Wineshark's Japan Journey - Cape Kamui 神威岬

After the fantastic sea urchin don at Ushio, we drive to Cape Kamui 神威岬. From the parking spot, it takes about 20 minutes to walk to the tip of the promenade.

The initial part of the trail is well-paved, an easy-to-walk slope. Shortly we come to the famous Nyonin-Kinsei Gate女人禁制の門, where the ruling Matsumae clan 松前藩 had actually forbidden women entering beyond this point in 1691, with the taboo only being broken in 1855.

Unfortunately for us, on the day the trail is under maintenance, so it is closed to public. We can only take a look at the gate, at the magnificent views of the Sea of Japan from the spot, and the lighthouse at the far end.

Taking a different path back, we check out the ruin of the radio detection facility 電磁台, a construct during World War II.

The jagged rocks on the shoreline has been eroded by the strong wind and waves, forming interesting shapes and deformations.

The observation decks on this return trail also offer good vantage of the trail to the tip of Cape Kamui, as well as the large rock formation 神威岩 further out, reminding me of a big general standing guard facing the sea.

Wineshark's Japan Journey - Tsukubasan Shrine 筑波山神社

Leaving Tsukuba Onsen Hotel, we drive to the nearby Tsukubasan Shrine 筑波山神社. It is an old shrine dedicated to the worships of the sacred mountain Mt. Tsukuba.

The deities of the shrine are 筑波男大神 伊弉諾尊 and 筑波女大神 伊弉冊尊. The two are the ancestral deities of the Japanese people, who gave birth to other deities and the country. Because of the two peaks 男体山 and 女体山 of Mt. Tsukuba, lining up side by side, the people believed the two deities were enshrined here.

Before visiting the shrine, as a ritual, it is required to first wash your hands and mouth to cleanse the mind and body.

Because of the two deities, it is a popular place for people to arrange wedding ceremony. After finishing the prayers and visiting the shrines, I also get the Goshuin stamp of the shrine. 

Wineshark's Japan Journey - Ushio 食堂 うしお

We head towards Shakotan Peninsula 積丹半島   from Lake Shikotsu 支笏湖, taking almost three hours driving. The beautiful blue-colour seashore in Shakotan also produces high quality seafood, especially sea urchin.

The commonly seen sea urchin in the market has additives to keep its shape, but the natural flavours and sweetness is then compromised. To taste the freshest sea urchin without additives, we come to the roadside diner Ushio 食堂 うしお.

Since opening in 1971, this restaurant has always been particular in buying sea urchin only from reliable fishermen directly. Apart from sea urchin, they also offer other catch of the day.  

There are two types of sea urchin available on the day. One is Bafun sea urchin from Hamanaka 浜中 in Kushiro, while the other is the local purple sea urchin from Shakotan. There is a big difference in price between the two.  

We decide to order the Bafun Sea Urchin Don ばふんうに丼 at 11,800 yen. Bright orange in colour, the texture of the sea urchin is soft, melting in the mouth, with an amazing sweetness and flavours of the ocean. It is among the best sea urchin I have tried. A must try in my opinion.

I also order the Live Abalone 活あわび (950 yen), having the abalone cut into slices. Very fresh with a crunchy bite, the abalone itself does not have much taste so it relies on the soy sauce and wasabi to bring forward the umami.

The other catch of the day we enjoy is Live Hokkigai 活北寄 (800 yen). Comparatively I like this more than the abalone, with the crunchy texture pleasant, and the flesh of the large clam full of umami and sweetness. We have a great meal and the total cost is 25,350 yen.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Beefbar

This famous restaurant is started by Riccardo Giraudi, who has built an empire of elegant dining places throughout the world. Beefbar is his concept to evolve the steakhouse to include street foods, on top of offering prime cuts of best meats.

Beefbar Hong Kong has got Michelin 1-star status since 2017, and this is my second visit after four years. Located on Ice House Street in Central, the stylish décor has not changed, featuring leather and marble in the design with sophistication and elegance.

The Homemade Focaccia is really good, with a crisp crust, soft and spongy inside. Dipping in extra-virgin olive oil we quickly devour the basket. When the staff refills another basket we also finish readily.

The Amuse Bouche is Slow-Cooked Veal with Tuna Sauce. The thinly sliced veal is tender and flavourful, the tuna sauce adding a bit of savoury notes, and the finely chopped chives giving nice fragrance.

I start with a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs ($300) for the first couple of dishes. First course is Scallop Tacos ($348 for four pieces), with the staff helping to split in two servings. The crunchy tacos have delicious diced fresh scallops as fillings, which has been mixed with shiro miso, seasoned with some chili and chives. Delicious.

Next is Traditional Beef Tartare ‘Bistro Style’ ($280), again thoughtfully arranged in two servings. The minced raw beef has good seasoning, with some gherkin mixed in to give a bit of acidity and crunchy texture. On top the chef has added egg yolk, creating a silky bite. Another good dish.

The third course we have Wagyu Bolognese ($240). Splitting into two portions, the homemade wagyu beef ragu pappardelle has some 36 Months Parmesan Cheese shaved on top. The texture of the pappardelle is perfect al dente, while the ragu is rich and full of flavours, with the Parmesan adding savoury wonders to the pasta. A deserved signature of the restaurant.

I have a glass of The Prisoner ($300), a red blend including Cabernet, Syrah and Zinfandel from California, to go with the steak. My wife has Grilled US Black Angus Beef Filet ($810), while I go for Grilled Australia Wagyu M9 Ribeye Cap ($880).

The ribeye cap is the meat located between the shoulder and loin, not too fatty and in my opinion having a good balance of leanness and flavours. Perfectly grilled, with caramelized surface, juicy and tender inside, it is seasoned well and we do not need any condiment to enjoy. A really nice steak.

I also try a bit of the filet my wife has ordered. It is very tender, again with great caramelization on the surface and juicy inside. The seasoning is also impeccable. Compared with the ribeye cap it is of less flavours though, but to go for lean and tender then this is for sure a great choice.

As a side dish we have Homemade Classic French Fries ($90). Freshly deep-fried, the fries have the crispy surface and soft interior, wonderful to dip in ketchup. It is not bad, but I cannot resist comparing with the better French fries I had early in the week in another steakhouse in Soho.

With a full stomach we cannot have the rich dessert on menu, but decide to ask for a scoop of Yuzu Ice Cream ($40 each). The staff is helpful and specially arrange it for us (not on menu), and the refreshing yuzu flavours, with a bit of chocolate dirt underneath, is perfect.

There is a complimentary Vanilla Cream Puff. The puff is airy, with icing sugar on top, inside is the silky vanilla cream which has just the right sweetness. Together with a cup of Double Espresso ($68) / Peppermint Tea ($68), it concludes a wonderful meal.

Service is good, with the staff attentive and friendly. The manager also helpfully recommends options and choice of meat in the ordering. Together with a bottle of water, the total bill is $3,904. A really nice steakhouse with an interesting twist of the street food elements good for different occasions.

Wineshark Nice Hotel - Tsukuba Onsen Hotel 筑波温泉ホテル

Tsukuba Onsen Hotel 筑波温泉ホテル is located at Mt. Tsukuba, one of Japan’s most famous mountains. During good weather, visitors can see the Kanto Plain, Mt. Fuji and the Sky Tree from here.

The hotel is a bit old, and there are not that many guests on the day of visit. As it is already very late, after putting our luggage inside our room, we immediately head to the restaurant 紫峰苑 for dinner.

I have ordered a bottle of local sake 男女川 純米無濾過 生貯蔵酒 at 1,050 yen (half bottle) to go with the meal. The brewery is actually located very close to the hotel.

The kaiseki dinner is actually quite nice, with a combination of dishes, featuring Japanese black wagyu cuisines including roasted beef and shabu shabu.

Chawanmushi.

As well as Sashimi.

The Dessert is a bit mediocre with two small pieces of cake and a quarter of kiwi.

Our room (Room 405) is of Japanese-Style type, 10-mat in size.

An interesting thing is that we have to open the bed by ourselves. The first time we have to do this in Japan.

The bathroom is very basic.

But there is still a bathtub in the shower room to relax if desired. However, the water is not hot spring.

As a result, I decide to go to the Public Bath. This hotel is the only one in Mt. Tsukuba with its own hot spring source. On the night there is no one, so I can enjoy the whole bath by myself. The hot spring water type is Simple.

Apart from the indoor bath, there is also open-air bath facing the trees, including a pot bath where one can submerge in a large urn. The fragrant breeze from the mountains is so soothing and comfortable, helping me to get a good sleep on the night.

Waking up to a beautiful day, we head to the same restaurant 紫峰苑 for our breakfast.

Again, the dishes are tasty and I enjoy them a lot. The salad is fresh and appetizing.

The tofu omelette is one of my favourites.

Grilled salmon.

Soft-boiled egg and natto.

Local vegetables including carrot and lotus roots.

Rice and seaweed soup.

Assorted pickles to go with the rice.

Fruit. 

After breakfast we walk around the hotel, the reception and lobby is very quiet.

Some nice decorations at the lift lobby.

And we also find a public phone that is on turn-dial. Amazingly, it is still working. The total expense is 43,750 yen including the room, dinner and breakfast, onsen tax, and beverages. A decent stay which I give a score of 6.2 out of 10.