Wineshark Vacation - Framboise フランボワーズ

Location:
23 Miyauchi, Matsuzaki-cho, Kamo-gun, Shizuoka

静岡県賀茂郡松崎町宮内23

Phone:
(05) 5842-1101

https://masayoshi88.com/shizuokagourmet/goumetizu/framboise/




After finishing a nice lunch at Shimoda we drove to the western side of Izu, to where we would be staying for the night. On the way we decided to stop for a break at a good cafe, and chosen this popular cafe for the locals of Miyauchi, which has been in business for over 30 years.

There is a parking lot just outside so you do not need to worry about driving here, and the cafe has been renowned for using local produce, including pesticide-free lemons from the owner's garden, in making the beautiful looking and delicious cakes and desserts.

Inside there is a comfortable and friendly ambiance, making you feel at home, with a sense of the early 90s. Looking at the foodcase and all the nice-looking cakes would make your mouth water, and there are many choices which tempted you to try all of them.

I also noticed the interesting wooden tables and chairs on the outside, made from the original slabs of wood with its irregular shape, it gives a rudimentary feel but feel completely integrated into the environment. Able to enjoy a cup of coffee and cake sitting on the wooden chairs is wonderful.

Ordering a piece each of cheese cake, strawberry cake and strawberry Swiss roll, plus four cups of coffee, we had a good time relaxing in the cafe and charge up before continuing our journey to Toi Onsen 土肥温泉.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Victoria Harbour Roasted Goose Seafood Restaurant

This restaurant is located in Ma On Shan, part of the Victoria Harbour Restaurant Group, which has quite a number of outlets in different locations. With an access directly from the car park, its decor is decent, of the Cantonese restaurant style, and overall a no-frill neighborhood design with many tables. Seated at one end near the main entrance we did enjoy the relative quietness of this section of the restaurant for our dinner.

We ordered the set with three dishes: Roasted Goose, Stir-Fried Geoduck with Honey Peas, as well as Steamed Sabah Giant Grouper ($448). Although the roasted goose was quite good in taste, the flesh was a bit too dry and the skin also too tough and rubbery. Considering the restaurant calling out their specialty in roasted goose it was a bit disappointing.

Next came the geoduck with honey peas. We can see the geoduck were the inner part and not coming from the 'trunk' section. I don't expected we would get only the premium trunk part but surprisingly there was none. Feeling a bit cheated, the taste could not help to compensate. There was quite a high amount of MSG used, and even the honey peas was a bit under-cooked for me.

The final one was the steamed fish. This type of fish has become a popular choice for restaurant because of its low price and ease to keep alive in fish tank. A good sized fish, it was steamed to perfection. Although the flesh could not compare with the tenderness of other types of grouper, considering the price it was a good deal and no wonder it was on the menu in most restaurants nowadays.

The service was fairly good and efficient, and the overall experience was not bad. With two bowls of rice, two cans of coke the total bill was $568. A good deal and I can see how it would fit nicely into a family neighborhood setting, but would not be one for the picky on food quality. 

Wineshark Vacation - Tsuji 元祖磯料理 辻

Location:
3-19-36 Shimoda, Shizuoka

静岡県下田市3-19-36

Phone:
(05) 5822-0269

http://www4.tokai.or.jp/tsuji/






This restaurant is located in Shimoda 下田市, founded in 1955, and the owner had been getting the seafood directly from the wholesaler. There is a large tank in front of the restaurant where some of the live seafood are kept there temporarily.

Not exactly easy to find, it took us a while to arrive from the narrow road to this eatery. There is a small car park able to accommodate 4 vehicles. Overlooking the harbour in Shimoda, it has a total of 16 seats, half of them on tatami and half on table and chair.

I ordered the Grilled Lobster Set 伊勢海老の鬼殻焼き付き御膳 (3,800 yen) which included a whole lobster grilled to perfection with the signature sauce, grilled big clam and conch, squid with seaweed in vinegar sauce, sashimi (three types), salted squid intestines, rice and soup, plus dessert.

Honestly this lobster was the best I have ever tasted. Of a good size, the meat was firm but not rubbery, juicy and sweet in taste, with the sauce providing really nice flavors to supplement. The other seafood were also extremely fresh and good, and overall it was simply phenomenal in quality.

My wife ordered just the grilled lobster, but it was of a much bigger size, with my parents going for the braised splendid alfonso 金目鯛のつや煮 and assorted sashimi お刺身の盛り合わせ. All of them were great in taste and I also could not believe the total bill for all these was only 12,600 yen!

Wineshark Vacation - Cape Irozaki Tour Boat 石廊崎岬めぐり遊覧船

Location:
55 Irozaki, Kamo-gun, Minamiizu, Shizuoka

静岡県南伊豆町石廊崎55番地

Phone:
(05) 5865-0036

http://izupeninsula.net/2017/09/20/irozakicruise/






At the southern-most tip of the Izu Peninsula, Cape Irozaki 石廊崎 features many jagged rocks with the blue waters crashing into them for millennium. From here you can look out into the Pacific Ocean and the views are breathtaking and simply gorgeous.

There is a parking lot (500 yen) and one can decide to go on a hike around the area from here, or to take the tour boat for a short detour. Opting for the latter, we paid our tickets (1,400 yen each), and boarded the boat that can accommodate 80 people.

There were not that many people taking the tour on the day and we ended up having the whole middle section of the boat all for ourselves. The 25-minute ride was really nice, with the perfect weather further brightening all different elements we saw.

Along the way you could see the Cape Irozaki Lighthouse, as well as the numerous small islands dotting the sea. There were quite a number of people fishing on the rocks, and I wonder how those people got to the rocks in the middle of the sea.

Wineshark Cooking Class - Horseradish Cream Sauce

Ingredients (for 4):

• Horseradish - 2 oz
• White vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• Whipping cream - 2 oz

Procedures:

1. Shave the horseradish. 

2. Add white vinegar, salt and white pepper powder in.

3. Mix with the whisked whipping cream well.

Wineshark Cooking Class - Pork Tenderloin on a String

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork tenderloin - 1 strip
• Onion - 1/2 
• Whole clove - 2 
• Sliced carrot - 1/2
• Bouquet garni - 1 bunch
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Water - 2 litre
• Black pepper corns - 8
• Pork bones - 4 pieces

Procedures:

1. Remove the tendon and fat from the tenderloin. Then tighten it with a string.

2. Boil the remaining ingredients for 30 minutes.

3. Put the tenderloin in the soup, half immerse, and cook for 10 minutes.

4. Flip the tenderloin over and cook for another 10 minutes.

5. Remove the tenderloin and take away the string. Then cut into pieces. 

Wineshark Cooking Class - Soup of the Seven Seas

Ingredients (for 4):

• Butter - 2 oz
• Flour - 2 oz
• Fish stock - 1 litre
• Milk - 2 oz
• Salt - 1 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• Whipping cream - 2 oz
• White wine - 2 oz
• Diced white fish - 4 oz
• Whole kernel corn - 2 oz
• Diced onion - 2 oz
• Green peas - 2 oz

Procedures:

1. Blanch the fish and onion for a short while.

2. Melt the butter in a pot under low heat, and then add in the flour. Continue to cook until the fragrant.

3. Gradually add in the fish stock, continue to whisk to mix well.

4. Add the remaining of the fish stock and cook for 15 minutes.

5. Add the milk, whipping cream and white wine. Season with salt and white pepper powder.

6. Add the fish, onion, corn and peas into the soup. 

7. Serve with some whipped cream on top and put in oven for a short while until the surface turns golden brown.