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Recommendation of okonomiyaki and teppanyaki restaurant in Fukui City: "Yoshina"

2019.05.09

Gourmet

The other day, I went to the okonomiyaki and teppanyaki restaurant ”Yoshina", which I have wanted to go.

 

The "Yoshina" serves unique new type of okonomiyaki such as using small tomatoes grown in Fukui Prefecture and teppanyaki using locally grown ingredients. It is located in front of Fukui Station, so it is convenient for tourists as well.

 

"Yoshina" is a popular restaurant, so you should call ahead to reserve a table. I went there on a weekday, but it was full and several persons could not entry and a staff apologized. For the moment, they don't open during lunch time, but according to a staff, the owner wants to operate as a cafe in the daytime, so I am looking forward to it. The "Yoshina" is a restaurant that I want to go again soon. (H.S)

 


The restaurant's sign outside on the street.
There are Fukui's local sake bottles, "Ippongi" and "Bon" on the barrel. Good choice!

 


The entrance is like a town house's one in Kyoto. Such a long approach is not seen very much in Fukui.

 


This is the Tomato Okonomiyaki that represents the restaurant. (The photo is from "Yoshina"'s website)
It uses small tomatoes grown in Fukui. Their original sauce blends well with tomatoes' sour taste.
The okonomiyaki is really good. I recommend Avocado Okonomiyaki, too. They bring cooked ones to your table.

 


They also serve side dishes in addition to okonomiyaki and teppanyaki. This one is a pork-shabu salad.

Udon noodle specialty restaurant on an expressway, "Hanamaru Udon" Byobusan rest shop

2019.03.05

Gourmet

 

I drove on the Chuo Expressway for the first time in a long time. At that time, I found the "Hanamaru Udon" at Byobusan rest area, which is one of the popular udon (wheat noodles) chains in Japan. I ate the udon with hot broth and clams because it was a cold day, and I had never tried one before.

 

I ordered a small one. But there were more clams than I expected for a small one and the soup was very good with rich taste of clams.

 

I didn't know that this "Hanamaru Udon" has been there for over five years.
"Yoshinoya", which was next to the "Hanamaru Udon" is the same group company.
Recently, they've been opening up their restaurants on expressways in sets.

 

I like noodles, but I'm allergic to soba (buckwheat noodles) so I don't usually eat even udon or ramen at any restaurant where all noodles might be cooked in the same pots.

At a restaurant like "Hanamaru Udon" that serves only udon, I can eat without worry.

 

This was possibly the first time for me to eat udon at a restaurant at rest shops on expressways.

T.S

The amazing crabs from Fukui

2019.02.20

Gourmet

There are three kinds of crabs caught in Fukui.

 

 

Echizen crab

The male Zuwai-gani (snow crab) caught around Echizen Coast in Fukui is called

"Echizen-gani". "Kani" or "gani" means crab in Japanese.

 

Fishing season for the Echizen-gani is from November 6th to March 20th.

It's well known as the most expensive and the largest one in Fukui.

It's a luxurious food, so even most of the people from Fukui, they hardly eat it.

 

 

the differences between seiko gani, the female snow crab and zuwai gani, the male one
the differences between sotoko, fertilized eggs and uchiko, the ovary
inside of seiko-gani
Photograph：Rakuten

 

The female snow crab is called "Seiko-gani" which is smaller than

the Echizen-gani (the male ones). Typically, the female ones are 1/3 of

the size of the male ones. The fishing season for the female ones is

from November 6th to December 31st. The pregnant ones carry

"sotoko (fertilized eggs)". When you chew the fertilized eggs,

you get satisfying popping crunchy texture like sea grapes.

"uchiko (the ovary)" has a rich strong crab flavor. I like both.

 

The price of the Seiko-gani is much lower than the Echizen-gani,

so it's more likely for people in Fukui Prefecture to eat the Seiko-gani

than the Echizen-gani. In addition, at some schools in Fukui Prefecture,

the Seiko-gani is served for their school lunch and students learn how to eat it properly.

 

After enjoying the crab meat of Seiko-gani and or Echizen-gani,

it's even more enjoyable to pour sake into the shell and drink it directly from the shell.

The sake will take on a subtle flavor of the "kani-miso (the brown meat)".

It is the best way to complete the crab.

 

 

Mizu-gani

The freshly molted male snow crab is called "Mizu-gani".

It is young male crab and the word "young" is "waka" in Japanese,

so it is also called "Waka-gani". Also, the crab meat of Mizu-gani can

easily be taken out of the shell, so it's called "Zubo-gani".

"Zubo" is a Japanese word to show a sound of something is taken out of something easily.

The crab meat of Mizu-gani is as large as the Zuwai-gani but the price of the Mizu-gani is

one third of the Zuwai-gani. Therefore, Mizu-gani is popular as well.

 

A friend of mine from outside the prefecture visited Fukui Prefecture to have Mizu-gani.

He enjoyed it so much and he even bought some more crabs to take home.

 

 

I would like to share a video of "Fukui Prefectural Tourism Federation".
You can see the crab auction.

Last year and this year, there have been shortage of crabs,

so I haven't eaten them as much I usually would eat.

I hope that it'll be a good year for the crabs next year.

 

If you haven't tried having the amazing crabs from Fukui,

how about visiting Fukui Prefecture, enjoy the charms of the prefecture, and eating the crabs?

 

T.F

Shinpuku-saikan / Excellent Ramen Noodles in Kyoto, Japan

2019.02.14

Gourmet

Many people love ramen noodles in Japan. Recently, I had a great one in Kyoto.

It was at Shinpuku-saikan which is located near the Takabashi (the Takakura Kosen Bridge)

in JR Kyoto Station area. It has more than 70 years of history.

The ramen noodles there were excellent, and I loved them!

 

 

a long line in front of the ramen noodle shop, Shinpuku Saikan

Photograph：Jonasanpo

Last time when I visited there, there was a long line and I had to wait more than 30 minutes.

I had to catch a train on that day and I couldn't eat it. This time, there was no line luckily,

so I got into the restaurant without waiting and I was able to enjoy the ramen noodles.

 

 

Ramen noodles at the Shinpuku saikan in Kyoto

The noodles of the Shinpuku-saikan is known for the dark soy sauce base ramen.

It looks similar to the ramen noodles from Toyama called "Black ramen".

I ordered a bowl of the ramen noodles with extra chopped scallions

and a raw egg on the top, and a dish of fried rice.

 

On a Japanese TV show, I saw that people were talking about how people from Kyoto like eating anything with thick sauce and a strong flavor. The soup of the ramen noodles I had were lighter with less flavor than I expected.

 

 

the fried rice at Shinpuku-saikan

The fried rice was amazing too. I tasted the roasted soy sauce flavor and I liked it so much.

 

I heard that their ramen noodles and fried rice can be purchased online

and/or at convenience stores.

 

This was my first time eating at a restaurant where people wait in line just to eat there.

The ramen noodles and the fried rice at Shinpuku-saikan were amazing,

so I understand why people wait in to eat there.

 

If you have a chance to visit Kyoto and you like ramen noodles,

Shinpuku-saikan is a highly recemmended ramen noodle shop.

 

*If you don't like waiting in line,

I suggest you to visit there around 4 pm to 5 pm, before it gets very busy.

 

T.F

"Italia" in Fukui City -A restaurant with nostalgic atmosphere, run by a chef who plays the harp-

2019.01.31

Gourmet

the basement of Yours Hotel Fukui, there is a restaurant called Italia

I'd like to introduce a restaurant in Fukui City, "Italia". It is located in the basement of

Yours Hotel Fukui near Fukui Station (2 minutes walk from the west gate of the station).

The restaurant was opened in 1971, and it was the first restaurant in Fukui City specialized

in serving spaghetti and pilaf. The spaghetti sauce that the chef makes is amazing and

it's purchasable at the restaurant.

 

 

kitchen viewed from the counter table

The kitchen, tables and the chef, everything about this restaurant made me feel nostalgic.

 

 

hot corn creamy soup
lunch set comes with spaghetti, meat sauce, fried shrimp and sausages and salad
espresso comes with the lunch set

I ordered a lunch set that comes with hot creamy soup, salad, spaghetti or pilaf

(you can choose either one) with meat sauce, a fried shrimp, sausages and

a cup of espresso. It was a big lunch and very satisfying.

 

 

luch set is 1140yen

I can say for sure that it was definitely worth more than 1,140 yen.

 

 

harp

As I finished eating, the espresso was served, and I enjoyed talking with the chef.

He showed me a beautiful harp and played it for me. I'd never seen a chef playing

the harp before.

 

 

chef holding and sitting with his harp

He was saying that he might be the only one who cooks and plays the harp in Japan.

 

If you have a chance to visit Fukui, I'd suggest you go to the restaurant.

I'm sure you have a great time there.

*He doesn't play the harp regularly.

 

 

In addition, the chef told me that his son is also a chef. He cooks French food

at his own restaurant called " Le DiamantRose" in Fukui City.

When I have a chance, I would like to eat at his son's restaurant as well.

 

T.F

 

Italia

Location: The basement of Yours Hotel Fukui

1-4-8 Chuo, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture

Open hours: 11:00-21:00

Closed: Thursdays

 

 

Le DiamantRose

1-2-8 Kamogawara,

Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture

Lunch: 11:30-15:00

Dinner: 17:30-21:00

Closed: Mondays

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