December 1, 2012

Taiwan noodle Restaurant

If you want to miss Asian or Taiwan taste noodle instead of Japanese Ramen or Okinawa Soba, this taiwanese Noodle restaurant is your next stop.

We ordered Beef broth soup Taiwan noodle and roasted pork noodle with rice and sweets.
We smelled the star anise from Beef broth soup. This is the same as real Taiwan beef noodle. No hot spice was added but we can add by ourself.

Roasted pork noodle is also smooth soup and rice crispy roasted noodle.
As sweet, candied sweet potato. My son loved this potato. We are pretty full. Nice volume and price is 980 Yen for lunch set.

(Dumpling taste was OK when we tried this restaurant for 2nd try.)
We 'll repeat this restaurant when we are hungry.









Name:
Taiwan Menya Ho-ya (台湾麺屋HO―JA)
Address:
3-1-12 Mihama Chyatan cho Zip 904-0115


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September 26, 2012

One of the best pastries in okinawa. oHacorte, bit pricy though.

I knew this pastry, oHacorte,  looks tasty from photos, but I couldn't try it for the long time in Okinawa. This is because the place seems to be located around complicated region and unknown region for me.

Recently I realized new branch shop was opened near Naha Airport. Finally I can go.
Taste is promised from the looks of tart. I can't see this kind of beauty of sweets in Okinawa. But I was surprised the price of tart cakes. At least 600 JPN Yen for each tart. Like Tokyo price. I should understand this price because nice fruits are top on the tart.

I chose peach tart and seasonal fruit tart. and cheese tart for kids.
I like taste but I prefer the round size of tart which I ate at my friend birthday from this shop.
If you are not satisfied the quality of sweets in Okinawa, you should visit there. Their taste makes you happy.



Cake box is also cute.

Name
oHacorte Oroku Branch (オハコルテ 小禄)


TEL
098-851-3215
Address
1-4-1 Akamine Naha city, Okinawa( 沖縄県那覇市赤嶺1-4-1)


Hour 10:30-20:00



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August 12, 2012

100 Yen Kids Pool in Kadena Town

In Okinawa, we can easily access to nice beach and clear ocean, but for kids swimming pool is much safer and easier. One option is swimming pools in hotels. The other option is pool running by Kadena town, called 'Kadena Water Garden.'

Kadena Water Garden has one big pool and one small pool. Both pools are not deep, probably 50 cm depth. Big pool is enjoyable for around 10 year old kids and small one is for 4-5 year old kids.
Two water sliders in bigger pool and one small slider in small pool.


Price is 100 JPN Yen for one children. Yes, ONE HUNDRED JPN Yen. Super Cheap. Free for Adult. This pool is for kids, not for adult. So Adult (Parents) can't swim and price is free. You can get wet to support kid swimming. Little bit weird but we have to accept this rule.

The other rule is swimming cap is required (for kids). No lifeguard, parents have to watch your kids.
!! You have to watch out the small island in the small pool. It is very slippery on the small island. I saw at least 3 kids slipped on this island and hit head.


Address:
嘉手納町字兼久85番地25(Kadena town aza kaneku 85-25)
Japanese Web site


Hour:
AM 10:00-12:00
PM 13:00-18:00
Every hour 10 mins off (get out from water between 10:50 - 11:00 etc)



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June 23, 2012

Japanese Kaiseki Hitoshizuku at Chatan

My wife requested me to go to the Japanese Kaiseki (懐石料理) restaurant at Chanatan for birthday Lunch. Finally, we can make it. We keep this restaurant in our should-visit-list for a long time.
We reserved our seats around 11:30am for lunch time on Monday. I recommend to reserve seats. 

Restaurant chef worked at 割烹 kappou restaurant in Tokyo. Sound nice and Japanese kaiseki is only menu for lunch time. Price is 1500 JPN Yen.

What is kaiseki ? From wikipedia,
Kaiseki (懐石?) or kaiseki ryōri (懐石料理?) is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner. The term also refers to the collection of skills and techniques that allow the preparation of such meals, and are analogous to Western haute cuisine.[1]



anyway, we enjoy lunch course. Here is beautiful photos. Every month each dish is different. Used seasonal ingrediants.
Dashi (fish soup) is using most dishes. Smooth and tasty for us. Vegetable is main for all dishes. If you are meat eater, you will not be satisfied as volume. and me neither.

If you have guests from out japan, and they will not stop by tokyo or kyoto, this restaurant is only choice to enjoy Japanese Kaiseki, I think.

 


Clean kitchen and friendly waitress. 4-5 counter seats. 4 table seats and 2 Japanese style seats (good for family )

Name
Shunsai Hitoshizuku
旬肴ひとしずく

TEL
098-936-5539

Address
沖縄県中頭郡北谷町北谷2-6-10 (Chatan cho chatan 2-6-10)

Hour
12:00-15:00
18:00-23:00


Holiday
Sunday and last Monday



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June 21, 2012

Cold Noodle and dipping Noodle for summer

In summer, we don't want to eat the hot noodle in humid and sweaty Okinawa weather. We have the summer option for Okinawa soba or ramen noodle.

1. Cold Okinawa soba
Not all okinawa soba restaurants but at some restaurants you can find special summer menu, cold okinawa soba. We went to Miyo-ya and find special summer menu and I ordered dipping okinawa soba with sesame source. (the other choice is soy based source and Chinese source.)

2. Dipping Ramen noodle
Dipping ramen noodle becomes famous in Japan and as same as in Okinawa. Normally dipping noodle is wider and thicker to enjoy deep and thick soup. One of the famous dipping ramen noodle restaurant near Onna village is Gin-bee Noodle shop. I went to this restaurant around 11:30 am because always this restaurant is crowded.
I ordered large size of dipping noodle. Size choice is normal, large and special large. Noodle is like udon noodle, pretty wide and enough texture. Soup is strong fishy smell. If you don't like Katuo bushi (dried bonito flakes ) smell, I don't recommend you to go there. For japanese, pretty tasty. bit oil for me after eat all.



Name: Tsukemen Jinbee(つけ麺 ジンベエ)

TEL:098-938-1558

Address:沖縄県沖縄市知花5-13-18(Okinawa city Chibana 5-13-18)

Hour:
11:30-16:00

Holiday:
Sunday


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Okinawa Red Chili Paste and Oil (Taberu Ra-yu)

Do you like spice and hot?

Okinawa red chili pepper is famous in Japan. You can see the clear liquid (actually Awamori ) with Okinawa red chili pepper at Okinawa Soba restaurant, called 'Ko-re-gu-su'. This is a traditional Okinawan spice to enjoy Soba or the other okinawan food.


Recently, 'eatable' red chilli pepper paste oil (食べるラー油 taberu ra-yu) becomes famous through TV and as usual Okinawa souvenir shops follow this movement. You can easily find  his red chilli pepper paste in Onna no Eki. We call 'eatable' paste because this is not very hot and there are some crunchy garlic and vegy in the paste.

With this red chilli pepper paste oil, we eat Dumplings or stir-fly vegetables etc. Yummy.
Some people put this paste top on the steam white rice, but I never tried.



May 27, 2012

Dos manos. Yes Mexican

My wife loves Mexican food, specially Beans but We can't discover good Mexican restaurant in Okinawa. Well, I know Taco rice is popular in Okinawa and some Tacos restaurants in Okinawa, but those taste are already modified for Japanese. I would like to taste salsa source without Ketchup but with coriander and lime.


She got blog information about Good Mexican restaurant near Koza. So we drove to Koza area. We ordered Enchilada Combo and Tamale (Yes they have Tamale). Plain quesadilla for my son.
 Combo was pretty good volume. If you are not hungry, you can share with two. or additional one tacos etc.
Taste is good and not oily at all. Beans, fresh guacamole and rice are perfect side for us. We love Tacos and enchilada, of course.
No MSG kind of artificial flavor (Sometime good mexican in US has those flavor and makes me thirsty).



I have to say, missing things are Lime and salsa bar. and maybe cheviche and stripe stew in Menu.  or and fish tacos. We definitely repeat this mexican restaurant and order the other menu.


You can park at coin parking in front of restaurant with 100 Yen discount ticket from shop. or you can park at bit far but get 1 hour discount coupon.

Name: Dos manos
Address: 904-0004 沖縄県沖縄市中央1-3-15 (Okinawa city Chuo 1-3-15)
Tell: 098-989-8815
Hour: Noon -
Holiday: Tue/Wed



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Toto La Bebe Hamburger

When I drove to the Aquarium, I saw cats signs of hamburger shop. I didn't try this new shop for long time, but I got some good taste information. I decided to go there, named 'Toto La bebe.'

When I saw the menu, I was very excited because they are using Okinawan ingredients and sound tasty. They baked hamburger buns, smoked bacon and handmaded pickles and source. Huh, I never saw this kind of picky burger shop. I know some Ramen noodle shops are very picky now.

I ordered Toto la pepe special burger (800? Yen) and french fries (150 Yen addition). See below photo. Looks good! French fries are also not frozen fries. Looks (and Taste) Five-guys fries in US. Source has some ginger /mustard/ spice flavor I think.  If you don't like this kind of flavor, you should confirm them.  I have to say this is not usual US burger. If you want to eat old and usual style, you should go to Godys or Jetta burger around Chatan.

   Anyway I 'm very happy to stop by this hamburger shop again when my friends visit Okinawa. And I 'll try sweets as well next time.


Name: Toto La Bebe Hamberger
TEL: 0980-47-5400
Address: 国頭群 本部町崎本部16 (Motobu cho Saki motobu 16)
Hours: 11:00-18:00
Holiday: Thu.



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January 22, 2012

Hama Ya Traditional Okinawa soba at sunabe!



I love this Okinawa noodle shop. We don't have good view comparing Nakamura soba etc, but taste and price is awesome. Place is next to Sunabe seawall. You can stop by after surfing or diving at Sunaba easily.

We always order normal Okinawa soba and Yushi Tofu soba. Yushi tofu soba is coming with steam rice. You can change to Jucyyy in additional 50 JPN Yen. We always order so.



Name:
浜屋 (はまや)Hamaya

TEL 098-936-5929

Address
沖縄県中頭郡北谷町宮城2-99
Chatan Miyagi 2-99

Hour: 10:00-21:00


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Burito!! Tortilla Factory




If You miss Burito and you don't want to taste Okinawa style tacos, 'Tortilla Factory' is one choice to eat Burito at Ginowan. Price is around 900 JPN yen with soup and drink. Cheese Casadella for kids is around 200 JPN Yen. I have to say price is not cheap, but taste is good.
Here is shop's web site.



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