A new Restaurant called "THE HUB RESTAURANT & BAR" has just opened in Tsukuba. It's an African restaurant with delicious and traditional African meals. It's located on the second floor of the Richmond Building, room 203, at Amakubo 1-10-18. It's the 4th building behind the 7/11 at Amakubo, close to the Medical Centre.

Come and have a taste of traditional African food and spicy soup with some African special BEER and more.

Open: Lunch to Midnight

1 Comments

• At April 8, 2009, GULAB JAMUN wrote:

  Hello.

  I'm Japanese living in Ami-Machi.

  I'm interested in African restaurant.

  I searched "The HUB" with google,but couldn't find HUB's website...

  Please tell me how much the average of lunch menu price,and,the menu you recommend.Is it reasonable price?

  Last question,is this restaurant serves North African dish(for example:Egyptian,Tunisian) or South African? pls tell me.

  (Please be patient with my poor English)

Takara`s Brazilian Mall next to Mitsukaido Station

The Japanese word ARIGATO and the Portuguese word OBRIGADO, which both mean THANK YOU in their respective languages, can often sound uncannily alike. And since Portugal WAS the first European country to have made contact with Japan ( in 1543), and DID in fact leave several linguistic traces of its presence (not to mention the introduction of Christianity and firearms, among other things!) which continue to live on in Modern Japanese, including the words for bread- PAN, button- BOTAN, cape- KAPPA, alcohol- ARUKORU and even the word TEMPURA, it is not surprising that there are MANY who assume that ARIGATO is also a word of Portuguese origin.

And though I KNOW that the Japanese word for THANK YOU actually derives from the adjective ARIGATAI, which appears in texts as old as the 8th century MANYOSHU, and for this reason CANNOT be related to the Portuguese , whenever I hear a hearty OBRIGADO, I am taken aback by the similarity.

 I have met only one or two Portuguese nationals in Japan in all my years of living here, but I have still been fortunate to have often heard the Portuguese language spoken in Japan-  in its Brazilian form (  it is often said by language lovers  that Brazilian Portuguese is the most beautiful of all tongues!). This is because, since the 1990`s , thousands of Brazilians, mostly with  Japanese ancestry of some degree, have come to Japan to take advantage of its (once) booming economy.

They settled primarily in 3 areas. Aichi Prefecture, in the towns with Toyota related factories, in Ota City in Gunma, and-  in our very own Ibaraki Prefecture, especially in  Mitsukaido and Ishige (which have now merged into Joso City).  While most of these immigrants were working at factories (such as Cannon) and had their own special visa status as NIKKEI-JIN, there were of course some entrepreneurs among them who went out and started up businesses of their own, many of these catering mostly to the  Brazilian community.

That is why, when you drive to or get out at Mitsukaido Station (on the Joso line, which you can catch in Moriya), not only will you surely be able to catch the melifluous tones of  Brazilian speech in your ears, but you will also be able to stock up on , lunch on, or just nosh on your favorite Brazilian foods and snacks. Close by the station`s exit, you will find the little mall called TAKARA, which has a supermarket, fresh bakery, and a kitchen where you can get all sorts of goodies that you cannot  normally find in Japan ( or outside of Brazil for that matter).

Leila Kondo serving it up

Maybe its because I always need a little VARIETY, but sometimes I cant contol the urge to head on out to Mitsukaido (by train or car it takes less than an hour) for some Pastel or Conxinhas (these are fried pastries made from flour or casava) which might contain chicken, cheese , ham, or my favorite - palmitas (palm fruit). Leila Kondo, who is behind the counter can also whip up a tasty burger. Whatever she cooks up can be spiced up with the various sauces left out at the tables.At the supermarket, there are several things that are special- the famous Brazilian sausages (perfect for barbecues ) the cashew juice or acai juice, and the baked goods. The breads have a unique CHEWINESS which is brought about by the use of casava flour. I like the bite-sized cheese breads called pao de queijo (47 Yen), especially when eaten just out of the oven.

Cashew Juice

For those who want to try other Brazilian dishes ( including the famous feijao, a  hearty and flavorfull bean and meat stew, or sit down for a bigger,more leisurely meal, a short walk around the corner will take you to the restaurant OPCAO. There you can expect your stomach to be more than comfortably weighed down, while your wallet is hardly lightened at all.

 Immigration to Brazil from Japan began back in 1908 when close to 800  Japanese sailed to the port of Santos (half the expense having been paid by the State of Sao Paolo) to work on the coffee plantations. Over  the next 70 years, about a quarter of a million Japanese  settled in Brazil as contract labourers or more rarely, as independant farmers. The large majority settled in the State of Sao Paolo and the remainder in the States of Parana and Para. Naturally, there was a trend for later genrations to head to the cities and go into other trades and professions. In Japan`s booming late 80`s and through the 90`s , some of the descendants of these immigrants (and sometimes their spouses) came back to their ancestral homeland , though they have tended to stick together, forming an intersting subculture in Japan.

Freshly baked Brazilian breads

If  you need a little variety , why not take half a day to spice up your life with a little Brazilian food around Mitsukaido Station.

3 Comments

• At August 7, 2009, drebes wrote:

  Actually, the word in portuguese is "obrigado", not "obligado". You may heard it as "obligado" from a Brazilian nikkeijin who grew up in a Japanese colony with Japanese as his/her first language, though.

• At August 7, 2009, Avi Landau wrote:

  Thanks drebes, or should I say- OBRIGADO ! Yes, surely after years in Japan, I too have begun to confuse my L`s and R`s, but in this case, as I typed, I must have been under the spell of the English word OBLIGED, which we also use to mean thank you!

  I have changed the text accordingly.

• At August 9, 2009, Sumiko wrote:

  Quite interesting! It's said Japanese language sounds very flat

  and doesn't have much strong accent.I wonder if the middle sound of the words mainly stimulates our hearing organs when spoken in a flat tone.

I have only found one restaurant in Tsukuba that has a breakfast menu that satisfies my weekend needs. Gusto, on the corner of Tsuchiura Gakuen Sen and Nishi Odori, offers a cheap (under 500 yen) breakfast until 10am on the weekends that includes eggs (scrambled or fried), bacon or sausages, toast or a roll, some lettuce with Japanese style dressing (okay, that part isn't very traditional, but nevermind), and access to free drink refills. Occasionally, if I can get myself sorted out before 9:30am (I like my weekends lazy), I like to saunter over to Gusto for a nice weekend breakfast.

I'm sure I am not the only person who hankers for this sort of breakfast, but I never see any other foreign people at the restaurant. I wonder if people know about it.

Are there any other decent breakfast places in Tsukuba? If you find one, please let me know!

1 Comments

• At February 18, 2007, RrFish wrote:

  Wow,I wish I knew that when my son and I had an urge to eat at IHOP!
  
  There is a restaurant in front of Arakawaoki Station with an IHOP logo(can you tell how desperate we were?), but it didn't offer those breakfast menus.

The name of this new establishment is Cafe Noir and it is located off the beaten path in the Green House Lodge in Shimohiratsuka, just across the street from the Tsukuba Ham Restaurant. It can seat 12 customers at 6 small tables inside a cool, Scandinavianesque interior, with wide window views out to the Ibaraki countryside. All drinks are 500yen and you can choose from the special Noir blend, Guatemalan or organic coffee from Costa Rica. You might also want to try the supremely sour organic iyokan juice (a type of citrus) which will surely drive any drowsiness you might have away.

The daily set lunch features Ghanaian food with bread, salad, etc and can be had for 850yen.

The proprietress Yo said she wants to create a comfortable space to slowly enjoy coffee , perhaps with a book, with natural greenery just right in front of you. Her husband a sociologist who studies rural development, has many contacts with farmers, and she hopes to incoroprate their unique and fresh produce in the dishes she serves.

She will always be playing Jazz , Bossa Nova and soft Latin music.
Tuesdays are off.
11am to 7pm

Bon appetit!

Opening the door to SRI LANKA, bells jingle and you are instantly greeted by Sunil Jayantha and his wife Kiyomi, who call out with a hearty IRASSHAIMASE which resounds from the kitchen! At the same instant you are also engulfed in the heavenly aromas of SERENDIB: freshly ground spices — cardamon, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and black pepper – all simmering in coconut milk, onions and garlic. It’s intoxicating! You take your seat, order and wait a bit (maybe more). Never mind! This certainly is NOT fast food. In fact, when your INDIVIDUALLY PREPARED curry is set in front of you and you take your first taste, it’s as if TIME STOPS. No matter how busy you are on that particular day, there is no rushing through THIS meal. Every spoonful is a treasure. 

For more than 20 years, the Jayantha family has been spicing up life in Tsukuba with their savory curries. Sunil came to Japan to study Japanese in order to help deal with the increasing number of Japanese tourists staying at his family’s hotels in Sri Lanka. Lucky for us though, he met Kiyomi and has been here in Tsukuba ever since, busy raising his three kids and keeping our taste buds  titillated.

Sunil has told me that he has adjusted his cooking to Japan, and that always seemed curious to me since his curries were just about as far from Japanese curry rice as I could imagine. I eventually realized what he meant.Curry Shop Sri Lanka has adopted the Japanese custom of changing their SPECIAL CURRIES in accordance with the season. In summer, mackerel, eggplant and goya are shun (in season) and these are the curries which they serve in that season, in addition to the regular menu. My favorite season for their specials is winter when Sunil always has scallop, salmon or daikon radish curry.

Another reason I have been a regular customer of SRI LANKA is that for vegetarians (like me) there are many ordering options . My favorites are the vegetable and daal curries. These are DEEPLY tasty and completely meat free.

Everyday lunch specials are 750 yen and consist of a curry, rice, soup, and salad. Beer and the more potent Sri Lankan arak are available along with juices and lassis.

Sri Lanka serves its customers everyday (except Monday) from 12:00-2:00 and then from 6:00-9:30.

Sri Lanka is located off Nishi-Odori near the south-western quadrant of the intersection where that road meets Tsuchiura Gakuen-Sen, south of the Photo Studio Alice which is on the corner and across from the GUSTO family restaurant. You cannot park along Nishi Odori, however (though you can get there on foot or by bicycle by going along it. If you are driving you have to go around by turning at Ton Q restaurant or Takarajima. It is maddening giving directions in Japan as there are usually no street names! Here is a map.

Tel-029 855 2621

1 Comments

• At May 17, 2011, Mamoru Shimizu wrote:

  If you ask Japanese gentlemen whether they can do any cooking, if they say yes and are asked what kind of cooking they can do, most probably their answer would be “Soba” , “Curry” or “Boiled Potato-and Pork with Shirataki :Nikujaga :肉じゃが”-Mom’s taste.

  They might say “Sashimi”. But “Sashimi” should not be included as cooking as it is just the art of slicing with Japanese knives, and keen eyes for detecting fresh fish.

  I am one of the curry-making enthusiasts. My special recipe is making soup. I use Katsuobushi (dried tuna flakes) and Konbu (kelp). I don’t think the people of SriLanka, India, Pakistan or the UK ever thought of using such queer things for making curry. So, it is quite an original Japanese style.

  I only just make me confident I can detect in my curry so-faintly taste of Katsuo-Konbu!?

  Anyway the most important ingredients of curry ( curry originally was just a local word in certain parts of India pronounced- Kari: meaning a side dish) are pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, turmeric, etc. etc ( there are about twenty). The history of these spices is very interesting, and involves such personages as Arabian merchants, Columbus, Vasco da Gamma, etc. Getting spices was the cause of many wars among European countries.

  Exchanging Manhattan Island and the Spice Islands between Britain and the Netherlands is especially interesting. New Amsterdam became New York in 1667 because of spices!

  I have grown so accustomed to my curry taste that recently I do not often visit curry restaurants, Tasting others-making-one is very important to get idea I would like to taste SriLanka curry soon.

They offer healthy one-plate lunches, reasonable tea/coffee, ice cream, and other simple things. From August 7th for a limited time (approx. one month) the vegetables from the daily lunch plate served there will be organic ones! Additionally they will feature some kind of home-baked cake each day. I have previewed a slice of maccha cake and it was tasty.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section!

Growing up in the US way back in the 20th century, I only knew them as rubbery little brown slices that came out of a can. Coming to Japan opened my eyes to the exciting and varied world of mushrooms, or ki no ko (literally the children of trees) in Japanese. A walk around the produce section of your local supermarket in this season will reveal an exciting array of edible fungi, which when cooked are startlingly tasty (try stir frying maitake mushrooms in soy sauce and sake!).

According to a popular traditional Japanese expression, SHIMEJI mushrooms are the most delicious (though many now prefer maitake and shiitake). The same adage 香り松茸味しめじ (KAORI MATSUTAKE AJI SHIMEJI), however, claims that in terms of aroma the matsutake mushroom is king (the expression directly translated means “aroma matsutake, taste shimeji”).

The matsutake has become one of the three representative foods of the season (along with persimmons and sanma (a kind of fish), and valued as a delicacy and as a high end gift. Many Japanese like to have steamed matsutake rice, with its unique aroma, at least once every autumn.

Domestically harvested matsutake are becoming harder and harder to come by (at present these mushrooms cannot be cultivated, and have to be HUNTED and picked) and when you find them in stores you will most surely be discouraged from buying them due to their astronomical cost. You might want to take a picture of the price tags though. Last week in Tokyo I found a few of these phallic shaped fungi (this is probably another reason for their prestige in the orient) on sale for nearly 600 dollars (57,000 yen!)

Tsukubans interested in having a classic autumn culinary experience, can do so, with an inexpensive matsutake rice lunch set, at the ICHINOYA RESTAURANT. For the price of a usual lunch set (teishoku) you can have a MORE THAN FILLING meal which includes the famous delicacy (the matsutake they use are not domestically harvested). This special menu will only be available till the end of the month so you had better hurry.

If you do go, write me and tell me how YOU would describe the aroma. I have asked several Japanese (including professional chefs) what word they would use for the smell. The usual response was ”HHMMM, well, uh, it’s the MATUTAKE AROMA!” As for me, the aroma and flavor are something I would put into words as earthy-citrusy( I guess the citrusy taste is not from the mushoom itself by from the SUDACHI, the citrus fruit which is often added to the matsutake broth- DOBINMUSHI).

The meatless matsutake-rice set ( about 1500 Yen) at the Ichinoya Restaurant. It includes tuna sashimi, grilled sanma, pickles, dobin-mushi, matsutake-rice, watermelon, etc. (Oct 2010)

A pot-full of matsutake rice placed at our table at the Ichinoya Restaurant ( Oct 10, 2010)

Ichinoya restaurant has been around for a long time and is a favorite place for older Ibarakians. They serve up most kinds of Japanese food in very generous portions. It is also very reasonably priced ( the matsutake rice set with out meat is about 1500 Yen- including DOBIN-MUSHI broth and matsutake rice, among other things).

Last night I was at Kaneki-Zushi, an upscale roundabout sushi chain, and when I asked what soups they had, the waitress said they had had matsutake broth, and added- buts its a little expensive. When I asked how much, she responded with a price that I dont exactly remember, but it was something in the 700 Yen range. I decided to go for it, and was not disappointed- some matsutake, a shrimp, and a gingko nut , all boiled in a special broth were served in a tea pot with a slice of SUDACHI ( a citrus fruit which looks like a lime) on the side. I poured the fragrant soup into the little cup I was given and slowly savored the subtle flavors.

Fragrant matsutake broth ( DOBIN- MUSHI) at Kaneki Zushi- less than 800 Yen

I also found some very cheap matsutake rice lunch boxes at the Yamauchi Supermarket in Takezono. Only 398 Yen- and to my taste- not bad at all ( though I am sure connoisseurs would strongly disagree!). perfect for getting into the spirit of the season!

A matsutake-rice lunch box at a Tsukuba supermarket- less than 400 Yen ( with imported shrooms, of course!)

A closer look at the lunch box- with autumn leaf shaped carrots, and sweet chestnuts- a perfect seasonal treat!

Though I would never actually buy them, with all the cheap imports available, it is still always fun to go to a fancy supermarket and look at the price tags on the prime specimens of domestically grown matutake.

A box of six matutake mushrooms going for 58,000 Yen ( more than 600 dollars) a box at a Tokyo supermarket!

A roadside streamer (nobori) advertising MATUTAKE RICE

2 Comments

• At October 9, 2010, Mamoru Shimizu wrote:

  My haiku “Matsutake-ya Ah-Matsutake-ya Matsutake-ya”; somehow resembling “Matsushima-ya Ah-Matsushima-ya Matsushima-ya”, parody haiku of Matsuo Basyou(poem about beautiful islands in Miyagi-prefecture).

  In every autumn I would remind bucketfuls of king-sized　Matsutakes those I have picked three continuous years when I was working in National forest in Hiroshima prefecture to build an experimental beef cattle-raising farm 40years ago.

  “Night and day” I tasted grilled Matstutakes, boiled one, soup, sukiyaki, even gusto-ed pickled one in new year.

  So now I always think when I see their high-price, Um I already ate plenty enough Matsutakes for my life time, “let it be” to leave them for coming generation, regretfully.

  Thank you Avi-san you made me to secrete saliva.

• At October 12, 2010, Ｅｉｊｉ wrote:

  I love that aroma and crunchy texture too!

  But watch out!

  If you put Matsutakeol(synthetic odor) to Eringi, even the connoisseurs can't tell!

By Avi Landau

Growing up in the US way back in the 20th century, I only knew them as rubbery little brown slices that came out of a can. Coming to Japan opened my eyes to the exciting and varied world of mushrooms, or ki no ko (literally the children of trees) in Japanese. A walk around the produce section of your local supermarket in this season will reveal an exciting array of edible fungi, which when cooked are startlingly tasty (try stir frying maitake mushrooms in soy sauce and sake!).

According to a popular traditional Japanese expression, SHIMEJI mushrooms are the most delicious (though many now prefer maitake and shiitake). The same adage 香り松茸味しめじ (KAORI MATSUTAKE AJI SHIMEJI), however, claims that in terms of aroma the matsutake mushroom is king (the expression directly translated means “aroma matsutake, taste shimeji”).

The matsutake has become one of the three representative foods of the season (along with persimmons and sanma (a kind of fish), and valued as a delicacy and as a high end gift. Many Japanese like to have steamed matsutake rice, with its unique aroma, at least once every autumn.

Domestically harvested matsutake are becoming harder and harder to come by (at present these mushrooms cannot be cultivated, and have to be HUNTED and picked) and when you find them in stores you will most surely be discouraged from buying them due to their astronomical cost. You might want to take a picture of the price tags though. Last week in Tokyo I found a few of these phallic shaped fungi (this is probably another reason for their prestige in the orient) on sale for nearly 600 dollars (57,000 yen!)

Tsukubans interested in having a classic autumn culinary experience, can do so, with an inexpensive matsutake rice lunch set, at the ICHINOYA RESTAURANT. For the price of a usual lunch set (teishoku) you can have a MORE THAN FILLING meal which includes the famous delicacy (the matsutake they use are not domestically harvested). This special menu will only be available till the end of the month so you had better hurry.

If you do go, write me and tell me how YOU would describe the aroma. I have asked several Japanese (including professional chefs) what word they would use for the smell. The usual response was ”HHMMM, well, uh, it’s the MATUTAKE AROMA!” As for me, the aroma and flavor are something I would put into words as earthy-citrusy( I guess the citrusy taste is not from the mushoom itself by from the SUDACHI, the citrus fruit which is often added to the matsutake broth- DOBINMUSHI).

The meatless matsutake-rice set ( about 1500 Yen) at the Ichinoya Restaurant. It includes tuna sashimi, grilled sanma, pickles, dobin-mushi, matsutake-rice, watermelon, etc. 

Ichinoya restaurant has been around for a long time and is a favorite place for older Ibarakians. They serve up most kinds of Japanese food in very generous portions. It is also very reasonably priced ( the matsutake rice set with out meat is about 1500 Yen- including DOBIN-MUSHI broth and matsutake rice, among other things).

Last night I was at Kaneki-Zushi, an upscale roundabout sushi chain, and when I asked what soups they had, the waitress said they had had matsutake broth, and added- buts its a little expensive. When I asked how much, she responded with a price that I dont exactly remember, but it was something in the 700 Yen range. I decided to go for it, and was not disappointed- some matsutake, a shrimp, and a gingko nut , all boiled in a special broth were served in a tea pot with a slice of SUDACHI ( a citrus fruit which looks like a lime) on the side. I poured the fragrant soup into the little cup I was given and slowly savored the subtle flavors.

I also found some very cheap matsutake rice lunch boxes at the Yamauchi Supermarket in Takezono. Only 398 Yen- and to my taste- not bad at all ( though I am sure connoisseurs would strongly disagree!). perfect for getting into the spirit of the season!

Though I would never actually buy them, with all the cheap imports available, it is still always fun to go to a fancy supermarket and look at the price tags on the prime specimens of domestically grown matutake.

1 Comments

• At October 18, 2011, Lalique wrote:

  Happy to visit this blog :)

  from Turkey

  LOVE JAPAN

The other day at lunch, I learned something new about Cafe Plus 1. Dogs are welcome in its courtyard eating area, and are even served a dog-dish full of water, which is carried out by the staff on a tray.

So if you'd like to spend some more quality time with your pooch, Plus 1 might be the place for you and Pochi to dine.

4 Comments

• At August 12, 2008, B wrote:

  But I have heard they are not very child (young babies, etc) friendly. Is this true? Does anyone know.

• At August 13, 2008, Avi wrote:

  Cafe Plus 1 is not what is called in Japan a FAMILY RESTAURANT, which provides toys, crayons, play sets and even baby food. To tell the truth, I have never seen a baby, or child at this stylish restaurant, except for MY OWN, who is always welcomed warmly and quietly, not fawned or doted on. Your child, too, would be welcomed there I'm sure. However, always having a lot of babies around might not be part of this restaurant's concept. It's certainly worth trying, especially for lunch.

• At August 14, 2008, Rachel wrote:

  No, it is not a family restaurant. My husband (japanese) and I were - very politely - asked to leave when we went there with our two daughters who were aged about one and three years old at the time. They did have a sign in the entrance way (in japanese) which said that it is a child-free restaurant. It may have relaxed this rule a little in the past couple of years though.

• At August 15, 2008, Avi wrote:

  That experience must have left a bad taste in your mouth. I don't think that sign is up anymore, but after hearing your story I would think twice about bringing a child (especially for dinner) there again. I have been there with a one year old, twice, and as I've written before, they were coolly receptive. Anyway, it seems like that place has gone to the dogs.

Growing up in the US, I only knew them as rubbery little brown slices that came out of a can. Coming to Japan opened my eyes to the exciting and varied world of mushrooms, or ki no ko (literally the children of trees) in Japanese. A walk around the produce section of your local supermarket in this season will reveal an exciting array of edible fungi, which when cooked are startlingly tasty (try stir frying maitake mushrooms in soy sauce and sake!).

According to a popular traditional Japanese expression, SHIMEJI mushrooms are the most delicious (though many now prefer maitake and shiitake). The same adage 香り松茸味しめじ (KAORI MATSUTAKE AJI SHIMEJI), however, claims that in terms of aroma the matsutake mushroom is king (the expression directly translated means "aroma matsutake, taste shimeji").

The matsutake has become one of the three representative foods of the season (along with persimmons and sanma (a kind of fish), and valued as a delicacy and as a high end gift. Many Japanese like to have steamed matsutake rice, with its unique aroma, at least once every autumn.

Domestically harvested matsutake are becoming harder and harder to come by (at present these mushrooms cannot be cultivated, and have to be HUNTED and picked) and when you find them in stores you will most surely be discouraged from buying them due to their astronomical cost. You might want to take a picture of the price tags though. Last week in Tokyo I found a few of these phallic shaped fungi (this is probably another reason for their prestige in the orient) on sale for nearly 600 dollars (57,000 yen!)

Tsukubans interested in having a classic autumn culinary experience, can do so, with an inexpensive matsutake rice lunch set, at the ICHINOYA RESTAURANT. For the price of a usual lunch set (teishoku) you can have a MORE THAN FILLING meal which includes the famous delicacy (the matsutake they use are not domestically harvested). This special will only be available till the end of the month so you had better hurry.

If you do go, write me and tell me how YOU would describe the aroma. I have asked several Japanese (including professional chefs) what word they would use for the smell. The usual response was "HHMMM, well, uh, it's the MATUTAKE AROMA!"

Ichinoya restaurant has been around for a long time and is a favorite place for older Ibarakians. They serve up most kinds of Japanese food in very generous portions. It is also very reasonably priced.

1 Comments

• At October 25, 2008, Dan Waldhoff wrote:

  Aloha Shaney,

  Very nice! Thanks, Tsukuba Friend.

  Dang! I do love this town!

  Dan