Gladio: Spanish/Mexican グラディオ 022-265-3007

Website:  http://www.tfcorp.jp/gladio/    (This is the web address on their business card and the one I had bookmarked before, but on this posting date this website does not open.)

Address:  仙台市青葉区国分町2-11-4 PSC ビルディング.   Coming from Jozen-ji Dori down Ichibancho, turn right at the 77 Bank across from Mitsukoshi Department Store.  It will be on your left-hand side between the first and second intersections.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open Mondays thru Saturdays from 6 pm till 4 am, and Sundays and holidays from 6 pm to 1 am.

Ever since a reader posted a comment on this blog raving about Gladio being “the best Mexican food in Sendai, and possibly Japan,” I’ve been dying to dine here!

Last weekend was a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone; hit my beloved Happy Happy Melon Pan Truck, and then head over to Gladio for a new dining experience.

As my wife and I strolled into the restaurant a little after 6 pm on a Saturday night, we noticed that there were only a total of eight patrons in this large establishment, but considering that they had just opened their doors, this seemed about right.  Yet, despite the place being nearly empty, we were told that only counter seating was available.  We actually prefer sitting at the counter, as we enjoy seeing how the food and drinks are prepared, so we were fine with this.

The chipper waiter informed us right away that Happy Hour was from 6 pm to 8 pm, and that many beers, tequilas, cocktails, and wine were a mere 300 yen!  What a deal!  Unfortunately, my better half desired a frozen piña colada margarita (850 yen), which was not on the Happy Hour menu.  It was refreshing to see that the cocktail was served in a traditional-sized margarita glass which stem was shaped as a saguaro cactus for a bit of ambiance!  However, this was all merely cosmetic.  “It tastes like frozen pineapple juice!  There’s no alcohol in here!” said my wife in a disappointed manner.  She remedied this by ordering a shot of 300 yen Sauza tequila and adding it into her margarita.  She then commented, “Much better!  This should be called a ‘self-service margarita.’”   So that made it 1150 yen for an adequate, self-made frozen margarita.

ピニャコラーダフローズンマルガリータ

For starters, we requested a small serving of guacamole (700 yen).   Upon arriving it did seem small, yet nicely arranged with the freshly fried tortilla chips.  After sampling a few chips, we quickly found that they were a little too greasy.   The guacamole, though fresh, had little taste to it.  I should have asked for some salt and pepper, as that might have helped.

ワカモーレ

Since this was our first visit, we decided to start off small.  My wife went with a hard shell beef taco (450 yen) and I with a beef soft taco (500 yen).  She said the meat filling and cheese were so-so at best, but the taco shell, like the tortilla chips, was too greasy!

ハードシェル牛タコス

My beef soft taco, with jalapeños, onions, and tomatoes was quite tasty, but it definitely wasn’t Mexican!  The beef seemed to be marinated in barbeque sauce, which made for a unique taco experience.

和牛タコス

Our tummies weren’t quite full after this, so we ordered the chicken fingers with honey mustard sauce, and something that I had never seen before; chopped beef and avocado tostadas (both 500 yen each).

チキンフィンガー

The chicken fingers seemed to follow a pattern:  Too greasy!  And they were not very flavorful.  

細切り牛肉とアボカドのトスターダス

However, the chopped beef and avocado tostadas were delectable and the highlight of the evening!  Still, a traditional Mexican tostada comes topped with frijoles (beans), that’s why I don’t like tostadas.  So although I was very pleased with these tostadas, they weren’t really tostadas.

We were quite full after taste-testing the aforementioned dishes, and decided to call it a night, when the waiter, with a theatrical flourish, set ablaze a plate of beef fajitas (1650 yen) right before our eyes (and everyone’s sitting at the counter), and delivered it to the couple across from us.  This did look tantalizing, and made me wish that I had ordered that first!  Then I saw something that I had never seen before:  People picking up tortillas with tongs.  This may be common among many people, but I’m Mexican-American by descent, and I have never used tongs to pick up a tortilla, so this seemed very amusing to me. 

I noticed that as we were dining, the restaurant started filling up little by little. By the time we were finished with our meal, the place was completely full and customers were waiting outside to get in.  Despite the food, this place is popular!

The restaurant irked me in one other the way:  The restrooms!

If a restaurant has separate restrooms for men and women, they should clearly be labeled so, either in English or Japanese.  Gladio decided to use the same design but with differing colors on both of their restrooms; one red, one green.

This was problematic for me from the start as I am color blind, and in the low-lighted hallway it was difficult for me to see that there were actually two different colors.  Luckily, upon closer inspection, I could see the colors accurately, but I still didn’t know which color represented which gender, so I had to sheepishly ask (it’s green for men).  Am I the only one in Sendai who did not know this?

Oh, did I mention the table charge?  300 yen per person, which isn’t really much.

Because of the youthful, energetic atmosphere, my wife and I really enjoyed our time at Gladio, unfortunately we didn’t enjoy the food so much.  Gladio is part of a corporation, and besides St. Marc, I’ve yet to find a corporate restaurant that is worth revisiting, so this seems par for the course.

You may enjoy this restaurant much more than we did, but we see no reason for going back.  When we want Mexican food, we’ll head over to our favorite, Casa del Sol.

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Brother Ken ブラザー軒 022-222-1171

Website:  http://brother-ken.com/history/history.html

Address:  仙台市青葉区一番町4-2-20.   Located between Hirose-dori and Jozenji-dori.  Walking down Ichibancho from Hirose-dori, turn right down the side street when you hit the 7-11 on your left-hand side, and the picture of Marilyn Monroe on the right.  Brother Ken will be on your right-hand side.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open from 11:30 am till 8 pm, but lunch is till 2 pm.  Closed Thursdays and holidays.

Like many of you, I’ve walked by the area between Hirose-dori and Jozen-ji dori a thousand times, but I never noticed this restaurant, which is surprising since this restaurant has been in existence for over 100 years.

Brother Ken, which specializes in Chinese cuisine, was recommended to me recently by my student, Chiaki, who seems to know a thing or two about fine dining.  

Upon entering, it appears as if you are in a hotel lobby rather than a restaurant, as there are no noticeable restaurant-style chairs or tables in view, but instead sofas and coffee tables.  The hostess guided my wife and me to a small room in the rear with about seven tables.  As we were escorted to our table, I noticed a separate dining room, as well as a staircase leading up and down, giving the impression that this restaurant is quite spacious.

Whilst perusing the menu, disappointment was soon met for a couple of reasons:  

1) The primary lunch set, which consisted of pork, was sold out.

2) The secondary lunch set, which was not sold out, consisted of fish.

This was fine with my seafood-loving wife, but this severely limited my options.  The a la carte menu offered a vast array of dishes, so I considered ordering the karage chicken (840 yen) and perhaps a side platter to go with it, but I knew the cost of ordering two separate dishes would not only up the price, but may not be worth it as I am not a big eater.

Luckily for me, I am married to a very kind and thoughtful lady.  She said, “How about if we order the third lunch set (1575 yen) and you order the karage chicken, then we just split everything?”

I love you, baby!

The lunch set my better half had chosen came with a choice of yakisoba or Chinese noodles, hors d’ oeuvre, a Chinese dumpling, fried spring rolls, and a dessert.  My wife asked for the yakisoba.

The hors d’ oeuvre was a tangy mix of pork and salad.  While the portion size was rather small, it was quite appetizing.

令菜

The karage chicken was tender and full of flavor, although the breaded-battered coating could have been just a bit crispier.  Still, I was quite satisfied.

鶏の唐揚げ

The yakisoba serving was generous and tasted quite nice, despite the hint of a seafood taste.  No wonder, as shrimp and squid were added in the mix.     

五目焼きそば

The fried spring rolls were OUTSTANDING!  I broke apart a bit of the fried wrapping and I found it to be super crispy and savory in its own right.  The succulent flavorings of the ingredients inside just made it all the more delicious!  The accompanying Chinese dumpling was quite large and also scrumptious!  I would have gladly requested another order of this platter had I a bigger appetite.

焼売と春巻

I didn’t touch the desert that came with the lunch set, as it didn’t look too appealing to me, but my wife enjoyed it.

デザート

In fact, she stated, “I would definitely come back here again!”  

So, in a nutshell, that about says it all.  

In addition to their Chinese dishes, Brother Ken also offers a variety of curries, omelets, and desserts.

I’ve mentioned this restaurant to a number of Sendai-ites who have heard good things about it.  I don’t think you would go wrong dining at Brother Ken.

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Kamakura Weekend

My wife and I recently enjoyed a wonderful getaway weekend in Kamakura, timing it perfectly with the sakura in full bloom.  But along with the cherry blossoms, we indulged ourselves in the local goodies that Kamakura has to offer. 

Our first find was at Café Campanella.  Please click on the restaurant name for a detailed post.

Later, while strolling down one of the main touristy avenues (click HERE for a map), I noticed a crowd of people congregating at a little hole-in-the-wall croquette shop.  I believe the name of the shop is 鳥小屋, which fries up an assortment of breaded goodness, each for only 200 yen:  meat, purple sweet potato, black sesame,  chocolate, maccha,  yuzu, and ume-shiso.

Crispy goodness!

I’ve never really been a fan of croquettes, but apparently Kamakura croquettes are a local specialty so I decided to try one, and I’m sure glad I did!  

I chose the meat croquette and found it to be delightful!  Fried to crispy perfection, the breaded coating crunchy and flaky, with the meat and potato minced filling seasoned nicely, yet surprisingly, not very greasy.  I would’ve loved to try another one but I decided to save room for any other specialties I would run into.  Click on the name of the restaurant for more information about it:  鳥小屋.

鳥小屋コロッケ

My next discovery was just down the street (click MAP) at 腸詰屋, or Schinken & Wurst Hot Dog Bar.  I’m really not sure what the name of the place is, but it seems to be quite popular as there were two other locations that I saw in my short time in Kamakura.  Schinken & Wurst grills up five different varieties of sausages (plain, chorizo, curry, parsley, and paprika & herbs).   Each cost 350 yen for a sausage sans bun, but if you’d prefer it with a bun it’s 400 yen.  I only wanted the protein and not the carbs so I opted for a bunless plain link.

Notice the little piggies?

At first glance, it seemed as if the sausage had barely been near the fire, as there were hardly any grill marks on it.  But upon first bite I realized that it was hotter than it appeared, and the snap of the outer casing of the sausage was quite nice.  Who likes a limp, cold sausage?  I don’t know if it was worth 350 yen, but it was a mighty tasty wiener!  For more info, please click on the name:  腸詰屋. And just to confirm its tastiness, I went the next day to another of its locations HERE.  It proved to be just as delicious as its sister location.

Wonderful Wiener!

Another nice surprise was the apple pie at Little Mermaid (click name for information).  Tart Jonathan apples, butter and caramel mixed with an almond cream baked inside a wonderful crispy and flaky crust for only 280 yen.  This provided ample nourishment as we were trekking from temple to temple.

Little Mermaid Apple Pie

While on our return trip from Kenchōji Temple, we treated ourselves to some of the best vanilla soft cream I’ve licked in Japan at いも吉館.  Only three flavors are available at this ice cream joint, vanilla, purple sweet potato, and mixed, and the cost is 300 yen.  But after the many trails behind Kenchōji Temple, this luscious soft cream was a welcome treat.  Click HERE for a map.

おばあさん sneaking out with her ice cream.

Velvety Smooth!

We ate a satisfactory bacon and egg breakfast at 上島珈琲店.  This chain restaurant also has a Sendai location on Higashi-nibancho dori near Chuo-dori.  The buttered toast was quite nice, with the bread being soft and fluffy.  However, the egg was lacking salt and pepper, and I seemed to throw the staff into a panic when I asked for some salt and pepper.  Click on the name of the restaurant above for the Kamakura location.  

Good, but needs salt & pepper.

I saved the best for last, as our greatest discovery was Burosso in Ofuna.  Burosso deserved its own posting so please click on the name to link to that page.

We had a wonderful time savoring the sights and flavors of Kamakura and its surroundings.  Although cherry blossom season may be over by now, the great tastes still remain.

KAMAKURA: Café Campanella カンパネラ 0467-22-6798

Website:  http://2-14-12.net/menu

Address:  鎌倉市長谷2-14-12.   Located about a 30-second walk from Hase JR Station in Kamakura.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open from about noon till around sunset.  Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays.

It was the perfect combination.  We were starving, and Campanella was the first restaurant we saw open after getting off the train at Hase Station in Kamakura.  Luckily for us, things worked out well!

For me, it was a tough choice between the honey and cinnamon crêpe with vanilla ice cream set (1050 yen) and the Kamakura ham with buttered toast set (950 yen), but since I felt that my body was craving protein, I went with the ham, toast, and the Kamakura blend coffee set.

鎌倉ハムトースト

My better half was eyeing the chocolate, banana, and caramel crêpe set (1050 yen), but she also opted for a more protein enriched meal and chose the Kamakura ham and cheese toast set (1000 yen).

The buttered toasted bread was light, fluffy, perfectly toasted, and delicious!  The ham slices were slightly thick and also scrumptious.  A small, tasteful sampling of pumpkin paste was served alongside pickled vegetables that went well with the toast and ham.  This felt more like a snack than a meal, but it did tide me over for an hour or two until my next opportunity to snack.

My wife loved the flavor of the cheese on her toast, and was quite satisfied that we found such a convenient eatery to gobble down a light snack.

鎌倉ハムチーズトースト

Capanella was quite busy on the Saturday we ventured in.  I was quite surprised and happy that the kind and helpful waitress was a fellow foreigner.  It’s rare to see a foreigner working as a staff member in a restaurant in Sendai.

I’d love to come back to try Campanella’s dessert crêpes some day, hopefully come next hanami season.

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