croongji

Croissant + nurungji (o-koge (crispy)) = croongji

A popular Korean sweet.

Croissants are flattened then caramelized

Similar to palmiers but better.

I'm glad I tried this and would get it again.

180 yen (tax included)

reconnect

Reconnected with this recipe since I had a bunch of cucumbers.

I used a seasoned salt instead of Hawaiian salt and for the brine I just used sugar and vinegar.
 

The seasoned salt had all sorts of herbs and spices like celery, thyme, onion, garlic and oregano in it

In the process, I noticed I would run out of sugar, so when we went out for lunch, I bought some on the way home.

For breakfast, we had some with our deconstructed egg salad.

The celery in the salt made it taste like mom’s pickles.

Have you reconnected with any recipes lately?

shao bing

Not sure when Tokyo Doujiang Seikatsu started serving these shao bing "sandwiches" but they are delicious!

The “bread”  is so flaky!

Just the bread (no filling) is 210 yen (tax included), lots of people were eating it with the soy milk soup.

I added scallion omelette and meat floss...110 yen (tax included) each 

It was my first time trying this and I would definitely get this one again.

no touch

Our building has light switches on each floor for the lights in the hallways.

Since Satoshi’s job is related to energy, he says he is always trying to "conserve energy"...though he cannot remember to turn off the light in the bathroom and when he works from home the lights are on all day...sigh

Anyway, as he goes down the stairs to the lobby of our building, he turns off the hall lights on each floor.

I told him to stop doing that because the lights might be on some kind of timer.

But, he no listen to me...

Especially the lights in the lobby, I told him, it is probably on so that the security camera can see who is in the lobby.

Anyway, he is stubborn and keeps turning them off.

Well, this was the lobby light switch today...ha!

At least the lobby light will always be on...

this and that

meh, this buffalo chicken bleu cheese pie from Dean & Deluca, no spiciness and little bleu cheese flavor...
 

loved this salad chicken (poached chicken) sandwich from Subway, added avocado

Tokyo People: directing traffic

Tokyo furry people: waiting at the crossing, for the train to pass

Tokyo furry people: just hanging out at the tatami shop

seen: origami koinobori at Shinagawa station

Tokyo furry people: don't always see this one

Seemed like the rainy days were more than the sunny ones this week, I kinda feel like rainy season has started in Tokyo but because it is too early, no one wants to actually say it out loud...

Have a safe weekend

white not red

Thought this was interesting and wanted to share.

For Mother's Day, Satoshi mentioned that red carnations are given to moms that are still with us

And white ones are for those who are not

Coincidentally, these interesting looking white carnations were in the bouquet with the shakuyaku (Chinese peony) I had bought right before Mother's Day.

reminiscing

One year ago, we were back at Kitchen Croquette

Six years ago, we were trying Indian

Nine years ago, we were standing in line for Dough

Twelve years ago, we tried making lavender fizz

Sixteen years ago, we had banh mi cravings

(photo from 2024, yokohama)

ooimachi

Sunday, Satoshi went to renew his license, so we met up at Ooimachi afterwards.

It had been a couple of years plus the pandemic since we'd eaten at Takakuramachi Coffee.

They don't play the Beatles anymore, or at least we couldn't hear it if they were

Since it was a really late lunch, I ordered their power salad.

I wanna know how they made this chicken so juicy and crispy!

Saw that they have a chicken sandwich on the menu, so I want to order this next time.

Satoshi had their napolitan (no photo)

We both had coffee afterwards…3300 yen (tax included) total

After lunch, we went to check out the 6 fancy public toilets in front of the station

They look like tiny buildings.

If the round light near the door is on that means it is available, if the round light is off it means that someone is using it.

It was nice to reconnect with this area, hope to be back soon.

gyoza mania

Learned about this place from television show, "Matsuko no Shiranai Sekai" and finally got to try it out.

I think the interior is supposed to replicate a tiny Taiwan or maybe Hong Kong eatery?

Anyway, at 16:30-ish, we were lucky to get a table, most of the other tables were reserved

There were about 3 or 4 other parties already seated too
 

Jasmine-hai (highball made with alcohol and jasmine tea), been seeing more drinks made with teas these days

(Satoshi had a pu-er version later in the meal)

Potato salad, this was delicious, especially with those crispy things on top 

(I think it is the leftover gyoza wrappers fried up.)

Yodare chicken (yodare is literally drooling, mouth watering in Japanese)

This chicken was super tender and that sauce!

a little black bean sauce as well as other seasonings, not too spicy, super savory

(when ordering they ask you if you want cilantro or not)

all you can eat zha cai, this is also their amuse bouche

gyoza...these were tiny and the wrappers a little thicker, but these were gyoza snob approved

the gyoza had a lot of liquid in them too, so be careful when you eat it...hot!

also they make the wrappers, fill the gyoza then fry them up after ordering so be prepared to wait

fried gyoza, the dipping sauce was a sesame oil shoyu base, kind of like a dressing

boiled shrimp gyoza...oops! forgot to take a photo before we started eating

pretty big sized shrimp in each gyoza, we dipped these in the yodare chicken sauce..oh em gee!

They have about 4 or 5 boiled gyoza versions.

lu rou fan...the pork was super tender..."gravy" was on the rice...delicious!

everything is made to share and the food comes out pretty quickly

you need to order with your smartphone and they do have wi-fi

5720 yen (tax included) we'll be back.

Gyoza Mania

4-11-16 Takanawa, Keikyu #11 Building 2F

Minato, Tokyo

Hours: 17:00-23:00 (Mondays-Fridays), 16:00-23:00 (Saturdays), 16:00-22:00 (Sundays)

10414

Friday, went to Yokohama to check out the roses at Yamashita Park.
 

It was kinda blazing

Yokohama People: the guy taking care of the roses

there was a slight rose fragrance in the air

Yokohama People (and furry ones): huge poodles!

Stopped in at Bluff Bakery to get a curry pan for lunch

And their carrot cake (shared with Satoshi)

Before going home, I stopped into Union Supermarket

They had some arare made in Yokohama, this one is made by Kominato Minoya in business since 1929!

These tiny arare look like peanuts, there are actual peanut pieces also in the package but the majority are the tiny arare, would get this one again.

And beer made in Yokohama,  Black IPA for me and Lager for Satoshi

The past week was quite rainy and it got really cold too (12C (53F)), so Friday's sun was really welcomed (even if it was kinda blazing)

Yokohama People: glad these furry ones did not bark at me...

this and that

Eagran's frozen lemonade espresso...so refreshing, would get this one again…680 yen (tax included)

Conveyor Belt Sushi Misaki is a part of the Kyotaru group.

This handroll was "alive" when I took it off the belt...it slid off the plate, bounded on the counter and went under the foot of the guy that was sitting next to me

I didn't think they would make me another one, but they did, thank you!

Love this house in our neighborhood, especially their terrace
 

I've never seen the neighbors use it, until the other night...winter is too cold, summer is too hot, on this evening it was a little chilly but must've been bearable.

Pretty chinese peony finally blooming, love the tints of fuschia