137. Tokyo - Tsurutontan Serves Godzilla-sized Bowls of Udon / つるとんたん (Tokyo: Minato-ku, Roppongi / 東京都: 港区, 六本木)

Despite my unholy consumption of bread earlier in the day, I was not done eating carbohydrates just yet.  For dinner, Tokyo resident Kristen Shimatsu introduced Ken and me to Tsurutontan (つるとんたん), a restaurant that serves Godzilla-sized bowls of udon (うどん) noodles.



I ordered the nabeyaki udon (鍋焼きうどん), a traditional noodle soup served directly in the cast iron pot that it's cooked in.  Even though the display case outside the restaurant gives customers a glimpse into the life sized portion of the noodles, it is still hard to believe that a bowl approximately the size of my torso is sitting piping hot in front of me.

A variety of ingredients were placed atop the broth, including shrimp tempura, chicken, unagi, a poached egg, tofu skin, enoki and shiitake mushrooms, sliced bamboo, cabbage and kikuna.  The jagged edged vegetable known as kikuna in Japan is more commonly known as tongho in Mandarin at hot pot restaurants or crown daisy in English at local American supermarkets.

Common in Japanese ramen is one half of a soft boiled egg that garnishes the top of the noodles.  However, in Japanese udon, the egg is usually fully cooked through.  What I love about eggs in Japan and Taiwan is the glowing orange hue of the yolk.  It is something that we rarely see in America, so when I see it in Asia it becomes a sort of treat.

Kristen ordered a vegetable udon, and Ken ordered the pork udon.  We also chose a tako salad with  lotus root and nagaimo to share.  The citrus in the salad dressing was a good palate cleanser for our very savory noodles.

The flagship location in Roppongi is open for lunch at 11:00 and does not close until 8:00 in the morning.  I am already thinking that this might make a good spot for some post-drinking eating.  Speaking of which... now that dinner was complete...

Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

つるとんたん / Tsurutontan
東京都 港区 / Tokyo Metropolis, Minato Ward
六本木 3-14-12 / Roppongi District, 3 Chome 14-12
外苑東通り / Gaien Higashi-dori Street
六本木3丁目ビル / Roppongi 3 Chome Building

Check out more of the giant bowls of udon in my Flickr set here.

ML - 20130627

Post 122: Portland - Olympic Provisions Seals the Deal (Portland: Southeast/Industrial)

For our last meal in Portland we headed to the Industrial District for the renowned Olympic Provisions, a purveyor of locally sourced quality meats.  It is more than just a butcher shop or salumeria.  It is a full fledged restaurant that serves dishes featuring fresh cuts of meats, vegetables that are in season and cheese galore.  The type of food that Olympic Provisions has on its menu is great for pairing with beer and wine.  After all, what goes better with cured meats and cheeses than a good bottle of red?

To start we had The Chef's Choice of five meats.  I really liked the pork and pistachio terrine, and we thought the dry cured salami selection was outstanding.

Another stand out dish was the mixed beans salad with frisée, basil pesto, and bread crumbs.  For those that are not a fan of these legumes, this salad will change all that.  It was cool, chill to the touch, and surprisingly refreshing.  The frisée was truly fresh, and the bread crumbs added the perfect slight crunch to pull the dish together.

The steak tartare was one of the best I have ever had.  The cuts of steak were mixed in with olives and parsley, and the perfect round of egg yolk was placed ever so carefully over the top.  Absolute perfection.  It was as fresh as fresh could be.

After some off-the-menu chef specials, we headed straight into dessert.  We closed off our last meal in Portland with the chilled roasted peach with crème anglaise, salted almonds and caramel.  By the time the dessert came out, I was so serene and content that I almost drowned into the roasted peach the way my spoon did.  There was something about sitting at the bar counter and watching the chefs at work at Olympic Provisions.  The stereotypical Portlandia cooks (tattoos, piercing, and facial hair all dressed in black) were working the line in a seemingly effortless calm.  Their smooth, orchestrated actions created a serene atmosphere that put all the guests at ease.  No shouting, loud noises or cacophonous clashes... it sealed the deal for my love of Portland.

Portland is a city of amazing food, friendly people, and crisp, clean air.  I will be back for more in June.  Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120915

Post 65.2: Taipei - Traditional Taiwanese, Part 2 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北: 大安區)

Like black white slice restaurants, the restaurants that serve the most traditional local fare in Taiwan typically don't have menus.  The freshest ingredients are laid out by the front entrance in a refrigerator case or over ice, so when the customers arrive they are able to view the meat and seafood selection for the day.  Ordering is done by selecting what looks the freshest and then letting the chef know how it should be cooked... deep fried, stir fried, blanched, boiled, steamed, or made into soup are popular choices.  After ordering, customers walk in and sit down.

One of my first meals in Taipei was at a traditional Taiwanese restaurant called Sit Fun (喫飯食堂).  Now... there's something to be said here about a restaurant called Sit Fun in Taiwan.  What doesn't make sense is that "sit fun" sounds like a translation for eating (食飯) in Cantonese, which is not typically spoken in Taiwan.  What does make sense, though, is that to sit down and to have fun is what eating is all about! Am I right, or am I right? 

Here are some Taiwanese dishes from Sit Fun that we had.  They are cooked in the simple style of traditional Taiwanese cuisine.

Braised pork rice (魯肉飯)
Cubes of fatty pork are braised and rendered down until the juicy fat almost melts in your mouth.  Topped over steamed white rice, this bowl of pork and rice is as simple and as tasty as it gets.  Although it's one of the best rice items at Sit Fun, what this restaurant specializes in isn't braised pork over rice but actually just pork oil over rice (豬油拌飯).  Lard, you say? Let's just call it pork-infused oil.  Two words... disgustingly delicious.

Appetizer platter (拼盤)
Usually the first dish to arrive, the Taiwanese appetizer platter almost always includes the following items: fresh sashimi, tender bamboo shoots, and crisp asparagus.  The sashimi for on this plate consisted of salmon, yellowtail, and whitefish... but why sashimi? Doesn't that seem more Japanese than Taiwanese or Chinese? Actually Taiwan was colonized under Japanese imperial rule for over 60 years, so it can be said that the sashimi at the start of the meal represents the large Japanese influence in Taiwanese cultural and culinary history.

Bamboo and asparagus are typical favorites for Taiwanese.  And as always, those two items have a light layer of Japanese style mayonnaise for a sweet contrast.  Also served on the platter are freshly cut pumpkin as well as baby octopus, both of which are the fresh picks of the day.

To truly make this a pu pu platter experience, the appetizer dish is served with toothpicks.  It's the closest to finger food that we're going to get without going barbaric.

Salt water chicken (鹽水雞)
No, the chicken was not raised in salt water with the fish of the ocean.  Rather, it was poached in salt water and served with a side of garlic soy.  Salty much? Not so.  The majority of the salt doesn't get far past the skin, but the portion that does bypass the skin serves to tenderize the chicken while it's cooking.  The method of cooking is so effortless that it seems almost primitive, but the true sign of tradition and authenticity.

Tempura shrimp (炸蝦球)
Who doesn't love fried shrimp? Silence.  Okay, who doesn't love spicy mayo? Continued silence.  Now... who doesn't love fried shrimp with spicy mayo drizzled all over the top? Cheers.  I think you get the picture.

Barbecue pork (台式叉燒肉)

What we typically know as Cantonese style BBQ pork is chasiu pork, that crimson colored sweet pork perhaps akin to the Mexican al pastor.  Well, here lands the Taiwanese version... a less red, less sweet, more moist and more thinly sliced version that is served with both pickled ginger and honey vinegar.  It's tastes like a moist jerky made from honey ham, and it's moist enough to be the most tender sweet and savory meat you will find this side of the Strait.

All of the dishes above have common characteristic of an easily identifiable main ingredient and an accompanying side sauce, both of which are features of traditional Taiwanese dishes.  After reading the previous post, you'll notice similar characteristics.  These simple dishes made from fresh ingredients is one of the ways to distinguish Taiwanese cuisine from others.  And it's this simplicity that makes the dishes so delicious.  Until the next simple and delicious meal, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Sit Fun (喫飯食堂)

台北市 大安區 / Taipei City, Da An District

永康街 8巷 5號 / Yong Kang Street, Lane 8, No. 5

ML - 20110907

Post 41: Harmonious Presentation

The night before the trip to the Happiest Place on Earth, my dad prepared some simple dishes just to help celebrate the occasion.  It was probably more presentation than actual preparation, but regardless, the dishes looked very... err... harmonious... like they were all coexisting quite peacefully together.  Here are some of the more beautifully arranged dishes.

A gleaming assortment of fruit.
Green grapes, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
Fruit tastes best when someone else washes and peels it for you.

Abalone sashimi still chillin' in its shell.
Just a tiny squeeze of lemon and a hint of wasabi is enough.
This is my abalone.  Sea otters, stay away.

Ika and ikura.
The salty salmon roe on a bed of fluffy steamed white rice is a favorite.

The hexagon of appetizers.
Saltwater chicken, salmon sashimi, octopus sashimi up front.
Smoked duck with ginger, braised beef, yellowtail sashimi in the back.

Mango mousse cake.
Frances Bakery in Little Tokyo has the most fragrant and flavorful mango mousse.
Our family has been coming here for more than 25 years.

I was a very happy camper after this meal.  But watching my dad put together a meal reminds me of where my passion for food comes from.  Like father like son, I guess...

Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20101130/20101120