back to yakiniku king

after being cooped up since Friday, we wanted to get out on Sunday

I wanted to go to Yakiniku King because they are having a Shin Okubo fair, with all sorts of Korean street foods that will end soon

we tried the huge piece of loin 1290 yen (tax included) and dragon harami marinated in a tsubo (pot) 790 yen (tax included)

We tried the dragon harami before, it was just as good as before

the chef cooking....tan (tongue)...790 yen (tax included)

sanchu...comes with a sauce, I think it was miso-ish, it didn't seem to be spicy 190 yen (tax included) for 3 leaves

assorted kim chee

Jongno's fried cheese thingy...this is what I wanted to try...

Like a corn dog except all cheese.

good! I'm glad I tried this...390 yen (tax included)

Nene Chicken's yangyneom chicken...this was kinda junk...the sauce was too sweet and there was more breading than chicken...390 yen (tax included)

harami (outside skirt/bavette)...390 yen (tax included)

thickly cut kalbi...590 yen (tax included)

hitokuchi reimen (one bite cold noodles) 290 yen (tax included)...this was actually enough for both of us

I'm glad I got to try the items from the Shin Okubo Fair that I was interested in, since they were limited

I'm glad we didn't have to wait long for a table and that we were able to get out after the typhoons

sakura walk (kawasaki)

Wednesday and Thursday were rainy 

And since yesterday was the only day forecast for sun, instead of going to get my hair colored, I went to check out some sakura

This area near the JR Kawasaki station has many sakura trees

From the train, I've often seen many people having their lunch on the stone wall, under the trees

So pretty, glad I finally got to check it out

I also went to check out the view from the Kawasaki City Office

beautiful ikebana in the lobby

The last time I came here with Satoshi the view was meh! because the air was polluted

This time around I could see Tokyo Tower and Skytree

And the clouds were beginning to cover up Mount Fuji

On the ground floor is a Uni Coffee Roastery

I stopped in for an iced coffee and their donuts

Unfortunately they donʻt sell them until 11:30, so I had their carrot cake instead

I had forgotten I had tried their carrot cake before

It was dry back then and it was a little dry this time around too but not as bad as the first time I tried it

On the way back to the station I saw some street art painted on the electrical boxes

The weather is supposed to be rainy over the weekend, so I'm glad I got to see a little more blooms

garlic jo's

Sunday after running some errands we had lunch at Garlic Jo's

This restaurant is part of a group of American style restaurants in the Yokohama area

Everything on their menu is garlic

They even have Gilroy garlic festival posters on their walls.

We started off with their tako (octopus) carpaccio...thinly sliced octopus covered with garlic and other spices...Satoshi thought this didn't have enough garlic on it

Garlic fried rice with beef and lettuce...loved this! the beef was tender and the garlic didn't overpower

Garlic shrimp...supposedly like Hawaiiʻs, but these were different

We also ordered baguette so that Satoshi could mop up all the garlic sauce...

I loved all the old skool knick knacks on their shelves...like this lunchbox!

I'm glad we tried this place and will be back whenever we want to eat garlicky foods.

Garlic Jo's

Azalea Kawasaki

Kawasaki, Kanagawa

Hours: 11:00-22:30

*closed when Azalea Kawasaki is

reconnect

Reconnected with Sachifukuya

When we lived in Osaka, we used to eat lunch here sometimes.

I think the menu has changed over the years

As well as they now have a robot that distributes your food...

Satoshi ordered their salmon chazuke

Kat ordered their chirimen sansho hime (princess) donburi

This came with mentaiko (pollack roe) and tororo (grated chinese yam)

Not realizing that my meal came with these two items, I gave them to Satoshi because they are not my favorite

Will order chazuke next time I'm here instead of this hime donburi...

We're glad we reconnected with this restaurant...we'll be back.

Sachifukuya

Kawasaki Azalea, B1

Kawasaki, Kanagawa

Hours: 11:00-23:00

Closed when Kawasaki Azalea is

delista suehiro

Whenever I go to a new (to me) area, I like to check out their grocery stores.

When I was in Saginuma, I stopped into a tiny shop, Delista Suehiro that is a butcher/meat shop, that also sells prepared foods made with their meats

They also had different types of bento, and a little area with produce and snacks

I purchased their gyusuji-ni for our dinner, beef tendon is simmered until it is melt in the mouth tender in stock, shoyu, mirin 

This was super oily, but the beef tendon was super tender 

There was also some daikon and carrots in there as well.

I’m glad we got to try this

Delista Suehiro

1-19-5 Kodai, Miyamae-ku

Kawasaki, Kanagawa

Closed: Sundays

Hours: 9:00-20:00

*cash only

copain de fujimori

Checked out Pain de Fujimori when I went to Saginuma

Half of the shop is breads & sandwiches and the other half is a refrigerated case filled with cakes and shelves filled with cookies

I picked up their herbed chicken sandwich, I toasted it when I got home, it had semi dried tomatoes, loved the bread too

I also tried their sakura anpan, this was not different from the other sakura anpan I have tried in the past 

He also has shops in Meguro and other areas like Kamakura and other places in Tokyo, I’m glad I tried this place and would definitely go back to his shops in Tokyo

Copain de Fujimori

1-17-4 Kodai, Miyamae-ku

Kawasaki, Kanagawa

Closed Mondays & 2nd Tuesdays

Hours: 9:00-18:00

sakura walk (saginuma)

During sakura season, the weather dude on the news visits and introduces different places while giving his weather reports.

The other night, Saginuma, an area of Kanagawa, was introduced.

There is a slope called Harumachizaka (literally Spring waiting slope)  near the station

I thought the name of the slope was cool

Online it said that a total of 150 trees line both sides of the slope, but it seemed like less

Some of the side streets also had trees

Sadly many of the trees have reached 50 years, so for safety purposes, they will chop most of them down and replant new sakura trees in its place

There were several that had already been cut down

Saginuma isn’t nearby to where we live, but I’m glad I got to check out this place.

sakura walk (kawasaki & ikegami)

This was the photo Satoshi sent me on Wednesday.

He also noted "this one is not fake"...ha!

Been raining for the past two days now plus it has been super fahreezing, I think the weather dude said it was February temps?!

On Wednesday, the rain stopped for a bit, so I ran out to get some groceries.

I also spotted this tree, it is called Hanakaido (Hall Crabapple)

It was nice to see some color and to get out for a little bit.

 

aiyah

fake. the tree is fake...

After Satoshi showed me the photo, I told him "is it fake?" 

The reason I asked him is this courtyard has astroturf, no real grass

He didn't know, so he went to check...

it's fake...bummer! but still pretty to see

sakura walk (lazona kawasaki)

Satoshi often goes walking after lunch, he sent this photo of a weeping sakura tree that is currently at Lazona Kawasaki, a huge shopping mall.

So pretty.
 

shiseido parlour cafe

Saturday we ran some errands and then went into Shiseido Parlour Cafe for something sweet.

They had many parfaits and I thought Satoshi would choose the chestnut parfait, but he chose this fresh peach one, he said it was delicious.

I chose Aumônière, which means drawstring bag in French.

A thin crepe filled with marron (chestnut) paste, cassis sherbet, almond florentine and chocolate ganache. 

You could also drizzle some caramel sauce, I did drizzle a little but it made things a bit overly sweet.

There were also bits of marron glacés (candied chestnuts) too

Delicious!

It was our first time here and we enjoyed it, they also serve savory things too.

We'll be back.

Shiseido Parlour Cafe

Lazona Kawasaki

Open when Lazona Kawasaki is

Hours: 11:00-21:00

myorakuji

Myorakuji also known as Ajisaidera is located about an hour from where we live.

Tucked away in the hills, this is a pretty quiet area.

It is known as Ajisaidera because there are many ajisai (hydrangea) plants around the property.

There were quite a number of people even if it didn't look like it in my photos.

It was super humid but I'm glad we got to check out this temple and their hydrangea.

Myorakuji

3-9-3 Nagao

Tama ward, Kanagawa

24544

About 1 hour 15 minutes walking from where we live is Kawasaki Daishi, a large temple in Kawasaki, Kanagawa.

It is a popular spot for hatsumode, the first prayers for the new year.

On the way, we saw a heron.

The Kawasaki River sluice gate which according to Satoshi isn’t in use.

Hello.

Kawasaki Daishi.

Daishi Park.

Lunch from Aideen Kebab.

Satoshi ordered his with garlic sauce while I ordered mine with non-spicy (more like a thousand island) sauce..550 yen (tax included)

So ono, with lots of cabbage.

But, it was so windy and it made for lots of flying cabbage...

Lots of daruma.

Lots of candy makers along this shopping street.

They get your attention by tapping a rhythm on their cutting boards...short video here (if you are viewing this at work, turn your sound down)

 

Tsuboyaki yakiimo...roasted sweet potato that is roasted in large ceramic pots from Amaiwa.

Beniharuka...so sweet!

Himeayaka...delicious.

They roast 4 different varieties and sell them depending on size.

The ones we bought were 500 yen (tax included) for each.

Both had slightly different textures but both were super sweet, tender and very moist.

I'm glad we got out and about, but I think I got sunburnt.

Amaiwa

2-1-2 Showa

Kawasaki, Kanagawa

Phone:080.8835.4619

Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays

Hours: 12:00-17:00

Aideen Kebab

1-12-18 Higashimonzen

Kawasaki, Kanagawa

Phone: 090.8486.1116

Closed Sundays, Wednesdays

Hours: 11:30-20:00