Home for the next couple of months. Today we decided to find our local pub, and I had this amazing slab of pork belly, topped with crackling, and surrounded by red wine gravy. Heavenly!
At The Mitre, Craven Terrace.
Ah, back home, in my kitchen, and I decided to make Paul Prudhomme’s chicken curry tonight. Sweet, with a slight heat.
Even when we’re on the go, the food here in Japan has been good. From a quick fast food burger to bento boxes on the shinkansen, our bellies have stayed filled to the brim. And the train station food is nothing short of amazing. Whole fried shrimps with a dipping sauce and rice were had in Tokyo, and if I ever make it back to Nagano/Ueda I will definitely be stopping by the noodle shop on the platform. That scent has not left my memory banks since.
Okay, this wasn’t quite my last meal in Tokyo, but it was the last full day. We headed to Shibuya to do a bit of shopping and grab a bite to eat. We were looking over two noodle joints and decided to pick the one with the least people crowded around the machine to purchase the meal (but still packed with people). We were ushered to a table, and within a few minutes this steaming bowl of noodles was placed before me. Pork broth, pork, ramen, cabbage, seaweeds, scallions, and a couple of those oh-so-perfect Japanese eggs. I topped mine with a bit of pickled daikon and a few swirls of chili oil. Heaven in a bowl.
You know I couldn’t come to Japan and not visit the Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant. Last night we braved the rain and made our way to Ginza to experience Alice fantasy dining. Upon stepping off the elevator you are wrapped in pages of the book, and Alice or the Mad Hatter takes you to your seat where you are presented with a diorama box that pulls apart to reveal the menu. The cocktails are on the sweet side, but not as much as some Japanese drinks. The rose fizz I had was so tasty I had two, as was the kiwi concoction my husband had. For dinner, we went with the set course, which started with a phenomenal salad with the sweetest corn and best bite of lobster I’ve ever had. This was also served with a salmon cream topped with caviar, which may have been my favorite dish that evening. The rest of the meal was tasty, and items like the salmon in cream made up to look like the white rabbit were delightful, but this place is all about the ambience. Sitting in a teacup or amongst the queen’s hedges, ringing a tiny bell foe service, and having Alice pull out her cards to take your order. As surreal as the movie or books.
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