Ichinoya Unagi in Kawagoe ♥ ♥

When in Kawagoe, eat unagi.

Unagi or broiled eel is one of the popular delicacies in this historical city and it also happens to be one of my favorite Japanese dishes.

So I braved the rain and navigated my way from the old town area to Ichinoya

I was so worried I might have gotten the wrong address because this looked like a toy store to me!

So many plush dolls scattered around the dining area

More on top of the cabinet!

My very own tatami room

The menu cover was so cute

But everything was in japanese. Eeep!

Luckily, they have english menu, and with pictures, too

I pointed to the one with the most unagi

My "Una-jyu Dai"set came with pickles and clear soup

The eel was unbelievably tender and the rice so fluffy. I finished the box in no time.

But if the eel were a bit sweeter, I would have ordered a second set.

I was still so hungry after this box.

So I drank all the soup and had bottomless green tea. Lol.

Here are photos of the restaurant's card in case you need to ask the locals for directions. I did not meet a single soul who could speak english in Kawagoe. :P

Ichinoya: 1-18-10 Matsuecho, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan 

Tel: 049 222 0354

Ichinoya Website

Know more about Kawagoe, how to get there, which shops to visit by clicking here.

Kitsho Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar ♥ ♥ ♥

 

Kitsho in Traders Hotel is one of the most underrated Japanese restaurants in Manila

 

 

Dining Room

 

 

Open Kitchen

 

 

They do a weekend buffet for a very reasonable price, but I highly recommend you order a la carte.

In fact, I highly recommend you order all the dishes in this post to guarantee you a very satisfying lunch from start to finish. 

I don't even have to say anything about the sashimi. The pictures shout freshness and they don't lie.

 

Salmon

 

 

Hamachi

 

 

Scallop

 

  

I've eaten enough unagi around the metro to say that Kitsho's Unagi Oshi Sushi is a winner.
The eel was plump and tender and expertly grilled to achieve that sweet and smokey taste I love. 

 

 

So NO, it was not at all redundant that we ordered the fish-only Unagi Kabayaki together with
the sushi version. It was essential to preserve our friendship.

 

 

Because a shortage of something as mouthwatering as this at a table full of food-obsessed people
 can easily mark the beginnings of World War 7. Kitsho's unagi literally melted in my mouth.

 

 

Imported Japanese oysters were used for the Kaki Fry. Each chubby piece was covered in
crisp golden panko that was neither too oily nor too heavy.

 

 

Inside it was OH SOOOOO CREAMY!!!

 

 

The US Beef Sukiyaki was another favorite. The beef was tender and the soup had just the
right level of sweetness to keep it interesting.

 

 

But the main event was this gorgeous plate of Hokkaido King Crab. THE COLORS!!!
We took a million and one photos before we allowed our server to throw the ingredients into the pot.

 

 

 The crab meat came out so plump, so sweet, and so very succulent my eyes teared up with joy
each time I bite into the milky white meat. The sweet and fragrant broth danced in my mouth.

 

 

Please do not get me started on the grilled version. The aroma alone was extremely intoxicating!

 

 

For our sweet endings...

 

Grilled Banana with Vanilla and Kuromitsu

 

 

Green Tea Ice Cream - could be more bitter

 

 

So happy ima bear-hug Kitsho's Executive Chef Masahiro Misumoto! :)

 

 

Paul, Fran, Leslie, Me and Inah
(Read Leslie's post here.) 

 

 

Other dishes that didn't make it to my favorites list: 

 

Take Nigiri

 

 

Salmon Oshi Sushi

 

 

Beef Tongue Misoya

 

 

Buta Kakuni

 

 

Kitsho: Lobby Level, Traders Hotel Manila, 3001 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. Tel: +632 523 7011 loc. 2918

Kitsho WebPage

Traders Hotel Manila Website

Traders Hotel Manila Facebook Page

 

Ronin ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

 

Behind this unassuming gray door is where I had THE BESTEST meal of my most recent
Hong Kong trip. Interestingly, my bestest meal last trip was at its sister restaurant Yardbird.
Read about it here. 

 

 

On the left are bar seats, on the right are standing stations. Come for the 6:30pm seating.
8:30's too crowded, unless you're into that body-bumping sorta thing. ;)

 

 

I just wanted to have my own space and eat in peace

 

  

With my butt stuck to a chair, of course :)

 

 

Welcome snack was okra wrapped in shiso and wrapped again in pickled lotus root 
then sprinkled with sesame pepper. Such a pretty sight!

 

 

 Shigoku Oysters, red shiso vinegar, sudachi. First dish and I surrendered completely to Ronin.
Cheap date, I know, but these babies were so fresh, plump, briny and creamy!

 

 

This bartender was extremely earnest and tender with his drinks...

 

  

That I could not resist ordering a Japanese Cocktail for myself! Lol! :)
Asbach Uralt brandy, orgeat, nakano honey umeshu, angostura bitters 

 

 

Every dish at Ronin was so well-curated I was 300% sure that whoever came up with the menu had a very severe case of OCD.

Whoever that freak is, he brought excessive amounts of joy and rapture into my otherwise stale life.

Marry me, Freak!!!

 

Katso bonito sashimi, tosa shoyu, white onion

 

 

Uni, fresh nori, aonori panko

 

 

Flower crab, mitsuba, uni

 

 

I marveled at the beauty of the flower crab's backside

 

  

Razor clams, spring onion, ginger, crispy rice

 

  

 White ale battered kisu, kimchi mayo, and shots of the beer used for the batter

 

 

 Triggerfish, honey, kyoto shichimi, chestnut chips

 

 

Unagi, kinome, chirashi, rice

 

 

Kagoshima beef, maitake, egg yolk.
OH GOD!!! This dish gave me compulsive eating disorder! I lost all my manners and ate more
than my share. 

 

 

Just look at that beauty! It obliterated my highest expectations and raised the bar so high
that I will never look at any sliced beef the same way again. YOU MUST.

 

 

And then there he goes again… Sigh...

 

 

Therefore, another round of drinks!
 Maple Old Fashioned (Nikka "The Barrel", maple syrup, baked apple bitters), and
Cocoa Nib Old Fashioned (Yardbird cocoa nib shochu, pampero anejo, chocolate bitters, gomme) 

 

 

Body-bumpin' activity building up just as we were leaving 

 

 

 This pretty boy. He handed me the menu. *swoons* :P

 

Ronin: 8 On Wo Lane, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2547 5263

Ronin Website