Sweet Sakuma drops from Hida Mountain in Japan from a dear friend

Sakuma Drops! A type of hard candy from Japan. They always comes in slightly rectangular tins like this! Their designs dictates where they come from! This one came from Hida mountains in Japan! A rather uncommon place to visit. I love collecting these Sakuma drop tins! Always lovely!
Its not something you get to taste everyday! Plus its from a place far far away. That's what makes it special! I thank you dearly for this special gift.

More of Japan's unique confectionary - Matcha Chocolate Pocky By Glico

Sweet sensations defined in a stick. Innovation is pervasive in the land of rising sun. They can make everything in to anything. Turning flavors inside out, taking conventional savoury flavors only found in everyday comfort food and inserting it into various forms of confectionery! Take for example this matcha also known as green tea, they extracted the flavors and essence and packed it into sticks of tea flavored biscuits and put it on sale everywhere! You can see this example repeatedly everywhere in Japan. Pocky is a famous household name. Well known throughout the world. This is just a small example of their limitless creativity! They not only come in "just" green tea. They have many types of green tea! Uji cha, sencha, and many more variations! You have to visit Japan to discover the perplexing choices! Be sure your sweet tooth can take it! Because the colors will definitely break your bank! Enjoy!

Torazou Tonkotsu Ramen Shop at Kuchai Lama

There hasn’t been many authentic tonkotsu ramen shops around town. Torazou tonkotsu ramen sprouted not too long ago at kuchai lama provided a refreshing spot to try out their take on the pork bone soup based ramen. Pork bone soup base ramens don’t come very often so I just had to go and give their offerings a swing. Most of the ramen shops that sprung up lately only offers soy sauce based or miso based soup.. I’m not saying that they aren’t any good, but you know.. you just itching to have some real taste of true japanese ramen with their milky white pork bone based soup complimented with springy handmade noodles. In my humble opinion, tonkotsu ramen are the King of all ramens! Itadakimasu~~!

Here’s a little peak at the menu for you. The first time I was there, I only ordered the signature dish, obviously named Torazou Ramen.


Torazou Ramen


Kushiyaki favourites
Verdict: Satisfying tonkotsu ramen at affordable price.

Puchong Umai-Ya Japanese Restaurant - Lunch Buffet

Umai-ya Buffet !! Lunch Break!!It’s Happy Hour on Your Saturday and Sunday

( Damansara Utama , and IOI Puchong Jaya Branch Only)

Lunch. Eat And Drink all Your Can!

From 11.30am to 2.30pm (kitchen last call @ 2pm)

Adult – RM58.00++

We decided to visit puchong for an all you can consume japanese buffett lunch. Why lunch? Because they don't do dinner. Buffett menu is only offered for lunch sessions. It will be ala carte for dinner.

So, with great anticipation we arrived at IOI Boulevard where this elusive japanese buffett restaurant resides. After searching high and low, we finally found the store. 

Do you know about Rilakkuma?

Any idea what character is in this picture? 

Rilakkuma is ranked as the fifth most popular character in Japan in a survey.  The cute bear is a creation from a Japanese company called San-X. A little google will reveal all you wanted to know how this bear came to be.

Due to its infamous status, it has spawned tremendous amount of items and merchandise that has its name or face stuck on to it, including this metal candy can that I obtained from my travels to Japan! It contains caramel coffee flavoured hard candy, pretty unique flavour I would say. A taste befitting the relaxing bear on the can. Sweet yet subtle taste, absorbing flavor than makes you crave for more! Lovely!

There are other flavors that are best not to be mentioned originating from the land of the rising sun... But this particular character has books, cards, candy, chocolates, plush toys with its face on it, its popularity worldwide is not to be disputed!
Lastly.. All hail Rilakkuma!!

Instant food in a pack, Donburi

The magic of technological advancement of current generation. Instant dinner in a pack, Donburi from Japan and only in Japan!! After a little warm up in the pot with some boiling water, its ready to serve! Yummy instant lunch or dinner. Just drizzle the contents onto some steamy hot rice, and ta-daa! Dig in!

餃子の王将

我们从京都抵达大阪。。。已经接近下午2点多了。办理入住酒店手续后, 我们在酒店附近的商店找吃。看见饺子的王将的优惠套餐，非常划算。饥饿的我们便进入这家餐厅。

饺子的王将是一家发源于京都市、在日本全国各地都拥有分店的连锁餐厅，销售以大阪风的饺子（日式煎饺）为主的中华料理。

1967年，第一家饺子的王将开设于京都市中京区四条通（四条大宫店）。至2009年3月，共拥有344家直营店和183家加盟店。除了在日本各地都有分店以外，饺子的王将也于2005开拓海外市场，进军中华人民共和国。餐厅内的食材主要是由设置在京都市（西野山工厂）、久御山町（久御山工厂）、船桥市（船桥工厂）與福岡市（九州工厂）的四所中央廚房供应。此外，自2008年，朝日啤酒入股王将食品服务后，餐厅内所使用的各种酒精饮料或软性饮料都是朝日啤酒与其子公司朝日饮料提供。

KOYA Japanese restaurant in Bandar Mahkota Cheras

A  japanese restaurant tucked away hiding in a quiet area called bandar mahkota cheras. Maybe mahkota cheras isn't that quiet anymore nowadays.

KOYA being the only decent japanese restaurant in the area , boasts an impressive variety of authentic japanese cuisines.

you get to savour the standard such as sushi, temaki sushi, gunkan sushi. The fried noodle staple known as yakisoba. They even have ochatzuke where its the first of most of the japanese restaurants that I have been. 

Ochatzuke, it is a kind of dish where the japanese rice is inundated with green tea to create something like a soupy rice dish. 

Kamukura Ramen in Osaka and other places in Japan

Welcome to Kamukura Ramen Store!

Official website: http://www.kamukura.co.jp/

Rokuden-ya Dan Dan noodles in Kyoto

(Rokuden-ya Dan Dan noodles in Kyoto!)

The elusive store is located in a small alley way, away from the main road where traffic roams. To reach this place, you really need some guidance to find it. of course if you don't, stumbling along the alleyways away from the main road is another joyful discovery too! Happy hunting for food!

Of course the discovery will lead to great things that you might discover unknowingly.

MISO - 日本餐， 哥打京那巴鲁，沙巴

MISO入口

Marugame Udon noodle chain store (Japan)

Marugame Udon Chain Store

Official Website:http://www.toridoll.com/shop/marugame/

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Marugame Udon Chain Store

Website:http://www.toridoll.com/shop/marugame/

Marugame Udon shops can be found all over Japan!, They have now 625 shops opened in various part of Japan(correct at the time of editing) besides Japan, they have store in China, Thailand and even Hawaii!! A good choice if you are craving for Japanese Udon noodles while you are surfing the Seven seas! This Udon noodles store is actually a cheap udon alternative meal for the cash-strapped backpackers and tourists alike who would like to sample one of the finer daily local dishes while experiencing everyday Japan. A Must-Try! For all Japanese Udon Lovers, the specialty for this particular Udon chain store is they allow you to actually customize your Udon meal. Its a self service concept Udon Store. You get to pick from various combinations of ingredients, soup base, egg or no eggs, miso, shoyu, soy sauce and even curry! Remember to try out the Onsen Tamago (Hot Spring Egg)! Just add 50 yen!

Just look at the dizzying array of udon noodles that marugame udon store offers~! Try them all!

Marugame Udon Menu

How to Order your Udon Meal in Marugame Udon Store (Walkthrough)

• Step 1: Order your Udon noodle - you can choose between different styles of udon noodle dish. They come in cold udon, warm udon, normal serving and big serving.
• Step 2: After you have ordered your udon noodles, grab a plate while you wait for your udon noodle to be prepared by the kitchen staff.
• Step 3: After your udon noodles have been prepared, head over to the Tempura/Rice Ball(Omusubi) Corner with your udon noodles.
• Step 4: Choose your favourite Tempura and Omusubi(Rice Balls). There's quite a variety to pick from, ebi tempura(fried Prawn), ika tempura (Fried squid), yasai tempura (veggie tempura). As for rice balls, there is the all renowned inari (rice ball wrapped in deep fried bean curd-tastes slightly sweet). 
• Step 5: Time to Pay for your Udon meal! After that you can head over to your seat and Enjoy!     

Various Tempura

Omusubi (Rice Balls) variety

All tempura are priced the same. You can choose and pick the tempura that you like for and average price of 100yen each! With a myriad of tempura(s) to choose from, you can try it all! 

昆布 乌冬面。 280¥

Bukake Udon

明太子鸡蛋 乌冬面。380¥ 

Mentai Egg Udon

Inari (japanese rice wrapped with beancurd(tofu) skin), Fish Cake Tempura, and Squid Tempura 

Affordable meal for 2 person, only at 960yen! Try it to believe it!   

Oishi~~!!!

That's all Folks! The picture speaks for itself! 

Enjoy!

(I was drooling while editing this post...)

锅家 (KOYA) 日本料理

我俩的最爱 -- 日本料理！

午餐套餐只有 RM9.90，看来好像还蛮划算的，下回再来。

我很喜欢这餐桌的设计。

小酒吧……各种各样的烧酒。

舒适的环境。

感觉和我们最近去的Susan's Bistro有点相似。

塌塌米式餐桌。

还有间隔的房间。

绿茶？烧酒？烧酒？绿茶？

结果，还是选了绿茶。

我的最爱-- 小章鱼。

可是这小章鱼味道比较普通。（评分：3/5）

主菜登场咯！！！

寿司拼盘。

本人认为新鲜的材料是决定寿司好不好吃的关键之一。

整体来说，寿司拼盘还不赖，只可惜，醋饭好像不是用日本米。 （评分： 4/5）

后记，食物的味道、舒适的环境、价钱公道，值得推荐！

地址：56, Jalan Temenggung 1/9, Seksyen 9, Bandar Mahkota Cheras, 43200 Kajang, Selangor.

电话： 03-90198268

551 Horai Pork Bun (Japan Specialty)

Address： 大阪市中央区难波3-6-3 （HeadQuaters）

Business Hours：10:00 – 22:00

Off Day：  Close Every 3rd week of the month Tuesday

Phone： 06-6641-0551

Website：http://www.551horai.co.jp

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551 Horai 

This interesting store is located in Namba district in Osaka, Japan. Its the Headquaters of all 551 Horai Stores.
Famous and Renowned for its juicy meaty and flavourful pork buns or known as Butaman 豚馒 in japanese. 551 Horai has more than 60 branches scattered throughout japan, this store can be spotted mostly in railway stations, departmental stores and also Kansai Airport.

Horai 551 specialize in chinese food (中华料理 chuka ryori) namely dumplings, gyoza, meat buns and etc.

Their signature product on their menu is ..... Yep, you've guessed it! Its Horai Pork Buns (Butaman 豚馒)!
They are selling at 2 buns for 320yen.

Their mouth-watering pork meat buns are just different from your other pork meat buns.

Packed in a box of 4 buns.

During my travels, I bought 4 buns, you just can't get enough of its tastes! Warm lovely and porky tastes keeps you coming back for more.

You can see what exactly its like in the kitchen where they churn out all their famous buns and cuisines!

Enjoy the real taste of good eating! Well Said!

Their supple and soft outside complements the juicy, fragrant meat inside. Slightly fat Pork meat, soft and well cooked onion and I suppose other secret ingredients combines and creates this incredibly wonderful tastes! Having 2 of them is just not enough! You'll be coming back for more! Trust me! because I did went back for seconds!!