Food from Hiroshima and More

I couldn't leave Japan without stopping to get something good to eat. And with the Yurakucho Line being the train I took from Ikebukuro Station to Gokoku-ji, Ginza-itchome Station was not a problem to get to. Once again I bought a few things at TAU Hiroshima.

Walking back through Ikebukuro Station, I had to enjoy the flowers.

Very pretty but that price, and I don't know if customs in the US would allow it.

I actually enjoyed a couple MR. waffles on another day. This Belgian Liege waffle was almond.

And this unusual Belgian Liege waffle was not green tea. It was mung beans and a springtime Japanese vegetable that I do not remember. Nanohana maybe?

I did enjoy on my last day a couple of the treats I bought at the local market, when I went there during the snow day. I found a little Mont Blanc pudding!

This was a nice find since a lot of the food shops were closed due to the virus. I couldn't resist enjoying one of the really big strawberries with it.

Yes someone inspired me to try this. And it was delicious.

I was also really happy to find little fresh tomatoes.

I enjoyed them on a 7-Eleven Caesar salad. They were sweet, acidic and juicy. So good!

Remembering the oysters I ate at TAU Hiroshima last year. What a wonderful meal that was. Canned oysters are not quite the same, but these drenched in Setouchi lemon were really good.

One last izakaya moment, enjoying the oysters with that nice sake that I always get.

Just a few things that made it home with me. I saw this and wanted to try it. Hiroshima Oyster flavored yakisoba. Along with a bottle of Setoda Lemon Ale from Yamaguchi Narutaki Kogen Brewery. This was a really good pairing.

I love how Japanese instant foods have drawing so you know how to prepare it.

Fun feature is this little steam vent grate that you open up after you put hot water in.

Of course always make sure to take out the seasoning packet before putting the water in.

I added a little cabbage. This was actually tasty and made me wish I had bought more. Having this to eat after my long flights home was a really good idea. And those flights are the subject of my next blog post. Because it was definitely different this trip.

Hiroshima Italian at MERI Principessa

I wish I had an exciting photo for the start of this entry. But I don't. However, it was a little exciting for me. Because I have been wanting to eat at Italian restaurant MERI Principessa in TAU Hiroshima for a long time. I finally was able to. 

It helped that it was the tail end of their lunch hours. Which is why there was only one other diner still in there. Outside the day was still cloudy and grey. Holiday color helped a little.

The other thing that helped me was that I knew what I wanted to eat. For lunch, MERI Principessa has set menu items and then special items for the season that feature ingredients from the Hiroshima area. 

I picked Setouchi limoncello for my drink. As for the salad, it was very nice with a light dressing.

The main course arrived.

Hiroshima Salmon Toasted Butter Sauce Spaghetti.

The salmon is rainbow trout from the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima. This was a light and flavorful dish, perfect for lunch. 

MERI Principessa's website is here https://www.tau-hiroshima.jp/shop/3f/meripri

Later that night I enjoyed a couple more things that I bought at TAU Hiroshima. The Setoda Lemon Ale from Yamaguchi Narutaki Kogen Brewery was just as nice as the first time I tried it on a previous trip.

I was able to heat up this delicious Hiroshima oyster curry at my hotel. I believe the company it is from is called レイニボ, which is Rainbow. Warm food was perfect after the long walk in the cold that I took before this. Which will be in my next post.

Hiroshima Cafe and More

I wasn't done shopping that day. Taking the Marunouchi Line to Ginza, I stopped at a favorite place for food items. But first, dinner. I decided to try the Hiroshima Cafe at TAU.

I had seen they were serving cold curry noodles from Jinraiken restaurant in Hiroshima. Of course I had to take a photo with mini acrylic Mana.

This was a good choice for the hot humid weather. I was surprised at the spiciness, which was just right. The cold shrimp were marinated in lemon juice. I'm glad I finally was able to try one of Hiroshima's well known cold noodle dishes. Jinraiken's website is here https://www.kure-reimen.com/

Following my meal I picked up a few things. Water jellies are very popular in Japan in the summer. This one is from Baken Mozart Shop, known for their baked goods and sake jelly.

No sake in this one. It has "Hiroshima's famous water" and Hiroshima hassaku oranges. I was expecting sweet but this was a bit bitter. Once I got beyond my surprise, the cool jelly with the juicy orange slices was enjoyable.

Seriously, it's hard to resist taking photos with acrylic Mana. Like my dinner the next day. Karaage chicken from one of the little shops in Ikebukuro Station. 

Along with a Setoda Lemon Ale from the sake shop in TAU. It is produced by Yamaguchi Narutaki Kogen Brewery and I enjoyed it. The lemon flavor was just right. I also bought a small bottle of sake, because Hiroshima brewers make really good sake.

Also part of my dinner that night was unagi roll from Midori Sushi in Ikebukuro Station. I've written about them before. It's nice how they change some items for each season.

Another beer I picked up was this Shimanowa Beer Kure Ginjo, from Kure, Hiroshima. It is made using Hiroshima sake yeast. The taste was more like a dark beer. I didn't think it was bad, but I preferred the lighter Setoda Lemon Ale.

Speaking of lemons, of course I bought a couple bottles of lemon juice. It's hard to find lemon juice that has the natural sweetness like the ones produced in Hiroshima. This bottle comes from Shimagocoro, a company known for the lemon cakes they make. It's 100% pure Setoda lemon juice, recommended for drinking. Also for drinking is the Onomichi Port Opening 850th Anniversary Coffee, from Geishu Onomichi Coffee (芸州おのみち珈琲) in Onomichi. They are a new coffee roaster there. It is a blend of six beans and is very nice.

I am going to find some more food specialty markets for my next trip. I love trying out special items from different areas. Sometimes Uwajimaya market near where I live has events from different areas in Japan. Their Sapporo food fair was really tasty. And I will always go back to TAU Hiroshima in Ginza because I'm always finding new foods and drinks to enjoy.

Hiroshima Represents in Ginza Tokyo

To finish up my shopping in Ginza, here is the third place I visited. Because I liked what I bought the last time I was in Tokyo.

 This time I didn't eat at any of the restaurants because my plan was to spend more time browsing in Tau Setouchi, the Hiroshima brandshop. I even knew a few things I want to get. Since I still had some time in Tokyo I also picked up some of the little cakes to enjoy each day.

Which included a few Hiroshima lemon treats. Finding these little donuts was great.

They even came with a pretty pick so I didn't have to get anything on my fingers. They were a tasty change from the hotel breakfast.

Since I bought lemon cakes the last time, I only got a couple this time.

Like this frosted little lemon shaped cake.

Pretty packaging lets you know this is also lemon cake.

And very moist and delicious inside. These are not very big so make a nice addition to a cup of tea.

This time though I went more for the other cakes that Hiroshima is known for. Their momiji shaped ones.

Momiji are shaped like maple leaves like this chocolate covered cake. There was a little cream inside.

Shaped like maple leaves, alright?

Flavored with matcha, green tea, which gave this one a olive green appearance.

 These are manju, filled with azuki beans which is more traditional for the momiji from the Hiroshima area.

And just like everything else, there are seasonal ones like this sakura momiji manju.

As you can tell, different bakeries have slightly different molds for their momiji manju.

Inside the sweet bean paste was pink and I could tell there was a little different flavor to it.

I didn't just go for sweets. My real goal with a bottle of Hiroshima lemon juice. Which I am enjoying even now. Along with this great lemon flavored black tea. I'd buy both again in a heartbeat.

Along with this great sake, which I have no clue as to what brewery it is from or the name of it. I wish I had bought a second bottle to bring back to Oregon.

 Cute label with a camellia flower. If anyone knows anything about this sake please comment!

I bought a couple other things which I will post about later. For now, here is the address for Tau Setouchi Hiroshima: 1-6-10 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Tokyo. And my post about my first visit there is here.