shochu and sashimi in palermo (of japan)

i just got back from a one-night business trip to kagoshima, a city on the southern tip of kyushu. i usually don't have time to do much sightseeing and this trip was no exception, but i did manage to find a great bar specialising in shochu and local cuisine.











i didn't really feel like pork, which kagoshima is famous for, so i ordered a platter of sashimi. i especially liked the kibinago, a small, transparent fish that is part of the herring family and available year-round in kagoshima. the saba (mackerel) and modori-gatsuo (bonito that's returned south after a swimp up to hokkaido) were also amazingly fresh, and the chef told me that should be no surprise since everything was fished locally, just that morning. i noticed the soy sauce was very dark and sweet, kagoshima-style. i thought it might kill the flavor of the sashimi but it actually went quite well, making it taste a little sweeter and fatter.

because of all my oohing, aaahing and picture-taking, the chef wanted to know where i was from. i told him i'm from tokyo but originally from wakayama (which is more exciting), and when i called it the "sicily of japan" because of the mafia and high rate of crime and unemployment, he told me that kagoshima is definitely the "palermo of japan". and this is why:

from shiroyama hotel, an impressive view of kyushu's own vesuvio, the volcanic sakurajima island.

turning 30

i was planning on not having a birthday this year so i could linger perpetually in my 20's. but i was too tempted by the promise of presents and booze...
after a champagne toast and some dancing to a record by the Brazilian Girls, a gift from purpleman, we went to Arossa, a modern australian restaurant in Shinsen. i'm not quite sure about the definition of modern australian cooking. but what Arossa and the Healesville Hotel in Yarra Valley had in common, besides a mix of italian and french cooking and some asian influence, was a very strong emphasis on fresh produce --like good farm cheese, crisp vegetables, and locally-grown meat.

so thanks to great food and wine, and a beautiful present from purpleman, a very fun transition to the big 3-oh.

paris eats

some highlights:

it was already way past 8 by the time purpleman arrived in paris, so we thought we'd just go for a quick bite. but we ended up having a great meal at chez justine, a restaurant-bar several blocks from our hotel.

it was a friday night and the place was literally overflowing with young parisians. with a crowd at the bar and some even standing outside with their wine glasses, we assumed there would be no tables, but it turned out they were just having their friday drinks and we were quickly seated near the back of the restaurant. my pork and purpleman's duck confit were excellent, thanks to the recommendation of our friendly neighbor (who spoke perfect english and french --envy!). the place even had live guitar and vocal performance later in the evening, a surprise treat. a bit chaotic and definitely more casual compared to le pamphlet, where we ate (very well) the following night, but a generous treat to the senses just the same and a great start to the trip.

l'as du falafel has a special place in my heart. i remember coming here on one of my solo travels, and the food filled me with such warmth i felt so much happier and comfortable the rest of my trip. i still think the falafel sandwich here is one of the best of its kind. and i can't get enough of the tahini sauce. purpleman and i were so absorbed in our mouthfuls of "falafel special" that we just munched in silence for a while... and as a result we couldn't help but eavesdrop on the two american girls sitting next to us discussing their diets and the need for more democracy in the third world.

we also had a good meal at les philosophes in the marais, although what i remember most is the golden tarte tatin. partly because we had to wait so long for it... the memory of it makes my mouth water. yum, yum...

l'estaminet, the bistro where i had lunch alone on the first day, was so nice i had to go back with purpleman. a very laid-back and cozy place, but the menu du jour was full of choices, with dishes like boudin blanc, andouillete, etc. we opted for the two-course meal, and i had duck gizzard and liver in red wine sauce, with salad.

our last dinner was at l'astier near parmentier. everything was excellent, and my only regret: i ate so much that by the time the fabulous cheese platter came around, i could only try a little bit. next time, i want a little bit of everything! the desserts were great too, especially purpleman's pistachio creme brulee, but our stomachs were about to explode by the end of the meal.

in fact, we were nearly bursting after every meal throughout the whole trip. but we did do a lot of walking in between and we were usually quite hungry by the next meal, so i suppose it wasn't that unhealthy. we ended up dining mostly in the marais-oberkampf districts, close to our hotel. it was nice to be able to walk home after meals --and we certainly needed the exercise.

flaneuring in paris

from left: man with a baguette greets lady friend on rue oberkampf. is it only the etranger who finds this pedestrian signal humorous, only the japanese girl who finds it kawaii? the narrow path leading from saint sulpice to the luxembourg gardens.

i've got (red) sole

i landed in paris at around noon and had several hours on my own before purpleman arrived, so after a solitary but splendid lunch at l'estaminet in oberkampf, i set out on a super-efficient shopping trip. i didn't buy much, but my main mission was accomplished in the first hour: simple black pumps from christian louboutin!!! je suis tres tres contente...

learning to like london

purpleman and sheesergirl reunite! disgusting as it may sound, six weeks apart was far more difficult than i thought it would be, even with the phone calls and frequent instant messaging. when i finally arrived in south kensington, purpleman was waiting for me with red, teary eyes. but as it turned out, it was just because purpleman had a cold and couldn't stop coughing and sneezing... one of those nasty flus that one can only get in cold and damp london. despite that, he made sure i had a fun week and i eventually began to like the city and forgive its many annoyances --the weather, severe shower problems and delays on the underground for starters

some highlights of my trip:
re-visiting the victoria and albert museum. my favorite section was the indian textiles (nehru gallery), where i spent hours just looking at the intricate embroidery and weaving on display. the v&a was also doing a special exhibit on diane arbus. i went in without any expectations and came out feeling quite disturbed, i can't explain why. i hadn't really been moved by art in a long time, and for a few hours i just walked around hyde park.

for our special dinner, purpleman chose chutney mary. it was indian food presented in a way i'd never experienced. the curries were good but i was impressed most by the appetizer we shared, chickpea dumplings with a savoury pesto-like sauce and a sweet compote, garnished with little bits of pomegranate. i also liked vama, another indian restaurant on king's road. it was chosen by purpleman's brother who works in the neighborhood.

lastly, window-shopping at harvey nicks, liberty's and harrod's. harvey nicks has so much character, even though the clothes selection at isetan is far superior in many ways. and liberty's and harrod's have gorgeous interiors that make me want to just live there. so i feel satisfied just walking around the different floors, even without actually buying anything -- a very good thing given the prices and a depressingly weak yen.

getting there... with bibinbap

i usually avoid airline food, but the bibinbap on korean air was not bad at all. sure, it's partly the novelty factor, but i even considered flying korean air from now on every time i visit europe. the bibinbap comes with a tube of authentic hot sauce. the benefits of spicy foods are countless... in this case it helped numb my senses towards the boredom and discomfort of a 15 hour flight.