Travel Log: Japan, and their sweets in full Glory

As the cakes in Japan are so yummy, I couldnt help but just feast on them visually and figuratively. Staying in Roppongi Hill means everything here is double the price compared to elsewhere, but it always mean everything delectable is within your finger tips....

Roppongi Hills can somewhat be maze like for someone who first arrived, and trying to make their ways round the different sections from the Met-H, Hillside, Northside and Keyaki. It did take me one day to walk around to explore all the retail and cafes. I didnt buy anything of course since I am surrounded by high end heavy weight luxury brands with the likes of ugly LV and other beautiful local but equally expensive brands. I laughed when i saw one with Hello Kitty. Talk about abnormal obsession! My first reaction was "Are they crazy?"





Call it occupational hazzard but I couldnt help but be drawn to the brand I was working with previously and snap a shot. Looking at all the retail display, I was slightly overwhelmed by nostalgia of all those long hours, roadshows, marketing plans and bloody work with all the new store opening ...


Its very fun really to uncover all the different stores, walking into the ASAHI TV building and checking out their displays for their new drama. I wanted to try their cafe but it was filled with smoking executive so I changed my mind. Instead, I took a picture of my childhood hero Doramon (I prefer calling him as Xiao Ding Dang) before I left. Donning the windows were 2 huge RED CLIFF movie poster


Later that day, I stumbled upon this dessert shop HARBS (HILLSIDE 1F)and the cake display completely draw me. I didnt want anything else. I did toy with the idea of the chocolate cake but then firmed myself with the singualr choice that lured me into the store in the first place. So I had it, without regrets I might add - THE QUEEN OF CAKE.

Damn it was a huge slice at 1600yen but it was worth every bit. It really does fill u up even when I didnt have lunch. The cream was whipped, light and fluffy. The sponge cake delighfully soft that kinda melt in your mouth. The taste was of fresh cream, without the usual greasy after taste associated with those $1 cheap cake stores. Rather, it was mildly sweet, with a hint of milk flavour. The strawberries were apt in quantities. I was in heaven. It was a pity I had to have it all by myself but better in me than not having tried it at all. This is positvely my fav dessert store in Roppongi Hills. I thought that one picture doesnt do it any justice, so i took 2 shots..I guess the first one wasnt close enough to empahsis how delicious it was...



One night after dinner on our 2nd last night, we chanced upon this dessert store Derriere which was still open late. A rarity in Japan since alot of the stores I know close relatively early about 8 plus or early 9plus. So to still find one open close to 10pm was a gift. The staff doesnt speak a word of English. The menu are all in Japanese and while I could decipher about 70%, a few I just give up because after so many days of reading Japanese, I wanted a rest. It was funny because I tried asking if they had English breakfast tea and and the girl pointed to this undeciphered cake. I guess when you are forced in a situation to be made understood, trying to compose a grammatically correct sentence is last thing on your mind. Once I uttered "Nomimono" , a look of comprehension, and a menu of the different tea type in english was shown to us to my husband's joy. Its stressful when you are relied upon as the source of lamguage medium....when u are not exactly fluent.... Before I left, I politely asked if i could take a picture of their showcase which the girl said ok. I thought it is only nice to ask, than be crude and all assuming in a foreign land that is all about manners and etitques.



Anycase, we tried the No#1 Popularity cake which is somesort of choc layered crepe cake. It was nice and unique.


What I was more amused about was the petite hourglass to time the tea. Funny.


On seperate day when I was walking aimlessly in midtown Tokyo, more dessert stores to captivate me..... This is on Paris style and you wont believe the Q.... The cakes looked sooo pretty I couldnt tear my eyes away from them.... so beautifully displayed....feeling of love rushed through me....


Next to the lovely dessert store is a chocolate store - Jean Paul Hevin. Now I definitely know this store and seen it in Times Square in HK but never tried it. In HK, the store is always empty apart from staff when I passed it, herein tokyo, the Q is long!!! But perhaps they had a cafe that's why. The Japanese really like their sweets huh.....

Big Sea Creatures!

Sometimes I wonder what monsters lay in the depths of ocean.


Was watching this TV program and dear god almighty, look at those size of cuttlefish and fish! Shit man..... they are trying to cook it and so the program was talking about how the chef overcome the various obstacles like size of cooking utensil, uniformity in cooking, timing, preparation etc on the show. I was glued and watering to want a taste....


So rather than describe it....pictures speaks a thousand words... In the second last picture here, the program shows a comparison between a NORMAL size tempura versus the gianormous fish they are gonna cook.

Eating Out In Tokyo

I didnt take alot of pictures in this trip to Japan since it isnt a sight seeing trip.

All I did was to walk around, shop and eat. I don't quite know where to start with this post, so I guess I will start with food. Because I have to deal with almost all the meals on my own this time, I didnt end up in any fancy arse restaurants. Instead, I sure darn well gobble up many dessert cakes.....

Starting with dinner the first night, we ended up at Gonpachi (Add: 1F,2F1-13-11 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0031 ), which was near to Hyatt where we were putting up. It was within walking distance and we wanted something causal after checking in late.

Frankly, I am neither impressed nor disappointed by the place. Any place in Japan which is not served by Japanese chef but other races is not a place I would revered, if you know what I mean. It is more like a place patronised and customised for westerners for a local taste but in a "familiar" environment, "familiar" language. The food were mainly grilled. It's ok but average. I have tasted better Japanese food definitely in all my trips there. The most memorable was the clams. Damn they are good and delicious and succulently sweet.... The ambience wasnt my sort of place, and too many expats/ tourists. Never a good sign when u hardly see locals.... In case u are wondering, the second picture is suppose to be prawns with wanton wrap fried....

Somewhat reeling from relative "dissatisfaction" by the forgettable meal, we went back to the contenporary Italian cafe Fiorentina in the hotel for some chocolate dessert. I honestly think anyone eating at this place is either too unimaginative, unadventurous or sadly lacking in tastebud. This is the first and last time I ate there the whole trip. Plus get this, non smoking and smoking section are all in the same area. So u will smell the cig no matter what. So despite the fancy nice ambience, I finished my another average choc cake in a huff and headed straight back to my room for a hot bath. The night is chilly at about 11degrees, discounting the cold piercing wind.

One of the nights, after having too much sushi... I started to crave for pasta. It has to be seafood tomato base pasta as well. So the conceige recommended me to this dining spot round the corner - L'Estasi ( 東京都港区六本木6-11-1　六本木ヒルズ 六本木けやき坂通りゲートタワー３F)

Service was impeccable and friendly, and even though this dish wasnt exactly on the menu, they conjure it up for me anycase because I really crave for it :P All i can say, it was excellent!

For a couple of lunch, I was alittle lost as to what I wanted to eat. Somedays, I headed straight for cakes which I know was sinfully bad for my fat waistline. So some days, it was good to go simple with soba. Hence I found this little store along a quiet road, and calmly brave myself for lunch in Japanese menu. What the heck, what can possibly go wrong right?!! Its noodle place isnt it? What is the worse that can happen? Since I had gotten immensely sick of tempura prawn by now, I got adventurous and went with the pork belly soba, and there was also a duck option. Both tasted yummy to me, except the pork was prob better as it was thinly sliced and not as tough as the duck. However, the japanese lady next to me got me regretting tremendously for not going with the tempura prawn soba because hers looked completely heavenly.... I wanted to kick my own butt but well, I was happy with what I had.

(PS: It was only belatedly that I realised they had English menu. By then, I was already stuffed with food, paid and ready to go. And oh, there was NOT a single tourist in this quiet but popular local spot)

As you would notice much later, I am in love with strawberries. Only with Japan's stawberries. They are so sweet and even though I was told they are not in season, they were sooo good that I would never buy another united states strawberry packet from supermarket ever again in HK or Singapore or Sydney. I didnt know what the differences were between the two below so I got them both. One at 1000yen (left) and the other at 700yen(right). Apparently, they are much cheaper during season as much as 400yen. But they are still much cheaper than what I have to pay through my nose in SG and HK, whether they are in season or not. Its all about perspective...and relative comparison:)

A pensive thought about Christmas

If Laziness is accumulative, I must have fallen into the deep abyss of it. It has been over a week since my return from Japan but just didnt find the urgency to update about my Tokyo trip. Somehow, I just manage to keep putting it away. Well, it isnt some earth shattering trip, so I figure it can wait....

Anycase, here it is. The full glory of my thoroughly enjoyable and relaxed trip, not to mention a really good catching up dinner with my gf after such a long spell of not seeing and talking to each other being countries apart. It is always nice to find yourself immersing in good company of friends you havent seen for a while, to reminisce about old times, reliving the present, and looking foward to the future. What a journey we have covered for ourselves, away from our motherland. How far have we come since our early days of taking classes together. Ah...those carefree days, those lovely lovely carefree days....

I love Japan for its quirks and myriad of mind boggling products. Most of all, I love the way Christmas festive is so wonderfully and magically preserved in its original context, without the vast contusion and mishandling like the western countries with the grossly abuse and contamination by people firmly rooted with the idea of "political correctness". Of course, Christmas will always be overly commercialised, but yet in here, in a foreign land where I could hardly speak the language fluently, the spirit, anticipation and excitement of Christmas is strangely stirred up within me.

Here in the land of the rising sun, Christmas is adored and adorned, basking in full glory in all window displays, street lights, costumes etc without the rave and rant nor having any misgivings about Father Christmas.

As I admire the hanging lights changing its shades like fairy lights, I was filled with a sense of unfamiliar peace and joy. Happiness, can be such a simple thing.

When I strolled out into the open, the field of blue lights left me in awe! I went up to higher elevation to discover the field of blue led, a moving and changing composition of the universe and the zodiac stars as in the sky. I was so absorbed by the blue beauty before me that I willingly stood in the cold - just staring into this strange zen-like serenity, a welling undisturbed bubble of contentment despite the relentless and merciless cold wind in my face. This tranquil moment is a rare moment, to be thinking of nothing but beauty of the universe.

Here, The special festival is so NOT being wrongly mixed up with the religious aspect of Jesus christ. Christmas, and thankfully rightly given its due in Japan, in the right context, and magically spanned out along the streets without the overblown American full-blown antagonism towards a very simple happy day that makes every wide Bambi-eye child bubbling with imagination and soaking themselves in the magical world of elves, santa claus, cookies and milk and presents.

For the child within us, what is so wrong to throw away the caution for one day, and just immerse ourselves in this festive that should be filled with warmth and spirit of giving? Why are some people so intent to murder every possible good things in the pretext of "correctness"? What happen to simply kicking back our shoes, forget whatever had gone wrong, and just remember what had gone so right in our lives?

So there I was walking along the streets in Tokyo, checking out all the different Christmas season items, decoratives and displays, feelings a sense of wonderment I havent felt a long time in western countries and my own city.

Its ironical. How a most westernised festival such as Christmas, is most wonderfully up kept in a land within Asia, by Asians. Such mockery indeed.

Innocent Love 07 Episode Review

Episode 7 Summary

At the hospital, the doctor told Jun that an unexplainable medical miracle has happened with Kyo's condition.However, due to the lack of use during the 3 years comatose, Kyo's brain function may be impaired or suffered side effects. However Jun happily replied that it is alright and he will help Kyoka to be healthy again....

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Innocent Love 06 Review

Ok folks, I am finally back and on track in finishing up full summary for last week's episode on Innocent love. Sorry its a little late but better late than never. Alot of catching up to do (as in reading my manga and backlog dramas, and work of course :P)

Episode Full Summary

As Kyo's life indicator continue to spiral downwards, Jun and Kano rushed into the room. Seeing the situation, Jun told Kano to call for the ambulance and her doctor. At the hospital, the doctor told Jun that it is critical moments between today and tomorrow - if Kyo can pull thru given that all her organs are failing... Jun was stunned. Meanwhile, the reporter called Kano and informed her that the brother has surrendered himself to the cops and asked her what happened, to which she replied she has no idea but flashes of her brother's killing confession came back to her...

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