Kiku in Paris - a bow for the chef!

Guided by my Routard book, I found this little stylish Japanese restaurant. The door was locked  (mainly to keep the wind out), but wave and the waitress will open. No maki's and sushi but a "menu dégustation" available at 35 Euro. They have cheaper lunch menu's for about 15 Euro, but as I came in relatively late, guess this was no more available. There are only about 10 tables, and little paper origami animals or flowers decorating the place.

This chef is clearly talented and creative. The ingredients are fresh, and dressings brilliant. Note you will not find any tuna in this restaurant as they support the tuna protection.

The menu started with some amuse bouches of salmon in vinegar, followed by sashimi of sea bass and tempura of mushroom and shrimp. For the main I chose the beef, which was served with rice and miso soup.  My favorites: the sashimi and the beef!

The beef was the most tender I ever ever tasted! I don't think this is Kobe beef, but it must have been some hand-stroked cow, WOW.
The sashimi was just brilliant. This quality you find rarely (even at Nobu or Zuma).

All together I spend 52 Euro with the tea and sake on top.
For the quality you get here, it is a great value.
I will be back!

Kiku 
56 Rue Richer, 75009 Paris 9e arrondissement, France +33 1 44 83 02 30 ‎ 
Metro Station: Cadet 

Hours: Open all days for lunch and dinner except Saturday (lunch) and Sunday
Fees and prices: Lunch € 15, dinner "menu dégustation" € 35 or € 45



Interesting review here..

Un-inspring but quick and cheap @ Sushi Kim in Paris

Walked for a while around the 9th and 2nd quarter if Paris to find the place I wanted to go was closed on Monday's... So when I got back to the Hotel, just wanted to eat something quick. Decided to go in as I liked the name! Not sure this place is worth mentioning, the food is just ok'ish (at least somewhat fresh) and the service not really great. I was put at a table against the sushi bar and I was obviously in the way; the waitress continuously reached over my head to get stuff from the bar behind me, a bit strange. The interior is not too bad if it wasn't for the TV on the wall, broadcasting non-stop the fashion channel with grumpy looking models dragging themselves over the cat-walk...

But at least this place is very cheap. You choose from a picture menu, ranging from about 8 to 18 euros, including miso soup, salad and rice. I went for Sashimi with Yakitori menu @ 14 Euros.
4 Salmon, 4 Yellow-tail and 4 Tuna pieces (smacked on a plate with no love) and 4 Yakitori's including the French Cheese rolled in a beef slice one. The chicken and cheese yakitori was really nice actually.

This place is good if you are tired of walking, hungry and don't want to spend a lot a cash...

Sushi Kim
5 Rue Daunou, 75002 Paris, France +33 1 53 29 55 55 ‎
Metro Station: Opera

Aqua Kyoto - Loved the huge terrace looking over London

Taking the elevator to the top floor, you first will walk in the bar area.
The light is dim and there is a trendy, elegant atmosphere mixed with a stylish hotel lounge look. The restaurant is part of an upscale Chinese chain that also have locations in Bejing and Hong Kong. Young trendy people, business folks and some tourists as audience.
The kitchen is in the middle of this big restaurant and on request we were seated in a corner of the restaurant where you can have a nice conversation without the music "getting in the way".

We ordered many many different dishes, recommended by a knowledgeable waiter. Sashimi, luxury sushi dishes, tuna tataki, spinace rolls, scallops, black cod miso, marinated lamb and so on and so on.
I've put a link to the menu below. All the dishes were absolutely delicious, high quality ingredients and service was top. Many dishes come with 5 pieces, but as we were 6 people, they were happy to adjust for six.

They also had Wagyu beef with garlic ponzu @65 GBP per portion on the menu, but thought was a bit too steep...

Tip: A fablous huge terrace with a great view over London, great in summer!
The terrace looks very suitable for company parties as well...

A great place to get invited to for business dinners!

Aqua Kyoto
5th Floor, 240 Regent Street (entrance at 30 Argyll Street), London, W1B 3BR
Phone: +44 20 7478 0540
Website
Menu (pdf) 

Yamayu Santatsu in Brussels - Good food , don't expect a smile...

Near the centre of Brussels you find Yamayu Santatsu. This place still has a good name for sushi and hence why I went here; it was full. Japanese chefs working at the sushi bar and a non pretentious atmosphere.

The tables are tiny and you dont have a lot of space between them, so guarentee you will start a conversation with your neighbour.
Went for a Sashimi platter and Sushi combo and the quality was really good, but found it too expensive.





Chatted with a Japanese lady from Tokyo sitting next to me and asked her opinion on the food. "It's ok", she said. "You have much more choice in Japan and this is quite expensive, but it's ok...". Not sure she was trying to be polite.

I found the service overal pretty sad and think this restaurant is still going on it's (going) reputation. I hope they will realise that it needs effort to keep a good name up.

Conclusion: Food was good but too expensive and bad service. I would spend my money at Kamo when in Brussels for fabulous food made with love and given to you with a smile.
 

Yamayu Santatsu

Chaussée d`Ixelles, 141, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium
T: +32 2 513 53 12

Closed on Monday

Bushi Tei - Japanese French fusion from a michelin star chef

Close to Japan Town you find this restaurant that has nothing to do with the average Sushi -Bars you find in the Japan Town Mall. My pics are not great but trust me it looked great and tasted even better and cooked to perfection.
We ordered tuna tartare, yuzu marinated grilled calimari, lobster and crab for starters which we all shared. For mains day boat sea scallops, kurabota pork and sonoma duck breast. The scallops and the pork were my favorites!
The chef is meticulous and checked in frequently to see all is ok. If I had enough money, I would hire the chef immediatly as my personal cook!
The interiour is stylish, zen and we truly had a great evening.

This place is great for a special occasion.



1638 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115-3604, Verenigde Staten
(415) 440-4959

Website

HOURS:
Lunch : Mon.-Sat. 11:30- 2:30pm
Brunch: Sun. 11:30- 2:30pm
Dinner: Mon.-Sun 5:30-10:00pm

Mifune - for great Soba noodles

Checking on reviews on the internet for sushi places in Japan Town, it appeared that Mifune was a favorite for Soba and Udon lovers. I decided to give it a try and ordered warm Soba tempura.
The dish looked pretty sober, but the broth was o so so nice.
I would go back for this dish only. I did not try anything else from the menu.

Shopping in Japan Town is expensive and you will find similar products in China Town for a better price (Asian Image is a good shop). The only places I liked product and price wise was New People Gallery and Soko Hardware shop just outside the Japan Town mall

1737 Post St
(between Buchanan St & Webster St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 922-0337

Website 

Nara Sushi @ Polk Street - Cheap and cheerful

Walked by this sushi bar several times and decided to give it a go.
I don't think this place is run by real Japanese, but at least was greeted in Japanese when we entered the restaurant. Tried sashimi and a bento box. The salmon sashimi was very good.
Service was friendly and restaurant pretty relaxed (and not loud).

Cheap lunch/ dinner combo's starting from 2 items for 7.50/ 9.50 and 12.50 for 3 items including miso soup, salad and rice 

This place is great for a quick and affordable daily sushi fix.

Next time I would order the bento box with 2 items (take at least the sashimi with something else as long not the california roll...) and order a seperate additional roll with no mayonaise in it...

1515 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109, Verenigde Staten
(415) 567-1515

Website

Business Hours

• Sun - Wed 11:30 am - 12 Midnight
• Thur - Sat  11:30 am - 2 am
Late Night Dinning

Soku Hardware - Dobin Mushi pots and all equipment you need for cooking and more @ reasonable prices

On my search for a Dobin Mushi pot in the Japan Town Mall, I was stunned by the prices they asked.
On my way out I noticed a hardware shop opposite the mall and decided to try my luck there.

Really, you don't need to go anywhere else for Japanese goods, teapots, tableware, kitchenware for great prices. I found Dobin Mushi pots priced at 19 and 26 USD. In the mall prices started from 69 or so.
They also have a great selection of chopsticks and other cute stuff and if you need a hammer, they have that too.

1698 Post St
(between Laguna St & Buchanan St)
San Francisco , CA 94115

(415) 931-5510

Check out some pictures of the shop and inventory here...