Friday, April 15, 2011

Takakura  高倉

raw squid with spring onions in mustard and saikyo miso dressing

TAKAKURA!!!  Let me just say this  - Go there!

Another wonderful Ricky and Mitsuko find. Reasonably priced, excellent izakaya fare. You are well advised to book but be warned - only Japanese is spoken. If that doesn't scare you off  - ask a friend, to book on your behalf.

Once you get there - you will find a menu on the wall, also only in Japanese -  but be adventurous and ask them to choose for you "o susume onegai shimasu" or even "o susume" with a pleading look and a sweet smile should get your message across.  You won't be disappointed. 

If you are a fussy eater, this might be a little too big a risk to take but if there is just one item you can't eat -  perhaps let them know before they order on your behalf  by politely saying (whilst humbly bowing your head a little by way of apology)  "gomenasai  xxxxxx wa suki ja nai desu"  - insert 'sakana' for fish, 'ebi' for prawns,  'gyuniku' for beef, 'butaniku' for pork 'toriniku' for chicken, 'goma' for sesame....  which translates as "I'm sorry but I don't like xxxxxx"

You will find the restaurant on Ebisugawa dori, just west of Kawaramachi dori - look for the white paper lantern on the north side of the street. 075 231 5633

The meal below is from early March 2011. 
fried tofu and greens
white asparagus tempura

gomadofu
Unagi (eel) and eggs with sansho
Wasabi greens and katsuobushi
The lovely Paul
Dried tofu, simmered in soy and mirin with sesame sauce
Nama fu flowers in thickened broth with peas

kinome yaki zakana with raw udo and wasabi greens in sake kasu
maitake and spring vegetable tempura

gorgeous friends - Tad, Paul, Michiko and Bridget... I miss you guys.  Be back soon x

11 comments:

  1. Hi Jane, just wanted to say hi. Yoshoku is one of my all time favourite cookbooks! I cook from it all the time :-) Stoked to have found your blog. Look foward to reading more soon.

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  2. Hey Emm, thanks so much for your sweetest of sweet Yoshoku comments!! Please tell me what you have cooked? do you have any particular favourites? What would you like to see in a follow up should there be one?

    And Welcome aboard the blog! thanks for "following". There won't be a helluva lot of Japanese stuff for the next few months but plenty from September.
    Jx

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  3. sorry, I've just checked back in and seen this reply!

    I don't have my copy of Yoshoku here as it's being shipped over from NZ (we have just moved to Perth), so I don't know the exact recipe names, but I love the green beans with miso dressing, the edamame, the mushroom udon broth, asparagus & edamame soup (I posted a version on my blog awhile back) and your tofu chips.

    I love the lay out of the book, and the photos are stunning. I especially love the photos of all the little bowls. I love your take of japanese fusion desserts and will have to get onto trying some out one day soon. The tiramisu looks amazing!
    Do you live in Japan? Or just visit often? I hope everyone you know over there is safe and well after the tsunami.
    Xx Emm

    p.s actually I just remembered I wrote a review for Yoshoku ages ago here http://library.101cookbooks.com/page/4688/Yoshoku

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  4. oh thanks - actually I saw your review a while back- cheers! You certainly have cooked a number of the recipes -that is wonderful.
    I don't live in Japan as such but spend as much time there as possible. I love it so....
    so NZ to Perth - how are you finding it?

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  5. Great now that we have our own house to rent. We have been staying with family for the past 7 weeks, so it is nice to have our own space. Am loving all the amazing food/produce on offer here. So much to choose from, compared to small town NZ. What's your new book you spoke of in your latest post?

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  6. oh yeah, you would be needing your own space after 7 weeks with family - as much as we love em - that's a long time. Glad you are enjoying the produce.
    The new book is on Japanese food and culture and a fair bit of narrative about my relationship with Kyoto in particular. All a bit scary but a relief to have finally handed it over.

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  7. Ooh sounds great! Can't wait to see it. I love cookbooks that are a good read too.

    I am hoping to one day write a gluten-free cookbook, but for now can only imagine how much work is involved! Well done, all the best Xx

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  8. Well I only hope it comes off the way I want it to. It has been a HUGE amount of work and is pretty personal. Cathartic but challenging at times.

    As both an author and a publisher my advice is that if you are serious about putting a book together make sure you seek some guidance in regards to structure and how to put a proposal together for a publisher before you go too far down the track with things - but there is no harm in jotting things down a long the way - no matter when you plan to move forward on it. Good luck!

    x

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  9. Hey thanks for that Jane. Who would you recommend I seek guidance from? Are there people I can ring/email about that? Is that what you do? Please excuse my lack of knowledge in that field, but what does your job as a publishing consultant involve? I'm hoping to move forward with my idea sometime this year. I'm constantly trying out recipes, some make it to my blog, while others get put aside for my "book".

    Thanks a bunch for your advice! Xx

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  10. No problem. Yes the publishing consultant tag is a little (purposefully) vague as it covers quite a broad range of "services". It is certainly something I can help with. When you are ready, feel free to email me for more info via the link below.
    Cheers, Jane

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  11. Awesome, I will be in touch for sure! Many thanks Jane Xx

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