Foodle

in nagoya, japan (june’24)

hello nagoya, city of impossible reservations with restaurants not even known to outsiders. one of which is nozawa, run by a super cute husband and wife duo serving their own take on washoku with innovative twists and creations. so glad to have visited after being closed for some time, thank you so much for the invitation!

really enjoyed the length course tonight, rustic cooking and super impressed by the grandpa being the only chef and serving at an incredible pace. also recommend their highball made of freshly cut ice by taisho.

loved the start of the awabi and refreshing corn puree, on warabi tofu, super summery. really loved the small details like the madai and asparagus coated in okagi biscuit crust to mimic a fried fish, or using kensaki ika diced then shaped like an onigiri. also loved the katsuo topped with a shoyu made with cashew nuts and the corn in the managatsuo dish which was also poached in lemon, to bring an acidity to a miso marinated fatty fish. another dish i love was the one day dried ayu, with an incredible liver sauce served alongside it. ended with an ochazuke and a lovely miyazaki tamago mango as dessert.

so lucky to have visited this very hidden gem, with no publicly announced location and strictly regulars only. would love to be back another time for another menu, and under the hospitality of the gracious wife and husband taisho.

六月のコース (¥45,000):
✨蒸し鮑　蕨の豆腐　ともろこし awabi, warabi tofu, corn
湯葉ワイトアスパラ車海老 yuba, white asparagus & prawn
✨真鯛とアスパラおかき madai, aspragus in okagi
毛蟹の握り kegani nigiri
琵琶鱒棒寿司 biwa masu bosushi
✨カツオ カシューナッツ醤油 katsuo cashew nut shoyu
アオリイカ、イサキ、海苔 aori ika, isaki, nori
✨雲丹、焼き剣先イカ「おにぎり」 uni, kensaki ika
✨鮎のー夜干し dried ayu
真魚鰹、とうもろこし managatsuo, baby corn and lemon
毛蟹　旬菜　レンコンお椀 kegani, junsai, lotus root owan
舞茸　焼きなす　肉 maitake, grilled eggplant and beef
お茶漬け ochazuke
宮崎マンゴー miyazaki mango
-
would revisit: yes
members only
price range pp: ¥40,000-¥60,000
-
📍野嵯和
-
#2feastingpigs_nagoya
#2feastingpigs_japan Less

in tokyo, japan (june’24)

working in the kaiseki industry before training under yoshitake san, murayama is one of the more interesting sushiyas which incorperate kaiseki as its tsumami before the nigiri segment.

with a range of fried, raw and even showcasing an owan, each element was done extremely well. particularly loved the katsuo of the day, the konowata and karasumi chawanmushi, as well as the fried ayu were also very nice. highlight for sure was his awabi, perfect texture but most importantly its kimo sauce was incredible.

the nigiri here follows yoshitake style very much, extremely similar in knife-work and preparations, similar to shikon in hong kong as well. like the tamagoyaki, and the double uni of murasaki on top and bafun below. the shari is definitely stronger in acidity which i prefer personally, balances well with the neta. everything was solid, and comfortable to eat but there wasn’t a piece that stood out. overall a really nice sushiya, taisho and team were also super friendly and speaks good english. very good price but crazy difficult to book with next rounds being one year later, which i can’t seem to justify.

六月のコース (¥36,000)
いちじく、あん肝、味噌 ankimo, fig, miso sauce
マゴチ、ポン酢 magochi, ponzu
女性／男性シャコー girl/boy shako
✨カツオ katsuo
このわた、カラスミの茶碗蒸し sea cucumber innard & karasumi chawanmushi
あゆと万願寺唐辛子の揚げ fried ayu and pepper
✨鮑と肝ソース abalone and liver sauce
はもとなすのお椀 hamo and eggplant owan

イカ ika
のどぐろ nodoguro
✨春子鯛 kasugodai
小肌 kohada
赤身 akami
中トロ chutoro
大トロ otoro
✨あじ aji
馬糞、紫ウニ bafun/purple uni
✨車海老 kuruma ebi
穴子 anago
✨卵焼き egg
-
would revisit: try once
reservations on omakase
price range pp: ¥30,000-¥60,000
-
📍鮨むらやま
location: 7/f 7-6-2 ginza, tokyo
-
#2feastingpigs_tokyo
#2feastingpigs_japan Less

in tokyo, japan (may’24)

most probably tokyo’s most famous unagi shop, one not for the faint of heart with the full nose-to-tail preparation and dining through the lengthy experience here.

as i came with someone who has visited not so long ago, we were allowed the option to sample a side by side of natural and farmed unagi through the meal. the late lunch began with a series of skewers, from liver to fin and tails. quite a unique experience to get such fresh innards and the whole top to bottom experience of unagi. with some from farmed and some natural, as well as some prepped in kanto style (only grilled) vs kansai style (steam then grilled). these skewers indeed had a rich smokey flavour from the grill but was overall enjoyable.

through the servings of skewers, taisho butchers the fresh and very much alive unagis in front of you, in which he takes the live, beating hearts of each to be served and eaten (or shall i say swallowed) within 10mins of their butchering, to demonstrate the freshness of the unagi when served.

we then got a selection of farmed and fresh unagi shiroyaki (no sauce), then followed by a side by side of the 2 types in kabayaki (with tare) and rice. in which, i found the flavours in the farmed stronger, but enjoyed the soft texture of the natural one more. he also serves the tare pre-grilled to sample the difference the natural ‘oiliness’ brings to the tare.

a truly memorable experience that was worthwhile for all unagi lovers, also a good learning experience on the whole process as well as understanding the difference of farmed/natural, kanto vs kansai.
-
うなぎコース (¥18,000)
-
would revisit: try once
reservations on omakase
price range pp: ¥10,000-¥30,000
-
📍うなぎかぶと
location: 2-53-2 ikebukero, tokyo
-
#2feastingpigs_tokyo
#2feastingpigs_japan Less

in milan, italy (march’24)

another old school and traditional trattoria in milan, large ambient dining room full of locals upon our visit. but was a shame the food was a bit subpar of expectations.

portion sizes here were huge, one of the most generous spots we visited. we loved the gnocco fritto with the selection of ham and salami. got the veal milanese as opposed to the pork, which was okay, not bad but didn’t jump out for us. i’m sure there are better renditions out there but didn’t have the chance to try several to compare this trip. the ossobuco here also wasn’t my cup of tea, the sauce didn’t feel meaty and rich enough to lift up the bed of risotto, the diced root vegetable in the sauce also made it a bit strange. risotto had a great texture and seasoning was just right, but it was more food colouring than saffron. ended with a chocolate tart with a piece of sugared pear, nothing remarkable.

salami selection with gnocco fritto (€14)
risotto alla milanese with ossobuco (€28)
fried milanese veal chop with baked potatoes (€26)
chocolate tart with pear (€6)
-
would revisit: no
reservations by phone
price range pp: €30-€60
-
📍TRATTORIA MADDONINA
location: via gentilino 6, milan
-
#2feastingpigs_milan
#2feastingpigs_italy Less

in tokyo, japan (march’24)

got extremely lucky to have received a last minute invite to this acclaimed spanish/japanese innovative restaurant which relocated to tokyo from kyoto a couple years back.

been eyeing their signatures for quite sometime, from their kohada bocadillo to their paella, but what surprised me were the unexpected dishes in between. began with a lovely snap pea caldozo, followed by their kohada bocadillo and a lovely grilled nodoguro. their ‘herb salad’ with 24 types of vegetables were quite special, with an almond based ajoblanco poured over. was not too fond of their version of the kuruma ebi and fugu shirako ajillo, slightly overdone and i guess with this i prefer a more fragrant oil. the homemade bread that came with it was also borderline passable. one of my favourites of the evening was their serrano ham broth with hana sansho, so so good, and of course really enjoyed their hotaru ika and takenoko version of their paella, limited to spring. enjoyed the desserts and herb tea and overall was a nice meal.

happy i finally tried it but was indeed more leaning towards an ‘innovative’ cuisine with a spanish influence more so than a spanish meal. can’t really compare it with any places i’ve been to in spain at all, stylistically different and profiles here are definitely more delicate and sensitive. would like to come back for their other paella renditions and their sobrasada - but not in a rush to return.

dinner course (~¥50,000)
✨スナップエンドウのカにルドソ
✨小肌のボカティージョ
✨のどぐろの炭焼き菜の花
24種の野菜とアホブランコのサラダ
車海老と河豚白子のアヒージョ
✨ハモンセラーノのスープ
佐賀産ヒレの薪火焼き
鹿児島サーロインの薪火焼き
✨蛍烏賊と筍のパエリア
京都産の亀岡女峰苺
✨プリンと山羊のアイスクリーム
アマゾンカカオとスペイン産チョコレート

✨snap peas caldozo
✨kohada bocadillo
✨grilled nodoguro
herb salad with ajo blanco
kuruma ebi and fugu shirako ajillo with bread
✨serrano ham consumme
grilled saga beef fillet
grilled kagoshima sirloin
✨hotaru ika, takenoko paella
kyoto strawberry
✨pudding and goats milk ice cream
amazon cacao, spain chocolate
-
📍ACA
location: 2-1-1 nihonbashi muromachi, tokyo
-
would revisit: yes
introduction only
price range pp: ¥60,000-¥100,000
-
#2feastingpigs_tokyo
#2feastingpigs_japan Less

in tokyo, japan (jan’24)

another ramen spot i’ve been wanting to try, known for their shio ramen also a journey out of the city center. luckily they open at night as well, so came by for quite a satisfying second dinner.

their shio broth is mainly niboshi based, composed of dried fish, kombu and vegetables which is different to most other shio i’ve tried which are seafood based with hints of chicken/pork. flavours of the broth here are noticeably flavourful but still very clean, but not my preferred style of shio as i prefer the subtle sweetness from the use of clams and other shellfish. i don’t know much on the old school style of niboshi, but i think the version here definitely is one of the more notable and good demonstrations where the umami is maintained without being overpowering.

we also sampled the shoyu, and it was similarly clean but bolder in flavour profile without the sweetness to finish and doesn’t really have the balance and roundness i enjoy. noodles were nicely cooked, with a pronounced wheat aroma. but the chasiu was slightly overdone and somewhat chewy, and the chasiu don on the side was okay. considering the price and value of the bowls, as well as its long opening hours, its definitely worth seeking out, but not my preferred style so just trying once is enough for me.

塩そば 並 (¥800)
+ 味玉 (¥120)
醤油そば 並 (¥850)
肉丼 (¥380)
-
would revisit: try once
reservations: no
price range pp: under ¥1000
-
📍成城青果
location: 3-1-12 minamikarasuyama, setagaya city, tokyo
-
#2feastingpigs_tokyo
#2feastingpigs_japan
#2feastingpigs_ramen Less

in tokyo, japan (jan’24)

a ramenya which has been on my list for as long as i remember but was hesitant to travel given its distance away from the city. but so glad i finally visited, becoming on of the top shoyu ramens i’ve had in the city. the bowl is a bit small compared to most, but really loved every component here from their freshly made noodles in house to the light but umami filled soup with an elegant soy finish. their broth is based from mainly duck, pork and chicken too, mixing proteins to bring layers of umami. chasiu was considerably soft, almost sous-vide and a thick cut slice which was a bit too fatty for me, but the wonton was also nice.

shio on the other hand was okay, not too memorable as it didn’t have the same level of depth, but condiments were equal to that of the shoyu. highly recommended spot for shoyu ramen lovers, worth seeking out as the queue moves relatively quickly as well.

特製中華そば special shoyu ramen (¥1480)
ワンタン塩そば wonton shio ramen (¥1280)
-
would revisit: yes
reservations: no
price range pp: under ¥5000
-
📍中華そば しば田
location: 2-25-20 wakabacho, chofu, tokyo
-
#2feastingpigs_tokyo
#2feastingpigs_japan
#2feastingpigs_ramen Less

in tokyo, japan (jan’24)

another pastry shop i’ve been dying to try and thank you fairy godmother for inviting me. they take normal reservations from omakase for afternoon hours, but around dinner time or after 20:30~ are members only, so actually a great spot to hang out for desserts after dinner.

since it was strawberry season, had to try her parfait and infamous shortcake. loved the simplicity in her parfaits, just highlighting the jewels of the season, comprised of strawberry jelly, pickled strawberries before her cream, fresh strawberry and grated iced strawberries were added. also tried her strawberry daifuku which i loved more than the parfait, it had pastry cream with nuggets of mochi inside, ice-cream, anko, and diced strawberries.

her shortcake was also very very good, different style to ucchi’s i’d say, this had a richer eggier sponge and a very light cream - versus ucchi’s which is definitely creamier and milkier. so i really enjoyed this as a post dinner dessert with huge chunks of strawberry inside. to each their own, both shortcakes were incredibly good and worth trying for sweets lovers like myself.

also tried her freshly baked financier and slices of maple basque cheesecake to go which we devoured the day after. would really love to be back for her other parfaits, shortcake flavours and her canele. thank you for having me!

いちごのパーフェstrawberry parfait (¥3,850)
いちごの大福strawberry daifuku (¥1,760)
✨「とっておき」苺のできたてショートケーキstrawberry shortcake (¥2,090)
✨焼き立てフィナンシェplain financiers (¥1,100)
✨バスクチーズケーキ maple basque cheesecake
-
would revisit: yes
reservations: yes
price range pp: ¥5000-¥10,000
-
📍PÂTISSIÈRE MAYO
location: 2/f 7-10-2 roppongi, tokyo
-
#2feastingpigs_tokyo
#2feastingpigs_japan Less

in tokyo, japan (jan’24)

so beyond happy i was invited to try the counter cafe of my favourite milk cake shop. they serve one table per seating and you preorder the number of desserts you want but you don’t know what they are.

we preordered 5 the day we went and got a bunch of seasonal ingredients with our sweets, such as a mini version of the milk cake with strawberries sandwiched inside. his milk cake is still my favourite amongst the shops i’ve tried, creamiest and the richest milk flavour with a light sponge and this time with slices of strawberry.

we also got a mousse on the day we went, which was also sandwiched in cake, strawberry and mousse like strawberry cream which was super tasty. apart from that i also loved his crepe, lightly chewy and fragrant, filled with a light custard and strawberry. as it is also sweet potato season, we sampled his ‘jelly’ made of only sweet potatoes water and sugar, and a yurine tart with a buttercream base. love his sweets, so simple but so delicate, not overly sweet, really want to try his chocolate tart and souffle next time at the cafe, and his different seasonal renditions of his signature milk cake. thank you ucchi san and k-san as always.

5 desserts: (¥6500)
✨いちごのムース strawberry mousse cake
✨いちごのクレープ strawberry crepe
✨いちごみるくstrawberry ‘milk’ shortcake
さつまいものゼリーsweet potato jelly
ゆりねのタルトyurine tart
-
would revisit: yes
reservations: members only
price range pp: ¥5000-¥10,000
-
📍おかしやうっちー
location: 3-27-9 sendagaya, shibuya
-
#2feastingpigs_tokyo
#2feastingpigs_japan Less

in kyoto, japan (jan’24)

my first visit to the higashiyama branch (second shop) of ogata - one of my favourite shops thus far in kyoto. this visit was end of january, so the tail end of kani season with influences of fugu and shirako season and a peek into spring.

my visit with ogata san himself present and cooking set the standards very high (he’s in this shop on some occasional sundays), but still seemed a bit shy from the honten. the course was definitely smaller than i remembered, ingredients though good seemed a bit lacking especially considering the sky rocketing price-tag. nonetheless, the atmosphere here is much more ambient and spacious, facing the gorgeous back garden.

really wow-ed by the fresh ise-ebi and its miso, the back of the tuna cut was also so so good. really enjoyed the various fugu dishes also, from the fugu sashimi in a shirako ponzu sauce with a dash of shijimi, to the fugu karaage freshly brought out by the kitchen. as we were getting into the groove of the meal, the shime courses were already served. today’s courses were a deep fried oyster one with sansho, gyudon which was a bit salty for my liking and a karami daikon with homemade udon. ended with a lovely yurine and red bean filling wagashi and matcha. will be back to the honten for another season, but my favourite is still spring here.

おまかせコース (¥60,000)
うずみ豆腐uzumi tofu
マグロの背側 ise ebi, shima maguro
カラスミの餅karasumi mochi
鱈白子の揚げtara shirako age
河豚と白子ポン酢fugu with shirako
河豚唐揚げfugu karage
丸大根と蕪maru daikon, kabura

牡蠣ご飯kaki gohan
牛丼gyudon
辛味大根うどんkarami daikon udon

ゆりねあんこ和菓子yurine anko wagashi
-
would revisit: honten only
reservations: yes
price range pp: ¥60,000-¥100,000
-
📍東山緒方
location: 1/f 91-5 okazaki enshouji-cho, kyoto
-
#2feastingpigs_kyoto
#2feastingpigs_japan Less