A Look at Muselet Portland

March 24, 2016 by 7 Comments

Muselet has closed

In the South Waterfront, a restaurant named Muselet (a muselet is the wire that holds the cork and that you twist off to open a Champagne bottle – it’s pronounced “Muse-LAY”) opened in May last year, and has been a hidden dining destination gem. I felt like it was my duty to share this secret with you.

While Muselet may or may not be new to you, it has already racked up many awards by those who are in the know. It is listed on OpenTable’s online reservation site by diners as among the Top 10 Best Overall Restaurants in Portland as well as Top 10 Best Service in Portland and Top 10 Best Ambiance in Portland. You know they are serious about wine as soon as you walk through the front door and see this gorgeous light fixture and all those wine glasses all lined up for service that night…
Muselet Portland

And then there’s this:

Muselet Foie gras terrine, apple, salted brown butter, ginger tuile
Foie gras terrine, apple, salted brown butter, ginger tuile

When I first saw the above dish of Foie gras terrine, apple, salted brown butter, ginger tuile get set down, I wondered if it was dessert, it was plated so beautifully. But then when I took that bite and got all those flavors… Well, it’s still wonderful enough for dessert in its decadence and creamy texture that brings together rich savory with a hint of sweet.  I loved the additional textures bringing an extra level to this dish. In fact it’s actually on the dessert menu too, not just the dinner menu. It’s so rich, and so perfect with a flight of sparkling… You will feel like a million bucks.

Meanwhile, the #1 reason to rush down to Muselet ASAP right now – RIGHT NOW – is the Porridge with warm yolk, trout roe, and chive. Ron recommends pairing it with options such as Alsatian Single Vineyard Riesling, Domain Picq Single Vineyard Chablis from Bussieres in Burgundy, or Martino 2011 Old Vine Pedro Ximenez Blanc from Mendoza, Argentina. All sounds like win to me.
Muselet Porridge with warm yolk, trout roe, chive

As soon as I saw porridge on the menu I thought “how ballsy, they are offering porridge as a restaurant dish”. But those who have experienced know it’s a home run and a must not miss dish.  It’s a striking marriage of Muselet Owner Ron Acierto’s nostalgia for his Filipino roots of bone-warming heartiness and Executive Chef Greg Zanotti’s take of modern and eclectic, combining classic technique and progressive preparation with art of plating.

But, it’s only available for a short period of time – Chef Greg warns he’ll pull it off from the menu as soon as the weather is better because it’s too rich for the sun. So hurry in while it’s on the menu right now.

Not only that, for the month of March 2016 only for Portland Dining Month, they are offering a jaw dropping dinner option for the $29 – but instead of 3 courses you get 6 dishes! You can also add wine pairings for your courses for an additional $25. Their Portland Dining Month menu just for March includes

  • steelhead beet, brassicas, orange
  • pear burrata, kale, arugula, pecan-pistou
    Muselet Portland's pear burrata, kale, arugula, pecan-pistou "Muselet
  • bread alex’s parker house rolls, house cultured butter, maldon
  • charcuterie chicken liver mousse, cotechino, mustard, pickles
  • beets feta, yogurt, fermented garlic
    Muselet Beets with feta, yogurt, fermented garlic
  • pork coppa wild onion, hop aioli, leek fondue

I tell you, that list of six dishes for that price is a heist you should check out. But come hungry, and even with the Portland Dining Month menu, you should get that porridge while it’s in season. Somehow, even though you are getting six shared courses for the bargain price of $29, I think you will rise to the challenge of eating that porridge after you try your first comforting spoonful.

And, somehow still also save room for dessert: oh, this gorgetous, fun dessert. Everyone will jealously turn and wonder what you are enjoying, and they SHOULD be jealous of this Goat’s Milk Custard with streusel, wild blackberry, and cajeta. This dessert is also just simply known as Bubbles. Ron explains the dish was invented because he “In the beginning, I asked Greg to create a dessert that was quirky, delicious and would make guests smile. This one is like fireworks for your sweet tooth. It’s funny, the recipe is running in a future ‘1859’ magazine issue… it calls for ‘a small aquarium pump.’”
Muselet Bubbles Dessert of Dessert of Goat's Milk Custard with streusel, wild blackberry, and cajeta Muselet Bubbles Dessert of Dessert of Goat's Milk Custard with streusel, wild blackberry, and cajeta
A look when first placed on the table and basically 60 seconds later after the first photo was taken under the bubbles….

If you return after Portland Dining Month, besides the porridge and Bubbles dessert (and perhaps the foie gras either as appetizer or dessert…), you might consider splurging on the Wagyu Culotte with short rib and mushroom duxelle. This dish is perfectly cooked meat butter, tender without being too fatty. Paired by Ron with 2007 Hawk’s View Cellars Pinot Noir, the pairing is fit for royalty – seriously it wouldn’t look out of place as the dinner plate while in a ballgown and wearing diamonds.
Muselet Wagyu Culotte with short rib, mushroom duxelle

There are multiple options in Portland for oyster, but Muselet sets apart their oyster dish with its half a dozen shigoku with blood orange mignonette that you can enjoy with champagne or sparkling – such as Maysara Pinot Noir Brut Rose. Little trivia: Muselet was the first to pour Maysara Winery Pinot Noir Brut Rose in the area, and the wine is only available at the winery for their wedding events.
There are multiple options in Portland for oyster, but Muselet stands out with its Half a dozen shigoku with blood orange mignonette that you can enjoy with champagne or sparkling - such as Maysara Pinot Noir Brut Rose (Muselet was the first to pour Maysara Winery Pinot Noir Brut Rose in the area, and the wine is only available at the winery for their wedding events)

Definitely get a sparkling wine when you visit – or any wine. Wines are a huge draw to visit Muselet, since it is listed as one of Wine Enthusiast’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants in America for 2015, is one of the Oregon Wine A-List Award winners 2016 and is rated on OpenTable’s online reservation site by diners as among the Top 10 Most Notable Wine Lists for Portland / Oregon.

The Muselet wine list features 50+ Champagne (small production ‘grower’ wines) and sparkling wines, local urban wineries, and many Oregon Pinot Noirs. They offer a rotating selection of over 30 wines by the glass and more than 300 by the bottle, as well as numerous wine flights. Any wine by the glass can also be ordered as half glass, so you could make your own flight or ask Ron to pair with whatever you’d like.
Flight of sparkling wine, one of two flights you can choose from at Muselet

Ron has been developing friendships with winemakers and producers in the Willamette Valley since 2004, and expanded during his past experience managing restaurants with relationships with wine sales reps, importers and distributors.

“The key for me is to truly understand their vision and passion, and to show them the respect I have for their product. I get really excited and I love introducing guests to wines that have been made with passion, where the winemakers are caught up in the romance of their craft. It’s been fun to get to know the winemaking sons and daughters of the ‘Papas of Pinot’ who started it all.” says Ron.

The payoff for you as the customer is access to some wines that are exclusive just to Muselet, or that somehow Ron found that are local and super small that you might not find them anywhere else.

Domaine Drouhin only started making Pinot Noir Rose for their tasting room in 2010. Muselet owner Ron Acierto was able to acquire a few cases of their first Roses for Jory. Because he nurtured a relationship, he is also currently the only restaurant in Portland to serve their 2014 Rose. Their production is so small, their distributor is only able to place it selectively because there is not enough wine for a public release.There are only 2 cases left of the 2014 and it is only available at Muselet.
Domaine Drouhin only started making Pinot Noir Rose for their tasting room in 2010. Their production is so small, their distributor is only able to place it selectively because there is not enough wine for a public release. There are only 2 cases left of the 2014 and it is only available at Muselet.

In fact, at Muselet they hold weekly complimentary no purchase necessary wine tasting series in their lounge every Saturday from 5 – 6:30 PM.  A winery expert will be on hand during every tasting to answer questions about each wine. The featured wines will be available for guests to purchase by the glass to enjoy at the bar, purchase a bottle to take home, or can be enjoyed as a custom wine pairing with their meal. The current upcoming schedule includes

  • March 26 Fullerton Wines: Distinctive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.
  • April 2 Owen Roe: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Oregon Pinot Noir, Washington Red.
  • April 9 Le Cadeau | Exclusively estate grown Oregon Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay
    Aubichon Wines | Oregon Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay
  • April 23 Ian Burrows of Consulon Wines | pouring wines from Boulay Wine Company, Swick Wines, and Guillén Family Wines
  • April 30 Jackalope Wines | Craft Nortwest Pinot Noir, Viognier, and Cabernet Franc
    Helioterra | Pinot Noir, Mourvédre, Pinot Blanc, Syrah, Arneis, Melon de Bourgogne, Rosé of Pinot Noir, and Riesling
  • The schedule will continually be updated and can be found at Muselet’s website

Ron explains “We like to think of ourselves as the ‘concierge of the Oregon wine country.’ We are able to customize wine pairing perfectly for every dish, plus provide some unknown wine varietals for non-traditional wine pairings. Imagine, instead of having to choose one or two bottles of wine for a meal, you can have a small pour of the wine that perfectly complements your dish.”

Here’s a look at a few other dishes on the current menu, which will change seasonally:

  • Beef tartare remoulade, dulse, vinegar chip (part of their bar/soirée menu which is what they have dubbed happy hour, available in the bar/lounge only)
  • Mille Fuille with creme, dulse, smoked cod
  • Cured Hamachi, pea, hibiscus, avocado. I marveled at every bite of that dehydrated yuzu (tofu skin) with pea in how it was a perfect addition of subtle flavor and great texture to go with that hamachi – I even was trying to separate it from that photogenic hibiscus sauce to try to focus on the perfect hamachi and yuzu pea combo.
  • Turnip with beurre monte, pickled shallot, trout roe, sake lees
  • Sunchoke with mole poblano, persian cress
  • Scallop with pork rind and red eye gravy
    Muselet Beef tartare remoulade, dulse, vinegar chip Muselet Potato Mille Fuille with creme, dulse, smoked cod Muselet Cured Hamachi, pea, hibiscus, avocado Muselet Turnip with beurre monte, pickled shallot, trout roe, sake lees Muselet Sunchoke with mole poblano, persian cress Muselet Scallop with pork rind and red eye gravy

So I think you’ve gotten the gist here: spectacular food and wine. But did you notice I mentioned feeling like a million bucks, or feeling like royalty too? That’s because the biggest impression I had from Muselet is white glove service without the formality but all the elegance and class. Ron is incredibly enthusiastic about the dining experience, and he knows it includes what is on your plate and in your glass, but also beyond that in how you are treated from start to finish.

The people at Muselet are dedicated to making each guest feel like a VIP, and genuinely want to welcome you the moment you step in, take care of you with an eye on every detail, and make sure you know you are valued and that you leave happy. You’ll feel like you had a high class dinner but everything is approachable and without the matching high class price tag. In a city where service is often casual, it’s feels so special to be pampered like at Muselet.

Which of these dishes at Muselet is attracting your eye?

Muselet Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Disclosure: I attended a complimentary shared blogger meal, but I also returned on my own and on my own dime. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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Japan Travel: Kyoto Temples and Shrines

March 22, 2016 by 3 Comments

If you visit Japan, I highly recommend including Kyoto during your stay if you can. Kyoto was once the capital of Japan from 794 until 1868. Because of that long history as being the capital for 1000 years, you can find a lot of older buildings reflecting traditional architecture that are entire streets and neighborhoods, as well as literally thousands of temples and shrines. In fact, Kyoto has the largest concentration of designated Cultural Properties in Japan.
The Deva gate and three-storied pagoda at the entrance of Kiyomizudera Temple. Also one super fierce dragon sculpture. Details at Kiyomizudera Temple.
Details at Kiyomizudera Temple

Kyoto is also famous for its cuisine because as a city away from the sea it grew a lot of unique regional food fit for royalty, and even Kyoto water is reknown and used by many sake producers. With the combination of palaces as well as temples in its culinary lineage, you can choose from enjoying elegant kaiseki cuisine or Buddhist vegetarian temple cuisine. For today’s post, I’m going to focus first in Kyoto Temples and Shrines.

After our onsen stay and dining on ryokan cuisine for breakfast, we then spent a travel day getting from Lake Kawaguchiko by Mount Fuji to Kyoto. You can see it took a few transfers but it is a pretty popular route – so much that the entrance at the Kawaguchiko train station had this nice sign showing the main travel and transfer points.

After our onsen stay, we then spent a travel day getting from Lake Kawaguchiko to Kyoto. You can see it took a few transfers but it is a pretty popular route that the entrance at the Kawaguchiko train station had this nice sign: Kawaguchiko to Otsuki, transfer there and ride to Hachioji where we transfer again until we reach Shinyokohama (same area as the Ramen Museum I covered last week), and from there a shinkansen to Kyoto!

For us, this means Kawaguchiko (the red dot you see to the left) to Otsuki, transfer there and ride to Hachioji where we transfer again until we reach Shinyokohama (same area as the Ramen Museum I covered last week), and from there a shinkansen to Kyoto! It sounds like a lot of transfers, but checking out and catching a train around 11 AM, we still got to Kyoto sometime around 4 PM in the afternoon to relax the rest of the evening.

On our first full day in Kyoto, we decided to stretch our legs from all that sitting on the train on our travel day by doing a self walking tour of a few of the beautiful and most famous Kyoto temples and shrines. It’s so easy to walk and find a temple or shrine along the way everywhere in Kyoto that you actually need to be careful you don’t get “templed/shrined out” where you see so many they start to blur. I found the Japan Guide on Kyoto extremely helpful in planning which stops we wanted of the many options thanks to their descriptions and photos of each of the sites which are organized by districts in Kyoto.

In planning your Kyoto Temples and Shrines to visit, I recommend adding each of the destinations you are interested in into a custom Google Map like I covered previously in a how to. This then helps you create your own tour based on where everything is, and you can see exactly the distances. I tracked each option in a spreadsheet with its attributes of what made it special, hours of operation, and admission fee to help me distinguish the options until I narrowed it down to which would be on this walking tour.

I recommend adding each of the destinations you are interested in into a custom Google Map like I covered previously in a how to. This then helps you create your own tour based on where everything is, and you can see exactly the distances. I also tracked each option in a spreadsheet with its attributes of what made it special, hours of operation, and admission fee to help me distinguish the options until I narrowed it down to which would be on this walking tour.

So here is my list of Kyoto Temples and Shrines you can visit in a single day just by walking. These I am sharing today are all located in Southeastern Kyoto. I have another walking tour for visiting temples in the Arashiyama District of Kyoto in a future post. This walk starts from Kiyomizudera and goes about 3 km or about 2 miles north to Heian Shrine, but with all the sights along the way it really is an all day excursion.

Kiyomizudera Temple

Kiyomizudera Temple is famous for it’s wooden balcony that gives visitors a view of Kyoto as well as cherry blossoms and maple trees in spring and fall, respectively. Since I came in winter and currently parts of the temple are going through reconstruction, it was not the stage that stood out from Kiyomizudera for me.
The most famous part of Kiyomizu-dera temple is Kiyomizu Stage, which is the veranda of the Main Hall extended over a precipice The most famous part of Kiyomizu-dera temple is Kiyomizu Stage, which is the veranda of the Main Hall extended over a precipice

Instead, it was

1. Jishu Shrine is a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. Right after passing the balcony, which is super crowded, you will see stairs leading upwards to your left. You should walk pass the god of love himself, Okuninushi, and his rabbit companion, Hare of Inaba who is a messenger.
Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine has a statue of Okuninushino-mikoto, a Japanese god in charge of love and good matches and the rabbit besides him Hare of Inaba is a messenger - you saw his picture with the rabbit on some of the ema boards Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine has a statue of Okuninushino-mikoto, a Japanese god in charge of love and good matches and the rabbit besides him Hare of Inaba is a messenger - you saw his picture with the rabbit on some of the ema boards

Specifically for Jishu Shrine, there are two stones on either side that you are supposed to navigate from one to the other with your eyes closed in order to have luck in finding love. Some have people help guide them a little, which means that you will find love but with help.
Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well. Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well. Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well.

This area is also full of various shrines to different gods besides love to pray for other kinds of wishes, as well as various talismans varying from ema boards,  incense, omikuji (paper fortunes), etc. There are even hitogata paper dolls to “wash away” your health problems by placing them in buckets: when the paper dissolves in the water, your troubles will be cleared up.
Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes like here Daikoku Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes. Okage Myojin is the god who is believed to be a guardian deity especially for ladies. The Japanese ceders behind this shrine were used for Ushinotoki-mairi or 2AM visit where the ladies of old days would nail a straw doll on the ceder of their enemies putting a curse. Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes. Here, you write down your troubles on a hitogata paper doll and put it into the water - when the paper dissolves in the water, your troubles will be cleared up.

You can purchase charms /omamori varying from good health, long life, conception, children, to successful study to traffic safety. Unlike most temples who offer omamori, here at this shrine they have English translations for all the charms and all the altars which helps give a lot of context to what you are seeing.
Lots of charms / omamori at Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking Lots of charms / omamori at Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking

2. Otowa Waterfall is the reason Kiyomizudera Temple was founded here. After going downhill from the balcony to its bottom, you will find three streams of water where visitors use cups attached to long poles that are disinfected each time using UV rays. The belief is that each individual stream of the three streams offers a blessing of long life, success, and a good love life. Drinking from all three streams is considered greedy, so make your choices carefully!
The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life

Higashiyama District

On the way from Kiyomizudera Temple to our next temple, Kodaji Temple, you will be walking through the Higashiyama District which is a historic shopping street area, also referred to by the actual street names of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. These streets with its old fashioned storefronts has been serving those on temple visits for centuries and lets you stroll around what feels like the traditional Kyoto of old.
Kyoto - walking in the Higashiyama District, a preserved historic districts that feels like traditional old Kyoto, with the wooden buildings Kyoto - walking in the Higashiyama District, a preserved historic districts that feels like traditional old Kyoto, with the wooden buildings

Stores range from selling lots of lucky cat and other animal trinkets to ceramic kitchenware, including lots of chopstick rests that they had glued below their windows as decoration. Besides lots of little stores, there is plenty of food, from restaurants to snack stands including versions of the temple and shrine snacks I highlighted earlier in a post.

store in the Higashiyama District that had lots of cat but also other cute animal trinkets store in the Higashiyama District that had lots of ceramic kitchenware, including lots of chopstick rests that they had glued below their windows as decoration

Higashiyama District also has a whole map of various healing Buddhist statues you could seek out to touch/rub for merit with your right or both hands. I didn’t visit them all, but I found quite a few without seeking then out.  I rubbed Hotei a potbelly deity of good fortune thought to bring prosperity, Daikokuten an Indian deity one of the seven gods of good fortune that you can wish for prosperity, the Temmangu Ox said to bear your suffering for you if you touch the corresponding area of the ox, and statues of Hideyoshi and Nene which you can wish for a happy marriage like them and for peaceful remaining years surrounded by many people like Nene. It can’t hurt to touch just in case it does work right?
Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub. Hotei is a potbelly deity of good fortune thought to bring prosperity Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub, including Daikokuten an Indian deity one of the seven gods of good fortune that you can wish for prosperity Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit - this one you could rub for health aches and pains to go away, the Temmangu Ox here is said to bear your suffering for you. If you have an ailment on your body, touch the corresponding area of the ox Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit. These are statues of Hideyoshi and Nene which you can wish for a happy marriage like them and for peaceful remaining years surrounded by many people like Nene

Kodaji Temple

Kodaji Temple was established in memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan’s historical figures who helped play a part to unify Japan, by Hideyoshi’s wife Nene. What is notable about this temple is its Zen Gardens, aka the carefully maintained rock garden. It’s not as famous as Japan’s most well known Zen Garden at Ryoanji Temple (also in Kyoto), but the location in this area is more convenient to seeing a lot in one day, and still evokes the same beauty, even if interpretation of what the designs mean isn’t quite as enigmatic.

I was surprised that this was one of F’s favorite temples/shrines that we visited because he really enjoyed the moss landscaping,  and I really liked the delicate shapes in the rock garden. The peacefulness here was very inviting of contemplation and worth the small entrance fee.
Looking back at the gate from the path that led to Kodaji Temple in Kyoto Kodaji Temple in Kyoto is famous for it's Rock Garden Kodaji Temple in Kyoto is famous for it's Rock Garden Kodaiji's Tsukiyama garden with Kaizando Hall

Yasaka Shrine

Now continue walking north to Yasaka Shrine. The most distinguishing characteristic of this shrine is it’s great location not far from Gion (Kyoto’s entertainment and geisha district) and there are lots of great restaurants just outside of its gates along the streets of Shijo Dori and Higashi Oji Dori.
Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine

This Shinto Shrine has lots of gorgeous lanterns that look great both in the daytime and in the nighttime (it is always open, always free). You can see since it’s close to New Year’s how the stage happens to be decorated for the year of the monkey.

Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine

Chionin Temple and Shorenin Temple

Chionin Temple‘s Sanmon Gate is the largest wooden gate in Japan and dates back to the early 1600s. It’s on the way to our final destination for today in Kyoto Temples and Shrines. We didn’t stop at Chionin, just walked by so we can admire the entrance. If you do enter, make sure you check out the largest bell in Japan, weighing some 74 tons and cast in 1633,  it requires 17 monks to ring the bell at New Year. The temple grounds are free, but there is an admission fee to visit the gardens and the “Seven Wonders” of Chionin, one of which is  a uguisubari or nightingale floor that chirps with every footstep so no one can sneak around!
The massive Sanmon Gate of Chionin Temple, Kyoto is the largest wooden gate in Japan and dates back to the early 1600s.

We also walked by Shorenin Temple without going in (there is an admission fee). Mainly, we admired this beautiful mossy tree just outside. This temple is not as busy as the famous Kiyomizudera or Chionin, and has a tranquil, secret feel with multiple gardens and ponds, teahouse, and paintings to admire that are connected all by covered walkways between the buildings.
Mossy tree in Kyoto by Shorenin Temple entrance Mossy tree in Kyoto by Shorenin Temple entrance

Heian Shrine

I knew the Heian Shrine gates was supposed to be huge – it is after all the largest Torii Gate in Japan. I was still shocked when I could already see it down the street – way down the street, but still really visible – from the Shorenin Temple a little over half a mile away. Below, you can see how it compares in sizes to a huge tour bus and cars/people behind me.

First sighting of the massive Torii gates of Heian Jingu, or Heian Shrine in Kyoto - it's the largest Torii Gate in Japan. Built in 1929, it is 24.2 meters high; the top rail is 33.9 meters long the massive Torii gates of Heian Jingu, or Heian Shrine in Kyoto - it's the largest Torii Gate in Japan. Built in 1929, it is 24.2 meters high; the top rail is 33.9 meters long

In truth, the Heian Shrine isn’t that old – it was built in 1895 for the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto (then named Heian-kyō). The buildings convey the atmosphere of the Heian Period which had artistic integration with Chinese culture. Heian Shrine is supposed to be a 2/3 scale replica of the original Kyoto Imperial Palace (now destroyed).  It was refreshing to have such a big open courtyard space to walk in after the smaller spaces of all the previous stops.
The shrine’s main buildings convey the atmosphere of elegance of the Heian Period (794-1185). In those days, the Japanese people welcomed Chinese culture warmly, and we can still find in this shrine today many features and artifacts connected with Chinese culture. The actual shrine grounds themselves are very spacious, with a wide open court at the center. Kyoto was shocked and depressed after the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1940. Later, the citizens came together to build a new city after World War II. The construction of Heian Shrine was a symbol of revival for the city. The revival consisted of the new Kyoto in education, culture, industry, and daily life, where at the same time the

We were pretty beat by this time (it was late afternoon) and I really only wanted to see the main courtyard and the giant gates, so we walked back to our lodging to relax and rest our feet before dinner after this. If you still have some wind though to keep going, there are also huge gardens to visit (the Heian Shrine is free, but there is a fee to enter the garden).

Even though the distance between Kiyomizudera Temple and Heian Shrine is only 3 km or about 2 miles, when I looked back at my phone pedometer at how many steps I took that day, it totaled 19725 steps – or about 8.75 miles!

So of all these stops I’ve shared today in Southeast Kyoto, which do you think you would most be interested in? Do you put together DIY tours in a neighborhood or area when you travel?

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Marukin Ramen

March 18, 2016 by 4 Comments

Today marks the expanded soft opening of Marukin Ramen, at least at their initial location at 609 SE Ankeny. A second location is in the works at Pine Street Market. For their soft opening so far they’ve only been doing lunch service with one ramen type, but starting today their hours are 11AM  – 3PM Monday-Friday and 3PM  – 9PM Saturday-Sunday and they will offer a few select ramen choices each day. You can see the selection each day on their website. Then, on April 1st is their official opening to expand their hours and offer the full menu.

Marukin Ramen is a ramen chain in Japan, and this is their first US location . They have even imported from Japan their chef and a few staff to ensure they are authentic. Marukin Ramen’s location at 609 SE Ankeny includes roll up garage door and lots of windows to let in the light.

Marukin Ramen's location at 609 SE Ankeny includes roll up garage door and lots of windows to let in the light. Marukin Ramen's location at 609 SE Ankeny includes roll up garage door and lots of windows to let in the light.

They are offering 6 kinds of ramen, all priced at $10.
Marukin Ramen is offering multiple kinds of ramen

All the ramen utilizes their homemade ramen noodles that are made fresh every day and that are in the Hakata style, which are thin and long.  Hakata is in Fukuoka, Japan – and ramen Hakata style is one of the 3 most popular types of ramen (the big three styles are Tokyo, Sapporo and Hakata ramen).

At Marukin you can choose from among

  1. Tokyo Shoyu, clear broth made with chicken and Carlton Farms pork bones with shoyu (a special soy sauce). Topped with greens, menma-seasoned bamboo shoots, chashu roasted pork, roasted onions, leeks, green onions, soft boiled egg, nori seaweed. For someone who can have meat, this is probably the lightest broth – the only one lighter is the vegan one (#6 on this list). Shoyu is the most popular and common ramen type.
    Marukin Ramen, Tokyo Shoyu, clear broth made with chicken and Carlton Farms pork bones with shoyu. Topped with greens, menma-seasoned bamboo shoots, chashu roasted pork, roasted onions, leeks, green onions, soft boiled egg, nori seaweed.
  2. Marukin Paitan, the famous Marukin broth uses a unique, rich, creamy chicken based broth also known as paitan. Then for your Marukin ramen flavor (ramen = broth + flavor seasoning), additionally you must choose either shio (salt) or shoyu. Topped with greens, menma-seasoned bamboo shoots, chashu roasted pork, leeks, green onions, soft boiled egg, nori seaweed. I love how creamy this is and it’s one of my favorites in the line up.
    Marukin Ramen, the famous Marukin broth uses a unique, rich, creamy chicken based broth also known as paitan. Marukin Ramen, the famous Marukin broth uses a unique, rich, creamy chicken based broth also known as paitan.
  3. Tonkotsu Shoyu is a creamy Carlton Farms pork bone based soup flavored with shoyu. Tonkotsu involves boiling the pork bones for a really long time to extract all the fatty richness, and it’s very common to see creamy tonkotsu pork broths flavored with shoyu. Topped with greens, menma-seasoned bamboo shoots, chashu roasted pork, leeks, green onions, soft boiled egg, nori seaweed. Hakata style ramen usually is a combo of the Hakata style noodles made and served here with Tonkotsu broth.
    Marukin Ramen, Tonkotsu Shoyu is a creamy Carlton Farms pork bone based soup flavored with shoyu.
  4. Marukin Tonkotsu Red is a spicy version of the Marukin ramen (#2 above). Topped with greens, menma-seasoned bamboo shoots, chashu roasted pork, leeks, green onions, soft boiled egg, nori seaweed. This is another one of my favorites – but let me clearly warn you do not wear any light colored clothing when eating this because you will get splashes of red on you!
    Marukin Ramen, Marukin Red is a spicy version of the Marukin ramen with paitan Marukin Ramen, Marukin Red is a spicy version of the Marukin ramen with paitan
  5. Miso uses a chicken and Carlton Farms pork bone broth base and miso. Miso is a fermented soybean paste, so it offers an extra depth of earthy flavor beyond the richness you would experience with Paitan or Tonkatsu broth. Topped with greens, marinated shredded Carlton Farms pork, nappa cabbage, bean sprouts, shitake, maitake and shimeji mushrooms, roasted onions, leeks, green onions.
    Marukin Ramen, their Miso Ramen uses a chicken and Carlton Farms pork bone broth base and miso. Topped with greens, marinated shredded Carlton Farms pork, nappa cabbage, bean sprouts, shitake, maitake and shimeji mushrooms, roasted onions, leeks, green onions.
  6. Marukin Vegan uses a vegetable and either Tonyu a Ota Tofu soy milk based broth or Shoyu a shoyu tare based broth, made with onions, garlic, shitake mushrooms, and kombu (a kind of kelp). Topped with greens, nappa cabbage, bean sprouts, roasted tomato, fried tofu, shitake, maitake and shimeji mushrooms, leeks, green onions. This is the best vegan tofu in Portland.
    Marukin Ramen, Marukin Vegan uses a vegetable and Ota Tofu soy milk based broth made of onions, garlic, shitake mushrooms, and kombu (a kind of kelp). Topped with greens, nappa cabbage, bean sprouts, roasted tomato, fried tofu, shitake, maitake and shimeji mushrooms, leeks, green onions.

Ramen is eaten with chopsticks and a spoon is often provided for slurping some of the soup. Mix up all the items in your bowl except the nori – you can leave it sticking out to give you some crunchy to have between slurps. I leave the chashu usually towards the end to eat so it can help flavor the broth for a while.

Ramen noodles get soggy quickly because they start to absorb the soup and they continue to cook in the broth, so everything should be eaten immediately after they are served and finished in about 5 minutes or so while the noodles are still firm.
Marukin Ramen, the famous Marukin broth uses a unique, rich, creamy chicken based broth also known as paitan. Then for your Marukin ramen flavoyou must choose either shio (salt) or shoyu (soy sauce).

At the end, it’s fine to pick up the bowl to drink the soup directly from the bowl – you do not need to drink the whole bowl to be polite, though it is considered a compliment to the chef.
Marukin Ramen

They don’t offer extra toppings you can order yet – it sounds like that will be something that will be added to the menu later after they get used to regular service of their menu. There are some secret homemade chili oil you can supposedly ask for as well. To start they want you to enjoy the flavors and experience it as is before customizing it.

Ramen can be a one dish meal, but there are side dishes to enjoy if you don’t want ramen, or in addition to your ramen. For official side dishes,  there are options such as Pan fried Carlton Farms Gyoza, Chicken Karaage (Japanese style fried chicken served with a little mustard), Ebi Tiger deep fried shrimp karaage style, and onigiri. I definitely will report back after trying the onigiri, which was a big staple snack during my trip to Japan to carry these rice balls in our bags on hikes.
Marukin Ramen, Pan fried Carlton Farms Gyoza Marukin Ramen, Chicken Karaage (Japanese style fried chicken served with a little mustard) Marukin Ramen, Ebi Tiger deep fried shrimp karaage style

So this isn’t quite the Ramen Museum amount of ramen styles to try that I had in Japan, but it is the best chance in Portland now to try a variety of styles of ramen. I admire that they are carefully expanding their menu as they go to not sacrifice on quality and service, and hope you give them a try and be kind about their growing into their rhythm as they are so new. You can probably expect lines, just like ramen shops that are good I’m Japan –  keep in mind that ramen is eaten relatively quickly so there should be fast turnover of seats too. The unspoken rule of ramen shops is to not linger and get your ramen fix done and leave –  sort of like eating fast food.

Which ramen do you think you want to try?

Marukin Ramen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Disclosure: I attended a media preview but I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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Japan Travel – Visiting Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum

March 15, 2016 by 4 Comments

Last week, I covered part one of our day trip to the Yokohama area, and visiting the Cup Noodles Ramen Museum and making our own custom Cup Noodles. Part two is when we headed to the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum. Shin Yokohama is located about 15 minutes from Yokohama, or about 45 minutes from Tokyo.

Just outside the doors fo the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum indicating you have reached the right place!

We didn’t stay to eat ramen at the Cup Noodles Ramen Museum during our visit because it isn’t vegetarian friendly – and by vegetarian I include not eating seafood. There are lots of places in Japan to eat delicious ramen, and you can even find several areas where there are many ramen joints close together so you can progressively enjoy multiple ramen shops at once  – the famous areas particularly are Tokyo Ramen Street at Tokyo Station, and Kyoto Ramen Koji/Street. But, good luck again finding multiple vegetarian ramen.

The Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, on the other hand, not only offers multiple ramen, including “mini” portions that are smaller intentionally to help you try multiple bowls of ramen. And, there are  multiple vegetarian ramen choices if you combine all the 9 shop options. And, the vegetarian ones are clearly marked. If you don’t eat pork, these are also clearly marked.

Atmosphere

After purchasing your entrance admission (310 yen) to the Ramen Museum here, you have a day pass – so you could come for lunch and then leave and get your hand stamped and return for dinner. After going through the turnstile showing your ticket or handstamp, you enter a entrance hallway. Here, you can see boards listing the free wifi information as well as info about the different ramen shops you can dine at and what they specialize in. They have brochures too with a map in multiple languages.
On the boards in the entrance hallway are free wifi information as well as info about the different ramen shops you can dine at and what they specialize in. There are 9 different food stands to choose from. there is also a museum shop, bar, cafe and snack shop, fortune teller at a table you can visit, a old fashioned neighborhood sweets shop, and there seems to be a game for kids in Japanese where they help look for clues and solve a crime/Wanted case as we saw them turning it into a 'uniformed officer' during our visits

I should warn now that although it is titled the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, I would not really call this a museum. It really qualifies more as a food amusement park featuring ramen dishes from different regions of Japan. The museum is part of the gift shop and maybe has only 2 walls worth of information letting you know about the 26 prefectures and showing you some historical ramen items, but not much else in terms of content. The museum is the same size as the gift shop, which is smaller than the slot race track which I’m not quite sure why it’s also here.
The Shin-Yokahama Raumen Museum is more of a food park then a museum, since this is one of the few exhibits they have on ramen, and this museum is maybe the same size as the gift shop right next to it The Shin-Yokahama Raumen Museum is more of a food park then a museum, since this is one of the few exhibits they have on ramen, and this museum is maybe the same size as the gift shop right next to it

To get to the food part, descend to the 2 floors of basement below – you can find small lockers on your way down here to leave your coats if you’d like. As you go down the stairs, the effect is as if you had just walked down the stairs from the train, and it’s also a jump back in time because the streetscape is like it’s almost dusk in 1958. Even though this area is really 2 floors of basement, the details of the sky, the 2nd floor windows with laundry and lights like they are apartments, and first floor windows are decorated like storefronts or movie theaters, really add to a cool atmosphere of old era Tokyo.
Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 and nine ramen shops from around Japan with different specialty ramen to eat Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 and nine ramen shops from around Japan with different specialty ramen to eat Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 and nine ramen shops from around Japan with different specialty ramen to eat Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 and nine ramen shops from around Japan with different specialty ramen to eat Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 and nine ramen shops from around Japan with different specialty ramen to eat Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 and nine ramen shops from around Japan with different specialty ramen to eat Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 and nine ramen shops from around Japan with different specialty ramen to eat Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 and nine ramen shops from around Japan with different specialty ramen to eat

On the first floor of the basement, there are even sound effects on loundspeakers of monks chanting, or a cat meowing, or movies or radio music from the era, as you walk down the different “alleys” of a neighborhood of homes and bars that circle around the since the middle area is open to the second floor.
Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 there are even sound effects on loundspeakers of monks chanting, or a cat meowing, or movies or radio music from the era, as you walk down the fake alleys of a neighborhood of homes and bars Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 there are even sound effects on loundspeakers of monks chanting, or a cat meowing, or movies or radio music from the era, as you walk down the fake alleys of a neighborhood of homes and bars Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 there are even sound effects on loundspeakers of monks chanting, or a cat meowing, or movies or radio music from the era, as you walk down the fake alleys of a neighborhood of homes and bars Inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, featuring a streetscape like it's 1958 there are even sound effects on loundspeakers of monks chanting, or a cat meowing, or movies or radio music from the era, as you walk down the fake alleys of a neighborhood of homes and bars

There are different food stands throughout the 2 floors including 8 ramen shops, 1 Okinawa Izakaya tavern, a bar, and a cafe and snack shop. There is also a fortune teller at a table you can visit, a old fashioned neighborhood sweets shop, and there seems to be a game for kids in Japanese where they help look for clues and solve a crime/Wanted Poster cases as we saw them turning their evidence into a “uniformed officer” during our visits. We also saw other performers, like a magician.

To order, like many ramen shops, there is a machine by the door where you put in money. After pushing buttons corresponding to your food, little slips of paper with the dish names print out. This is true of all the ramen shops, the Izakaya tavern, as well as the bar at Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum.
The Bar inside the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum where you also order by machine At Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, similar to many ramen shops, at each place you order from a machine. Here luckily plastic laminated menus explain the dishes in multiple languages with corresponding numbers to match the machine you will insert money and get your food ticket from. When there are seats available you hand it to the attendant at the front and they will bring you your food when it's ready. On the menu, there are always a few mini portions so you can try a couple different ramen from different places. Every person who sits down is expected to order ramen if they are an adult.

As a plus though, here at the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum there are also several large laminated menus in multiple languages (Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and English) with corresponding numbers to match the machine buttons and with symbols standing for whether a dish has pork, is vegetarian, etc.
At Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, similar to many ramen shops, at each place you order from a machine. Here luckily plastic laminated menus explain the dishes in Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and English with corresponding numbers to match the machine you will insert money and get your food ticket from. At Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, similar to many ramen shops, at each place you order from a machine. Here luckily plastic laminated menus explain the dishes in Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and English with corresponding numbers to match the machine you will insert money and get your food ticket from.

Not only are main dishes like ramen on the machine, but so are extra accompaniments you might want to eat such as extra meat, noodles, rice, or side dishes, or beverages. For instance at the shop Nidai-me Genkotsu-ya they offer jumbo gyoza – just look how big they are compared to my chopsticks!
At Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, you can get more than ramen- for instance Nidai-me Genkotsu-ya offers jumbo gyoza At Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, you can get more than ramen- for instance Nidai-me Genkotsu-ya offers jumbo gyoza

They were super juicy too…
At Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, you can get more than ramen- for instance Nidai-me Genkotsu-ya offers jumbo gyoza

When there are seats available you hand it to the attendant at the front and they will bring you your food when it’s ready. On the menu, there are always a few “mini” smaller portions so you can try a couple different ramen from different places. Every person who sits down is expected to order ramen if they are an adult.

Ramen Recap

The first ramen place we decide to try at Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum is at the shop Ryu Shanghai Honten, whose trademark is in its super-fat noodles folded over 32 times and that their spicy miso ramen is topped off with a scoop of the raw, spicy-hot miso. They had a mini version of this specialty spicy miso ramen that I ordered, while F got a full portion of his first vegetarian ramen.
At Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, similar to many ramen shops, at each place you order from a machine. Here luckily plastic laminated menus explain the dishes in multiple languages with corresponding numbers to match the machine you will insert money and get your food ticket from. When there are seats available you hand it to the attendant at the front and they will bring you your food when it's ready. On the menu, there are always a few mini portions so you can try a couple different ramen from different places. Every person who sits down is expected to order ramen if they are an adult. The first ramen place we decide to try at Shin Yokohama Eamen Museum is at the shop Ryu Shanghai Honten, whose trademark is in its super-fat noodles folded over 32 times and that their spicy miso ramen is topped off with a scoop of the raw, spicy-hot miso The first ramen place we decide to try at Shin Yokohama Eamen Museum is at the shop Ryu Shanghai Honten, whose trademark is in its super-fat noodles folded over 32 times and that their spicy miso ramen is topped off with a scoop of the raw, spicy-hot miso

The second ramen place we decide to try is an Italian ramen restaurant called  Casa Luca featuring Milano Tonkotsu that is advertised as having Italian flavor, plus you can order it with Peperoncino or with Parmesan, though I did neither. The pork bone broth (tonkotsu) has olive oil added to it, the chashu is grilled after being massaged with Italian rock salt that gives a hint of pancetta, and the noodles use a blend of Japanese flour and Italian flour of Durum Semorena, a flour often used for Italian pasta and bread. This time the vegetarian shoyu ramen version looked different enough to get a photo. You can also order Italian sodas and wine if you’d like at this shop.
The second ramen place we decide to try at Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum is Casa Luca featuring Milano Tonkotsu that has Italian flavor (you can order it with Peperoncino or with Parmesan) The vegetarian ramen at the second ramen place we decide to try at Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, Casa Luca Milano The second ramen place we decide to try at Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum is Casa Luca featuring Milano Tonkotsu that has Italian flavor (you can order it with Peperoncino or with Parmesan)

Next for the third ramen he and I separated- him to Komurasaki known for their specially-flavored oil, and roasted, crumbled garlic chips on their ramen to get the vegetarian ramen there, while I headed to the famous Sumire which didn’t offer vegetarian ramen. Here’s a look at their shoyu broth ramen and then their famous miso ramen where the meat is minced and distributed throughout the bowl so some people order a bowl of rice to go with their miso ramen. Of all the noodles I had these were my favorite of all the shops, they are Hokkaido-style noodles that are medium-thick, slightly hard and curvy.
Sumire which didn't offer vegetarian ramen. They are famous for their Miso Ramen, but I hit the wrong button and got the shoyu and didn't realize it until the ramen got served... oh well! This shoyu broth was still super delicious, and these were my favorite noodles Sumire which didn't offer vegetarian ramen. They are famous for their Miso Ramen, but I hit the wrong button and got the shoyu and didn't realize it until the ramen got served... oh well! This shoyu broth was still super delicious, and these were my favorite noodles Visiting the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum - My mini-ramen here from Sumire. They have Hokkaido-style noodles that are medium-thick, slightly hard and curvy and were my favorite among the ramen I tried. I'm getting the famous miso one. The meat is minced so is throughout the bowl - some people order a bowl of rice to go with this Visiting the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum - My mini-ramen here from Sumire. They have Hokkaido-style noodles that are medium-thick, slightly hard and curvy and were my favorite among the ramen I tried. I'm getting the famous miso one. The meat is minced so is throughout the bowl - some people order a bowl of rice to go with this

F’s vegetarian ramen from Muku Zweite and then my mini ramen with meat. The ingredients for the ramen noodles uses durum flour for pasta and flour for pizza which is unique for this ramen shop with origins from Frankfurt, Germany. For my ramen broth, the soup is boiled for 3 days with pork bone and chicken. You can also order German beer and currywurst sausage here in the shop and include as one of your toppings for the ramen sauerkraut (!? Which I didn’t do).
Visiting the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum - Fred's vegetarian ramen from Muku Zweite. The ingredients for the ramen noodles uses durum flour for pasta and flour for pizza which is unique for this ramen shop from Frankfurt, Germany Visiting the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum - My mini-ramen bowl here is from Muku Zweite in which the soup is boiled for 3 days with pork bone and chicken. The ingredients for the ramen noodles uses durum flour for pasta and flour for pizza which is unique for this ramen shop from Frankfurt, Germany. You can also order German beer and currywurst sausage here in the shop and include as one of your toppings sauerkraut

Finally, the Okinawa “Ryukyu new noodles Tondo” by tavern Ryo Next / Izakaya Ryouji with their scorched black shoyu ramen.
My mini bowl of scorched black shoyu ramen, my last bowl at the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum

Dessert at the bar included shochu and sweet potato ice cream, and beer.
A beer at the bar of Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum Dessert at the bar of Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum included shochu and sweet potato ice cream

I know some online reviews complained about having to pay an admission to then pay for food and drink at shops to eat, but 310 yen is so little for the clean access to restrooms and the wi fi and the English translations I think it’s totally worth it – and even more so if you have a vegetarian with you, or someone who doesn’t eat pork, since both those are labeled on all the menus here. As a vegetarian, F loved that he has multiple options here and so I definitely recommend if you are vegetarian and in Tokyo you come and visit.

Perhaps I could have gotten better ramen at specific shops in Tokyo, but the ones here were pretty good and all conveniently located. I did try to go to Tokyo Street later during the trip, but the lines were so long we ended up coming back to Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum a second time to get ramen we missed during our first visit. I would be impressed if you can fit more than 3 mini ramen portions in a visit – because that’s all I could handle.

Check out the Shin Yokohama Museum website for which ramen shops are here (they may rotate) – they have the menus of each of  the shops, and also an approximate waiting time if any, but only on the Japanese version of the website so you’ll need to translate. They also have videos with subtitles of visits to each shop to give you an idea of the various shop specialties before you visit available on both the Japanese and English versions of the site.

For me, my favorite style of Japanese Ramen is the intense Sapporo style ramen which has the depth of a fermented miso base, especially with the additional topping of corn and a pat of butter, and Hokkaido noodles which are thicker and wavy instead of straight, which makes a different in that they are more firm and I like the texture of the slight folds even though it means more likely splatter when slurping. The soup is so super rich that you can order an additional plate of noodles after your first bowl (kaedama) to add to your soup and still be really happy. At least that’s me.

What do you think of the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum – would you call it a food amusement park? Would you ever visit a food amusement park – and what of food would you want to see featured?

Next time on my Japan Travel post, I’m finally going to take you out of the Tokyo area and show you our explorations in Kyoto! And if you are getting a craving for ramen after this post, come back on Friday when I talk about where you can get authentic Tokyo ramen in Portland.

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Nuts

March 14, 2016 by 6 Comments

It’s March, so besides Portland Dining Month as I wrote about earlier, I was also inspired to look forward to St Patrick’s Day. Though I’m not a fan of green beer or over-drinking, or food with green dye (in fact I intentionally wrote a post last year promoting recipes for food that is naturally green).

Green Food for St Patrick's Day with no need for food dye or food coloring, plus suggestions for fun ways to incprorate corned beef and pastrami

Last year I also made Reuben Sliders

Reuben Sliders Recipe from Pechluck.com, great for a party and the next day as leftovers for lunch too!

This year I was inspired by the Vegetarian Times recipe for Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts. It is completely vegetarian, and ok, maybe doesn’t really have anything green in it either that stands out except for the parsley – but hey it uses cabbage for those of us who don’t want the corned beef. With the red and green colors, I would consider making this for Christmas too.
Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts

Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts with Butter Tomato Sauce

Serves 4-6. It’s important to remove as much liquid as you can from every part of the dish before you assemble them in the casserole. My trick to doing this is by baking it in a foil lined 8″ by 8″ pan. Then after baking, I can pour any extra liquid out and since it’s on foil easily lift and transfer the casserole onto a serving platter.
Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts

In many ways, this is essentially a kind of eggless lasagna that uses cabbage instead of pasta for the layering.
Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts

The original recipe makes a tomato sauce using just chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, and parsley. However, I made my own version with a butter tomato sauce that utilizes just tomatoes. To keep this vegan follow the original recipe instead, and then swap the low fat ricotta with a cashew ricotta or tofu ricotta. By using my version with the butter tomato sauce I was trying to add a little extra flavor then their simple tomato sauce, but the original version, I admit, is healthier.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can crushed tomatoes in its own juice (28 ounces)
  • 1 whole onion, peeled and cut in half
  • 5 tablespoons of butter
  • 12 large leaves of savoy cabbage
  • 3 teaspoons of olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup of chopped leeks (about 1 leek)
  • ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 of a lemon, cut into slices
  • 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 1/2 cup of low-fat ricotta cheese, drained of liquid
  • 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Directions:

  1. In a small pot, simmer the can of crushed tomatoes with the peeled onion halves (cut it lengthwise so it will stay intact) and 5 tablespoons of butter for about 30 minutes, stirring once a while to distribute the flavor.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil in a small skillet. Add the 1 cup of chopped leeks and saute until they are bright green. Now pour in the 1/2 cup of low sodium vegetable broth, add lemon slices on top and let everything simmer until there is essentially no broth left, probably about 30 minutes. Remove lemon and set aside the lemon and broth flavored leeks – again, keep in mind there should be no liquid.
  3. While those two pots are reducing, boil some salted water and blanch the 12 large savoy cabbage leaves by letting them soften in the boiling water for about 5 minutes or so and then immediately plunge each leaf in iced cold water. Remove each leaf from the cold water and pat dry on both sides and set aside for layering your casserole shortly.
    Blanched cabbage leaves that will be the foundation of layers for Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts, similar to a lasagna but can be vegan and doesn't use pasta
  4. By this point, your tomatoes should have absorbed most of the flavors from the onion and butter. Discard the onion,  or set aside for another dish. In a medium sized skillet over high heat, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of  oil. Saute the minced garlic for about a minute and then add about 1 cup of the crushed tomato only using a slotted spoon to use up the chunky tomato flesh parts – you can use the leftover of your sauce for spaghetti that is left in the other pot. For now, after adding the 1 cup of tomato to the minced garlic in the skillet, stir for a few minutes and then stir in the 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Now it’s time to assemble the cabbage casserole. Coat an 8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray – or do what I did which is I used a foil layer inside the baking dish, and then sprayed that with cooking spray so that I could easily lift the casserole out later and serve it on a platter.
  6. Place 3 of the large blanched cabbage leaves on bottom to start the layers.
    Place 3 of the large blanched cabbage leaves on bottom to start the layers for the Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts
  7. Spread 1/4 cup of your tomato garlic parsley mix over the cabbage leaves layer.
    Spread 1/4 cup of your tomato garlic parsley mix over the cabbage leaves layer in assembling the Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts
  8. Top with 1/3 portion of your lemon vegetable broth flavored leeks (1/3 because you will need to do 3 layers of this in assembling the cabbage casserole).
    Next, top with 1/2 of your lemon vegetable broth flavored leeks in assembling the Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts Next, top with 1/2 of your lemon vegetable broth flavored leeks in assembling the Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts
  9. Now spread 6 generous tablespoons of the low fat ricotta, and sprinkle 1 tablespoons of the toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper.
    spread 6 generous tablespoons of the ricotta, and sprinkle 1 tablespoons of the toasted pine nuts to finish the layer filling of the Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts
  10. Now repeat these steps, adding 2 more layers. At the end, top with your fourth layer of 3 cabbage leaves and last of the tomatoes mixture.
  11. Bake in the oven 30 minutes.

If there is a lot of liquid that comes out of the casserole, drain the liquid.
Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts

Then serve in slices, just like you would any lasagna or casserole!
Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts

Are you doing anything for St Patrick’s day, or making any special green or Irish inspired food? Are you too looking forward to the evenings when you come home and there is still some sunlight / natural light to enjoy now that we’ve gone through Daylight Savings time change and leapt forward?

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