Royce Chocolate in NYC

There is Royce Chocolate in NYC!!

http://royceconfectusa.com

I went there the day before Valentine's day and they had Buy two Get one free promotion for Nama-choco. So there were many people there.

But all the products were from Japan. So everything was in Japanese. Even their AC controller was in Japanese with celsius... lol 

And I didn't think about it but one of my friends just asked me about "nama-choco" and it seems like Japanese chocolate... They were selling as "nama-choco" too.  So interesting!! 

ロイスチョコレートがニューヨークにやってきました。

バレンタインの直前にちょこっと寄ってみたのですが、生チョコを２つ買ったら１個プレゼントというサービスのせいもあり、店内はとっても混んでいました。けれど、すべての商品が日本のままで、エアコンのリモコンまで日本語。それも摂氏で表示されており、ちょっと笑ってしまいました。

そして、たまたまアメリカ人の友達が生チョコって何って聞かれたんですが、これって日本のものだったんですか？今まであまり気に留めた事が無かったのですが、ロイスでも生チョコは"nama-choco"と表示してありました。面白い！！

Nobu

Today finally I could try Nobu for the first time.

I heard many things about here and most of Japanese didn't like here and most American liked here from what I heard...

And what I thought was... There was nothing "wow" effect. Most of them were simple and menu has no surprising but taste was good.

The arctic char that I had today was simple but that rare cooking was perfect!! And the dessert Dulce de leche  flan with kinako cookie was so good!!  They said there is Kuromitsu syrup on top but the flan itself was too sweet to taste Kuromitsu though...

But the sushi was ok... the sushi rice was a bit too mushy that was one thing disappointed. 

Maybe if I go there when they don't have restaurant week it might be different. Maybe better and more surprising but not this time.  I'm not sure when I will go back there because it's fancy place but I would love to try again as fancy dinner someday. 

今日始めてノブに行ってきました。

日本人からはみな残念な評価しか聞いておらず、けれどアメリカ人からはとってもよい評価を聞いていたので、どんなものかと楽しみにしていました。

メニューはとてもシンプルで、何も驚くことはありませんでしたが、味はどれもおいしかったです。

私が頼んだarctic charは（北極イワナ？）は味や盛りつけこそシンプルでしたが、お魚の火の通り加減が絶妙でした。またデザートもドルチェデレチェ（キャラメル味）のフランでしたが、とってもシンプルで、おいしかったです。黒蜜がかかってると言われましたが、それはフランが甘すぎて、わかりませんでしたが。。。

しかし唯一残念だったことは、巻き寿司のすし飯がべっちょりしていたことです。シャリは大事なのにな〜と。。。

まあ、レストランウィークでないときに行けば、もっと驚きなおいしさを体験することができるのかもしれませんが、何せ敷居が高いので、いつまた行けるかは不明ですが、機会があれば、いつか通常のノブのディナーをトライしてみたいものです。。

Rock shrimp tempura

Sashimi salad

Arctic char

Sushi

Dulce de leche flan

Ganso, ramen noodle in Brooklyn

Finally I could go to Ganso which is ramen noodle shop in Brooklyn with my coworker.
It's close to work but always they close at 2:30 till dinner time and I always finish work around that time so I couldn't make it.
Ganso
http://gansonyc.com
I tried Tan tan noodle and it was so good!!! Shiitake flavor was really strong so if you don't like shiitake mushroom I don't recommend but if you like, I'm sure you will addicted!!
And this veggie topping made me happy too. After this ramen I was so full!!!
I should try classic one Ganso noodle next time but I'm so happy to have good ramen noodle shop around my neighborhood!!
And it's new place so the shop was so clean and I really like there.
Now Brooklyn has so many ramen places!!!
In my opinion, in Manhattan their ramen shops are trying to make it similar to Japanese ramen noodle.
But in Brooklyn every places have original different ramen noodle so even you come from Japan it's so fun to try them!!

先日やっと、元祖を訪れることができました。
職場の近くに出来た新しいラーメン屋さん。
坦々麺を試しましたが、椎茸のダシがとっても出ていて、おいしかったです。
野菜も豊富で、満足感のある一杯でした。
椎茸苦手な人には向かないかもしれませんが。。。
またこれも日本のラーメンとはちょっと違って、おもしろかったです。
最近私の近所に新しいラーメンショップが続出！！
マンハッタンのラーメン屋さんはどちらかというと、日本のラーメンに近いものを作ろうとしていて、ブルックリンのラーメン屋さんは独特のオリジナルを作り上げている気がします。なので、日本から来た人でもブルックリンラーメンツアーなんてすると面白いかもしれないですね。

Dassara Ramen in Carroll Garden Brooklyn

Today after work I just walked down on Smith st. to find something to eat.
It was cold day and I was exhausted from crazy busy work.
And I decided to try new ramen restaurant in Carroll Garden.
Dassara
http://www.dassara.com
Before it was the restaurant called Chestnuts and I liked there.
So I was sad to see they were gone. But after a few months I found the word "ダツサラ" on the wall there. And I laughed so hard and was wondering why there was "ダツサラ"!!!
"ダツサラ" is the word "quitting business man" in Japanese.
I remember that I took this picture and put on facebook just for laughing.
And now the new Ramen restaurant called Dassara "ダッサラ" has been opened!!
So today went there to see how their ramen is dassara!!
First, on all the tables, there were tea cup of Sumo wrestlers... and I checked there is Hakuho too. So it means they are all pretty new cups!! lol
And checked menu. They have not only ramen noodle but some Korean pancake or matzo balls...
.....weird.....
And I only ordered Chicken ramen the most simple one.
And the ramen was ... really interesting.
When I tasted soup first, I got something strong spice flavor. It was the same flavor from the soup that my roommate made before... chinese soup with many spices. And I tried to figure out what they are... and my guess is Anise.. if not I'm sorry!!! But that's why it was not ramen noodle that I know!!
And that is not I'm saying I was disappointed but I was surprised and I liked it!!
If you want Japanese noodle, then it's not the place you should go but if you just want to try new things and try ramen noodle, then I recommend you:) It's just different...
Oh and for your information!! They have restroom with Toto wash-let!! haha
It's important info, right?
今日は仕事の後に、あまりの寒さと疲れのせいで、ラーメンが食べたくなり、
職場の近所に新しく出来た、”ダッサラ”というラーメン屋さんに行ってきました。
お店ができる前に、外壁に”ダツサラ”の文字が出現したときは、何かと思って、大笑いしながら写真を撮っていましたが、先週またこの道を歩いていると、ラーメン屋さんになっていることを発見！！今日はまさにラーメン日和だったので、ちょこっとのぞいてきました。まずは、バーがあり、その奥にテーブル席。テーブルには、相撲取りの歴代横綱湯のみが。。。ちゃんと白鵬までは載っていました。
そしてメニューはチヂミっぽいものから、マッツォボールまで。。。
なんだかいろんな文化のごちゃ混ぜでしたが、それがまたニューヨーク、それもブルックリンっぽいかも？？一番シンプルであろう、チキンラーメンを頼んでみましたが、見た目は、とってもおいしそう。そしてスープをまず一口。。。なんだこの風味は？スパイス？とってもユニークなお味。そしてそれは私のルームメートが前に作ってくれた鶏の足や何種類ものスパイスなどを入れた中国の薬膳スープにも似たお味。おそらく、八角（アニス）の味かしら？というのが私の予想ですが、違ったらごめんなさい。
日本のラーメンを求めている人には、絶対批判を買いそうですが、単に新しいラーメンを求めているのであれば、おすすめです。変わったもの好きの方は、ぜひお試しください！！そして、アメリカではなかなかお目にかかれないウォシュレットのお手洗いが恋しい人は、ここにはありましたよ！！笑

Okonomiyaki truck in NYC

A few days ago I tried Okonomiyaki from Okadaman truck!!
http://jp.reuters.com/video/2012/08/16/お好み焼きはNY名物になれるか字幕・16日?videoId=237111340&videoChannel=206
Because I watched this video...
I went there with my coworker who I showed how to cook Okonomiyaki before.
It was on 47th street between Park and Madison avenue.
They had Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba and Kara-age which is Japanese fried chicken.
From my experience, most of non-Japanese likes Okonomiyaki and Kara-age so I think it was good choice of menu. And I was so curious about it because owner isn't Japanese!!
Of course there wasn't owner that day but it was good to try truck Japanese food in NY!!

And we tried Okonomiyaki and Kara-age lunch combo and Yakisoba combo.

Both of them were lack of veggies for me. 

So it was more like pancake. When I explain about Okonomiyaki, I say "Japanese cabbage pancake" so it makes sense but I prefer more cabbage inside.

But Kara-age was good:)

Mary, which did you like Okadaman's or my Okonomiyaki?? 

Ootoya in NY

Tonight I went to Ootoya in NY finally!!
http://ootoyanyc.com/
I thought it was crowded but it wasn't. Maybe because I went there at 8pm in weekdays though.
In the menu there were both teishoku (sets of entree, rice, miso soup and chawan-mushi which is savory egg curd) and a la carte. And teishoku costs $15-20 and the portion was American size!! So I'm sure that is enough for you even for men.
The taste was good too. I miss those food in Japan so it's good to have this kind of place in NY!!
And it was fun to see the people there. I thought there might be many Japanese but most of tables were mix of Japanese and non-Japanese. Which was nice to see how we can introduce Japanese food to them:)
This time I went there with my friend who is not Japanese and he liked Katsu-don but he didn't like chawan-mushi which I really like!! So it was interesting to see how grew up with food effect our tastes.
I want to go there with more friends who like to try new food!! And most of my friends are like that:)

Okonomiyaki night

We had okonomiyaki night the other day at my coworker's apartment.
We went to Sunrise Mart before that and got some ingredients like thinly sliced pork which is important for Okonomiyaki.
Always I really enjoy to introduce Japanese food but this okonomiyaki is really special!!
I made maybe 10 okonomiyaki that night but everyone liked them:)
And after that we made matcha green tea milk shake for dessert which was good too.
While we were cooking and eating I was playing Japanese music too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jncMznFI9zg
It was really interesting and fun night:)
Thank you, Mary for this opportunity. And let's do another food night soon!!

Jiro Dreams of Sushi at IFC center

Today finally I went to IFC Center to watch the movie "JIRO Dreams of Sushi".
http://www.magpictures.com/jirodreamsofsushi/

It was documentary movie about Sushi chef Jiro.
But it was not only about him but about his sons, fish dealer, his employees and others...
That's why this movie became so interesting.
When I saw Tuna dealer who looked familiar to me, he was on the Japanese show "professional".
Many professionals, Shokunin were in this movie.
And show us how they work, how they feel about work, food and family.
I'm so glad to see this movie.
And I definitely recommend you to watch!! Who work for food, who do work, and who will work soon and of course food lovers!!

After that show I went to Blue Ribbon Sushi in my neighborhood which supposed to be good one.
(I went to their Manhattan restaurant and I really liked there so I just went there straight after the movie without thinking)
But even how much I was craving to sushi, I should've not gone there after this amazing show and watching the best sushi in the world.  I just expected too much and just disappointed what I had... haha
I'm sure in one month not after that movie, if I go to same sushi place, I would like there... But not tonight!! lol Looked good though... I feel bad for the people who work there... :(

Hibino ひびの食堂 in Brooklyn

This is the Japanese restaurant in Brooklyn.
Hibino
http://hibino-brooklyn.com/
Most of co-workers told me how they were good all the time. But I couldn't have chance to go there for long time. But the other day finally I went there to try their lunch menu Obento-box.
I went there around 1:45 but already most of menu were sold out.
One of staff Yoko-san told me how fish is popular there.
I had "Samma"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_saury there and it was like in Japan.
Their Obento-box has one main dish, salad, rice, miso-soup and one kyo-obanzai.
That day kyo-obanzai was zucchini with tartar sauce. So it didn't sound kyo-obanzai but still it was good.
I hadn't had Japanese food which made by someone else so having Japanese lunch after work was really relaxing and made me feel good.
And I could tell why they are so popular to both American and Japanese.
Because that place is like in Japan. All of staffs are Japanese, they are talking in Japanese, they are serving real Japanese. Even who doesn't know Japan that much but still they can tell the difference between real Japanese and Asian Japanese.
I'm sure I will go back there and have more Japanese lunch!!

Mister Donuts

Still my favorite donuts place in Japan is Mister Donut.
http://www.misterdonut.jp/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Donut

Now there are so many place for donuts in Japan. Especially Crispy creme came to Japan a few years ago and at that moment I heard Mister Donut got affected but I think they are still No.1 donuts place!!!
What do you think??

I always get this D-pop... 

These are new products. 

Green tea and purple potato.