Mensho : Best Duck Rice Ever

Kamo Gohan aka Duck Rice, the Japanese Way.




Kamo gohan is a dish which could be easily overlook if you didn’t do your homework before you come. But for those who have visited here numerous times aka 老饕, they will order this together with the Shio ramen that clinched the No. 1 Must Try Ramen of the Shio category run by #Tokyoramenoftheyear  

Unveil the Nori coating and I discovered not plain white rice but glistening brown pearl grains that’s been seasoned and mixed with chunks of flavorful duck, much to my surprise.

The seaweed added a layer of unami to the dish and the squirt contained yuzu orange dish that brightened the dish with fruity but non-sourish notes. I truly enjoyed every morsel, trying to come to terms with the fact that this ultra-delicious dish only cost ¥250. Pardon me for being brutally honest but this is way better than the Chinese duck rice.


Just like most ramen ya, Mensho gives customers the option of adding on Aji-tama. But as I dug in midway, I noticed that the vending machine not only has this option but also Saikyo Miso Eggs. The most noticeable different is the color of the eggs which is white and not dark brown. But it didn’t pale in comparison in taste. In fact, I love this more than the usual Ajitsuke Tamago. It seemed to me that the miso had totally ignore the egg whites and went straight to become good friends with the egg yolk as the gooey core was superbly yummy but not overly salty.

There’s also tori-gohan aka chicken rice. Maybe I should be like the guy sitting next to me, ordering both the Shio Ramen and Tori gohan on my next visit. 

Mensho 

http://menya-shono.com/mensho/

Nearest Station : Gokokuji

11am-3pm

5pm-9pm 

Closed on Mon/Tues

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Mandarin Oriental Tokyo Gourmet Shop : Fly me to Kumo

Most people don’t really bother about the pastries from hotels but I think it would be a pity to overlook those from hotels in Japan. Not every single hotel I mean because some are worse than convenience stores.
So far the most unpalatable ones I had were from Hilton. The pastries from Shangri-la and Mariott group are average.

But those from the Hyatt Group (Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt and Andaz) are excellent. No I’m not paid to write this and neither am I affiliated to any staff who work there.

Mandarin Oriental? I would rank it 2nd, below Hyatt Group and above Shangri-la. This is because this 5-Star hotel does invest efforts to ramp up its pastry boutique. It not only revamped the space but also hire new executive chef stephan to helm the kitchen. The pastries are visually attractive but the flavours were not sharp enough to create a lasting impression. Take for example I thought the Bonsai, one of the botanical inspirations, would revolve around matcha but matcha was only limited to the surface and the entire composition was predominantly vanilla mousse.

I had high expectations for the Kumo, the signature “cloud” cake launched last September and changes flavour every season. It was chestnut last Autumn and Pistachio-Raspberry this spring. The cake was massive, such that it was placed separately in a cake box that could fit a regular 8-in strawberry shortcake. Perhaps it’s a flavour issue as the pistachio-raspberry mousse was quite sweet and tasted just like an average mousse cake. My favourite part was the sturdy chocolate shell.


The Sakura Pannacotta was the tastiest of all with its silky wobbly texture and the presence of sake in the jelly.

Website: 

https://www.mandarinoriental.co.jp/tokyo/nihonbashi/fine-dining/cake-shops/gourmet-shop

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Salon De Muge 無碍山房: Dessert in the woods by Michelin 3-Star Kikunoi

 Getting a seat here by reservation was a horrible story.

 I don’t know whether to count that is gaijin sabetsu because they can only take in reservations if you have a Japanese phone number. Even hotel concierges don’t help because they don’t want to be liable to the cancellation cost.

But the popularity of this place amongst the locals isn’t surprising at all. As the first dessert salon opened by Michelin 3-Star Kikunoi, standards and expectations are set in place.

I only had eyes (and stomach space) for one dessert and that’s the matcha Parfait.

My first reaction was “やばい 超濃厚だ” it was very rich but strangely the more I eat the sweeter it became. Here, there’s the order of eating, carefully planned with the position of the spoon. I was told to spoon from the right to the left, which means I will encounter the Yuzu castella first before reaching the ginger castella on the other side. The yuzu castella was too sweet, which probably make things rather “jelat”.  There was nothing much special about the warabi jelly as well but I guess what merits praises is the matcha ice cream that boasted such a charming dark hue which would be perfect if it is less sweet.

I’m glad I didn’t have to queue long for this. My neighboring customers ordered the seasonal Ichigo Parfait which looked no less attractive then the matcha Parfait. Perhaps that could be a better bet.

Website: http://kikunoi.jp/kikunoiweb/Muge/

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We are the Farm Ebisu : More than just veggies

I thought I was going to have a “healthy” vegetable dinner here but I ended up in food comatose.
We are the Farm is a farm-to-table restaurant which uses organic vegetables from its company farm in Chiba. The folks here take pride of their organic produce which are on display at the counter. The walls are scribbled with messages explaining the techniques and science of farming.



I was aiming for the Kale Caesar Salad ¥980 because I was tempted by its gigantic portion. The kale was crisp and fresh, drizzled in just the right amount of dressing that won’t leave the salad too dry after a few bites.

But I guessed my mind wasn’t functioning right as I was too easily persuaded by the waitresses who recommended me to try a few other signature dishes. I don’t remember having a whole onion to myself but I knew I could trust the  quality of the ingredients here and thus opted for the grilled onion. And yes, you get just one whole onion with just speckles of salt at the side.

 The onion was beautifully torched and glistening with on the surface. I was recommended to eat from the innermost to the outermost ring as the sweetness are concentrated in the core where the nutrients are transported to. Honestly, I couldn’t detect any significant difference between the rings, though the onions were tender, sweet. Oh and slightly oily.

But what left me with the deepest impression that evening wasn’t the vegetables, it was the meats. In fact, the mains of this restaurant are  dominated by meats. The signature grilled duck with mozzarella (¥2500) took me by surprise because I didn’t imagine duck to be so tender and tasty! It tasted like smooth sausage or I should say anything but a duck. The mozzarella is flattened into a crisp and made this look like an UFO! Portion was huge as well.


Delicious food aside, I would advise coming as a group to share as the bill could easily clocked up to ¥6000 for just 3 dishes. Do note that there is a compulsory order from the drinks list that start from ¥550.

LUNCH :

EVERYDAY >> 11:30〜14:30 (LO. 14:00)

DINNER :

MON. - SAT. >> 17:00〜23:30 (LO. 22:45)

SUN. >> 17:00〜23:00 (LO. 22:00)

東京都渋谷区恵比寿西2-8-10　ORIX恵比寿西ビル 1F

TEL : 03-5784-3877

https://www.allfarm.co.jp/we-are-the-farm

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Kyoto Modern Terrace 1960 : Best Matcha Opera

Kyoto Modern Terrace 1960 is a cafe restaurant that sits in the middle of many attractions that include Heian Shrine, Kyoto Art Museum and Okazaki Park. It can get quite crowded during weekends or public holidays.


I wasn't loitering in the area for any sightseeing purposes. I was there only for one thing. The limited edition Matcha Opera dessert. And boy, I was totally blown away with this. I've had many many matcha operas before but I haven't come across anything as perfect as this. 

The matcha opera is part of the collaboration campaign held between the restaurant and Souda Kyoto. Perhaps to promote Kyoto I guess. But for a cafe-restaurant which doesn't focus on desserts to churn out something of such high calibre, I am really curious to know the brilliant mastermind behind this creation. 

THE KYOTO MODERN TERRACE

CAFE & RESTAURANT

京都市左京区岡崎最勝寺町13 ロームシアター京都 パークプラザ 2 階

TEL  075-754-0234
OPEN  8:00-23:00

Nearest station: Higashiyama Station
www.kyotomodernterrace.com

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