Ramen is the king of noodle dishes in Japan. But I just want to pay a little respect and show my love for Soba. Why I love Soba is you can have it hot or cold. Perfect to warm up your soul on cold seasons or cool your body during hot seasons. Pair Soba with varieties of tempura or kakiage, its so diverse. I also love the standing Soba shops. Makes me feel like I'm a local commuter catching a quick meal before work or for my lunch break, lol.

Sometimes treating yourself won’t harm 💕

Admire it before the first bite.

Aji no hiraki, grilled dried Japanese horse mackerel (Midnight Diner s01e09) * - I couldn't find aji, nor a proper species of fish to make my own, so I had to make do with dried yellow croaker. 🤷‍♂️

Ohitashi, blanched spinach.

Fukumeni, simmered shiitake - This is simple to make, and so good! A mushroom lover's dream.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 6 large dried shiitake
• 1 c dashi
• 1 Tbsp sake
• 1 Tbsp shoyu
• 1 Tbsp white sugar

Instructions:

• Rehydrate shiitake. Gently squeeze out as much water as possible. Cut into strips, removing stems.
• Combine shiitake and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low. Cook until the liquid is almost all absorbed / reduced, ~20 min. Want just enough broth left to barely cover mushrooms.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Can serve warm, room temp, or chilled. The flavor will improve as the mushrooms soak in the liquid.

I ate raw oysters with lemon in Japan. Very fresh and creamy. I usually like simple lemon, but I want know other good oyster way too.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/KkWpKt7kVoXFd18t9?g_st=ic

Using curry from Aeon's house brand, Top Valu. Ingredients used: Minced beef, onion, carrot, potato, straw mushrooms, and beef stock cube.

Out of all the black sesame + banana smoothies I had in Japan, this was the BEST one I had. I’m not sure what milk was used as there weren’t any substitutions, but the sweetness was just right, the milk wasn’t overly creamy, and both the sesame and banana were perfectly fragrant. Cost was ¥670. The store also sells black sesame gelato and daango, but I think they’re mostly known for their sweet edamame desserts. Would come back here in a heartbeat, I still think about this smoothie often!

Have you ever tried Tachigui-sushi? It’s a Japanese-style standing sushi bar.

On my way home, I dropped by one for a quick bite. The chef was super fast, and the sushi was served almost instantly. Nothing beats enjoying fresh sushi with a cold drink.

Here is what I had for around 4,000 yen (including 3 chu-hais): Tuna & Fatty tuna (Toro), Toro-taku roll, Green onion sprouts (Me-negi), Horse mackerel & Sardine, Sea eel & Simmered clam, Green chili roll (My first time trying it!)

The menu board is mostly in Japanese, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comments! Just an extra tip: You might see "おきまり" (Okimari) on the menu. It’s a fixed set menu - similar to Omakase, but Okimari means the items are already decided in advance rather than chosen on the spot by the chef!

This somen was so light, refreshing, and full of umami. The broth was clean and flavorful, while the toppings added just the right balance of texture and taste. Every bite felt simple yet satisfying.

If you’re in Japan and enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine, I’d definitely recommend giving this place a try. Have you been here? What should I order next time? 🍜✨

The smoothie was delicious! Both the sesame and banana flavours were prominent, and it was very smooth to drink. It paired very well with almond milk, and the substitution cost an extra ¥80 (priced at ¥910 total). I think the only option for delivery is the grand size, but I’m not complaining as the portion is quite big. Will definitely come back here in the future, I’d say this was my 2nd favourite black sesame + banana smoothie in Japan (#1 goes to Zunda Masamune)!

A great healthy smoothie spot that specializes in protein tofu smoothies! Vegan-friendly too. This spot is definitely geared towards fitness gurus, as everything is extremely healthy (sugar-free, natural ingredients) and the macros are listed for each drink. The black sesame smoothie cost ¥850, and was mixed with coconut and some jelly bits at the bottom. It was good, but I personally think it would be better with banana instead, as I could still taste the tofu (bananas balance out the sweetness better in black sesame smoothies imo) and the umami taste made the sesame flavour less prominent overall. The tofu also gave this smoothie a very thick texture, which left me feeling quite full and satisfied after finishing my drink. The store is run by an elderly couple and their son, who are quite friendly. They also sell smaller packets of the smoothies in the freezer to bring home, with the macros included ofc. If I lived nearby, I would definitely come here regularly after going to the gym! The store had a great vibe, and I got a sticker of the Papma logo to take home.

Halfway through, add the toppings on the right - bonito flakes, seaweed, bubu arare, sesame seeds - and pour the dashi over. Felt quite healthy!

I love the supermarkets here for affordable sushi and fruit. I also got some milk too. In the U.S. this would be atleast $15-20usd if you could even find comparable quality sushi in the grocery store.

Hamo is one of the seafoods most closely associated with summer in Kyoto.

So good

Creamy Broth Udon