The Police
Are there any fans of "The Police" band out there? If so, hurry - there might be some tickets left for their Valentine's Day performance (2/14/08). They were originally set to play in Tokyo on the 2/13 only...but due to demand, they added the 2/14 show! You can buy tickets by credit card via internet (PIA system) or even with cash at your local convenience store, like Family Mart. The most expensive and cheapest seats are already sold out, but as of two days ago, remaining tickets were priced at 10,000yen and 13,000yen.
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KITA Japanese Dining
Though the number of Italian restaurants in Tsukuba is countless, you cannot really say the same for Japanese ones. I am a big fan of Japanese food and really like kaiseki meals...at non-kaiseki prices (lunch averages at around 1600yen). In Ninomiya you can experience mini-kaiseki at Kita restaurant, located just behind NON cafe. (same building but way back, kind of hidden)
The food you'll find at Kita is Japanese with a slight French/Italian twist. Everyday Japanese fare doesn't tend to have cream in it though some dishes at this restaurant do. Standard mini-dishes are: sashimi, vegetarian nigiri sushi, some meat or fish main, and some fried croquette. (As you can see from the picture, there is a total of 6 mini-dishes - this is their standard way of serving up lunch and dinner)
Topping off the meal is a seasonal dessert dish. Once I got fresh fruit with red bean topping, round piece of shiruko (sweet sticky rice ball) with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Another time it was fresh fruit jelly. Another time it was 5-layer ice cream with exotic flavors like mango, black sesame, green tea... You can order drinks but the lunch set comes with black tea or coffee, both are self-service.
While the desserts tend to change, some may find the menu choices at this particular restaurant to be somewhat too constant (similar). That being said, the overall quality is always guaranteed to be excellent - freshly prepared tasty dishes! While the vegetables are not organic, the owner makes an effort to use fresh local produce in the dishes. Please try it out sometime, I don't think you'll regret it. It is a good place to bring out-of-town guests. The last time I brought 5 friends there and every one of them was impressed and satisfied with the lunch.
A review, in Japanese can be viewed here:
http://www.e298.jp/epi/modules/wordpress1/index.php?p=26
Ninomiya Arumikku Building 1F/2F
Lunch: 11:30 to 14:00 (LO); Dinner: 17:00 to 21:00 (Monday off)
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Restaurant Review: MaMaYa
You may have heard of the phrase, "ofukuro no aji" before - in a nutshell, it means mother's taste, or 'home-cooking.' This is the kind of food you can find at MaMaYa, a tiny shop located in Ninomiya, just in front of Backyard Cafe.
The owner is a friendly woman who serves daily teishoku lunches for 1050yen. The set includes all sorts of homestyle foods which come one plate at a time, ensuring fresh and hot dishes! A typical course includes: rice, some miso or other soup, grilled vegetables, simmered vegetables, tofu and meat dish, and/or seasoned sauteed vegetables. The menu depends on the season and basically what is available...rice plus soup plus 5 or more small side dishes, definitely not your typical teishoku. The deluxe teishoku includes a big sashimi seafood rice bowl or grilled fish, for 1380yen and includes coffee.
The foods are made with fresh rice, natural sea salt, quality Akita miso, and locally produced fresh vegetables. The owner is proud of her chemical-free, additive free cuisine and hopes that customers will go there to enjoy good food for the mind, body and soul.
Oh, it must be noted that the place serves great anmitsu, a typical Japanese dessert! Lunchtime is from 12:00 to 15:00...dinner is kind of short, from 15:00 to 19:00, reservations are recommended but not required.
http://www.coco-ejan.com/townnavi/816/00015658/
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More on Sweet Potatoes
Here is another recipe to use up extra sweet potatoes you might have lying around the house!
Vivian's sweet potato salad:
- one sweet potato
- some mayonnaise (to taste)
- a tbsp milk
- salt, black pepper (to taste)
- katsuo flakes or a small can of tuna
1. Cook a cubed sweet potato in the microwave...about 5 minutes on high (covered w/plastic wrap)
2. Combine with milk...then a few spoons of mayonnaise
3. Add katsuo flakes or tuna
4. Flavor with salt, black pepper, and even chili flakes if you wish
5. Enjoy eating! (garnish with green onion, if desired)
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Sweet Potatoes on Hand?
Sweet potato pie
My friend gave me tons of sweet potatoes. What to do with it all, I thought... In not wanting to make my kitchen messy by making DAIGAKU-imo, I decided to bake up a pie. Tastes similar to pumpkin pie so, in that sense, it is a perfect 'comfort food' dessert. Enjoy!
- 1 pound (around 400 g) sweet potato
- 1/2c (115 g) butter, softened
- 1c (200g but I think 150g is enough!) white or brown sugar
- 1/2c (120 ml) milk
- 2 eggs
- 1tsp ground nutmeg
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
- optional: ginger, raisins
- Boil sweet potatoes until done. Remove the skin and blend WELL to make fibers disappear. (or strain through a sieve! caveat: mashing doesn't work)
- Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into a pie crust or graham cracker crust.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.
Making an easy, healthier pie crust: blend up a pack of graham crackers with a few spoons of plain yogurt (unstrained is okay)...pat down into pie pan! Usually butter is used instead of yogurt for graham crusts.
This is pretty FOOLPROOF. You can adjust it and change it a little and it will still come out nicely. Good luck!
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