Cafe in Osaka

Especially in Singapore, more and more Japanese inspired cafes and bakeries with cute intricate sandwiches or cream cakes are popping up. I can totally understand why.

Usually they are a teeny bit more pricey than breadtalk or the local cake shop, the details of it all makes it all worth it to pack it back home not to eat - but to just stare at it.

Japan has very quaint western cafes integrated into their culture. Especially in Kobe, there are so many of those chill out coffee joints that got me wondering; don't they work? Then why do these people have time to enjoy precious time at such places?

At this point, I tell Kel we have to dump our careers and just lead a carefree life and let's not think where we get our money from okay? That's just too stressful.

So I share with you a few cafes we visited or saw during our trip to Osaka and Kobe.

Our breakfast in Osaka was at a lovely cosy cafe. Breakfast is pastries and bakes, lunch is pasta and steak. I am definitely spoilt for choice trying to figure out what I want to eat. We can just sit by the window, sip our coffee and day dream.

Kitano Kobe is a great place, I love it! We can visit European homes well-kept since the time after Kobe recovered from its historic earthquake and foreign business came in, many migrants brought along their culture from the west and it blends well in this little town.

Don't you want to just stay here forever?

Warm love,

Starningblue

The Slurp Issue

What do you slurp in Japan??

RAMEN! Or any other kinds of noodles for that matter…

Not sure how best to share our food experiences in Japan, maybe it is good to show you noodles first. Kel and I had countless meals of noodles; or at least we got so caught up with slurping I forgot to count.

Throughout our travel from Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, there are different ‘styles’ of noodles and I can’t differentiate them. I love them anyhow and each have their own unique flavour.

One of the best ramen we tasted on this trip off Shinsaibashi-suji (or of all ramen I have tried?) Soup is thick and sticky, ramen is chewy and 'Q' (springy). Especially with chilly weather, 1 bowl not enough!






Another ramen shop recommended by our hosts at the hostel, this shop serves soupy handmade ramen. The Gyoza sauce doesn't look impressive but goes exceptionally well with the thin-skin dumplings.

Not sure if you can tell from the pictures, we went back on 2 occasions because I wanted to try the dry ramen too. Both versions are slurpilicious.

Now for Chinese-style ramen, we have a shop called "Chinese Restaurant" near our accommodation. It is still largely japanese selling home cooked food. I think just as Koreans refer to Jja Jiang Myun as Chinese, the Japanese refer to Gyoza as somewhat Chinese too.

For a local experience, must try the Japanese version of "hawker food". Standing at a cosy counter at Fukushima area, you can almost count the seconds your noodles will be served to you. On a cold day, this is the best thing to do. Slurp up a bowl of hot piping soba. Yum~ Kel had Udon with Duck meat, I ordered myself Vegetable Pancake Soba.

Over at Kyoto, it was freezing so we bought food from the convenience store opposite and ate in. Not like 7-elevens in Singapore, Family Mart in Japan have bento packed food to go. Choose from curry rice, sliced beef salad, croquette set meal and gourmet tiramisu for dessert!

Our time at Japan flew past... and we continue to slurp our way to Hong Kong for a stopover. This wonton noodle shop at Jordan was introduced by a local, it is definitely not touristy and food is authentic. Check out the soft and tender beef brisket.

Not to forget, need to have instant noodles with ham at one of those HK cafes!

By the way, are you glad I’m back showing you some already dusty pictures? I will ease back to blogging slowly :)


Hope I was gone for a while but not forgotten!


Warm love,
Starningblue