foodie tuesday in okamoto

Last Tuesday, I was able to meet up with my Twitter friend, H.

The place we first intended to have lunch at wasn't open...someone please change that info on their Tabelog (Japan's yelp) page!

Luckily, we knew that it wouldn't be open in advance and planned to eat lunch elsewhere...Alba.

A nice restaurant located in the basement of a building, they serve delicious Italian fare.

Our lunch started with a salad, and some fish (I couldn't hear what the waitress was mumbling) on top of an eggplant purée.

Next we both chose the butternut squash and homemade sausage cream pasta.

Butternut squash is a rare veggie in our part of Japan, so it was nice to have this. Hopefully more farmers will start to grow this so that it will be more common at the markets.

The sausage was really moist and flavorful, it was very similar to Italian sausage....1200 yen.

We both added a piece of bread...100 yen. The bread was really soft and delicious.

The view isn't thrilling, but at least you don't see cars going past.

After lunch we went somewhere for tea and stopped in at Manor House Motoyama.

We were really full from lunch and their cakes and pies were really generous in size, so we shared this marron tarte. It also came with some fruit and a scoop of ice cream.

We both agreed that they didn't need to drizzle chocolate sauce over everything...1200 yen(with one small pot of tea).

H also ordered a small pot of tea...550 yen.

The view here is a little nicer, and the cafe is in someone's living room.

I am always amazed at how they have tiny cafes and businesses in residential areas.

I wouldn't mind taking Satoshi to these places...

Thanks for a great day, H!

Alba
1-2-12 Tanaka-cho, Deuce Motoyama B1F
Higashinada, Kobe
Phone: 078.452.6086
Closed Wednesdays
Lunch 11:30-14:30, Dinner 17:30-21:30

Manor House Motoyama
2-15-3 Motoyama Kita-machi
Higashinada, Kobe
Phone: 078.441.0041
Check before going as days open are not scheduled
Hours: 11:00-19:00