Kyoto Food: Color and Scents from Kobo-san market

21st December 2008

These are the photos taken at Toji (東寺) Last monthly flea market of 2008. I sampled and tried many small snacks when browsing at Kobo-San flea-market today.

This stall sells steamed red bean paste bun – nothing special, it is just like any of the Chinese version.

Matcha pancake – Instead of the anko red bean paste, this is filled with Matcha paste. NICE!

Takoyaki – Squid balls like snacks at hawker stall at the street side or market. The balls themselves are quite doughy, inside there’s some squid usually a tentacle. benito flakes, aonori and a special thick soy-sauce like sauce. Some of them were rather raw but overall it is worth the try.

There were stalls selling this fish-ball like sticks which actually made of mochi, a rather common snacks in Kyoto which is quite popular among the locals. Also in the flea-market, one can find the kyoto style marinated vegetables or pickles or in Japanese Tsukemono (漬け物), sweetened black beans (kuromame 黒豆日本) and other sort of beans.

There were also plenty of stalls selling kyo yasai (京野菜) and a lot more stuff that I have not seen or heard before, all originated from Kyoto or Kansai region. It was a very interesting stroll in the market.

In short, the market is colourful despite of the wet and dull weather, the smell of the food, the scents of the pickles and the colourful ceramic, wagashi and used kimono brighten up the morning.

Kyoto Food: Matcha Ice Cream

22nd December 2008

I know it is cold today but I bought this Green tea ice cream on the way down from Kiyomizu-dera at Southern Higashiyama area. Matcha Ice cream shops are everywhere and I couldn’t resist them anymore but just grab one that made of so ya and the Matcha from Uji area.

Although it is not the best weather for ice cream but the bitter taste of matcha ice cream is very fascinating. It is cold – Yes, want a ice cream – YES, especially the Matcha flavored one.

Kyoto Food: Kyoto Beef 京都牛肉

Kyoto beef restaurant located at the Kyoto Station 11th Floor - Morita Kyoto Beef.

The appertizers that come with our set menu, the assorted marinated seasonal vegetables in Kyoto style.

Our fondue (shabu-shabu), the kyoto beef at the far left top has marble white pattern on the meat. The fondue is filled with seasonal fresh vegetables. The soup is just clear water when we started, no additional flavorings were added.

The thickest Udon that I have ever seen and the best udon that I have tasted ever in my life. It is so thick but still give you the texture of udon should have after soaking in the fondue for a while. The two round white balls are mochi, made of rice flour, very Kyoto but tasteless.

That's me, enjoying my last dinner in Kyoto and tasting the awesome flavors of Kyoto beef. !! Oishii!!

30th December 2008

This may not be the best beef restaurant in town but definitely the nearest one to our Hotel. It is located at 11/F of Kyoto Station on the Isetan wing and the restaurant has the view of the city including the Kyoto tower, where we sat we have the direct view of our hotel. Morita only serves Kyoto beef or wagyu (和牛

)and one can choose the different parts of the beef, we opt for Shabu-shabu (fondue) of Kyoto Beef .

The beef tastes excellence, very beefy gives a very natural beef taste. that is hard to get in Holland.

Kyoto Food: Onigiri (御握り; おにぎり)

This is not particular Kyoto but rather overall Japan. Onigiri (御握り; おにぎり), is a popular snack made of rice and sometime refers as rice ball. You always find them in triangular shape and wrapped in nori (seaweed). There are all sort of fillings depending on what you like, from the local pickles, sour plums to salmon, tuna and others flavors. I like this since my time in Taiwan many years ago as I always buy one from the convenient store before I start my day at work. We always have Onigiri as lunch on the go and they are available at all the convenient shops (Circle K, 7 Eleven, Family Mart, AM PM etc) that you can find ever few steps away over all in Kyoto. They have this special way of wrapping that ensure the Nori is not expose to the air or to the rice ball and thus keeping the nori crisp, dry and fresh till the time you eat them. They are very filling, tow of those onigiri could serve as lunch and last you the whole afternoon.

Kyoto Food: More Wagashi 和菓子

The packaging from the stall - 鼓月

The packaging of wagashi 墨彩 aka black sesame roll called

The 墨彩 without wrapping paper

You can see the sesame paste inside

This is a black sesame roll called 墨彩 which if I read according to Chinese translation it means ‘black ink’. I bought from a counter in Takashimaya at the stall called 京都・鼓月. It tastes a bit dry, and there is no real aroma of the black sesame, it is a pity.

I also bought a chestnut waggish from the same stall. This tasted really yummy, I can feel and taste the whole chestnut in it, very fresh indeed. One down but this one I give it a UP!

Kyoto Food: Daifuku Mochi (大福) Rice Cake

19^th December 2008

I bought 2 daifuku 大福 (Japanese mochi) from a wagashi shop (和菓子屋) called 十六五 at Gion (祇園). The plan is to eat just one this evening but I finished both of them because they are so good.

One of them has the chestnut filling and the other is filled with the typical Japanese azuki bean paste. Daifuku literally means ‘good fortune’ which again is something Japanese that always associate food with good names.

They are not sweet at all and taste best with tea or coffee. I think this is the most common type of wagashi in Japan and not particularly something unique from Kyoto, but they taste really GOOD.

Kyoto Food: Issen Toahoku's okonomiyaki (お好み焼き)

19^th December 2008

Issen Toahoku – An eatery in Gion district that serves one and only okonomiyaki (お好み焼き

), some kind of omelet top with heap of red ginger and green scallions. Although okonomiyaki literally means ‘cooked what you like’ in Japanese but this shop basically decides for you.

Johannes finds it too sour and I was also too overwhelmed by the shredded ginger and the overloaded soya sauce. It is alright just for a try but this is definitely not my cup of tea. A second try is certainly no-no.

This shop is also peculiar in a way, there are a numbers of mannequins dressed in kimono sitting at some of the table, therefore we basically sitting and eating together with another 2 mannequins.

Also if you observe the decoration carefully, you will figure out something rather funny and obscure and wonder why they are actually hanging on the wall of an eatery like this.

Kyoto Food: Cheap Eat

18th December 2008

Since we couldn’t decided what to eat and we were very hungry, so we decided to temporary fill our stomach with ramen and udon from this small little eatery at the side street of Teramachi dori (寺町通). Each bowl costs around 370 yen and since there isn’t any chair, we have to eat our food standing. This is quite an unusual experience. Food wise, it is just about eatable and it is a warm meal and it is cheap, what else can I ask for more when I am hungry.

Kyoto Food: Ippodo (一保堂) Sencha (煎茶) Experience

Also at Kaboku tearoom of Ippodo, Johannes opts for the Sencha (煎茶) with the tea leaves that called Kaboku tea leave.

Sencha tea set comes with 2 tea cups and a tea pot filled with kaboku tea leave and a dorayaki (三笠). A type of Japanese pancake filled with anko red bean paste. Apparently it costs time to drink Japanese Sencha the proper way.

Water has to be at around 60C before it is poured to the tea pot. That’s why there were two additional cups to cool down the water. As the tea leaves were dried on the first pour so he has to wait over 30 seconds before the first cup is ready to be served. Did you also notice there is a small clock on the table, this is used to read the timing.

Now, the tea is ready and poured to a cup. The first cup of sencha is a bit savory. It is as if it has been fortified with seaweed.and gives a bitter after taste. Anyway, the verdict is not mine but Johannes.

Kyoto Food: Ippodo (一保堂) Koicha Experience

 

27th December 2008

I read about Koicha (thick version of Matcha powder green tea) before I came to Kyoto, today we tried the authentic green tea the Japanese way at Ippodo 一保堂. Ippodo basically just selling all sorts of tea leaves grown in Uji area, but it also has a adjunct tearoom called Kaboku 嘉木.

I ordered Seiun koicha as recommended by the waitress. The waitress brought me the tea set with quite a lot of green tea powder. Making koicha is definitely an art to learn and a taste to acquire, water has to be at 60C so I have to pour the hot water to a small cup to monitor the temperature and the pour bit by bit to the green tea powder to form a paste.

Then the tea needs to be whipped with a special bamboo whisk to mix the powder and the water to create a very thick texture like green paint or green yogurt, then the koicha is ready to serve with a wagashi.

It tastes very bitter and a bit salty but I actually like it especially with the wagashi gives the sweetness that balance the bitter after taste.

This time I didn't got the chance to choose the wagashi but it is just being served as the tea set was brought to our table, but today I am actually more into the mood for tea than the wagashi. 

This wagashi looks not bad either.

After I finished the creamy koicha, more water is added to the left over koicha, and whisked further until a layer of smooth frothy bubbles are formed. This becomes an ordinary matcha that usually serves in the tearooms in Kyoto.

 

The koicha costs around 10 Euro but this is a very worthwhile cultural experience and I am loving it.

Kyoto Food: Kagizen Yoshifusa 鍵善良房

22nd December 2008

After the long walk to and around Kiyomizu-dera and Southern Higashiyama area, we stopped by Kagizen Yoshifusa 鍵善良房 for tea break.

Of course I ordered matcha that served with a wagashi. This time I got the opportunity to choose from one of the four seasonal wagashi. I opt for this lovely winter peony wagashi.

This lovely seasonal wagashi (winter peony) is too real and pleasing to the eyes and in fact beautiful to be eaten.

They also serve a much better matcha (in term of thickness and texture) compared to the one I tasted in Arashimaya.

While I am enjoying my matcha treat, Johannes also has his portion of sweet treat which I think he doesn't enjoy much. It is some kind of sweet anko bean paste with glutinous rice and the small dish on the left contains of some salty/sour bites that give contrast to the sweet.

Kyoto Food: Omen Nippon

21st December 2008

A rather chic noodle restaurant along Shijo (四条通

), close to Pontocho (先斗町), serves nothing but just udon or ramen.

The restaurant is small but has its own character in term of decoration and setting, every dish is carefully and artistically presented with nice ceramic dish to hold them.

Look at the presentation of vegetables; it is like a plate of Zen garden itself.

The soup is mildly flavored broth, in its simplest form, very natural but not flat and full of different layer of taste as you dip the udon into them.