoustine, jerusalem artichoke, nori
scallop, oxtail bouillon, spelt
deer, aligot, savoy cabbage
citrus, sudachi, aloë vera
boskoop, spices, cranberry, jerusalem artichoke
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would revisit: try once
reservations: yes
price range pp: €300-€600
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📍THE JANE
location: paradeplein 1, 2018 antwerpen
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in antwerp, belgium (jan’24)

headed to antwerp for a weekend earlier this year as a break from london. hertog jan now prizes itself on its japanese fusion cooking, with some nordic influences and predominantly dutch produce. not normally a fan of this type of cooking especially in europe because of how much this term ‘japanese fusion’ has been abused, but i think hertog jan is one of the better renditions.

highlights were the starter and of course his take in the take on brussels waffle. caviar explosion consisting of 4 types of ‘caviar’ - caviar, salmon roe, mullet roe and finger-lime was surprisingly nice, ‘toro no toro’ where they use sustainable cured beef tartare to replace the tuna was also nice. wild turbot grilled in binchotan was nice, especially the engawa, the lobster ragout i didn’t understand cuz it was a bunch of stuff mixed together with a rich like buttermilk sauce. brioche with seaweed butter was lovely and so was the grilled and smoked duck. cheese course was another highlight today, especially loved the cheese ‘pudding.’ dessert was a sweetcorn and popcorn with black truffles and ended on a high note with a canele and whole brussels waffle. a solid meal, nice experience, a good fine dining option in the area.

menu ‘omakase’: (€360)
✨caviar explosion
✨‘toro no toro’
kombu aged royal belgian caviar
hamachi ‘crudo’
wild turbot, vin jaune
ragout from breton lobster
bread service
duck, grilled & smoked with beurre rouge
✨‘say cheese’
‘save room for dessert’
✨‘sweet memories’
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would revisit: try once
reservations: yes
price range pp: €300-€600
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📍HERTOG JAN AT THE BOTANIC
location: botanic sanctuary, lange gasthuisstraat 41, 2000 antwerpen
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in niseko, hokkaido (december’23)

ended the year and our dec trip here at moliere’s niseko outpost inside park hyatt hanazano, serving very simple french with local ingredients which was very much enjoyable, and gave me hope of japanese french fusion after all. the menu considering its inside one of the newest and most prestigious hotels of the area was surprisingly economical, great service and a nice view outward onto the slopes.

we got their shorter menu which offered lamb, instead of the beef and lobster dishes. we began with a small onion tart and a really lovely loaf of warm sourdough and butter. instead of raw oysters, i was offered a foie gras pate with jam which was okay. really enjoyed the fresh winter vegetables with gnocchi in a light cheesy sauce. the main of lamb was also super good especially the sauce, stewed in a pot sealed tight with fresh dough which was also served alongside the lamb. local cheese plate and honey before a freshly baked apple tart was served, and ended with a really lovely mandarin jelly. a really lovely meal, highly recommend coming here when in niseko, and would love to check out the sapporo main shop if i’m next around.

menu terroir: (¥18,000)
onion tart
✨sourdough with butter
burdock soup
seafood plate: oysters (/foie gras)
✨winter vegetables with potato gnocchi
scallop meunière
palate cleanser: apple sorbet
✨stewed lamb with seasonal vegetables
✨hokkaido cheese selection
apple tart with vanilla ice cream
✨mini sweets: mandarin jelly
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would revisit: yes
reservations: yes
price range pp: ¥10,000-¥30,000
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📍MOLIÈRE MONTAGNE
location: park hyatt niseko hanazano, 328-47 iwaobetsu, kutchan, niseko
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in niseko, hokkaido (december’23)

loved this meal, everything about it from the ambience, food to the lovely family run staff. this soba kaiseki in annapuri, niseko was so homey and the food though simple, was well crafted and executed. really loved the unlimited soba cha with our meal as well. highlight was of course the homemade soba made in front of us, where we got to choose between the cold version with tare or warm with a duck soup broth. i’m not sure if its because how fresh it was made, it still is one of the most remarkable sobas i’ve had thus far in japan, strong wheaty flavour, al dente, very enjoyable overall. really wished they would have made more for second servings. other dishes i loved were the daikon in dashi topped with uni, pork shabu shabu, and the veg tempura was also lovely. a great meal i highly recommend trying to book for your next trip to niseko, very afforable also. i heard they’re expanding so i really hope the homey-ness would be lost in the progress.

dinner course: (¥19,360)
鯖トマト ホタテ 牡丹海老 saba tomato, scallop, botan shrimp
蟹 トマトソープ crab in cold tomato soup
大トロ ネギトロ otoro, negitoro
大根の出汁 ウニ daikon in dashi with uni
焼きカツオ grilled bonito
豚のしゃぶしゃぶ pork shabu shabu
野菜の天ぷら tempura vegetables
暖かい鴨蕎麦 / 冷たい蕎麦 warm duck soba or cold soba
柚子アイス yuzu ice cream
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would revisit: yes
reservations: yes
price range pp: ¥10,000-¥30,000
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📍楽一
location: 431 niseko, abuta district
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