Category: Japanese Food

Posted in Cooking, Feelings, Food, Gadget, Health, Japanese Food

My Favorite Drinks: Smoothie and Wine 

Posted on by sonokotchi

I’ve been enjoying a cup of smoothie every morning since I bought a smoothie maker, Tescom TMV 1100.

Today, I went to buy a lunch box. (Yes, I was lazy making lunch today….).

I found a nice lunch box, but I thought I should take more veggies.


I bought smoothies which were on promotion – discount.


I tried a green smoothie, but surprisingly it’s sweet.

I opened it to check its greeness.


Hummm, my green smoothie is much more delicious.

Now I enjoy making my own recipe smoothie. 

Today’s Recipe:  Contrex water (200 ml), orange (60g), spinach (40g), apple (60g) and carrot (30g)


For dinner, I enjoyed another favorite drink: few glasses of wine.

Wine is also good, right? 

Polyphenol! 

Yes, I should be careful, not to over drink.

Well, this one is special……

Corton Clos Du Roi Grand Cru 2010 (Beaune, France)

Wine is so delicate….yet, enhancing food….

It’s not cheap (USD 125), but worth trying it once.

Posted in Feelings, Food, Japanese Food, Place, Tokyo

Being Lunch Foodie

Posted on by sonokotchi

I had a Japanese style curry at Joto Curry  at Shibuya, Tokyo for lunch today.


According to the signboard, there are 50 Joto Curry Restaurants in Osaka and this is their Tokyo Main Store.

It’s delicious and reasonable.


For dessert, I had nice wine and cake.

These were niiiiiiiiiccccccceeeeee.


Please check this wine: BUCELLA 2013 (Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon) if you like your wine full body.

Yes, I over enjoyed lunch today.

? What was my tonight’s dinner?

Green Smoothie……hahaha

Posted in Feelings, Food, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food

Setsubun no Hi (3 February)

Posted on by sonokotchi

Based on Japanese old calendar, 3 February is the New Year Day.

We believe Japanese horoscope starts today.

Traditionally, we through dried soy beans against demons to push bad luck away and bring good luck to home.

When we through soya beans, we say, “oniwa soto. (demons (evils) out) Fukuwa uchi (happiness to home)”.

We also eat number of age of soya beans for good luck.


And this is a new trend, coming from West Japan.

We eat a thick long rolled sushi facing at the good direction of the year while we pray for a good year to come.

I wanted to eat a long one, but it was cut to be eaten easily because others, including sushi master, don’t believe in this new custom.

Hummm, what’s wrong to be happy?


At last, I have another thing to do today.
The other day, I posted about this good luck charm: Ichiyouraifuku (bads end and goods will come, like ending winter and welcoming spring).

At midnight of 3 February, I need to place this good luck charm at high place and facing good direction of the year to make my life Smooth! 


Yes, I feel peace and now I can go to bed.

SLEEPY zzzzz

Posted in Cooking, Feelings, Japanese Food

Japanese Curry

Posted on by sonokotchi

Tonight I made typical Japanese curry.

Ingredients are beef, onions, carrots and potatoes.

Japanese curry is thick or should I say “starchy”?

It’s easy to make with curry roux.

All spices such as curry powder are in curry roux.

It tastes better next day; let it sit.

Posted in Family, Feelings, Food, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food, Place, Shopping, Tokyo

Anahachimangu (Anahachiman Shrine) @ Waseda, Tokyo

Posted on by sonokotchi

I went to Anahachimangu to get a good luck charms.


These are good luck charms for a smooth year: smooth relationships, smooth money transactions, etc.


I need to place a round good luck charm on a wall according to an instruction at midnight of 3 February 2017.

It has to face this year’s good luck direction: North- Northwest.

After a prayer and getting good luck charms, we went to lunch at Sanchoan.

Mom and I shared a “Yuzu soba ((facilitating) smoothness soba)” and Tonkatsu (pork rice bowl).

There is a rumor that this restaurant is a founder of tonkatsu.

I came for a good luck soba and their famous tonkatsu!


And I had Taiyaki for dessert.

This is a Japanese traditional desert in a shape of Tai (red snapper).

I bought one in traditional style and one in modern style, croissant taiyaki.

Both are delicious with a lots of sweet bean filling!


After lunch, we went to 100 yen shop Can Do (a dollar shop).

This is our routine because there isn’t any 100 yen shop in my area to shop consumable products cheap.

And the shop has many innovative products that I ended up buying MANY products.

A beauty part of 100 yen shop is I don’t feel guilty about it.

Posted in Beauty, Cooking, Feelings, Friends, Health, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food, My Flower Arrangement

What’s Happened to a Steak?

Posted on by sonokotchi

When I woke up this morning, I wasn’t that hungry.

I decided to have a smoothie instead of a steak.

Oh, I’m adding lemon to get more vitamins!

I think it’s a good idea to add lemon!


When I have time, I cook lunch, bring it to the office and eat it at my desk.


After arranging flower…


At the class, I had some almonds, snacks and this good luck sweets, Hachifukumochi, from Hikawa Shrine.


Since this year is predicted bad for me, I’m glad that I can have one.

Thank you my friend to share good luck with me!

I had some snacks at the class; therefore, I have no choice, but to have smoothie for dinner.


What’s happened to that steak?

I cooked it for tomorrow’s lunch. 


To be honest, I want to eat it now.

I’m hungry…

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Japanese Food, Place, Tokyo

Dining with Friends from LA

Posted on by sonokotchi

I couldn’t post last night because I had too much fun.
I was too happy to see my friends from LA; therefore, I had too much sake. Ahhhhh

We went to Torihide at Roppongi because they requested Yakitori (chicken skewer).


Torihide is conveniently located at the Roppongi junction.

We can also order sushi because a sushi restaurant, Hachibei, above is a same group company.


Food is good and it never gets crowded.

But again, food is nice and location is good.

I wonder why this restaurant is always quiet.

Maybe because it’s on B1 (basement); we cannot check the restaurant from the street…?

Last night, we owned the place as if we rent out a whole restaurant. hahaha

After dinner, we went to T.G.I. Friday’s for dessert. 
Oh, I miss these!!


My friends also gave me nice souvenirs…

 

We met last night, but I already miss them… hahaha

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Japanese Food, Place, Tokyo

Returning to Office, Ahhhhh

Posted on by sonokotchi

Ohayo Ginza!  


There aren’t many people on the street at this hour because it’s still New Year holiday season in Japan.

My office building’s main door is closed; I entered a building using a card key to open a side door.

It was a quiet day so I managed to clear my desk and mails. 

This should be the way to start a new year!

I punched out at 5 pm to go out dinner with my Singaporean friends.

I had a gorgeous dessert, a strawberry parfait, at Takano Fruit Parlor Main Store, Shinjuku.

There are three different strawberries on the parfait and white one named Hatsukoi (First Love).  Yammy!!!


My Singaporean friends are so sweet.

A couple gave me souvenirs: TWG TEA and Sakura Cookies from the Cookie Museum.


Surely, I’ll enjoy them!

Thank you my friends for your thoughts and I wish you a safe journey back to Singapore!