kitade tacos

It had been two years since I'd had Kitade Tacos' taco rice.

Since Satoshi was eating out on Friday, I bought one for my dinner.

This time around I chose the chicken tinga for my protein.

This was delicious!

And I love the colorful veggies that they used too.

Glad this didn't disappoint.

this and that

Sorry it's been quiet here...

Satoshi was off Tuesday and Wednesday.

Note to self: KFC's chicken pot pie was junk last year (no chicken) and teeny this year..waste of money.

Marco's marron marron is a fruit sandwich of sorts...chestnut whipped cream with chestnut paste.

So good!

so... when you notice that the "other person" forgets their cell at home, how you gonna tell 'um?! (not the first time either)

We received a package of teas and hawaiian salt from reader Ryan and S....we appreciate their kindness and thoughtfulness (thank you!)

Wednesday, I took out this teeny bouche de noel (a chocolate cake filled with chocolate cream and covered with dark chocolate) from Starbucks.

It didn't go with the Gingerbread Latte that I also took out, but since I don't get to Starbucks too often these days, I got the items I wanted all at once.

Glad I got to enjoy at least one gingerbread latte for the season.

Yesterday, I tried Moto's Kitchen's taco rice. 

You can choose your level of spiciness from 0 to 6.

I chose level 3...this felt hefty and had more cabbage than rice which was nice.

I would definitely get this again.

I thought we (Tokyo) were plateaued at 200 but Tokyo's case numbers have doubled over the past couple of days...sigh.

Hope you all are doing well.

Have a safe weekend.

Moto's Kitchen

1-11-3 Kamiikedai

Ota, Tokyo

Phone: 03.3726.6781

Closed Saturdays

Hours: 11:00-23:00
 

mexican dining avocado

When I went to Shinjuku on Sunday, I stumbled upon Mexican Dining Avocado for lunch.

This restaurant has seating on the 2nd and 4th floors (the 3rd is occupied by another cafe).

Did you see the movie, "Coco"?! (I loved that movie even if I only saw half...long story...)

The shop interior is apparently based on the movie, super festive & bright.

I ordered the taco rice, which came with all-you-can-drink soup, a beverage and fresh juice.

It was kind of humid so I passed on the soup.

As for my beverage I chose their iced hibiscus tea and was also given a small serving of their fresh juice.

The tea was refreshing...I had thought it would be more tart but it was actually really nice.

The fresh juice was avocado, grapefruit, honey and chia seed (kind of like a smoothie)...this was creamy and citrusy.

Their taco rice had enough spices to give a little burn.

Wish there had been a little more cheese.

I'm glad I found a place for taco rice in Shinjuku...I'll be back.

Mexican Dining Avocado
3-9-4 Shinjuku, 2nd & 4th floor
Shinjuku, Tokyo
Phone: 03.3356.8585
Lunch 12:00-15:00 (Weekdays), Dinner 17:00-23:00 (Weekdays including Saturdays)
11:30-15:00 (Weekends), 17:00-22:00 (Sundays & Holidays)

cafe rakuta

Over the winter season, I had passed this place, the door was closed, but the "open" sign was out front.

Since the place doesn't have any windows, I thought it was sort of sketchy and wanted to bring Satoshi with me to check it out.

Then I checked out Tabelog (Japan's Yelp-like site) and realized it was a place that I had tagged to try.

From the time I bookmarked the place, they had changed their name from Rakuda Curry to Cafe Rakuta and they moved closer to our area.

On the last day of GW, we had tried to check them out, but there was a massive line.

So, on Thursday, when everyone went back to work and school, I went to check them out.

Since their FB page said they were serving taco rice, and I love the stuff, I ordered that...700 yen (tax included).

Most times when I eat taco rice I use a spoon.

Their veggies are sliced which made things a bit difficult.

The meat and salsa are housemade and both have a slow burn.

I want to go back and try their super spicy Keema...next time I'll try to bring Satoshi too.

Cafe Rakuta
3-2-12 Iguchido
Ikeda, Osaka
Phone: 080.3833.1340
check out their FB page for hours, sometimes they change last minute.

standard bookstore (abeno)

Yesterday, I had an appointment near Tennoji and had lunch at Standard Bookstore.

This shop is bigger than the one I usually go to in Chayamachi.

Curious, I ordered the taco rice.

I was surprised at how much "greens" they use. Even the addition of some avocado AND dessert!

I think I prefer this version better.

For a comparison, here is Chayamachi's version.

I wouldn't mind trying other items on their menu, they have quite a few that aren't served at the Chayamachi shop...I'll be back.

Standard Bookstore (Abeno)
1-2-30 Abeno-suji, Hoop 6F
Abeno, Osaka
Phone: 06.4703.5881
Hours: 11:00-21:00

whoa?!

In the past week, most leafy veggie prices have skyrocketed.

After seeing Kirk's tacos, I was thinking of making taco rice for dinner, but as I looked for lettuce at the market, I stopped and had to look again...390 yen (about US$5-something) for a head?! and it wasn't even a "nutritious" head of lettuce, it was iceberg lettuce.

So...I subbed lettuce with cabbage.

And even cabbage, I bought a 1/4 of a head for 108 yen (about US$1.40) which is still high, if you convert it, but at least it camouflages the blow of 390 yen, because a whole head of cabbage would be close or higher than the lettuce...sigh.

I stir-fried everything (zucchini, brown mushrooms, carrots, onion & cabbage) then added a tablespoon of taco mix.

Over the hot rice, I placed a slice of red cheddar then, topped it with the stir-fry and a tablespoon of salsa.

I liked this version because everything was pretty much hot (temperature wise), if I had used lettuce like I intended, it would have been a bit more summery.

Guess I have my taco cravings under control, for now...

meatless

Made taco rice the other night. I made it meatless this time, but to make it have some substance, I used eggplant and eringi as the "meat".

Meatless Taco Rice : 2 servings

"Meat"
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 eggplant, diced
2 eringi, diced
1/4 onion, diced
1 tablespoon taco mix
*Cook until onion is transparent and eggplant cooked through
Add taco mix and stir to coat well

Black Bean Dip
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno
1 can black bean, rinsed
1/2 yuzu, juiced　(about 2 teaspoons)
*Whizz

Avocado Dip
1 avocado, mashed
1 yuzu, juiced (a little over a tablespoon)
*Mix well

Salsa
3 scoops of canned chopped tomato
2 jalapeno
*Whizz

Lettuce, sliced or torn into bite sized pieces.
2 slices cheese
Rice, cooked

Put some hot rice into two bowls and add a slice of cheese on top of each.
Then put some lettuce, salsa, black bean dip and avocado dip on each.
Top with the "meat"
Enjoy with a fork or spoon!

NOTES: I thought doing this meatless would leave me feeling hungry, but it was delicious and filling too.

I'd definitely make this again.

fried rice

I recently bought a packet of Muji's fried rice taco. It is taco rice and fried rice all in one dish.

You need to add your own rice and toppings.

The sauce contains a little ground beef, olives, beans and the taste kind of reminded me of chili.

Unlike fried rice which uses cold (old) rice, this version uses hot (fresh) rice. You first heat some oil in the pan and put your rice in, coating it with the oil. Then add the sauce and try to coat everything well.

Dish it up and add some toppings.

I put some iceberg lettuce, mini tomatoes, cheese, a dollop of salsa & some crushed tortilla chips.

This was good and though the packet says it is for 2 servings, I added more rice and got 3 nice servings from it.

I would get this again for a quick throw together meal.

With the xiang chang I got the other day, I used some of it in some fried rice yesterday for breakfast.

I used some cold rice, chopped onion, char siu, xiang chang, a scrambled egg, some oyster sauce, rice, green onions and black pepper.

It was good and I'm glad the xiang chang tasted like what I thought it would, a little sweet, a little salty.

Next time I make this, I'm added a runny over-easy egg.

odds & ends

It is the last day of November, so let me clear out some photos.

It is soup season. My vegetable soup is always with whatever veggies are in my refrig or whatever I find at the market. I add a can of diced tomatoes and the seasonings are usually a consomme cube, several shakes of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, sometimes a dash or two of Tabasco. For this version, I put in some kabocha (pumpkin), sweet potato, shimeji (type of mushroom), carrot, eggplant and onion. I also added some leftover rice...it was a nice way to warm-up for dinner.

I am addicted to these. On a recent trip to the 100 yen store, I found these Tohato Caramel corn in a chocolate spice version...the original version is pretty addicting, so this version takes it up to another level.

The sweet-salty caramel puffed corn is coated in chocolate then dusted with black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, clove & all-spice....the scary part is that they are only 100 yen (about US$1) a bag and I can eat the whole bag in one sitting.

On Foodbuzz, I've had this recipe for taco seasoning bookmarked and finally got the spices together. It is a nice blend and it went nicely in my taco rice, beats the package taco mix.

Recently I bought eggs....check these out...they have expiry date stickers on each egg...talk about wasting trees. You may also be able to see a piece of paper in the background, they also have the expiry date on them.

We're heading to the last month of the year....so fast, yeah??

aloha festival in osaka

Yesterday was the last day of a 3-day event called "Aloha Festival in Osaka", which was held in the courtyard of the Umeda Sky Building. The Umeda Sky Building has a garden area at the top called Kuchuteien, where you can see other buildings for miles on a nice day. (For some reason all the Japanese get excited about the view, but I can't seem to get excited over seeing miles and miles of buildings.) Holding up the garden are two towers which hold offices and other businesses. (Satoshi's German class is in one of the towers. )

Whenever I hear about events or foods that claim to be "Hawaiian", I try not to get my hopes up too high because most times they tend to be let downs. And a lot of times they tend to have pineapples on them....not that I dislike pineapples or anything like that, I just feel that Hawaii's cuisine has a bit more to it than that. Also, a lot of times the Japanese change the taste of things to match their palates.

So, I met Satoshi after his German class and we were excited to see something rare...the lunch wagons. The one on the left called Funky's and was serving hot dogs and nachos.

We bought their nachos with "real" fake cheese and salsa (350 yen = about $3.50). There was also another vendor selling Kona Brewing Company's Longboard Island Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale and
Big Wave Golden Ale (600 yen each = about US$6)--we got the Longboard Island Lager.

The one on the right was called Yammy's (I wonder if they meant to call themselves Yummy's?) and was serving Loco Moco & Taco Rice. We stood in line for the Loco Moco & Taco Rice. After about 20 minutes we were able to get our food.

Here is Satoshi's order: Loco Moco (600 yen = about US$6). The gravy wasn't the authentic brown gravy, in fact, he didn't think it was gravy at all. He has decided that the only place to eat a loco moco is in Hawaii.

Here is my order: Taco Rice (600 yen = about US$6). Taco Rice is an Okinawan dish that was influenced by the American military there. I thought this was pretty close to the type of taco meat filling we have in the U.S. There were other booths there selling food but they were mostly hot dogs or curry.

There was lots of entertainment.

Lots of hula halau (hula groups) and ukulele players practicing before their chance to perform.

This group was waiting for their turn.

And even a shave ice stand...though it wasn't the same as Matsumoto's...I didn't get one but I don't think you could order a rainbow either....

but there were TONS of people! We went to the German Christmas Market a couple of times that was held in this same courtyard and the amount of people was nothing compared to what we saw today.

Aside from the crowd, we were happy to be able to listen to the Hawaiian music, although we both agreed there is no place like Hawaii (home).

Have a great week!

taco rice

It has been raining the past couple of days, to the point where there have been landslides, flooding and some loss of lives.

Because the weather has been so bad, I've been kind of reminiscing about past vacations.

Do you have a dish that reminds you of a favorite vacation spot?

Mine is taco rice. It reminds me of our trips to Okinawa. Okinawa's weather is usually very sunny, HOT and humid, but there is always the ocean to gaze at.

Whenever we go to Okinawa, I try to get my fill of taco rice. I have previously posted about taco rice (here).

This dish was introduced to Okinawa by the Americans and the Okinawans have put their own twist on the dish.

It is really easy to make and you don't have to worry about the shell getting soggy because there is no shell, all the fillings are on top of rice.

Ooh, the sun just came out! :)

lunch, taco rice

Okay, I tried the caramelized pudding. It was rich & creamy and the caramel sauce on top gave it sweetness. Luckily, I paired it with coffee. :)

Today, for breakfast we had taco rice. For those of you not familiar with the dish, it is somewhat of a "meibutsu" (famous item) of Okinawa.

Influenced by the American military based soldiers there, you can find tacos and taco rice on the mainland of Okinawa. Some of the smaller outer islands have taco rice but it is rare, and everyone's recipe is definitely different (Note: but they don't use okonomiyaki sauce in place of salsa!!)

Rice replaces the taco shells or tortillas, the rest of the "gu" (toppings) are similar to tacos. (I buy taco seasoning mix packets everytime I go home to Hawaii. That way, I can make taco rice and Satoshi's favorite layered bean dip--which is a hit at some parties we have gone to.)

I season ground pork (I don't use much beef since BSE in Japan) and chopped onions with a tablespoon of the seasoning. Then I shred lettuce and put that on top of the rice, followed by the meat mixture, SALSA and then some shredded cheese (usually mozzarella since there isn't much cheddar around here).

You may be asking yourself, why are they eating taco rice for breakfast? Since Satoshi works until the wee hours, I usually don't feed him rice or too much carbs at night. When he comes home, he usually has a salad and maybe some soup. So, I try to give him "dinner" for breakfast.

For lunch, I usually buy something, but today, I was feeling kind of bored with my choices...usually I go to different "panya" (bread/bake shops), but most of the baked goods are the same as the next shop and all usually use bacon, sausages or some other artery clogging ingredients.

When I'm not buying my lunch from there, I usually go to the "sozai" shop. "Sozai" are prepared foods, the shop I usually go to sells their food by weight, which is good, because you can buy the amount you need...my last choice is usually some other kind of "fast food"...but none of these were appealing to me today, so I decided to "make" lunch (scary!!)...I made omelette with green onion (I think they may call it "negi yaki") and topped it with some okonomiyaki sauce and bonito flakes, o-kayu (soft rice gruel) topped with leftover naruto kintoki (maybe too much potato and not much o-kayu??) and some black sesame seeds (kuro goma). I also took out some tsukemono (pickles)--rakkyo (pickled onions) and ume (pickled plum). I washed everything down with some Mamaki tea.

Have a nice weekend!!