Sendai Food Convention 2016 仙台フードコンベンション 022-224-5640

For a bit more of some of the food that my be featured, click HERE to see my wrap-up from the 2014 event.

Website:  http://foodconvention.net

Address:  錦町公園 (仙台市青葉区本町).  Nishikichō Park is located about a five-minute walk from Kotodai-koen Subway Station.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open Saturday, October 1st and Sunday, October 2nd from 10 am to 7 pm.

This "convention" is a relatively small foodie affair, but it offers you a chance to sample some specialties from Sendai establishments.  I counted 29 restaurants that will showcase their finest this weekend.  Compared to the recent Oktoberfest and Niku Festa, this festival, in the past, has not been nearly as crowded and should be much easier on your wallet.

It looks like the weather might be better on Saturday, so that might be your best bet.

I hope to see you there!

Sendai Food Convention 2016 仙台フードコンベンション 022-224-5640

For a bit more of some of the food that my be featured, click HERE to see my wrap-up from the 2014 event.

Website:  http://foodconvention.net

Address:  錦町公園 (仙台市青葉区本町).  Nishikichō Park is located about a five-minute walk from Kotodai-koen Subway Station.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open Saturday, October 1st and Sunday, October 2nd from 10 am to 7 pm.

This "convention" is a relatively small foodie affair, but it offers you a chance to sample some specialties from Sendai establishments.  I counted 29 restaurants that will showcase their finest this weekend.  Compared to the recent Oktoberfest and Niku Festa, this festival, in the past, has not been nearly as crowded and should be much easier on your wallet.

It looks like the weather might be better on Saturday, so that might be your best bet.

I hope to see you there!

Sendai Food Convention 2015 仙台フードコンベンション

Website:  http://foodconvention.net/

Please see last year's wrap-up HERE.

Address:  Address:  錦町公園 (仙台市青葉区本町).Nishikichō Park is located about a five-minute walk from Kotodai-koen Subway Station.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open Saturday, October 3rd and Sunday, October 4th from 10 am to 7 pm.

Apparently, last year's event was such a great success that they added three extra hours each day for this year's gig.

For a more detailed description of the restaurants and shops showcasing their wares this weekend, please click HERE.

The forecast predicts great weather for strolling Nishikichō Park and sampling some great grub.

Hope to see you there!

Izumi Marché 2015 this Saturday, September 26th!

Website:  http://www.izumimarche.com/2015.html

Please click HERE for my article describing last year's event.

I was really impressed with the 2014 Marché, and this year's promises to be just as good, if not better.
The difficulty is in choosing which of the delicious delectables to devour!

And easy to find as this festival is held above Izumichuo Subway Station.

Hope to see you there!

Sendai Food Convention Wrap-Up 仙台フードコンベンション 022-224-5640

Please see my previous post HERE.

Website:  http://foodconvention.net/

Address:  錦町公園 (仙台市青葉区本町).Nishikichō Park is located about a five-minute walk from Kotodai-koen Subway Station.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open tomorrow Sunday, October 5^th from 11 am to 5 pm.

Strolling into Nishikichō Koen this gorgeous afternoon, the many aromas of different delicacies wafted through the air.  Upon first glance, this Food Convention seemed much smaller than what I imagined, yet there was enough of a variety of goodies to choose from.

I started off with a steak sandwich (500 yen) from the JAMIN/Le Café de Herisson booth.  It was quite popular and I had to wait in line for about ten minutes.  The bread was soft and tasty.  The meat was very tender, but a bit undercooked for my liking.  However, I’ve noticed that many Japanese restaurants serve their steaks while it is still red in the middle.  I don’t mind pink, but I don’t like my meat still red.  The sauce was quite delectable.

ステーキサンドウィチ

My wife thoroughly enjoyed her Watari はらこめし bento (1000 yen) from たその, which included pieces of salmon, salmon eggs, and rice mixed with various ingredients.

はらこめし

Next, was the green curry (500 yen) from the SABAI SABAI Thai Restaurant booth.  This was quite spicy and caused some sweat beads to be formed, but the bamboo shoots had a hint of sweetness to them and the chicken was amazingly tender.  This was a good choice!

グリーンカレー

Dessert was in order so we went for the apple-cinnamon focaccia (300 yen) from the AL FIORE stand.  The apples were quite sweet and delicious, but there wasn’t enough cinnamon flavor.   The bread was soft, but I was expecting sweeter.

リンゴ＆シナモンフォカッチャ

I was thrilled to see my favorite fritters, サーターアンダーギ, being sold (150 yen) at the 仁藤商店 booth, but this was also a disappointment.  They were too greasy and not very sweet.

We left for a few hours but then returned for some more snacks.  I tried the grilled beef (350 yen) from 三丁目小福, but it was miniscule compared to the photo.  Still, it was flavorful, but not worth the money.  Earlier in the day, this stand was extremely popular, but maybe it was another item on their menu that was a big hit.

Tasty, but a bit on the small side

Lastly, I tried the salsiccia sausage (500 yen) from Café & Restaurant GALLOW, but unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo.  You could tell this wiener was grilled to perfection with the sensation of a tart, crisp, juicy sausage upon the first bite.

There were many other tantalizing tastes to be found, but I was just too full.  

If you get the chance, I recommend a trek out to Nishikichō Park for a food adventure!

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Izumi Marché 2014: A Round-Up 泉マルシェ

Please click HERE for my previous announcement on this event.

Goodies, grub, and edibles all around!  Everything looked scrumptious!  It was soooo difficult to decide on what to eat!

But this is what we devoured today…

First off, we ran into the Spica booth (click on the name to see my review of their store) where I purchased a wonderful brownie (I think it was 190 yen).  Soft, moist, sweet, and chocolaty!  What more could you ask for?  Well, maybe a little bit bigger size.

A Brownie done right!

Someone (not me) still had a sweet tooth, so the ふわふわ Waffle Booth was our next stop for a whipped cream with chocolate sauce waffle (350 yen).  Someone (still not me) loved it, but I found it not sweet enough for my palate.

A waffle made for the Japanese palate

Next, was a visit to one of my Favorites, Café de Mieux, to try the Thai shrimp green curry (640 yen), penne pasta with tomato sauce (640 yen), and the broccoli quiche (380 yen).

My wife and I have dined at Café de Mieux countless times, yet this was the first time to see them prepare these dishes, so I was quite excited to see how they tasted.  The green curry was savory!  Spicy, but not too spicy.  The penne pasta was quite good, too.   The quiche, well, my better half enjoyed it.  I thought, “Not bad,” but I really don’t like quiches, so this was actually a compliment.

Thai Green Curry

Penne Pasta in Tomato Sauce

Broccoli Quiche

But I felt I needed a little more substance, so we headed to another Favorite,  Bistro Ampoule, for their homemade bacon (400 yen) that I love so much.  The serving was quite big, and the taste … mouthwatering!

The Bistro Ampoule Staff

Juicy, mouthwatering bacon!

After this, I was hankering for something sweet, so we ventured over to the 札幌北のドーナツ花 stand, where we had to wait in a looong line and watched them make the donuts on the spot.  But the wait was well worth it!  We purchased a few plain donuts, one salt donut, and one sugar donut (all were 120 yen each).  We gobbled up the plain donut right away, and were amazed at it’s crispy outside and soft, fluffy middle.  We haven’t tried the salt or sugar donut yet, but I’m imaging they’re tasty, too.

Making Doughnuts

To quench our thirst, we imbibed on a blood red orange juice (350 yen) that was quite rich and sweet.

Blood Red Orange Juice

For our last treat, we chowed down on some Neumarkt Southern German Sausages:  herb, curry, and garlic (500 yen).   These were all very good, and came with some sauerkraut hidden underneath the sausages.

A great selection of sausages!

Despite feeling completely stuffed, I was still disappointed that another one of my Favorites, Daily’s Muffins, had sold out of their delectable desserts in the first three hours.

Oh, and during a bathroom break, we happened upon this classical quartet of lovely ladies rehearsing Beatles songs for a paid concert later that afternoon.  What luck!

Beautiful Beatles Band

Also, it was quite a treat to see a number of stalls selling antique Americana goods.  I was able to relive my childhood seeing Lil Sprout (Green Giant), the California Raisins, the Campbell Soup twins, and Snap-Crackle-N'-Pop memorabilia on display.

This was my first time at the Izumi Marché, and it was a fantastic experience!  I can’t wait till next year, already!

Izumi Marché 2014 泉マルシェ

Website:  http://www.izumimarche.com/index.html

Located at Izumi-chuo Station.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Saturday, September 20, 2014 from 11 am to 5 pm.

Apologies for the very late notice.  I have never been to this event, but luckily I was alerted this morning while perusing a Sendai message board.  And since I have never been, I cannot give a first-hand account, but the reviews I read gave it a thumbs-up.

It appears as if this is the sixth year for this annual grubfest, hosting 150 food/drink/boutique stalls, as well as two stages with live performances throughout the day and a wine festival (advanced ticket purchased required-so that’s probably not going to happen).

What I found notable were four restaurants that I have reviewed previously on this blog, three of them being in my Favorites List:  Bistro Ampoule, Café de Mieux, and Daily’s Muffin.  The fourth, Spica, is listed under my Recommended Eateries.

According to the reviews, it’s best to get there early, as the food stalls do sell out.

I can’t wait till tomorrow to try these tempting treats!  

Hope to see you there!

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IKEA Restaurant イケアレストラン 050-5833-9000

Website:  http://www.ikea.com/jp/ja/store/sendai/

Address:  仙台市太白区あすと長町 2-1-1.   Located across the street and to the side of Nagamachi JR Train Station.  Also easily accessible from the Nagamachi Subway Station.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open:  Not yet, but the Grand Opening will be on Thursday, July 17, 2014.  Until September 30, 2014, the store will be open from 10 am – 9 pm.  But after that the store hours are as follows:  

Sunday – Friday: 10 am – 7 pm.  Saturdays and Holidays:  10 am – 9 pm.

Today, I got a special sneak-peek inside the brand-spanking new IKEA Store thanks to my friends, Tony, who gave me his “invitation only” Family Day at IKEA ticket, and Yvonne, who works there and provided the ticket.

I don’t remember visiting my local IKEA back in the States very often, and I never ate at their restaurant, so I can’t do a comparison, but I was quite impressed with the number of foods available at this Sendai IKEA restaurant, which included salmon, tandoori chicken, and roast beef among its many entrées .

My wife went with the Salmon Lasagna for 616 yen, with a slice of Arctic Bread for 60 yen.  It was the first time for her to ever try a salmon lasagna, and she really liked it, especially the salmon taste.  She also stated that the Arctic Bread didn’t have a lot of flavor by itself but that it went well with the lasagna.

サーモンラザニヤ・アークティックブレット

I chose the Swedish Meatballs for 599 yen, a Mini Bread for 90 yen to accompany it, and a butter packet for 20 yen.  The ten meatballs came with gravy, cranberry dressing, and mashed potatoes.  The meatballs were not extraordinary, but quite good, and the cranberry dressing added a nice touch to the flavor.  I’m not a big fan of mashed potatoes (I’m picky), but I enjoyed these!

スウェーデン・ミートボール

For dessert, my wife decided upon the Apple Cake for 299 yen and a Café Latte from the Drink Bar for 120 yen.  I picked the Cinnamon Roll for 90 yen.

アップルケーキ&シナモンロール

Both the Apple Cake and Cinnamon Roll were not very sweet, and had tastes that were nothing like their traditional counterparts.  Despite this, we still thought they were quite tasty, perhaps due to both having a nutty flavoring to them.

So IKEA is not a traditional restaurant, but that's what they call it.  It's more of a cafeteria, and our two complete meals plus dessert came in at under 2000 yen.  I would say that overall, we were both totally satisfied with our meals.

Since I never experienced eating at an IKEA Store, I don't know if this is standard practice there, but I found it interesting that you don't pay for your meal until you are done with it (unlike most cafeteria-style joints). After placing your selected platters on your tray, you proceed to the check out lane.  The clerk will give you an itemized receipt, and then you go off to find a place to sit.  When you are done with your meal, you take your tray to the disposal area, and then use an automated register to pay for your meal.  I had never seen this before.

If you’re shopping at IKEA, visiting their restaurant might provide a nice needed break from wandering around the huge store..   

But, if you want to save even more money, go to their Bistro on the 1^st floor past the checkout lanes.  They sell hot dogs for 100 yen and soft cream cones for 50 yen!  The hot dog looked good but I was already full from the restaurant.

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Happy Happy Melon Pan Truck: This Weekend?

Website:   http://happy-happy.jp/shop/index.html

To read a previous post, please click HERE.

Unfortunately, the Happy Happy Melon Pan website is not listing this weekend's schedule, but I believe that they will be in front of Daiei sometime this weekend.

I hope I'm right!

Happy Eating!

Happy Happy Melon Pan returns for four days!

Website:  http://happy-happy.jp/shop/index.html

To read a previous post on Happy Happy Melon Pan, please click HERE.

What a treat!  Starting tomorrow, Friday, March 21st till Monday, March 24th, the mouthwatering melon pan truck will be parked in front of Daiei Department Store!  

I'm willing to brave the snow for this taste of heaven!

UPDATE:  I'm trying to cut back, so I only bought ten this time!

Happy Happy Melon Pan Truck - This weekend: Jan. 24 - 26, 2014

Website:  http://happy-happy.jp/index.html

To read a previous post on this mouthwatering melon pan, please click HERE.

This weekend, Friday, January 24th till Sunday, January 26th, the Happy Happy truck will be parked on Chuo-dori in front of Daiei Department Store.

This is the fifth month in a row that the luscious melon pan truck has come to Sendai.
Let's hope it's a monthly ritual!

See you there!

Kagayaki Pâtisserie 菓々YAKI 022-353-7334

Website:  http://tabelog.com/miyagi/A0401/A040102/4014179/

Address:  仙台市宮城野区岩切分台1-4-4　ルシアンKATOビル１F.   Located about 400 meters from Iwakiri JR Station on the JR Tohoku Line.  Or if driving, just off of Route 35 coming from Route 8, behind the COOP Market.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open: 11 am – 7 pm.

One of my best friends, Yvonne, recommended this unique restaurant to me some months ago, and although she gave a very enticing description of the fare offered at Kagayaki, I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of bread being served as a meal. 

Since this restaurant was Yvonne’s idea, I asked her to join my wife and me for lunch on a recent Saturday afternoon to delight in these baked goodies.

There were four different meal options on the menu, including one brunch set, and all came with a salad and soup.

Let me get the soup and salad out of the way.  Actually, there’s not much to talk about.  They were both pleasing, but nothing to write home about.

Soup

I went with the B set for 680 yen, which included the following three types of bread:

-Shrimp and broccoli with white sauce gratin:  Maybe it was because I’m a picky eater, but I really didn’t care for this.  I like broccoli and I’m usually okay with shrimp, but I wouldn’t normally order anything that came with white sauce or gratin.  I guess it was to be expected that this would be my least favorite. 

-Buttered potato with corn:  This was quite good, as it reminded me of my beloved corn bread.   I could’ve gone for another slice of this!

-Herb and green bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese:  This pizza-tasting slice was also very savory.

エビとブロッコリーのホワイトソースグラタン、

じゃがバタ焼きもろこし、プロヴァンス

My wife and Yvonne (both non-picky eaters), both ordered the Brunch Set for 680 yen, which came with the following bread selections:

-Italian Blue Cheese and Miyagi zucchini:  My better half stated that this was her favorite, and she really enjoyed devouring this one.  Yvonne also expressed that she preferred this slice over the other three. 

-Small fish and tomato:  Nope, my wife didn’t care for this one, but still, she cleaned her plate.  My normal-eater friend wasn't impressed with this one, either.   Perhaps the restaurant might want to rethink this dish.

-Herb and green bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese:  This was the same slice that came with my set, and it was a winner of the 'good taste' award by unanimous decision.

ブルーチーズとズッキーニ、プロヴァンス、
小魚の和風トマト

We all opted for hot coffee for an additional 200 yen, as well as ordering dessert.

My wife decided upon a slice of chocolate cake.  I pleaded for a taste and found it to be nice, but not very sweet.

Chocolate Cake

Yvonne went with a strawberry sundae (350 yen), and I went with a banana chocolate sundae, only to be informed that they were out of bananas.  They offered me a choice of any other fruit substitute for a 50 yen discount.  I requested strawberries instead and it went well with the chocolate sauce.

Strawberry Sundae

Psuedo-Banana/Chocolate Sundae w/Strawberries

I recommended Kagayaki to a friend of mine, Keiko (another non-picky eater), and she purchased three loaves of bread to take home, I believe at a cost of 1200 yen each.  She mentioned that, unlike me, she liked the shrimp and broccoli the best, with a chestnut and mushroom loaf coming in second.  I’m guessing she thought the cheese bread came in third.

If you get a chance, sit by the window to catch a glimpse of the bullet train streak by every now and then.

There’s plenty of parking if you travel by car and the restaurant itself is quite spacious.

I recommend Kagayaki due to its uniqueness, as I’ve never run across a meal such as this.  If you’re looking for something different, try some unconventional slices of the staff of life.

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Spica Bread & Bagel - Rifu スピカ 022-356-0264

Website:  http://spicabagel.blog44.fc2.com/

Address:  宮城県宮城郡利府町青葉台2-1-120.   Located … somewhere in Rifu?  Sorry about this, but I was driven to this neighborhood and then we walked through a residential area to get here, so I couldn’t find it again without looking up my own map that I posted below.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open: Thursday thru Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

Thanks to my friend, Tony, who introduced me to this very hidden slice of yumminess.  I’ve only visited once but I was quite impressed with what I devoured. 

This is a very small mom & pop operation (although the mom & pop are rather young) run out of their home.  Spica offers a wide variety of bread and bagel vittles, but the menu changes on a daily basis.  

On the lucky day I ventured in, the pickings were slim since I turned up after noontime and most of the baskets of baked goods were already bare.

I was starving so I opted for a bagel pizza (230 yen) with semi-dry tomatoes, herbs, and cheese, sprinkled with olive oil.  Did I forgot to mention that, picky me, I’m not crazy about bagels (nor cheese)?  But due to my aforementioned pickiness, this seemed to be the best option available.

Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised!  The bagel didn’t have the rock hard texture that I dislike about your average bagel, and the combination of the dry tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil was fantastic!  It was a bit messy, as I had to dodge the dripping (delectable) olive oil.

セミドライ トマト と チーズの ベーグル Pizza

I also savored a scrumptious cranberry scone (140 yen).  The dough was indeed very flaky and flavorful!  I can’t believe that supermarkets sell crappy, factory manufactured tasteless dough products for the same price.  I also forgot to mention that scones as a category would not top my list of favorite desserts, but this one was great!

クランベリーザクザクスコーン

According to their blog (address above), they hold events on the 4^th floor of PARCO Department Store in downtown Sendai from time to time.  If you have an opportunity to venture to Rifu, I highly recommend Spica!

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Daily’s Muffin デイリーズ・マフィン 022-778-5438

Website:  http://dailysmuffin.jp/

Address:  仙台市青葉区上杉3丁目 1-10.   Located about a 10-minute walk from either the Kotodai-koen or Kita-Yobanchō  Subway Stations, somewhat near the NHK Building.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open:  Tuesdays thru Fridays, 8 am till they are sold out, which is early. Saturdays open from 11 am.  

Closed Sundays, Mondays, and Holidays.

I normally don't rush to judgment (ok, maybe I do sometimes), nor do I usually add eateries to my Favorites list casually, but Daily's Muffin definitely deserves a place at the top after my extensive research in the last few weeks.

Recently, my friend, Fong Xiong, introduced these wonderful muffins to my colleagues.  Unfortunately, there were only three muffins and a staff of seven that day.  To be fair, I cut a quarter of a banana/nama-chocolate muffin for the road.  Arriving at my destination, I partook of my small sampling. 

Heavenly!

I've never had a great muffin in Japan and was astonished as the creamy, sweet chocolate blended so wonderfully with the banana muffin.  I also felt selfish as I was then upset that I took only took a quarter of the muffin and not half.

The following week, Fong announced that he would be returning to Daily's Muffin and asked the staff if they would like anything.  I think he was sorry he asked.  Everyone in the office started rattling of their choices of muffins.

When Fong (a.k.a. The Muffin Man) returned, we didn't get what we wanted.

At that time, we didn't know that Daily's Muffin changes their menu on a weekly basis.  Alas, my lovely banana/chocolate muffin could not be had!

Fong chose a Royal Milk Tea with Caramel Muffin for me instead of my preferred banana/nama-chocolate.  But I don't like milk tea and I'm not crazy about caramel.  He gladly offered to take it himself if I passed on it, but I felt a bit adventurous.  I mean, how bad can a muffin be?

It wasn't bad, at all.  In fact, it was delectable!  If this is what milk tea tastes like, I may have to start drinking it.

In the following three weeks, three members of our staff and two students individually ventured to the Kamisugi shop to delight in these baked goodies.

Combined, our staff has probably purchased close to 50 muffins in this short period of time.  By the way, we don't have a large staff.

Speaking of which, there are a few things that I’d like to mention.  Unfortunately, these scrumptious muffins are hard to come by, as the shop closes as soon as they sell out, and they sell out quickly!  On this week’s visit at 12:45 pm, the shop was already sold out of muffins and the kind shopkeepers were just waiting for me to pick up my order so that they could close up shop.

First, the amiable proprietors are a young couple who opened Daily’s Muffin just four short years ago.   
Secondly, this is a bit of a difficult coffee shop to find, as their is no clearly visible signage indicating that a muffin shop is at that address.  Oops, did I forget to mention that you can savor their rich, deep coffee along with their savory snacks on the premises?   
Oh, the price: muffins are 290 yen.  

Here is the website for their menu:Lastly, I strongly advise you to peruse their menu online and then call to reserve your muffins for the day, otherwise, you’ll most likely be out of luck.

http://dailysmuffin.jp/menu.php

Doesn't exactly look like a muffin shop, does it?

Here are a few of the muffins either I, or my friends, have devoured.

プレーンマフィン

The plain muffin (vanilla & sugar):  Always a safe bet.  Sooooo delicious!

Oreo Cookie and Chocolate Chip Muffin

I didn't eat this one, but my friend, Rie, swore by it!

I'm not exactly sure what this was???

This was my dear friend, Yvonne's, choice for the day, a お楽しみマフィン, but neither she nor I remember what it was.  But it looks great!

Chocolate/Orange Muffin

This Chocolate/Orange combo was good, but it had been sitting in my car for seven hours, so it was a bit dry by the time I was able to taste it.

サクランボ／生チョコ Muffin

This Cherry/Nama-Chocolate muffin was listed as the お楽しみマフィン on this day, and I have to say that this was the best of the best!

Lemon and Caramel Muffin

I'm not crazy about caramel, but this was great, with just a hint of lemon.

桃のコンポート＆ロイヤルミルクティ Muffin

This Peach/Milk Tea muffin was my wife's selection, which she raved about!

抹茶／生チョコ Muffin

This was also listed as the お楽しみマフィン for this week.  I usually don't like maccha-flavored foods, but this was wonderful!


My dear friend, Takayo, graciously gave me her mango/caramel muffin topped with coconut shavings.  This was a triple threat, as I don't care for mango, caramel, nor coconut shavings.  But to my surprise, this was amazing!  However, I forgot to take a picture.

And they just don't sell muffins.  Various chiffon cakes, cookies, and brownies are available daily.

Brownie

This brownie was good, but I would have preferred it a bit sweeter.

Oatmeal/Chocolate Chip/Almond Cookie

I guess I'm used to the sweeter Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookies I make myself, but for 150 yen, and considering it's difficult to find an oatmeal cookie in Japan, it's not bad.

I hope you get to experience the mouthwatering flavors of Daily's Muffin, but at the same time I'm afraid you may take my muffins.  

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