Japan Food Diary: 14 May 2011
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We decided on breakfast of sweet cornflakes as it is cheaper to self cater, and it is something we know the kids will eat to start the day on the right footing. The traditional Japanese breakfast would include rice, but many tend to have a more western start to the day now with coffee and toast. We had sweet cornflakes with milk, yoghurt, cheap bananas (bananas were very expensive in Australia at the time of travelling), plus some donated french baguette from a Thai couple.
more vending machines - what to drink?
Anyone for a Bud? Maybe just a Pepsi Zero at the moment.
We started out tour at the famous Takayama morning markets held along the riverside, with lots of local food. A very popular snack at markets were these chewy rice flour balls (dumpling) on a stick, called Mitarashi Dango. They are grilled with soy sauce dipping, and tastes rather stodgy.
We also tried some fresh cut Fuji apple dipped in salt water. We tasted salty rice crackers. Pickled root vegetable (same as in last night's noodles) and lots of pickled vegetables such as mushrooms Lotus root, dried persimmon (nice and sweet). We love to see the fresh food market stalls with unusual vegetables. There was lot of a green vegetable, looked like a curled up fern frond, not sure what that was.
In the afternoon we took a windy road up a hill overlooking the town of Takayama. At the touristy café at the top of the hill unfortunately there was not any Japanese food on the menu, though it all had a Japanese twist. Ichi (local) pilaf a nice lightly fried rice dish with bacon, corn and onion, as well as a German risotto with sausage, baked potato and tomato. Coffee came with cream in a jug, and rock sugar to sweeten.
In the evening we found another great place to eat and had yakisoba and gyoza.
Yaki Soba – dry fried soba (buckwheat) noodles - one of them with a fried egg and octopus. This was served with pickled red ginger or was that radish, rice and miso soup.
Gyoza – pan fried dumplings with pork and cabbage. This is a favourite with all of us.
Here is a saki bar, we walk past but do not enter ...
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