Nakano-ya なかの家 Osaka: Family-friendly Izakaya Restaurant

I always have a list of food places that I want to go for any holidays but Nakano House is an exception. It happened to be located at the restaurant dining floor of Abeno Harukas and online reviews on tabelog were quite good. After doing a quick research, I found out that this Osaka-originated restaurant is like an upscale izakaya that sells a wide variety from seafood to rice bowls. 

Perhaps let me jumped to my conclusion first. The food is good, cheap and the ambience is excellent because the seatings  are divided into compartments so diners can enjoy some private space. I am usually skeptical about restaurants in department stores as they are rather mediocre and expensive. However, I would gladly recommend anyone to visit any of their 6 outlets in Osaka. 

From the "creative dishes" menu, we had the tofu and vegetable gratin, which was rich yet not overwhelming because the cream is made of tofu. The Simmered Pork Belly (¥780) is a must-try; soft tender and not too fatty. The flavoured egg is one of the most beautifully cooked ones that I've seen and it tasted fantastic.

Both the Daikon Salad and Hourenso (Spinach) with Onsen Egg Salad would replenish the necessary greens but I prefer the Onsen Egg because it has a more distinct Shoyu dressing.

We also had the Sashimi Platter of the day (¥2800) in which the seafood is sourced from a local port. 

If you can read Japanese it will be good because this place actually has a daily special menu printed on an A3 size paper, with a date written at the side. We had the steamed clams with sake and the Shio-Yaki (salt grill) chicken which has to be grilled by yourself. We always go for chicken dishes because chicken is my dad's favourite meat in Japan besides beef.

There is also the usual salt grilled chicken with crispy skin but the portion is too small. It's better to grab those at the basement of department stores. 

Look out for this stack of piping hot caramelized sweet potatoes that I found under the "Vegetables" and not "desserts" section. This street snack is like an endangered dish that is slowly vanishing from the urbanized cities so catch them if you can. 

Nakano-ya なかの家

Japan, 〒545-8545 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka

Abeno-ku 1-4-43, Abeno Harukas Mall 13F

Nearest Station: Abenobashi/Tennoji Station Osaka

Daily 11am-11pm

http://www.nakanoya-harukas.com/

Win Win Snacks: 100% Halal and Vegetarian

I never thought much about potato chips until I chanced upon these wafer-thin Potato Crisps produced by Win Win Food. Baked with real potato, they actually tasted a little like cookies but so crisp and light, without any trace grease or heavy seasonings. Out of the four flavours--sour cream, tomato, vegetable and BBQ, I tried the latter two and was instantly attached to them. 

In fact, these potato crisps are only one of the many brands under Win Win Food, an established manufacturing company that produced snacks that are 100% halal and vegetarian. These products with a touch of Asian flavors are made in their main factory in Johor Bahru and distributed to various countries including Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, etc.

Some of their brands like Happy Moo biscuits (chocolate/plain) are packed in small bags like those mini snacks meant for kids--a good thing as it helps in portion control.

I love cream filled biscuits and these flaky Mini Pockets (vanilla/chocolate) are also good, though too generous on the sugar level. 

I am always partial towards any chocolate crunchies and thus I was delighted to discover that Win Win Food has introduced the Nutri Cereal Crisp. The original flavored bar has a milky fragrance with lingering the notes of salt that teases the palate and encourages one to keep eating bar by bar. Same goes for the chocolate, which are cheaper alternatives to Royce's Potecrunch without compromising on the quality. 

The Crisp Maker Puffed Corns is also another new item that I highly recommend to anyone, especially to those who loved popcorns. But don't get be wrong. These are not popcorns, but something even better and won't require any effort to chew.

They are like light crunchy air sacs that disappear in seconds. I can't decide between caramel and sweet corn but if you fancy sweet-savoury treats like me, then sweet corn would be an arduous challenge for you to stop devouring. 

Win Win Snacks are available at all major supermarkets

and online at www.gobuylah.com

More info : www.win2food.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/win2food

Pierre Marcolini : Pierre Herme of the Chocolate World

If you know Pierre Herme very well, then you should know the Pierre Herme of the chocolate world, Pierre Marcolini. This former disciple of Pierre Herme had rose up the ranks to become of the most coveted chocolatier in the world and one need not be surprised at the enduring popularity of his flagship shop in Ginza.

Many, ladies especially, flocked to his cafe on 2F for the signature parfaits and waffles. But those with an extra budget to indulge would buy some of the exquisite pralines in his retail shop at 1F. 

To kill two birds (waffles and ice cream) in one stone, I instinctively picked the waffles.There are two categories here: one is Marcolini Waffles and Simple Waffles. The menu did not explicitly explain the differences but it seems like the Marcolini Waffles is blended with some extra ingredient X.

Anyway, I was relief that the quality of the waffles justify the hefty price tag. True to a classic Brussel waffle, it was light, yeasty and made into perfect regular square. It was music to the ears as the delicate crunchy sound echoes through the air. 

It is topped with fresh whipped cream that is not sweet at all. So most of the flavours emerged from the vanilla ice cream, caramel ice cream and the to-die-for salted caramel sauce. Somehow, I can feel that my waffles attracted envy looks from other tables as no one else was ordering this except me (they had parfaits). 

But the waffles come in a set, implying that one has to choose a drink no matter what. I highly recommend the Marcolini cacao tea because I guessed it is the only place in the world that one can taste chocolate in tea. Sounds illogical but the cacao flavour is highly pronounced in the pot of tea. 

While the waffles are heavenly, I think nothing beats the wickedly rich and bitter Belgium Soft Serve (see below) at his takeaway booth in Shibuya Hikarie. Despite being a bigwig in the chocolate industry, Pierre Marcolini personally searches for the cacao bean and create everything from scratch. Good to know that he has stocked up some skinny eclairs exclusively available only at this store. 

For the true gelato without incurring the dine-in cost, head to his outlet inside Tokyo station which is easily distinguished from the rest with its chic minimalist black interior. Buy the rich chocolate drink to sip on your Shinkansen ride. I bet that will attract the envy eyes of other passengers. 

Pierre Marcolini 

Ginza Outlet

〒104-0061 Ginza 5-5-8 Chuo-ku, Tokyo
TEL：03-5537-0015
OPEN：11am-8pm ※(Sun/PH)11am-7pm

For more details about the outlets and menu, visit here

Ramenplay : All-New Japanese Shabu Experience

There are so many ramen houses in Singapore but I think none would have conceive the idea of adding shabu-shabu, (Japanese hot pot usually eaten during winter) to its existing menu.


Ramenplay, a brand by BreadTalk and Sanpou Co.Ltd, has launched an all-new Shabu Shabu sets where customers can personalize their own by choosing between Australia striploin beef or Brazilian pork collar for the meats and Clear/Kimchi for the soups, alongside a staple, raw egg and pickles.

The fire from the Kimchi Soup was not as intense as I thought, but enough to pique my tastebud and made it difficult for me to stop slurping spoon after spoon into my mouth.

Made with chicken bones and shoyu, the Clear Soup did not disappoint too. It had a very pleasant sweetness that emerged gradually as the assorted vegetables of carrots, cabbage, leeks began to soften and release the flavors into the soup. Both soups also include tofu and trio of mushrooms; hon shimeji, shiitake and enokitake. 

The meat may be the highlight of the meal but the best moments of a shabu shabu experience comes only at the end when you add in rice/udon into the leftover broth. I highly recommend the premium Niigata Koshihikari rice instead of the udon because it soaks up the broth better.

The only problem is to exercise self-discipline not to  finish your rice right from the start. Throw the entire bowl of rice into the hot pot at the end, break in the egg, wait as the grains simmer to form a delicious pot of "risotto". 

The soup can be topped up for free while additional meat or rice/udon can be served with an extra charge if one is craving for more. Considering the price tag of $13.90/$14.90 for the pork and beef set respectively, I think the set is really very value-for-money, which is in fact, a consistent trend in their regular menu featuring Kyushu ramen, donburis and crispy gyozas, etc.


I decided to leave those to the next visit and doused the heat of the shabu-shabu with the Matcha Ice Cream Warabi Mochi ($6.80 ala carte/$4.80 with any order of main course). A quick sweet fix to a satisfying meal.

Ramenplay

Available all day at Jem and Novena Square and after 5pm at BreadTalk IHQ.

Novena Square Outlet

238 Thomson Road #01-05 Singapore 307683

Sun-Thu 11am-10pm

Fri, Sat and eve PH 11am-10.30pm

For other outlet details and more info, visit www.ramenplay.com.sg

Fumon-an 普門庵 : Kyoto Cafe with a Hundred Blessings

Most people easily walked past this place while heading towards the Kiyomizu shrine but I highly recommend anyone to drop by for a visit because the concept revolves around "fuku" 福. This site is believed to be blessed with fortune and luck being situated (not directly) in front of Kyoto's most renowned shrine. Walk into the retail area and you can find an array of samples for its unique snacks such as the Hyaku-fuku Manju, a traditional bean paste wagashi which has a very nice and chewy skin.

The matcha flavour is made from Ichiban-cha, the first batch of green tea leaves that is harvested and thus widely prized for its clean taste and aroma. 

Meant to be paired with a bowl of matcha or the unsweetened matcha latte shown in the picture, these kind of Wagashi may not be the cup of tea for everyone since their sweetness are dialed up, so just be forewarned. This Hyaku-fuku Manju set is available at their cafe right next to the shop. 

八福細めうどん。本わらび粉入りうどん。鱧と鮎のおだし

The menu offers only one savoury option but this is a case of simple dish done well. You won't demand for other options once you take a sip of the dashi broth that is made from two types of fish (Hamo "pike eel" and Ayu "sweet fish"). Clear and hearty, the soup embraced the chewy Hachifuku thin udon made with warabi-mochi flour.  In fact, Fumonan takes pride in the warabi mochi flour that it uses and you can enjoy it more in their signature warabi mochi that comes along with the set as dessert. 

Despite having so much green tea and parfaits up till the point I came here, I am still very impressed by the Ofukuhan Matcha Parfait (¥980), even much more than Iyemon or Marufuji. Everything from the crispy Matcha Cream Wafer to the Warabi mochi and jelly is produced in house. The more parfaits you eat at these places, the more you realize how poor most parfaits at Izakayas or cafes fare in comparison. 

The matcha soft serve is also available for takeaway with black beans and red bean paste. Skip those soft serves ice cream at those average souvenir shops along the trek and come here for the real good stuff. It is unlikely that you will walk away empty handed as there are plenty of yummy snacks to load in your shopping cart. 

Fumon-an 普門庵
10am-5.30pm daily
〒605-0862
京都市東山区清水2丁目246番地
246 Kiyomizu 2-chōme, Higashiyama-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 605-0862, Japan
TEL：075-533-8282 

http://fumon-an.co.jp/index.html