Pechluck's Food Adventures

Japan Travel: Kyoto Tofu

April 5, 2016 by Pechluck 11 Comments

For Travel Tuesday in Japan this time, I want to take a break from the sightseeing and let’s talk about some Kyoto food! As I mentioned, Kyoto served as the capital for Japan for about 1000 years, so has a culinary lineage that includes royalty and imperial court, as well as the base for literally thousands of temples and shrines in the area. Famous kinds of foodie goals to seek out while in Kyoto include

Kaiseki, elaborate haute multi-course traditional Japanese dinners
Shojin Ryori, Japanese Buddhist vegetarian cuisine
Tofu
Sake

I have already shared with you how I enjoyed a kaiseki dinner and breakfast when I stayed at a ryokan by Mount Fuji. You can see a great breakdown of what are the kinds of foods you would see in a kaiseki here at Japan Guide and Japan Talk.

And I showed you a Zen vegetarian shojin ryori lunch at Shigetsu restaurant at Tenryu-ji Temple at Arashiyama.

But, did you also know that the waters in Kyoto are reknown for how clear and pure its waters are, and some byproducts of utilizing that perfect water are Tofu and Sake? In fact, Tofu is considered a local specialty in Kyoto, might be considered the best in Japan, and is popular enough to be Tofu Ryori (“tofu cuisine”).

Tofu is everywhere – and it’s really tasty. I discovered I’m in love with yuba (tofu skin). In fact the common availability of Kyoto tofu is one of the reasons F found Kyoto to be his favorite destination of all the places we visited in Japan during our 2 week trip. If you are vegetarian, even vegan, you are going to get along well in Kyoto.

Yudofu

During our visits to Kyoto temples and shrines, we stopped at a restaurant just below stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall’s 3 streams for a late breakfast and fueling of Yudofu. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce (you can see the sauce container is placed in part of the yudofu wooden bath). Simple perfection.

It’s hard to describe what it could be comparable to – the tofu is solid but soft, almost the texture of big dumplings in being solid yet soft, and absorbing the flavors in the bowl while offering its own clean freshness.
Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce

Tofu with Beer

We went to a craft beer bar called Beer Komachi that along with their local Kyoto and Japanese brews and a few imports also offered an izakaya food menu that included vegetarian friendly options including tofu options of Tofu Pizza (which F ordered twice during our visit it was so good). I was taken aback how how great Yuba soy milk skin goes with beer, and it’s fresh creaminess was surprisingly reminiscent of burrata!
Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food highlighting Kyoto ingredients along with craft beers in Kyoto At Beer Komachi in Kyoto offering craft beer and craft food, Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food along with craft beers in Kyoto. The chef has a very small kitchen to work from of only a stove, deep fryer, oven, and toaster oven but puts out lots of options from the kitchen The Deep Fried Tofu Pizza at Beer Komachi, Kyoto, so good that Fred ordered a second one shortly after finishing the first order Kyoto's Yuba Soy Milk Skin - at Beer Komachi. I really liked this dish, and it goes really well with beer

Tofu Kaiseki at Tousuiro

There is one restaurant that specializes in Tofu Kaiseki in Kyoto called Tousuiro – it has two locations, and it turns out the one in Gion was essentially just a block away from our AirBnB. So I had F ask a colleague who can speak Japanese to call and make a reservation for us, ensuring that at least his dinner would really be completely vegetarian – my version could include seafood. Here’s a look at our experience to Tousuiro

Outside of Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant

We ordered local Kyoto sake to enjoy with our dinner.
Sake - first bottle we ordered at Tousuiro of a local sake Sake - second bottle we ordered at Tousuiro of a local sake

When we arrived, we removed our shoes and were seated at a chef’s bar that thankfully had sunken seating (Zashiki) so although we were on the floor I didn’t have to sit awkwardly in my dress and could stretch my legs in the sunken floor. Sitting at the bar meant we got to watch the chef prepare everything, though we didn’t really talk because I don’t think he spoke much English. Our only communications was to express with gestures how beautiful and delicious everything we had was.

Even looking back at these photos, I am a little teary eyed at how achingly exquisite this meal was. I didn’t want to be obnoxious with my camera so was trying to take them quickly and also eat at a good pace as I think we were among the last seating for the evening. But I hated destroying by eating the stunning art before me, even though I knew that was its purpose. Ha such mixed feelings…

First course

This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course

This is the vegetarian version
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have vegetarian version of the first course

Second Course

Yudofu. We ate the same thing, but had different sauces to add to the tofu. The chef said we could get this refilled as many times as we wanted. We had him refill it once, but were afraid to do any more or we wouldn’t be able to eat the other courses though we didn’t know what was coming yet…
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. The Yudofu here is sublime and supreme

Third Course

Soup- my version that can include seafood, and his that is completely vegetarian. I think his was better.
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the soup course

Fourth Course

I had been tortured by the scent of the chargrilled tofu for a while, and was so stoked when it finally arrived. His version didn’t have the shrimp on the plate but was otherwise the same. It was sooo good, one of my top two favorite dishes of the night with the smoky sweetness from the grill and miso sauce that has carmelized.
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This chargrilled tofu skewer was one of my favorite of the night with its smoky sweetness, the vegetarian version doesn't have the shrimp on the plate obviously

Fifth Course

This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the fifth course

Sixth Course

I always love how gorgeous and elegant the bowls are and then the surprise when you open it to reveal what’s inside! This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the sixth course

This is the vegetarian version
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the sixth course

Seventh Course

I was super jealous of his vegetarian course with the yuba.
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the 7th course

Eighth Course

Dessert!
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessert

If you think you don’t like tofu – I would suggest that perhaps you haven’t really tried high quality, fresh tofu yet. The difference between the tofu that I made faces at when I first started dating F and was trying to figure out which plastic packaged in water kind to get at Whole Foods and how now I mainly get my fresh tofu at Bui Tofu (best tofu in Portland I think) is vast – sort of like the difference between frozen microwavable burgers and the best burgers in town like at Toro Bravo or Little Bird (my current faves). It’s like American cheese vs real aged cheeses.

There are many preparations of tofu out there – some almost disguise it such as in Chinese MaPo Tofu or Korean SoonDuBu Jjigae with so much spice. What I really love about the Japanese treatments you see here is that they keep it simple and let you really taste the tofu’s clean flavors that can be creamy like with yuba, smokey and sweet like with the grilled skewers, silky yet firm like in yudofo, or solid enough to be a vehicle for toppings with tofu pizza. You just have to find what fits you.

I would go to Kyoto again in a heartbeat, and definitely seek out tofu again. Did any of these dishes intrigue you, would you try any of them? Did you know tofu was such a specialty in Kyoto?

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

Guide to Planning a Trip: Research
Guide to Planning a Trip: Mapping
Hagoita Ichi Winter Festival at Sensoji Temple, Japan
Japanese Treats at Temples and Shrines
Winter Illuminations in Tokyo (Winter Season – November – February!)
Snow Monkeys in Hot Springs
Onsen by Mount Fuji covers Onsen 101 and how we loved our stay at Lake Kawaguchiko
Dining at a Ryokan a look at what a traditional dinner and breakfast might be during a ryokan stay
Visiting Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama (just outside Tokyo)
Visiting Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum
Kyoto Temples and Shrines (walking tour starting in Higashimaya with stops especially at Kiyomizudera Temple, Kodaji Temple, Heian Shrine)
Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama
Kyoto Tofu
Kyoto Famous Sights of the Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavilion) and Fushimi Inari (Red Torii Gates)
Famous Signs of Osaka and eating Osaka Food specialities like okonomiyaki, takoyaki and kushikatsu
Visiting Himeji Castle, the famous white castle in Japan
Fun at Japanese Cafes and More including Maid Cafe, Cat Cafe; theme parks of J World and Namja Town, a geeky stop at Kanda Myojin, and Ghibli Museum
Japan Eating Checklist is my top 25 list of things to try to include as an eating experience when visiting Japan
New Year’s in Japan: Oji Fox Parade, and some photos of a Meiji Shrine visit on New Year’s Day

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Travel Tagged With: #japantravel, #pechandfredjapan2015, #traveltuesday, Beer Komachi, chargrilled tofu, Deep Fried Tofu Pizza, Guide to Kyoto, Japan, Japan travel, Kyoto, Kyoto Cuisine, Kyoto Dining, Kyoto Eats, Kyoto Food, Kyoto Tofu, Kyoto Tofu Ryori, Kyoto travel, skewered tofu, tofu, tofu cuisine, tofu kaiseki, tofu pizza, tofu ryori, tofu skewers with miso, tofu skin, tofu soup, tofu with beer, Tousuiro, Travel Guide to Japan, travel Japan, Travel Kyoto, Travel Tuesday, vegetarian Japan, vegetarian Kyoto, Visit Japan, Visit Kyoto, yuba, yudofu

Israeli Couscous and Cheese

April 4, 2016 by Pechluck 7 Comments

This recipe was something I had bookmarked from the blog Food Wishes Israeli Couscous and Cheese for quite a while. I have to admit it does take balls (a lot of little balls, hee hee) to combine Israeli Couscous, with it’s lovely texture, with cheese in a version that combines risotto and macaroni and cheese and a little pimento surprise! It’s wonderful as a new twist for a side dish for a rainy day or as a fun addition to a vegetarian holiday spread.
Israeli Couscous and Cheese Recipe - enjoy this ballsy (ha ha) vegetarian take on mac and cheese and risotto

The original recipe is here, on the video he posted: doesn’t Chef John just sound so nice and friendly? I wish he was my neighbor. He’s so humorous but clearly a great lover of food, is very knowledgeable but approachable, and puts together interesting combinations so you should check out Food Wishes, and he’s also a huge contributor to All Recipes. He may not make the most Pinterest worthy photos, but that makes him seem even more homey and a testament that even without the visuals, he delivers on taste.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons melted butter or olive oil
1 cup Israeli couscous
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup diced pimentos
1/2 cup heavy cream
cayenne to taste (I used about a 1/4 teaspoon but I like it spicy)
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoons of freshly sliced chives
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Directions:

Measure 1 cup of Israeli couscous and put in a deep saute pan to toast it with 2 teaspoons of melted butter in a pan. Don’t brown it, it should just become a bit golden.
Now add your 2 cups of vegetable broth (you can use any stock but I want this to be vegetarian so used that kind of stock – he uses chicken stock). Bring the heat up to high and once the broth and couscous is at simmer, lower the heat. Let it sit for 6 – 7 minutes as the couscous plumps up, stirring occasionally, letting the liquid evaporated while leaving all the flavor behind.
Turn the heat down to medium, and then stir in the 1/4 cup diced pimentos, the 1/2 cup heavy cream, and bit of cayenne pepper. Let it cook for a few more minutes until the couscous is as tender as you want it and at the texture is as thick as you want
Turn off the heat and add the 3 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and then the tablespoon of chives for a bit of bite. You may want to add salt and pepper to fit your taste.

It is a fun textural experience – it may not have the crispiness of a baked mac and cheese, but it has the creaminess of a risotto with a little extra cheesiness.

Israeli Couscous and Cheese Recipe - enjoy this ballsy (ha ha) vegetarian take on mac and cheese and risotto

What do you think of this take? What’s your favorite vehicle for mac and cheese – elbow pasta? rotini? shells?

Filed Under: Cheese, Cooking, Food and Drink Tagged With: #MeatlessMonday, Cheesy Couscous, Couscous Mac and Cheese, easy vegetarian, holiday vegetarian, holiday vegetarian recipe, Israeli Couscous and Cheese, Israeli Couscous and Cheese Recipe, vegetarian, vegetarian recipe

Japan Travel: Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama

March 29, 2016 by Pechluck 5 Comments

Last week I walked through how we walked the 2 miles through some of the most famous temples and shrines in Southeast Kyoto. Today, I’m going to share another day that we walked through visiting temples in Kyoto, but this time in the Arashiyama area. You can spend a whole day in this area because there are plenty of sights, but we only spent a half day (I’ll go through the first half of this day, which was at the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine, in a future post). I feel like the Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama are a must see, even if they don’t have the same level of reknown. That is because unlike the famous temples, these in Arashiyama are much more introspective and don’t have the crowds. It feels like a more authentic visit to a temple that has beauty, history, as well as timeless non-specific spirituality, whatever your beliefs may be.

Arashiyama is farther out west from the city center, which means it will likely take about 30 minutes by transit. The main street is busy and touristy, centered by the the famous Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryuji Temple, and the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

Tenryu-ji Temple

Tenryuji Temple is considered one of Kyoto’s five great Zen temples, and is a world heritage site. The curved gable roof of this wood and plaster Temple Living Quarters is one of the most commonly photographed of Tenryuji’s buildings and is a something of a symbol for the temple itself. The temple is also known for its garden that includes integration of water (both with real water with the koi and as represented by arranged white sand in wave pattterns), rock, sky and mountains.

Tenryuji Temple was built in 1339 but the temple buildings were repeatedly lost in fires and wars over the centuries, so most of the current halls date from the relatively recent Meiji Period (1868-1912). Unlike the temple buildings, Tenryuji’s garden survived the centuries in its original form. I don’t know how original the giant koi here are though…
Tenryuji Temple was built in 1339 but the temple buildings were repeatedly lost in fires and wars over the centuries, so most of the current halls date from the relatively recent Meiji Period (1868-1912). Unlike the temple buildings, Tenryuji's garden survived the centuries in its original form. I don't know how original the giant koi here are though... Tenryuji Temple as built in 1339 by the ruling shogun Ashikaga Takauji. Takauji dedicated the temple to Emperor Go-Daigo, who had just passed away. The two important historic figures used to be allies until Takauji turned against the emperor in a struggle for supremacy over Japan. By building the temple, Takauji intended to appease the former emperor's spirits. The Kairo (covered colonnade) at Tenryuji Temple, Kyoto

Also located at Tenryuji is a Zen Vegetarian restaurant called Shigetsu, where we enjoyed traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine also known as shojin-ryori. After paying you remove your shoes because inside are all wooden hallways and inside the rooms are tatami mat floors.
Entrance to Shigetsu: Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant serving traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisines, also known as shojin-ryori. After you enter, you remove your shoes because inside are tatami mat floors as you'll soon see. This building is also known as Ryumontei (Dragon Gate Pavillion).

You head into a common room to eat kneeling as the monks do. I wouldn’t say we were silent but we were very quiet, whispering in our small parties. Each person sat side by side so you didn’t even look at them directly when dining. This is so different from normal eating in the US where as we kneeled eating silently, we were forced to focus on the presentation and subtle flavors before us and nothing else, without the distraction of conversation or anyone else moving or making noise around us.

Red lacquer is used extensively to show off the good presentation. We got the Yuki (Snow) set ¥3,000 that includes rice, soup, and five side dishes – these first two photos are not the entire set, as the soup came after the first tray, and then there was an additional dessert tray.
Shigetsu: Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant serving traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisines, also known as shojin-ryori. The word shojin generally means Buddhist vegetarian in Japan but originally meant 'zeal in progressing along the path to salvation.'

On that center dish, in the back is is yuba, or tofu skin and to the left the rectangle is Nama-fu or wheat gluten. The vegetables are pea pods and a mushroom. To the upper right, the tofu had the sauce at the bottom and its made with sesame not soy. All the dishes were focused on highlighting simple but local and fresh ingredients while also balancing hot and cold, sweet, sour, savory, salty, and a bit of bitter, as well as different textures.
Details of one of the dishes as part of our set of shojin-ryori lunch at Shigetsu, Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant. In the back is is yuba, or tofu skin and to the left the rectangle is Nama-fu or wheat gluten. The vegetables are pea pods and a mushroom. The last dish - dessert - of our set of shojin-ryori, our Buddhist vegetarian lunch at Shigetsu: Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

After exiting the north entrance of Tenryuji Temple, you will then be able to walk through the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. The way the light filtered through the bamboo, the sounds and the sight of the woods swishing when it swayed from the wind was something you can’t capture in photos, though it is really picturesque.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto

Then, as you walk north from the bamboo groves, you enter a more rural area. There were even times I kept double checking my Custom Google Map as all the people around us thinned out. There were times during our 30 minute walk it was just us walking along an empty path, with nothing on the sides but homes or fields, and at one point old fashioned wooden storefronts along the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street in the style of the Meiji period. You can imagine yourself stepping into the same small town and countryside that you see set in Studio Ghibli movies.

There are a few other temples along the way early on before it turns into countryside, but I was focused specifically on visiting two small temples a little over 2 km away from where most of the tourists of Arashiymama congregate. Both of these two small temples off the beaten path have lots of statues – but in totally different contexts.

Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. Numerous stone monuments and images – in fact 8000 of them – honor the souls of the dead who during the Heian (794-1185) to Edo (1603-1868) periods, were destitute and left to the hills with no tombstone or proper burial. When we arrived, we didn’t see anyone there – and during our entire stay we only saw a handful of other visitors. It felt very solemn, and coming across the main field of the thousands of statues is humbling.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino

It must be extraordinarily beautiful here during the end of August, when they light more than 1000 candles here in the evening over a couple days to honor the ancestor spirits here. There are no red and gold wooden beams like from the shrines, or gentle curved roofs with ornamental tiles at this temple: just the sombering simplicity of so many stones.

Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino

Within this temple, there is also a bamboo grove path that is much quieter than the one we just visited which is more well known (and ok, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is free while we had to pay to enter this temple). But that also means you can see it without all the other people – and it’s also the location for the cover of the Lonely Planet Japan guide 13th edition.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District. This bamboo grove path is much quieter than the one we just visited which is more well known (and ok, free since we had to pay to enter this temple) - and it's also the cover of the Lonely Planet guide 13th edition

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Walk another 750 m north to this even more secluded temple of Otagi Nenbutsuji that features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. It’s more out of the way, but well worth it.
Otago Nenbutsu-ji Temple in Kyoto is famous for its 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Otago Nenbutsu-ji in Kyoto is famous for its 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Otago Nenbutsu-ji is hidden away at the far end of the beautiful and popular Arashiyama neighbourhood in Kyoto’s western hills. and is famous for its 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. The quirky figures are scattered amongst a few small temples and pagodas in a shady temple complex. Otago Nenbutsu-ji is hidden away at the far end of the beautiful and popular Arashiyama neighbourhood in Kyoto’s western hills. and is famous for its 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. The quirky figures are scattered amongst a few small temples and pagodas in a shady temple complex.

Similar to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, when we first entered we only saw a few statues… and then we take a step, turn a corner, and suddenly all the statues in all their uniqueness expand from scattered to rows of men and then into a sea of faces, all the same but all different.
Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Many are covered in moss and crumbling away, but this just adds to the atmosphere and the feeling of discovering a lost treasure

When worshippers of the temple celebrated the temple’s restoration after it was destroyed, they did so by donating the 1200 rakan sculptures. A famous Japanese sculptor taught many amateurs how to carve from stone, and they all had a different response to the challenge.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple Rakan represent the disciples of Buddha. These statues, in keeping with rakan traditions, are generally humorous. The one in the middle I liked as he laughs, head tilted back

Many are covered in moss and crumbling away, but this just adds to the atmosphere and the feeling of discovering a lost treasure like in some sort of archaeological exploration of a previously hidden culture.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple. Many of these statues are covered in moss and crumbling away, but this just adds to the atmosphere and the feeling of discovering a lost treasure like in some sort of archaeological exploration of a previously hidden culture.

There is everything from cute to scary to sad to serene to funny to bizarre. We spent a long time here, trying to absorb all the various faces we could see. Some of the ones in the photos below include one with kind eyes and a smile, one wearing shades (and a scary wrinkly one behind him), one playing peek a boo, and one with a funny face behind a scary mask, among others. We saw ones with an owl pet, two that were drinking together, even one with a tennis racket, and more.
Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. This one on the left has kind eyes and smile "Otagi

Overall, I really enjoyed Otagi Nenbetsuji in that it reminded me of the little nuances that each person has to contribute, and that there’s also joy even as time continues to march on with us and one day past us. This was one of F’s favorite temples we visited in Japan, and mine too.

As I mentioned at the start, the visits above in the Arashiyama area were essentially from lunch on – so just a half day. We first headed to this area for lunch since I knew it would make vegetarian F so happy to have a known, completely safe Buddhist vegetarian meal with lots of dishes. From Tenryuji Temple through the Bamboo Forest and Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple to Otagi Nenbetsuji Tempe was about 3 km, or a little less than 2 miles, total one way.

We then hopped on a bus that we had seen on our way there to get back. We also then got a little lost as I got frustrated that Google Maps wasn’t translating the bus lines and numbers even though the buses themselves had English – trying to match kanji or katakana is no joke. We ended taking 3 buses back, transferring to another bus by Togetsukyu Bridge, then at Kyoto Station to the Gion area. So lest you think our travels are always smooth – no, we totally get lost too.

And this was an intense walk day of 24509 steps, or almost 11 miles!

What do you think of the Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama versus the famous temples and shrines from last Travel Tuesday’s post of the famous Temples and Shrines of Kyoto?

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

Guide to Planning a Trip: Research
Guide to Planning a Trip: Mapping
Hagoita Ichi Winter Festival at Sensoji Temple, Japan
Japanese Treats at Temples and Shrines
Winter Illuminations in Tokyo (Winter Season – November – February!)
Snow Monkeys in Hot Springs
Onsen by Mount Fuji covers Onsen 101 and how we loved our stay at Lake Kawaguchiko
Dining at a Ryokan a look at what a traditional dinner and breakfast might be during a ryokan stay
Visiting Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama (just outside Tokyo)
Visiting Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum
Kyoto Temples and Shrines (walking tour starting in Higashimaya with stops especially at Kiyomizudera Temple, Kodaji Temple, Heian Shrine)
Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama
Kyoto Tofu
Kyoto Famous Sights of the Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavilion) and Fushimi Inari (Red Torii Gates)
Famous Signs of Osaka and eating Osaka Food specialities like okonomiyaki, takoyaki and kushikatsu
Visiting Himeji Castle, the famous white castle in Japan
Fun at Japanese Cafes and More including Maid Cafe, Cat Cafe; theme parks of J World and Namja Town, a geeky stop at Kanda Myojin, and Ghibli Museum
Japan Eating Checklist is my top 25 list of things to try to include as an eating experience when visiting Japan
New Year’s in Japan: Oji Fox Parade, and some photos of a Meiji Shrine visit on New Year’s Day

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: #japantravel, #pechandfredjapan2015, #traveltuesday, Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple, Arashiyama, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Guide to Kyoto, Japan, Japan travel, Kyoto, Kyoto travel, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, Tenryuji Temple, Travel Tuesday

Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad

March 28, 2016 by Pechluck 9 Comments

This recipe for Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad is so simple! It is served warm and is just combined with salt, pepper, oil, and apple cider vinegar and takes only 15 minutes! But, it’s healthy, vegetarian, and comforting.
Warm brussels sprouts salad recipe - just shredded sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a bit of apple cider vinegar roasted in the oven. A warm salad for when you want to be healthy but want a little comfort from a rainy day

You can indulge a little by adding to your Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad a shower of freshly grated parmesan, or crumble in some crispy bacon, toss in some slivered almonds, whatever to this sturdy foundation of shredded roasted greens. That might add a few more minutes to the time to create that salad, but this salad is also great without the additions. I’m currently reading Chrissy Tiegen’s cookbook Cravings and although her shredded brussels sprouts salad is raw and uses lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar, I liked her idea of adding in 1 1/2 cups halved grapes and 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds.

Roasting the shredded brussels sprouts is an extra step since you could just dress and eat them raw as is. But I like how roasting pays off as it gives the salad a little bit of crispiness that brings it up to a new level from a raw salad, without that much more effort. Having a warm salad is also comforting on spring days that drift more into chilly and rainy.

Ingredients:

1 pound of Brussels Sprouts
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Apple Cider vinegar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking pan with spray or olive oil – you might choose to put some parchment paper or foil down first for easier cleanup.
Next, after cleaning and tossing any browned leaves on the outside of your sprouts, I cut them in half and then shred them in the food processor for about 15 seconds or so in two batches. All together that took maybe 5 minutes.
Now mix the shredded brussels sprouts with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the salt and pepper to taste together in a large mixing bowl. Spread the sprouts on your lined baking pan and roast just until the edges start to get crisped and brown. This might be about 7 – 10 minutes.
While still hot, toss the 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider vinegar into the roasted and shredded sprouts. Serve right away. Done, warm healthy salad for four people in 15 minutes!

I served this as a side dish along with a Leek and Cheese Ranch Chicken Breast and Garlic Mashed Potatoes – I even ended up mixing the sauce from the chicken with the potatoes and the brussels sprouts and it was all good, a traditional home cooked meal with your plate of greens, carbs, and protein.
Recipe for this Warm Roasted brussels sprouts salad - a side here with mashed potatoes and creamy ranch chicken

How would you like to eat your brussels sprouts – would you add additional toppings here, what would they be?

Filed Under: Cooking, Food and Drink Tagged With: #MeatlessMonday, brussels sprout salad, brussels sprout salad recipe, brussels sprouts, cooking, meatless monday, recipe, roasted salad, Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad, roasted shredded brussels sprouts, vegetarian, warm brussel sprouts salad, Warm Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad, warm salad, warm shredded brussels sprouts, winter salad

A Look at Muselet Portland

March 24, 2016 by Pechluck 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
bread alex’s parker house rolls, house cultured butter, maldon
charcuterie chicken liver mousse, cotechino, mustard, pickles
beets 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
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. 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

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?

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.

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Restaurant Review, Sponsored Post Tagged With: Bubbles Dessert, champagne flight, Foie gras terrine, Half a dozen shigoku with blood orange mignonette, Muselet, Muselet Owner Ron Acierto, Muselet Porridge, Muselet Portland, Muselet Restaurant, Oregon wines, pdx wines, Porridge with yolk and roe, portland dining month, Portland wines, sparkling wine, sparkling wine flight, Wagyu Culotte with short rib and mushroom duxelle, wine and food, wine bar, wine dinner, wine flights, wine pairing, wine tasting, women and wine