Cream roll that I could eat everyday

"Patisserie Mon cher (パティスリーモンシェール)" is a confectionery company of Osaka (大阪). Their main product, cream roll named "Dojima Roll (堂島ロール)" has become a big hit in recent years. Thanks to that, they opened many shops at department stores of major cities in Japan. When just seeing a long queue, I had been skeptical for the cream roll, but...it was really wonderful for their fame.

Dojima Roll with chestnut (Autumn version)

Outside sponge is very soft but springy, airy but moist. No trade-off. Both aspects are well balanced. To make this texture, they may also use rice powder for the sponge. As for inside, much whip cream is contained, which I usually feel heavy stomach. But their light milky cream never makes me so. I feel I could eat everyday:) Now they sell special Dojima Roll with chestnut as Autumn version. It was so delicious that I ate up in few minutes. One Roll costs JPY1,260 and the half costs JPY680. My rating is 3.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Patisserie Mon cher (パティスリーモンシェール)  http://mon-cher.com/index.html 

Fine Italian restaurant in Ginza

For a small party to celebrate a wedding of a colleague, I made a reservation of an Italian restaurant named "IL PINOLO (イルピノーロ)" along the Chuo-Street (中央通り) of Ginza (銀座). The restaurant has a good access to metro where everyone easily come and their price setting was suitable to budget. On the other hand, I was a bit worried about the portion as I memorized it was not big enough when visited several years ago. But as a result, needless fear!

IL PINOLO Ginza

Pea soup with smoked pancetta

Assorted starter

Fresh pasta of aglio e olio peperoncino with egg plant 

Bread

Wagyu steak a la Rossini

Dessert

Happy Wedding!!

Black tea

At lunch time on weekday, all the seats were fully occupied. Men and women, young and old enjoyed the lunch. I understood the popularity of this restaurant. In spite of the nice location and snappy interior,  quality of dishes is high as a whole, service is cheerful but price is reasonable. The set meal comprising a soup, a starter, a pasta, a main dish and a dessert/tea costs JPY3,500. In addition, we could choose a glass of sparkling wine or fresh orange juice. 

As for the dishes, aglio e olio peperoncino using fresh pasta and egg plant was delicious. Usually, pasta in a set meal is served a little, but here, I could be also satisfied with the portion. Main dish, Lossini steak was wonderful. Combination of tender, tasty wagyu and rich foie gras was perfect. Rich sauce made the taste more profound. Service was also good. They gifted a small bouquet to the main guest. Everyone was happy. My rating is 4.0 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

IL PINOLO (イルピノーロ)  http://www.il-pinolo.com/il-pinolo/ginza/

Girls' favorite omelette restaurant originally from Shibuya

When I was a high school student, my sister took me to an omelette restaurant named "RAKERU (ラケル)" in Shibuya (渋谷). The restaurant's interior, plateware, staff's uniform, atmosphere...everything was very cute that girls like. It was one of my dreamed restaurants at that time. Nowadays we can enjoy RAKERU not only in Shibuya but at shopping malls around Tokyo. Recently, I found again I like it even after a long interval:) 

RAKERU since 1963

Inside

Corn soup

Rice omelette

Rice omelette with hamburg

Waffle and lemonade 

RAKERU's specialty is omelette, particularly, rice omelette. Soft-boiled omelette contains tomato-chicken pilaf or butter pilaf, and tasting it with tomato sauce or demiglace sauce is wonderful. Nobody dislikes the taste and texture. I could easily eat it up. And waffle with much whip, caramel and almond was also good. Most of all, their plateware of "Alice in Wonderland" made me fun and girly. My rating is 3.2 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

RAKERU (ラケル) http://www.rakeru.co.jp/    

Good izakaya chain specializing chicken at UENO 3153

Toriyoshi (鳥良) is a popular izakaya chain whose specialty is chicken dishes like karaage, Japanese-style fried chicken. One of their branch is located in the basement of UENO3153, a restaurant complex (see previous visit). I haven't been Toriyoshi for a while, but I found the quality has been improved than before. 

Entrance (like Japanese old house)

Inside

The color of lighting is changing...

Steamed egg hotchpotch

Japanese stew with beef and Japanese radish

Sashimi platter

Karaage (fried chicken wing)

Yakitori

Chicken ramen

Though each dish costs around JPY500-1,000 (except sashimi platter), the taste was more than average izakaya. Sashimi was fresh and tasty. And their specialty, fried chicken wing was crispy and juicy with hot and sweet soy sauce. The taste can be addictive. Ramen using chicken stock was also impressive. Very mild but delicious soup and thin noodle were matched well. If you can't find suitable izakaya in Tokyo, Toriyoshi is recommendable. Because of the good quality and reasonable price, many people were waiting even at 22pm. My rating is 3.3 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

http://www.toriyoshi.jp/

Marriage of Chinese and French dishes in Asakusa

I had a small gathering at an interesting restaurant named "Karakurenai (唐紅花)" in Asakusa View Hotel (浅草ビューホテル). The concept of this restaurant seems Chinese dishes, but they also serve French dishes together. Usually, such trial does not work so well, but Karakurenai succeeded. Whatever the concept is, every dishes was tasty. 

Karakurenai with nice view of Sky Tree

Assorted starter

Shark's fin soup with snow crab

Beijing duck

Sorbet

Foie gras saute

Grilled homard

Beef streak

Fried noodle with seafood and vegetable

Dandan noodle

Japanese-style curry using wagyu beef

Almond jelly

Creme caramel 

The first three dishes were Chinese. Chinese starter, shark's fin soup and Beijing duck. The soup was mild but profound taste. Crispy but juicy Beijing duck was nice. After having sorbet for refreshing the mouth, foie gras saute came, but there was no feeling of strangeness. Main dishes I chose was grilled homard, which was very fresh and tasty. Even after the main dish, we can select noodle or rice. I chose....Japanese-style curry using wagyu beef:) It was no longer either Chinese or French, but delicious. They would serve anything dainty. 

In addition to the dishes, the atmosphere was very nice. As you can see, the night view was magnificent. We enjoyed the illuminated Sky Tree. It might be good for date and I saw several couples. Asakusa View Hotel itself is a bit old, but this restaurant floor has been renovated well. The set meal we ordered was JPY8,000, but basic set meal is available from JPY5,000 at night. My rating is 4 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Karakurenai (唐紅花)

http://www.viewhotels.co.jp/asakusa/restaurant/thedining/index.html

(浅草ビューホテル) http://www.viewhotels.co.jp/asakusa/index.html

Branch of Michelin two star ristorante in Nihonbashi

In Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi (日本橋三越), an original store of the most historical and posh department store, there is a branch of "RISTORANTE ASO (リストランテ　アソ)" which has won two Michelin stars in Tokyo. The name is "ASO Celeste (アソ チェレステ)." Similar to the elegant atmosphere of Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, the restaurant was also chic. It was not like in a department store. 

ASO Celeste

Fresh scallop with asparagus cream

Foie gras saute with variety of corn

Bread and whip butter

Spaghetti with mussel and botargo 

Spaghetti with snow crab and field mustard

Hamburg using Japanese wagyu beef

Grilled porgy with minestrone 

Assorted dessert

Mont blanc

Coffee

Lunch was superb. The taste was more than expectation. Foie gras saute with corn was wonderful. Usually, foie gras is cooked with sweet fruits to highlight the taste, but using sweet corn was also matched well. Corn was cooked in several ways, and among them, caramel pop corn made the taste more rich. Spaghetti was also very tasty. Combination with mussel and botargo was perfect.

As for main dish, hamburg using wagyu beef was impressive. We can directly enjoy the strong taste of wagyu beef. As the size is small, I wanted to eat more...Even dessert was more than average. Even tiramisu or mont blanc, standard desserts, were very sophisticated. It was amazing that this nice meal is available at JPY3,800 at lunch in a department store. I will revisit. My rating is 4.4 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

ASO Celeste (アソ チェレステ) http://www.aso-net.jp/celeste-nihonbashi/index.html    

Olympics in Tokyo in 2020!!

Happily to us, Tokyo has been selected as a city for Olympic Ｇames in 2020!  As other candidate cities are also very attractive and appealing, I couldn't imagine the Games will be held here in reality. I'm now sooooo excited to watch real Olympics and receive many people to Tokyo from all over the world. Hope to share a wonderful time of Olympics as well as our culture and tradition including nice food:)