Kisentei

On our last full day in Japan, Portia and I decided to go to Roppongi.  

We wanted steak and we looked for a steakhouse that followed these guidelines:




1.  not too expensive.
2.  not too expensive.




We took a chance and went to Tokyo Midtown.  At least if we didn't find steak, there was still some shopping to be had.


Luckily, we chanced upon Kisentei.

There it is, Teppanyaki Steak Kisentei!

We got to the restaurant at 12noon.  We didn't have a reservation, so one of the staff promised to call us once a teppanyaki table was available.   Since we were talking about steak since the day before, another hour's wait wasn't too much bear.


We were given our own little booth, with a smallish teppanyaki table.  It was great.

What we ate:

We started with a simple green salad with vinaigrette.

Scallops.

Cooking our scallops.

These scallops were as big as half a fist!

The steaks!

A well deserved close up of these divine things.

Medium-well, kudasai!

Happiness under that copper lid.

Rice.  Very important.

STEAK!

Let's give it a try, shall we...

Sarap.

I haven't had steak as good as this so far.  And this wasn't even the best on the menu.

I'm eating.  Don't bother me.

While eating, i was wishing that the meal was just about to start and that i wouldn't get full.

I still dream of that steak, even if it has been almost a year since.

Kisentei is at the 3F, Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi.

Details:

http://www.imahan.com/e-guide/kisentei_shop.html

http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/en/shops_restaurants/detail.php?id=90

Tim Ho Wan

Last July, Portia and I went to Hong Kong to watch a concert.  Part of our itinerary was to go on a food trip as well.  


Tim Ho Wan was on our list.  


So much has been said about Tim Ho Wan so i'm not going to wax lyrical about the place.  If i do, I'll never stop.  


Tim Ho Wan is a 30 or 40-seat, one Michelin star Dim Sum place in a quiet part of Mongkok, Hong Kong.  

Armed with a proper map, a little patience and a huge appetite, Portia and I left our hotel in Causeway Bay early on a Saturday to make it to Tim Ho Wan at 10am.  There was a long line, we were given a number (132) and we were told to come back at 12noon.


At around 12.15, we were seated and our orders were taken.  

Calm before the storm.

At 12.25, the food arrived.


What we ate:

Vermicelli Roll with Shrimp

Hakaw

Fried Beancurd Roll with Shrimp

Fried Radish Cake

Chicken Feet (the best i've had so far)

BBQ Pork Buns (with the chicken feet!)

BBQ Pork Buns (oh, i can eat these everyday)

BBQ Pork Buns (first bite yay!)

Happy customer eating up a storm.

For all that food, our food bill was around HKD 127 or around P711.  Not bad.

Tim Ho Wan is at:  Shop 8, Taui Yuen Mansion Phase 2, 2-20 Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok.

To get to Tim Ho Wan, take the MTR from Tsim Tsa Tsui to the Yau Ma Tei station, take the Waterloo road exit, but stay on Nathan road.  Turn right at Dundas st. and walk to the end.  Tim Ho Wan is almost at the corner of Kwong Wa and Dundas.  

You won't miss it since there's always a queue.

Tim Ho Wan Map

Tim Ho Wan only serves tea.  So if you want water or soda with your food, there's a 7-11 across the street.  

Hanaichi

Nanohana was our neighborhood Japanese restaurant.  At least it was until it closed down.  


Then it reopened as Hanaichi far from us at ugh  the fort.  Fantasic!


After yesterday's Bale Dutung bacchanalia, we said today was going to be sushi day.


What we ate: 

Spicy Tuna Harumaki.  It tasted a little different from what we were used to, but still good.

Spicy Tuna Maki

Spicy Tuna Maki (again).  They didn't scrimp on the tuna.  There was tempura batter on the rice, within the maki and on the tuna. Never thought I'd say this but I think this trumped the harumaki.

The very exciting, wait for it...Salmon Sashimi.  The calamansi had Mickey Mouse ears.

See, Mickey Mouse ears.

Seaweed Salad.  Quite good, but needed more seaweed.

A clean plate!

Hanaichi is at the G/F, The Luxe Residences at the Fort.  (02) 556-0070


Hanaichi details and menu

Bale Dutung

Bale Dutung has been around for a while and tons and tons of stuff has been written about it.  


With our beach trip cancelled, Portia and I decided to drive to Angeles, Pampanga to see what the fuss was all about.


When we called we were asked to choose between the Kapampangan menu or the Lechon Menu.  The lechon menu won.

I liked this about the place almost instantly:

The welcome drink was:

Fresh Dalandan Juice with frozen muscovado sugar.

And the drinks we were served with the meal:

Water (duh) and Damn Good Salabat.

And this was what we ate:

The Menu

3 Dips - Balao Balao, Taba ng Talangka and Pesto

Eating the dips with crackers.

Pako Salad

Pako Salad Close Up!

Satisfied customer 1

Satisfied customer 2

Fried Lumpiang Ubod

Chicken Inasal and Taba ng Talangka Rice

Talangka and Hito/Balao Balao Sushi

Let there be Lechon!

Claude carving the Lechon.

We were served Lechon 5 ways:

First way :Balat ng Lechon.  Ay Dios Mio.  Good sauce too, puto seko was mixed in the sauce to thicken it.  I also loved the big chunks of garlic in the sauce.  Langit.

Por and her share of Balat!

Second way :  Lechon Tortilla.  Deep fried lechon belly, shredded and served with kimchi and onions on a tortilla.

The second way deserved a close-up.

How we ate the 2nd way lechon.

Third way:  Inihaw na tadyang ng lechon with eggplant.

Fourth Way:  Sinigang na Lechon.

Fifth way:  Sisig with (optional) pig brains.

And just when all that lechon was knocking us down, out came the dessert:

Paradiso:  Thick custard brûlée, with macapuno, yema and ube halaya.

Dacal a salamat,  Claude and Mary Ann!  That 10-course meal was ridiculously good.  Methinks Bale Dutung lived up to the hype.

Mary Ann, Portia, Me (Sunny) and Claude.
All the guests get to sign a guestbook, and are given the chance to camwhore with the chef.

  * We went to Susie's to buy packs of Tibok-Tibok after Bale Dutung.  But that is another story.