BobbyJenny's Reviews Page 22/76

This time at HAKATA DEITOS, I bought the famous Yume Yume Dori! The chicken is fried until crispy on the outside, and what makes it special is that it’s eaten cold. It starts off crispy, followed by a sweet and savory sauce that keeps you wanting more. It was my first time trying it, and I found it really unique—completely different from regular piping-hot fried chicken. It’s perfect to take home and enjoy with drinks!

MOMOYA’s MENMA YAWARAGI has a distinctly Japanese flavor. The bamboo shoots are tender with a slight crunch, and you can still taste their natural sweetness when you bite into them. The seasoning isn’t too strong and is mildly spicy, making it great with rice or as a side dish. It also makes a nice souvenir for older family members to enjoy with rice!

Driving along the Aso Panorama Line, the scenery was so beautiful that I couldn't stop looking out the window! The expansive views of Mount Aso and vast grasslands blended together, creating a wide-open landscape. As the road wound onward, every turn felt like a completely different view. The drive was very pleasant, and it was definitely worth stopping occasionally to admire the magnificent scenery!

This was my first time trying Hakata Motsunabe Oyama, and I thought this Kyushu specialty was really unique! The pot was packed with beef offal, cabbage, and garlic chives, and as soon as it arrived at the table piping hot, the aroma made me hungry.

After cooking, the beef offal was springy with a slightly rich, fatty flavor. Eating it with the vegetables helped balance out the richness, and the broth became more flavorful as it simmered and was very easy to drink.

Of course, when in Osaka, you have to try the famous local okonomiyaki! This time, I went to Tsuruhashi Fugetsu. The restaurant had a lively dining atmosphere, and sitting in front of the griddle watching the okonomiyaki slowly cook made me look forward to it even more.

The okonomiyaki was cooked until the surface was lightly browned and fragrant, while the inside was fluffy with a hint of sweetness from the vegetables. Paired with the rich sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes, it was full of flavor and especially satisfying to eat piping hot.

I made a special trip to eat at Kamameshi Shizuka Kouen-ten in Nara. It's also a well-known, long-established kamameshi restaurant in Nara. This time, I ordered the oyster kamameshi. As soon as the steaming-hot pot arrived at the table, it looked so appetizing!

When I opened the lid, the rice had absorbed the aroma of the broth and had been cooked together with fresh oysters. The savory flavor of the oysters slowly infused the rice, giving every bite a subtle taste of the sea. Each grain of rice was distinct and became more fragrant the more I chewed, and it was especially delicious eaten with the oysters.

In Namba, Osaka, I made a special trip to try the famous Jiyuken Namba Honten. When their signature curry rice arrived, it had a raw egg in the center, which looked very distinctive!

I divided the curry rice into two sides as I ate, first trying one side as is, then mixing the raw egg into the other. The texture immediately became smoother, and the curry's aroma also took on a mellower quality. Especially after mixing in the raw egg, it was very easy to eat, and before I knew it, I was taking one bite after another.

It was my first time eating at Jiyuken in Osaka, and I thought this simple yet distinctive way of eating it was pretty interesting!

Jingisukan Daruma Main Branch is a famous jingisukan lamb restaurant in Sapporo, and it has always been very popular. The atmosphere is lively, and the aroma of grilled lamb whets your appetite as soon as it arrives at the table. The lamb is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside after grilling, with a subtle charcoal aroma, and it goes really well with onions. A piping-hot jingisukan meal is a must when visiting Sapporo, so I’ve checked another item off my Hokkaido food list this time!

While in Nara, I made a special trip to the Nara main store of Kakinoha Sushi Tanaka to try this traditional food that is so characteristic of Nara. The most distinctive thing about kakinoha sushi is that the sushi is wrapped in persimmon leaves, giving it an old-fashioned look.

After unwrapping the persimmon leaf, you can smell a faint, fresh plant fragrance. The leaf wrapped around the sushi gives the rice and fish a natural aroma, adding a very distinctive flavor. The rice has a slightly tart taste, and together with the fish, it's refreshing and not too heavy.

Besides seeing the deer on this trip to Nara, I also came specifically to try this local food. It was really interesting to travel while learning about Nara's traditional food culture! I'd like to have it again the next time I visit Nara.

You definitely have to check out the very distinctive Oasis 21 when visiting Nagoya! The biggest attraction is the huge glass roof above, called the “Spaceship-Aqua.” From a distance, it looks like a spaceship floating over the city, and the design is really unique.

After it's lit up at night, it becomes a completely different scene. The transparent glass walkway and city lights go beautifully together, and you can enjoy the surrounding night view as you walk along it. The atmosphere is very beautiful.

Besides shopping and enjoying good food on this trip to Nagoya, I also stopped by Oasis 21 to walk around and take some photos.