Today's Bento

After a few hodge-podge packed lunches, I finally put together a nice bento for my boyfriend.  There's a mixture of all of the food groups and hopefully it'll satisfy him during his lunch break.  It's especially nice to bring a bento when it's a messy and rainy day and I needed to borrow his umbrella.

 Sweet potato fries, cucumber with miso paste, bratwurst, sauteed cabbage and red pepper.

 Orange wedges and Japanese potato salad.

In hindsight I should have put the cucumbers in the bottom section. 

Hopefully he'll take them out before he reheats the top half.

Japa-Oktoberfest

Some times I get strange ideas and create a dinner menu around a theme.  After thinking about Japadogs (http://www.japadog.com/menu/index.html), the colder October weather and my boyfriend's quest for bratwurst, I came up with Japanese Oktoberfest. 

 Persian cucumber with miso paste.  He loves it. 

Baked sweet potato fries.  He loves roasted satsuimo (sweet potato) so I figured he would like these too.

 Japanese potato salad. 

Cucumber, carrot, onion, hardboiled egg, potatoes and Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise. 

The mayonnaise is sweeter than American-style Hellmans. 

I should have cooked the potatoes a little longer and mashed some up more.

 Sauteed cabbage, red peppers and onions.

 Beer-braised then grilled pork bratwursts.

With a little pickled ginger and Korean-style nori (dried seaweed), we celebrated Oktoberfest with some Asahi Super Dry beers and a Japanese flair.

Searching for good Sushi

I love sushi, sake and most Japanese foods.  The brightness of the fish, correctly-seasoned rice, a nice variety of maki and nigiri, pleasant service and moderate prices.  I don't need a maki roll so large it requires two-bites, or any concoction with cream cheese or mayonnaise broiled on top.  Unfortunately, I'm still looking for that go-to spot now that Sushi Taro has been reimagined as a kaiseki expense account place. 

Asahi sushi boat in Court House. 

The sushi was pretty decent in flavor and price, but the waitress, oh the waitress.  (shakes head) 

Old Sushi Taro.

Beautiful tamagoyaki in the front.  Rainbow roll spicy tuna maki.

Glisteningly beautiful sushi.  How I miss the Old Sushi Taro on 17th St.

Ama-ebi (sweet shrimp), spicy tuna, spider roll with soft shell crab, ume shiso maki, salmon avocado maki.

Endo Sushi in Clarendon.

It's reasonably priced and pretty decent, but the maki are a little large.

They make very pretty garnishes including the carrot butterfly next to the wasabi tobiko nigiri.

Kaz Sushi Bistro http://www.kazsushi.com/

Tuna and jalapeno ($5.50), ume shiso ($4), salmon avocado ($5.25) maki with flounder with ume shiso ($5.50), sea scallop ($5) and shrimp ($4.50) nigiri.  Good, but pricey.

Kotobuku sushi http://www.kotobukiusa.com/

Sushi Deluxe with fresh nigiri and spicy tuna maki ($18).

Good quality fish, lower prices, but spare and small dining room with no reservations.

Kotobuki's kinpira salad

I'd like to try their kamameshi, but I rarely make it out to their MacArthur Boulevard location.

Magical Mitsuwa

 If you're feeling nostalgic for Japanese foods since Daruma and other area Japanese grocery stores have closed, your best alternative is a road trip to Edgewater, New Jersey.  http://www.mitsuwa.com/english/  Mitsuwa is a large Japanese supermarket with a food court.  Also nearby is the Sanseido bookstore, which  carries Japanese books, magazines and stationery goods.  The food court has a variety of small counters.  Place your order, pay in cash, and wait for your number to be called. 

 Katsuhana. I love the plastic food display. 

 My boyfriend chose the Berkshire Pork Katsu (fried pork cutlet) set. ($11.50)

 I ordered the Kani-Cream Croquettes Set (crab and cream-filled croquettes) ($7.20).

Sanuki Udon is a famous type of udon from Kagawa-ken on Shikoku and very delicious.

 Sanuki-Sando Udon Display

 My croquette set with finely shredded cabbage salad, rice, tonjiru soup and pickles. 

 My boyfriend's pork katsu set with rice, cabbage, pickles, tofu and tonjiru soup.

***

We wandered about shopping for books and groceries for a while, and returned for a second meal at Kayaba, a soba place.  Slightly gluttonous, but totally worth it.

 Zaru Soba with tempura and tsuyu set ($5.90)

 Tempura soba in a hot broth. ($5.90)

 Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour.  They're great hot or cold.  The cold version is served on a bamboo mat called a "zaru", then dipped into a bowl of "tsuyu", a dipping sauce of dashi, sweet soy sauce, and mirin.

Tempura soba in a hot "tsuyu" broth.  The tempura quickly becomes soggy. 

 Oishinbo

 This little girl was eagerly watching the ladies make fresh taiyaki and obanyaki.

 Taiyaki and custard-filled taiyaki.

 Taiyaki "baked sea bream are made in molds with waffle batter filled with sweet bean paste "azuki".

My boyfriend fondly remembers the taiyaki shop near the train station.  Every night on his way to juku, he'd pass by this shop and smell the delicious treats.

 Another variety includes custard.

Sweet bean paste.

Custard filling.

Mandu in DC

If you don't have a car, or do not want to make the trek to Korea Town in Annandale, Virginia, Mandu http://www.mandudc.com/ on 18th Street is a good substitute in the District.  There is a shocking lack of Korean restaurants in DC.  It's really a shame.  Mandu's flavors are a little less spicy than what you'll find in Annandale, and you won't be able to cook your bulgogi on your table, but it's a great introduction to Korean food for the uninitiated.  They also have a delicious selection of sojutinis.

Vegetable somen soup with carrots, mushrooms, bok choy and egg ($10)

Very light. 

Dolsot Bibimbap with tofu ($12)

Bibimbap is fantastic.  Rice in a hot stone bowl is topped with carrots, mushrooms, spinach, tofu and a fried egg.  Add in the desired amount of kochujang for spice and mix.

Duk Bok Gi ($11)

Thick rice cakes in a spicy chili paste with beef and onions.

Kimchee (part of the pan chan provided to each table)

Fried Vegetable Mandu ($5)

While the steamed version is healthier, I prefer the crispy texture.

***

Mandu has energetic servers and a menu that provides a nice introduction to Korean food.  It's great for those times you end up with a large group with different dietary needs and you're looking for something affordable. 

Hank's Oyster Bar in Old Town Alexandria

I've liked Hank's Oyster Bar in DC for years.  http://www.hanksdc.com/menu.html It has a funky vibe, a great selection of oysters from the East and West Coast, and a variety of other seafood favorites.  It also introduced me to my favorite wine varietal from Spain, Albarino.  We headed to the Old Town Alexandria Hank's to indulge in some raw oysters.  Unlike the bustling 17th Street location, it's easier to get a walk-in table right away. 

 Old Bay Peel and Eat Shrimp $12

Raw Oysters

East Coast:  Tomahawk, Rappahannock, Kumamoto

West Coast:  Dragon Creek, Chef Creek, Quilcene

 Steamed Mussels with white wine and tomato $13

Fried Ispwich Clams with cole slaw and Old Bay fries $25

Exploring Del Ray and Taqueria Poblano

Del Ray's a quaint neighborhood in Alexandria.  There are whimsical antique shops, places that pamper your pets, and lots of small restaurants peppered along Mount Vernon Avenue.  After a walk around the neighborhood, we stopped for a snack at Taqueria Poblano http://www.taqueriapoblano.com/.

 Baha fish taco (left), special grilled salmon taco (right)

Baha - beer battered fried mahi mahi with Mexican slaw, crema, pica de gallo, soft corn tortilla $4.25

Grilled salmon taco special with mango salsa, Mexican slaw, crema on a soft corn tortilla $4.25

 LA-Style crispy pork taco $3.75

Baja Fish Taco

***

Good tacos.  We both liked the different ones we tried and the crispy version had a nice crunch. The tacos al pastor are not served until after 5:30 pm, and the special steak taco another table was eating looked interesting enough we both agreed we should return soon to try more menu items.  Taqueria Poblano is closed on Tuesdays.