Between Bites

Posts Tagged ‘Japan’

Omakase

Friday, June 27th, 2008

Karen, Kring and I suddenly had the impulse to go to Libis and eat lunch at Omakase today.  With her dependable car, Karen zipped our way to Libis with ease and I wondered where the Friday traffic is?  Her car’s name by the way is Herc, short for Hercules.  How cute.  When you see her car, you’d know why.

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I wasn’t really excited to eat since I’ve gained a significant 5 lbs over the past 2 weeks.  I have been eating so much for a month now and I don’t get full at all.  I keep on eating and eating right after eating and eating.  It doesn’t help too that I’d be going to Calaguas Island in 2 weeks time.  But I’ve heard so much about Omakase that when Karen picked Japanese cuisine, I just blurted Omakase.

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It was a pretty busy restaurant at 110pm even right when we left at 2pm. 

On the Table 

Yasai Itame (JC’s order) PHP 95

Yasai means vegetable in Japanese.  It is your regular stir-fried vegetables.  Presentation wasn’t appetizing but I finished it.  I like vegetables anyway.  It was a mixture of bean sprouts, onions, cabbage, string beans and green bell pepper.

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Kakiage (still JC’s order) PHP 130

Trying hard to be healthy, I ordered another vegetable dish.  You have to take note that trying to be healthy, I disregard the fact that one is stir fried while the other is deep fried with flour.  Healthy?  Who am I trying to fool?

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Dynamite Roll (JC’s order) PHP 260

I’ve placed an order for two vegetable dishes already.  I asked the waiter what their bestseller in sushi is and he said Dynamite Roll without batting an eyelash.  I said ok without batting an eyelash.

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The Dynamite roll had in it, salmon and spicy tuna topped with salmon skin and roe.  It was served with garlic mayo dip in kikoman soy sauce.  Although it had too much going on, I enjoyed the dynamite roll a lot.

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Cold Soba Noodles and Soup (Karen’s) –I remember eating cold soba noodles in Japan… ooh yum!!!  I had to finish all of my food that I didn’t get to try Omakase’s version.

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Omakase Soup (Karen’s)

California Crunch (Kring’s) –I like Red Kimono’s California Crunch better. 

What a refreshing lunch that made me realize Libis is not too far away.  Haha, what am I saying?  I’d go all the way to Makati to eat at Elbert’s! 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/489  

Genky Umby Contest of Anton Diaz

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

When I first read about Anton’s entry (Link: http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2008/05/genki-umbrellas.html) on Genki umbrellas, flashbacks of my 2006 Japan trip flooded my mind.  It was almost a 1-month affair getting immersed with Japanese culture.  Tokyo, Osaka, Kagawa, Shikoku are among the key areas that were visited.  We went to several different locations but I was especially mesmerized during our tour in Ritsurin Park. 

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Ritsurin Park is one of the most famous and most beautiful historical parks located in the city of Takamatsu in Japan.  The park, which is renowned for its landscaping, is considered as one of the city’s main attractions.  Ritsurin Park occupies 185 acres, which makes the walk in the park a tour of almost two hours.  The 75-hectare land includes a natural pine forest, a zoo, an art gallery, a museum and a store where they sell crafts.  Several lakes within the park are sanctuary to thousands of koi.  Amidst big mountains as backdrop, there are various bridges, footpaths and small hills that offer a majestic view of the entire park and the surrounding scenery.  A view of Mt. Shuin can be seen at the western point of the park.

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Our tour was almost cut short because of the predicted drizzle that afternoon.  What came to our rescue was the Genki Umby that we brought along with us.  My very first time to watch the rain straight on. 

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Share your Genki Umby photo with Anton (Link: http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2008/05/genki-umby.html#more) and acquire a free Japan-popularized umbrella.  If I were joining the contest, there are three photos with the Genki Umbrella that I can submit minus the witty captions.  You can also buy these cute umbrellas in bulk from Anton.