Gunma Trip 2017 - Day 1

This is my first attempt to dig deeper into a single Japanese prefecture on my travel, and I have chosen Gunma because it has one of the top three onsen in Japan. But before going there, the first day I mainly used for the travel from HK and staying in Tokyo to take a rest before driving to Gunma.

Not sure whether because of the recent layoff in Cathay Pacific, I was greeted a couple of times on the flight by the flight attendants. Recalling my experience in the last few trips, when I was simply being ignored all along, it felt much better. But it might also be a bit too late for frequent travelers like me.

Arriving at Narita, we were examined by the customs as in our last few trips. The officer directly asked us why we came to Japan so often. I was at a loss and wanted to say that I wanted to help boost your economy and give you a job but thought it was probably too rude. Anyway after a short search we could leave the hall and went to pick up our car at Toyota Rent A Car.

On the same flight there were about 4-5 groups who also made the reservation but fortunately we came early so we didn't need to wait for registration. But because there were a big group following us, we had to wait for 15 minutes before the staff took us to the shuttle.

After a short ride we arrived at the depot and got our Camry Hybrid. The car was very new and comfortable, after an hour of smooth drive we arrived at the hotel we picked on the night - Hotel Okura Tokyo.

The hotel we were staying was in fact the South Wing Annex, as the original site was now under renovation, to be re-opened in 2019. The lobby was beautifully rendered, grand with a Japanese touch of elegance and luxury. I believe the Annex was much smaller, and after parking and registration, we were shown to our room on the roof top, Penthouse Deluxe Double Room P 320.

The room was very spacious, decorated in modern style with a nice cozy atmosphere. Along the entry was a closet and cabinets, then turning round we saw the large windows looking out to a balcony with plants to make it feel like a garden. There was a large sofa, a double king-sized bed, a dining table looking out to the window, and a writing table at the end. The washroom was also nice and hip.

Since we only had breakfast on the flight and no lunch, we went to the Café Camellia for an afternoon tea. I ordered a Double Espresso and a Club Sandwich, while Ivy went for a Cappuccino and a Mixed Sandwich. The portion was quite generous, with plenty of French fries on the side, so we were very full after eating, and the taste of the sandwich was quite nice also.

Returning to the room for a brief rest, we then took a taxi to Ayumasa in Shinbashi, the restaurant I booked via Pocket Concierge for dinner. It was not that far, taking us about 10 minutes to arrive, and once we entered the staff greeted us by name, and showed us to our private room upstairs.

The restaurant specialized in Shimane cuisine, particularly its sweet fish. The room is cozy and nice, giving us privacy to enjoy the wonderful food. I had pre-ordered the Hana Set with 9 dishes and including the premium local Shimane sake.

After a nice appetizer of different delicacies, then came the Pike Conger in Okura Soup. The fish is delicate and had a light taste, balanced nicely with the okura and in fact without telling us I would never guess it was the plant as it was so finely chopped, with the clue only the slimy texture. There was also some mushroom which gave a nice bite to the dish to complement.

The third dish was Sashimi with Japanese Egg Cockle, Japanese Spineless Cuttlefish, Prawn, Flounder and Horse Mackerel. The sashimi was all extremely fresh and tasty, with the cuttlefish simply melting in the mouth, and the prawn having a nice bite and sweetness. All the seafood was wonderful and the Zingibar Mioga finely cut into shreds also gave a good supplement.

Then came my favorite on the night, the Grilled Sweet Fish. Look simple, the two sweet fish were from Shimane Prefecture and grilled perfectly, allowing us to eat it whole. Dipping in the Tadesu sauce it further enhanced the flavors and immediately got me to think when I could come back for the full Sweet Fish course.

The fifth dish was the Deep-Fried Stonefish, with the spines and skin fried to such crispiness that it was just like a chip. However it didn't mask the nice sweet flavors of the stonefish and there was also no oiliness on the dish . Overall it was another great example to demonstrate the skills of the chef of Ayumasa.

Next was the Stewed Vegetable, including Taro Stem, Fava Beans, Eggplant, Chinese Yam. The vegetable were very fresh and full of flavors, again showcasing the quality of the ingredients. I particularly liked the Fava Beans, which were toasted before stewed, and that tremendously enhanced the flavors and every bite released a strong and wonderful taste.

Then came the Abalone and Firefly Squid, accompanying by some fresh vegetable, again pairing with the green Tadesu sauce. It was a great pairing with the sauce strengthening the rich aromas and taste of the abalone, which was cooked nicely, giving it a soft bite and not too rubbery. The squid was a local delicacy in Shimane. Though small in size, they were tender and tasty.

The last main dish before dessert was the Conger Eel Rice with Miso Soup and Pickles. The rice was cooked in a clay pot, and before serving we could already smelled the fragrance of the rice. Even by then we were so full, the rice was so good that we couldn't stop and finished two bowls for us each. There were also some charred rice remaining at the bottom which was another wonder on its own.

The dessert was a Noodle made from Japanese Arrowroot, and it was served on ice to make them not sticky to each other and having a nice texture. Dipping into a Black Sugar Sauce, the dessert had a wonderful balance of sweetness and freshness, and wrapping up the fantastic dinner to a great conclusion.

Finishing the whole bottle of sake, I was a bit drunk and decided to take a taxi to go back instead of walking as originally planned. All in all, a great start of my Gunma trip and looking forward to tomorrow!!

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - The Golden Leaf

This Cantonese restaurant is located in Conrad Hotel, Pacific Place. There are not a lot of tables but the setting presents a premium, high-end atmosphere. Seated comfortably, we started to see a lot of politicians, including our new CE Carrie Lam, arriving and realized that there was a dinner event in the private room beside us.

As there were only three of us, we didn't order the tasting menu (which need minimum four persons) and went for a la carte. To start I had the Hot and Sour Piquant Soup with Seafood. The soup was good with plenty of seafood, including shrimp, scallops, fish maw and crab meat. It had the proper sour level though I would prefer more spiciness to balance. But overall it was still a very nice soup. My wife had the Double-Boiled Clear Broth with Bamboo Piths, Black Mushroom and Brassica which was equally tasty.

Then we had the Barbecued Pork Glazed with Queen's Honey. The glistening look of the dish was appetizing, with a good mix of fat and lean meat. However, I would not say it was anything impressive when we ate them. Given that it was supposed to be freshly roasted, it was only lukewarm and the texture of the meat was a bit too soft as well. It was a bit disappointing.

Then came the Sauteed Fresh King Prawns with Chili and BBQ Sauce. Contrary to the BBQ Pork, the look of this dish was rather unappealing. The sauce was very thick, dull in color and looked like it had been cooked for a while and the sauce had already thickened and solidified. The prawns were also small in size. Even though there were a number of them it was not what one would expect. The taste was fairly good but it could not compensate for the letdown in appearance.

Hope that the rest of the dishes would perform better, the Assorted Dried Seafood with Mixed Vegetables and Essence in Casserole was fortunately decently good. The broccoli and Shanghai pakchoi was boiled to a soft bite but not over-cooked. The cured ham, dried shrimp and squid provided enhanced flavors, and the bamboo pith plus glass noodle giving a contrasting texture. The broth was nice too and in the end we finished the whole casserole including the broth to show how good it was.

The last dish we had was the Poached Chicken with Chicken Essence. This was a signature of the restaurant, and I would say it delivered my expectation. The chicken was tender, with the skin melting while the flesh soft and smooth. All the bones were removed as well and I could not stop to admire the skills of the chef for that. By poaching the chicken in the essence it enhanced the flavors of the chicken, by the chicken flavor itself, so we could taste the original taste of the chicken. Maybe for some people it would be a bit light on taste but I still like it very much.

Overall I would say it was a bit below my expectation, but it might be due to the event I mentioned, as I saw all the staff quite anxious and tense attending to that, and likewise maybe the kitchen staff also were focusing too much there and could not properly attend to the other customers. It is of course not an excuse but I could understand.

One highlight was that there was a credit card discount of 15%, and with all the above the bill was $1,628 which was honestly a good price. Considering that, maybe I would try this restaurant another time to see if it did better.

My score: 63/100.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - The Coffee Academics

This coffee house has several outlets in HK, and this time we went to the flagship in CWB Yiu Wa Street. Arriving early in the evening, we got a table looking out to the street. But as we were having dinner, the table and setting was a bit small when the dishes arrived.

Obviously coffee is the signature product and we ordered a standard Cappuccino with Skimmed Milk along with a Ice-Dripped Ethiopia Yirgacheffe to start. The ice-drip coffee was in fact quite nice, with good citrus and fruity aromas, and the ice-drip was also served using wine glass to allow the aromas to be better appreciated. The price was quite high though at $82 per glass.

The Cappuccino was served with a beautiful latte art. While I didn't get to sample, from the overall aromas I believed it should be quite good. From the coffee front the café did deliver its owner's promise when starting this café.

For the food, we ordered the Crab and Avocado Salad to share. The salad was fairly good, with fresh green vegetable on top of crab meat, and on the sides there were crab sticks, supplemented further with some crab roe and pomegranate seeds, which gave a nice bite texture to the creamy crab meat. The salad dressing was tasty too.

Next I ordered the Iberico Ham and Porcini Mushrooms Spaghetti. With some expectation from the salad, this however was quite a big let down. The ham were in tiny pieces which did not resemble the ham at all, but quite tough and tasted more like bacon. The mushroom looked like it was soaked in water for a long while, not having much flavor, nor any bite. Moreover, when I finished the spaghetti there was a thick layer of watery sauce remaining. It was frankly quite disappointing in quality.

My wife had ordered the Baked Halibut Fillet, with baked potatoes and yellow zucchini for the side. While it was presented quite beautifully on the plate, the main problem was the seasoning of the fish. It was simply too bland, without any flavor. In fact the vegetable on the side tasted better than the fillet itself. Also quite a big disappointment.

Another big issue came up in the restroom. There was no flushing water and so overall it was quite filthy and unpleasant. Fortunately we went to the restaurant before checking the bill otherwise it might ruin further our whole dining experience.

The service overall was decent, but the price for the dinner was quite high at $628, particularly considering the quality.

My overall rating is 40/100.

Wineshark Japan Trip - Taketomi 2017 (Day 1)

Taketomi is a small island located in the Yaeyama District of Okinawa Prefecture. The reason why we have chosen to go there is mainly because of the resort that we want to stay, and also to experience the peacefulness of the neighborhood.

This is also our first time to take the HK Express airline, which operates a scheduled flight between Hong Kong and Ishigaki, the main island and gateway in the Yaeyama District. It is a budget airline, so I have to pay extra for check-in baggage and seats with extra leg-room. While not opting for meals, in the end the round-trip ticket costs me $5,106 for two, not exactly cheap honest speaking.

With original ETA 07:45, there was a delay before take-off due to busy traffic in HK airport, we finally arrived Ishigaki airport around 11:30. The airport is very small, and the international section even tinier so even though there were only our flight all the passengers jammed the whole arrival hall. It took a while to pass through immigration and customs.

The weather was quite nice, a bit cloudy but not hot with a little breeze. We then took a 30-min taxi ride to the Ishigaki port, the fare was ¥3,040 but you can also opt for the bus which costs ¥500 per person. There are three ferry operators with frequent sailings, and checking the one that would leave the soonest, we bought tickets for the ferry leaving 13:20, costing ¥1,200.  

Deciding to have lunch in Taketomi, we walked around the terminal and bought some snacks, as well as the mascot for Yaeyama District, Pikarya. Walking out to the pier, the water is pristine and light blue in color. Boarding the small high-speed ferry, it took us only 15 minutes to arrive at Taketomi.

There on the terminal the shuttle bus from the resort was already waiting, and after checking our names the staff helped us to take the luggage onto the bus and drove us to Hoshinoya Taketomi. After a short ride of 10 minutes, we arrived at the resort, where the staff was already standing at the entrance to greet us.

Hoshinoya Taketomi belongs to Hoshino Resorts, the famous ryokan operator with more than 100 years of history. This resort aims to provide luxury and comfort for the guests, along with unique architecture and landscaping, delicious food and quiet atmosphere. After a simple registration process, the staff explained the facilities to us and then we went to the restaurant for lunch before it was closed.

I ordered a Fisherman’s Don which basically was a bowl of rice with two types of sashimi, with some sea grapes on top, supplemented by some finely sliced leek. Though simple, the taste was good and all the ingredients were very fresh and a little bit of soy sauce had already been added so there was no need to further add any seasoning. I also had a bottle of local black beer which was nice with good malt flavor.

Then we went back to the reception and took the electric golf cart to our pavilion. The whole resort is designed to maintain the local culture and harmonized with the natural environment. For example, the white sands covering the roads and gardens consist of crushed coral transported from the coast. They reflect light into homes during the day and glow in the moonlight after dark. Every day, they are swept with a broom in a purifying ritual practiced in the village as well.

The stone walls winding through the resort are known as "gukku." Each has been built by artisans based on local "gukku" that have existed before the introduction of cars. They are designed to protect homes from strong winds while also offering privacy. Embedded in the "gukku" that wind through the resort, are talismans known as "ishiganto" for warding off evil spirits. These are placed at junctures where the road meets a "gukku," as it is believed in Okinawa that evil spirits can only move in straight lines.

We were assigned Pavilion 221, Gajoni, located at the outer end of the resort for more privacy. At the gateway of our pavilion stands a wall of stones known as a "hinpun." They are a common feature of Taketomi villages that offer privacy and are believed to ward off evil spirits. The custom is to enter one's home from the left side of the "hinpun."

Like all homes on Taketomi Island, ours and every pavilion features a private garden. The red-tiled roofs serve more than just a decorative purpose. The eaves are designed to offer shade from the sun, as well as protect homes from being damaged by strong winds and rain during the typhoon season.

On top there is the Shisa, Okinawan for "lion." These figurines stand guard on top of roofs and are said to chase off disasters and evil spirits that attempt to invade homes and villages. They are made from leftover materials after the making of roof tiles, so no two shisa are the same.

The pavilion also has wood-framed glass doors that lead directly into the living areas, giving guests the option of opening up their rooms to fully enjoy their gardens and the ocean breeze. I am sure the people in Taketomi are all friendly and nice, as there is virtually no door or gate to prevent outsiders from coming into your premises.

Inside the pavilion is a huge living area, with wooden flooring and wooden beams and columns supporting the roof. There is a huge, comfortable sofa facing the windows where one can lazily lay down to relax. On the side there is also a table with chairs for you to enjoy your meal if you opt for in-room dining. The pavilion is also equipped with a mini-stereo with a local music CD to display the cultural songs.

The bedroom is also very big with a bigger than king-sized bed, and as explained by the staff the roof was deliberately set lower here and also with a darker tone to offer a sense of security and comfort for the people sleeping inside.

The bathroom is simply gigantic in size, with a huge bathtub located in the middle, a shower room on the side, as well as the make-up table adjacent. Taking a bath in such luxury and comfortable setting really made every one relax and forget the worries of work or other matters for the time being.

After admiring the grandeur of the pavilion, we decided to visit the other facilities of the resort. We first went to the Observation Deck. The entire resort is visible from this vantage point, as well as the Pacific Ocean beyond Aiyaru Beach. The sight of the sun rising over the horizon is particularly worth catching as well. Benches are provided so that guests may enjoy these views of Taketomi Island in comfort.

Then we carried on to Aiyaru Beach, which is just a short-distance (about 5 minutes) walk from the resort. It spreads along the east coast of the island. It is a quiet spot with few visitors. The currents are too rapid for swimming, but the beach offers lovely views of the sunrise and passing ships. The water are crystal clear and we were able to find many small sea creatures, like sea cucumber, crabs, fish, shrimps, clams and so on.  

Walking back we went to the Yuntaku Lounge, which is the common space located in the center of the resort featuring a raised seating area that forms into a deck as it juts out toward the pool. There are books, CDs, and newspapers available for borrowing as well as a beverage stand, Internet booth, and a shop selling local ceramics.

With the sun setting, we went back to our pavilion, took a shower and changed before heading to the restaurant for our dinner. The cuisine is “Nouvelle French cuisine, à la Okinawa” meaning the French with Okinawa elements. All the dishes were served with dinnerware displaying the culinary worlds conjured by the chef. Collaborating with Okinawan ceramic artist Jissei Omine, the resort has developed a unique set of dishes that are distinctly Okinawan, while complimenting French elements.

All the food was wonderful and tasty, but I particularly like the main course of Roasted Pork and Boudin Blanc Sausage, served with fresh seasonal vegetables. It was my first time I tasted tenderloin marinated perfectly and giving a crunchy texture on the bite. Inside the pork is stuffed with a piece of foie gras, further enhancing the fat level and the fragrance of the dish.

I also had the wine pairing to accompany my meal, with a total of five glasses of different wines. There was Champagne, American Arneis, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Italian Chianti Classico and Sauternes. Most of the pairing was done nicely indeed. After dessert I also had a cup of coffee which was nicely brewed, and overall the meal was highly satisfactory, with all the ingredients extremely fresh and delicate, able to enjoy the true taste of the food itself while savoring the beautiful sunset.