niche café and darts – Shiogama ニッチ 022-365-1321

Website:  http://www.cafeniche.jp/index.php

Address:  塩釜市東玉川町8-6.  About a 45-second walk from Shiogama JR Station just across from the 7-11.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open everyday except Tuesdays from 4 pm to 2 am.

This was the third year in a row that the company I work for held a Darts Night at niche, and the reason we keep going back is that niche never fails to provide us with good food and great service!

We went for their standard party plan for 3000 yen, which consisted of five dishes and a 90-minute nomihoudai.  I had originally made a reservation for fifteen people, but unfortunately the numbers were short and I notified the restaurant a couple of days in advance that only ten people would be attending, hoping that they would not charge us for the original fifteen.  They said it was no problem at all and we were let off the hook.

The evening started off with a garden salad topped with a tangy dressing and juicy karage chicken.

Garden Salad

唐揚げチキン

Next was a yummy-ful pizza of sliced sausage and cherry tomatoes with basil that was devoured by our group quite quickly.  

Sausage and Cherry Tomato Pizza

The following dish was a tomato sauce pasta (Angel hair? Spaghetti? There was an argument at our table about this) filled with zucchini, bacon, and pork.

Zucchini, bacon, pork, tomato sauce pasta

The finale was a small chocolate brownie-type with cream that really hit the spot.  Unfortunately, I ate this before I remembered to take a photo.

niche is a very small place that holds about twenty people at best and has one electronic dart machine.  Parking is available for about four cars.

I was told by a friend that their オムライスis fantastic, but I have yet to try it.

If you happen to find yourself in this neck of the woods, I highly recommend stopping in niche for a quick bite and a round of darts.  I’m sure we’ll be back again … and again … and again.

Public House – Tagajo パブリック ハウス 022-309-5503

Website: http://www.cafecompany.co.jp/en/brands/publichouse/tagajyo/index.html

Address:  宮城県多賀城市中央2-4-3, 多賀城駅北ビルA棟3F.   Located on the 3^rd floor on the Tagajo Public Library adjacent to the Tagajo JR Train Station.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open 11 am till 10 pm, with Lunch Time until 5 pm.

After a side trip to nearby sites in Tagajo, my wife and I decided to grab a bite to eat at the newly opened Public House restaurant in the newly opened Tagajo Public Library (click HERE for more info).

The library itself has received a lot of press lately, and rightfully so, as it is an attractive looking building that is quite stylishly decorated and spaciously laid out inside.  A Starbucks, Family Mart, and Tsutaya bookstore are on the first floor, and the open-spaced restaurant is located on the third floor.

Although there were not a lot of platters to choose from on the menu, I was fortunate enough to find something that peaked my interest and decided upon the Yocchan Nanban Chicken BBQ Plate, (1050 yen), while my less-picky better half went with the Shrimp & Hokkaido Potato Genovese Pasta (980 yen) which came with two slices of a baguette.   I also requested an order of focaccia bread for an additional 100 yen, but was informed that they had already sold out of focaccia, but that they would substitute baguette slices if it was okay with me.  I agreed. 

When the platter arrived, I was quite impressed with the voluminous size of the chicken, as I was expecting a much smaller piece.  The chicken itself was tender enough, but seemed to rely on the flavor of the barbeque sauce, which seemed to grow on me.  As I slowly devoured the poultry piece, I enjoyed the taste more and more.  By the end of the meal, I was quite satisfied with the flavor.

Another bonus was the potato-ish clump that accompanied the chicken.   I asked what it was, and was told it was a potato galette; potatoes mashed, buttered, peppered, and baked.  This was quite tasty indeed, and went well with the barbequed chicken.

鶏もも肉のよっちゃんなんばんBBQプレート

The underlying salad wasn’t much to speak of, as it was mainly chopped iceberg lettuce with a few slices of tomato and radish mixed in with a drop of salad dressing.  Still, it gave the opportunity to have a change of taste and refresh the palette.

The baguette slices were served at room temperature, which I thought they should have been heated.   But when I asked for butter, the restaurant was quite generous in its serving.

The one thing that I just noticed while writing this post was that the menu stated "with rice."  I didn't receive any rice.  Hmm.  You might want to watch out for this.

My wife was very satisfied with her pasta and stated that the basil seasoning that was added was quite delicious.  For an extra 200 yen she ordered a hot coffee that she enjoyed.

エビと北あかりのジェノベーゼ

Here are a few photos of the menu.

I don’t think I would go out of the way for this restaurant, but if I lived in the neighborhood or were making a visit to one of the numerous sites in Tagajo (History Museum, cherry blossoms, iris flower festival, Kirin Beer Factory tour, Sendai Outlet Mall, or aquarium), I would recommend a meal at the Public House.  I know I will be going back there on my next excursion to Tagajo.

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!

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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UPDATE: Rigoletto リゴレット タパスラウンジ 022-716-0678

Website:  http://www.rigoletto.jp/sp/sendai/party/ 　

For my previous post on Rigoletto, please click HERE.

Address:  仙台市青葉区中央1-6-1.   Located across the street from the AER Building in between Hirose-dori and Chuo-dori.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open 7 days a week from 11:30 am to 4 am, with lunch till 3 pm.

Last Saturday night, my good friends and I held a Welcome Home party for our dear friend, Yvonne, who requested to have it hosted at Rigoletto after remembering the wonderful food we were served at a company enkai we attended there over two years ago. 

As the organizer for the party I first checked Rigoletto’s website to see what types of party plans they offered.

Unfortunately, their websites are not easy to navigate, with many of their links being inactive.  The link I provided above should take you to their party plan menu.  After a few different searches, it appeared as if two options were available: one for 4500 yen and the other for 5000 yen.   I called the restaurant on the Sunday before to make a reservation for my party of six confirmed partygoers for the less expensive plan, which, according to the outdated web page, included ten separate dishes and a two-hour nomihoudai.   

I was informed that at least eight people were necessary to partake of the party plan.  I told them that perhaps more of my friends would join later, but that at the time I wasn’t sure, and asked if there was anything they could do.

They put me on hold and apparently consulted management.  After a few moments they came back and assured me that it would be okay this time to utilize the party plan with only six people, but that if it dropped to five then we would have to order a la carte.

We actually ended up with seven in total, or seven and a half, as one friend could not find a babysitter and brought her two-year-old son in tow.   She had contacted Rigoletto herself and asked if children were permitted.  The restaurant was very accepting and accommodating and did not charge any extra for her little boy.

After being seated we requested our first round of beverages in order to give a welcome toast to our dearly missed friend, Yvonne, but it seemed as if we waited and waited for all of our drinks to arrive.  This concerned a couple of us, as we are well aware that many restaurants have an iffy time schedule and often lack timely service when it comes to nomihoudais.  This did not seem a like a good sign.

But as the night progressed, so did their service.  Each platter was brought soon after the previous one had been finished.  And much to my surprise, as we were half way finished imbibing our refreshments, another round for all was brought to our table before we even had a chance to request them.  This artful customer attentiveness was greatly appreciated!

When it was time for “last call,” the waitress brought us multiple drinks to last well past the allotted two-hour time limit.  This brought smiles to everyone at the table!

But on to the food! 

The first platter served was the fish carpaccio.  This picky eater does not like seafood, but since I was paying a little more than usual for an enkai, I decided that I was going to try everything.  I’m so glad I did!  This was so tasty that  I even had a second helping!

鮮魚のカルパッチョ

Next came the ham platter with green olives, with four different types of ham.  Being a meat lover, this initially looked tempting.  But again, my pickiness had predetermined that I wanted nothing to do with the green olives.  The ham slices were nice, but nothing special.  And since I was going to get my money’s worth, I popped an olive into my mouth just out of principle.  Rigoletto was batting two for two with foods that I formerly detested, as these olives were great!  I popped a few more in my mouth before the night was through.

生ハムの盛り合わせ

Following this was the bacon and mushroom platter, which I did not see listed on the website.  Succulent is the best word to describe this!

Bacon and Mushrooms

Another surprise soon came with the hot bread with escargot and shrimp in a butter garlic dip.  I’m picky, remember?  Escargot is not something a picky eater indulges in.  But with the invitingly buttery garlic aroma wafting through the air, I could not resist.   Magnificent!  I couldn’t stop dipping!  And the bread was delicious in its own right!

Bread with Escargot and Shrimp in Butter Garlic Sauce

The Chef’s Salad was good, despite the cheese (I really don’t like cheese), but my friends seemed to enjoy this.

シェフズサラダ

The Margherita pizza was terrific!  The crust had a flavor all its own, and the toppings just seemed like a bonus.

ピッツァ・ディアボラ

Two varieties of pasta were then brought at the same time, one with scallops and the other with bacon, cheese, and eggplant, although, I could be mistaken about these ingredients.  Either way, both were delicious!

Pasta with Scallops

Pasta with Bacon, Cheese, and Eggplant

The finale was the gigantic dessert platter!  Each person was able to devour a fruit tart, a slice of chocolate cake, cheesecake, and two other cakes.  I preferred the chocolate slice myself, while most at my table praised the cheesecake.

デザート

A close-up of my dessert plate!

Even though we paid a higher price than most restaurants charge for a party plan, my friends and I all seemed to be in agreement that this was an excellent and satisfying choice for a party.  While preparing the photos for this post, I noticed that we were actually served only nine dishes, but I believe they actually brought us two pizzas, which would then add up to a total of ten servings.

To be honest, I was quite surprised that Rigoletto was able to accommodate us on such short notice during Golden Week.  I appreciated that the staff member Chisato-san contacted me during the week to confirm my plans.

If you have a party to plan, I highly recommend Rigoletto!  The food was fantastic and the service superb!

It’s a bit pricier than other places, but you get what you pay for.  Actually, I think you get more than what you pay for at Rigoletto!

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Café Mozart カフェ モーツアルト 022-263-4689

Website:  http://tabelog.com/miyagi/A0401/A040101/4002447/

Address:  仙台市青葉区一番町3-１１－１４　丸和ビル３F.   Located on Ichibancho between Chuo-dori and the Forus Department Store, on the third floor in the building next to the KFC.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open everyday from 11:30 am to 11 pm, but lunch lasts only till 2:30 pm.

Okay, so I’m a little late in posting this one.  But some time ago while enjoying the Pre-Aoba Matsuri festivities, I decided to search for a new eatery for this blog.  I strolled around Chuo-dori and Ichibancho looking for that hidden gem that I had yet to experience.  Most of the restaurants I saw seem to violate my rule of "less means delicious" when it came to their advertising.  Most places went with loud and flashy, trying to attract attention, which probably meant that they're not very good.  I saw two young ladies perusing a small, indiscreet blackboard sign, and all three caught my eye (for different reasons).

Café Mozart possesses a very casual and comfy atmosphere.    The theme of the cafe seems to be that there is no theme at all.  None of the furniture matches.  Separated into two different dining areas, there are a few coffee tables with relaxing looking armchairs, a sofa, and also a piano.  In the section I was sitting in I saw ten different types of tables, including long tables for a group or for individuals to share.   

On this day, the lunch menu provided only three options:  a shrimp, squid, and mushroom cream pasta (Yuck!  I don’t do squid or cream.  I’m a picky eater!).  A bacon with cream cheese sandwich (I don’t like cream cheese).  And a basil chicken pasta with vegetables.  I went with the third option for 900 yen, which came with the pasta, salad, and a beverage.  I also splurged for dessert and chose the chocolate cake for an additional 250 yen.

たっぷり野菜のバジルチキンパスタ

The pasta was light, buttery, and tasty.  I especially enjoyed the crisp yet tender chickpeas disbursed among the pasta.  And speaking of tender, the slightly seasoned chicken melted in my mouth!  My only complaint would be that the succulent chicken was not in abundance.

The salad, due to its very pleasing sesame dressing, was quite refreshing.

The chocolate cake had a walnutty taste with a hint of sweetness to it, and by itself was just okay.  But when I mixed it with the accompanying cocoa powder, chocolate sauce, raspberry sauce, and the whipped cream, it was delicious!

This went extremely well with the rich, flavorful coffee.

ショコラ・デ・モーツァルト

A fine selection of coffees, teas, and desserts are also on the menu.

All in all, I’d say that this was a very light meal that, with the dessert, satisfied my hunger.

There are a number of other Café Mozarts in Sendai, so this review pertains only to the one on Ichibancho.

This Café Mozart seems to attract a younger crowd, as I noticed that I was the oldest one in the place, but this seems to be a great place to take a break from the shopping crowds and enjoy a coffee or a light meal no matter what your age.

Hmm.  I saw this on the menu but I'm not sure what this coffee tastes like.  

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UPDATE #2: amo la Pizza 022-395-5317

Website:  http://ameblo.jp/amolapizza/

If you haven’t read about amo la Pizza before, please read my earlier posts at:  amo la Pizza and HERE.

Address:  宮城県仙台市太白区鹿野2-14-14、グローリアス鹿野102.   Located about a four-minute walk from The Mall Part 2, next to the giant Paradiso Pachinko Parlor in Nagamachi-minami.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open:   Lunch:  11 am – 2:30 pm  Dinner:  5:30 pm  - 9:00 pm

Closed Mondays.

We simply LOVE this place and because of our nearly weekly visits, my wife and I have become regulars at the amo (they don’t capitalize the “a” in “amo”).  But getting a table is still a feat since amo was featured on the 仙台放送 program あらあらかしこ.

The skillful owner, Yoshiki Katsuta, has totally revamped the menus for both lunch and dinner and has taken his restaurant into a new, exciting direction, going from a simple pizza joint to a refined choice for dining.

I’ll begin with the new and improved lunch menu.  There are two menu choices for lunch:  the Lunch Course or the Pizza Lunch.  The Lunch Course is only offered on weekends and holidays, but I’ve ordered it during the week after calling in and requesting it.  It includes an appetizer platter, salad, soup, pizza, gelato, and a drink, all for 1480 yen.  For an additional 300 yen, an alcoholic drink can be served.  Unfortunately, only the first ten orders for the Lunch Course can be served daily.  If you'd like to try the Lunch Course, I suggest calling ahead and reserving both the course and a table.

The appetizer platter features three different samplers: an Italian omelette with balsamic dressing, a slice of Milano and Mortadella ham in olive oil, and pickled vegetables.

前菜盛り合わせ

I have never been a fan of omelettes, but I have to admit that the combo of balsamic sauce mixed with this bacon bit omelette is outstanding!  The pickles are delightful, and the ham slices with olives round out a great starter to the meal.

Next, comes the vegetable salad topped with the wonderful Sendai miso dressing.  On any given day, the veggies could include red daikon, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, turnips, endive, onions, mizuna, mini cabbage, and romaine lettuce.

Salad w/Sendai Miso Dressing

Following the salad is the minestrone soup.  Along with the salad, the vegetables in the soup scream “freshness” in every bite.

Minestrone Soup

When selecting your pizza from the Lunch Course, there are six varieties of pizzas to choose from (Margherita, Italian Sausage, Four Cheese, Vegetable, Bacon & Mushroom Cream, and Seafood Genovesa), or you can order a half & half pizza.  On some days, I’ll go with the one topping of homemade salsiccia Italian sausage, on other days I’ll go with a half & half pizza.  I’m not sure if it’s because they staff knows I write this restaurant blog, or if it’s because we are regular customers, or if it’s that amo likes to satisfy its customers whenever it can, but my off-menu requests are often fulfilled.  When ordering off the beaten track, I’ve ordered a half & half pizza with either the ham and rucola topping or the grilled chicken with the salsiccia sausage.

A side note concerning the salsiccia (“sausage” in Italian).  To me, this Italian sausage tastes exactly like my mother’s meatballs in her Mexican albondigas soup.  My mother’s albondigas soup is one of my all-time favorite dishes, so to have a 懐かしい moment while dining in Japan warms the cockles of my heart.

The vanilla gelato accompanied with whipped cream and berries is a wonderful finisher to a delightful meal.

季節のジェラート

But if the lunch course seems a bit much for you, perhaps ordering from the regular pizza lunch menu would be more to your liking.

The same six varieties of pizzas are available a la carte or with a drink set.  The pizza sets range from 900 yen to 1100 yen, with the choice of drinks being hot/iced coffee or tea, orange juice, or oolong tea.  Beer or house wine is an additional 300 yen.  A 100 yen discount is deducted if you choose not to have a drink.  Dessert is also available for 200 yen.

Below are photos of the various pizzas I’ve encountered.

Half & Half:  Ham/Rucola and Italian Sausage

シーフードジェノベーゼ

自家製サルシッチャ

マルゲリータ

たっぷり野菜の葉園風

Now on to the restyled dinner menu.  The 1900 yen Set Menu is quite similar to the Lunch Course, but there are a few differences.  First, there must be at least two people ordering the Set Menu.  Secondly, it’s one pizza for two people, but you can still order a half & half pizza.  Lastly, the pasta of the day is included!  

The menu states that, like the Lunch Course, your dining experience starts out with three appetizer samplers.  Again, I don’t know if Katsuta-san was just taking care of us this evening, but we were served four delicious hors d’ oeuvres.   In addition to the lunch course’s Italian omelette and pickles, a delightful mixture of broccoli and shrimp in balsamic sauce plus a refreshing caponata were placed in front of us.  My only complaint was that the caponata was a bit difficult to eat in the spoon/bowl that they served it in.

Dinner Set Appetizer Sampler

The pasta d’jour was chicken and gobou (burdock root) in tomato sauce.  The gobou was soft and delicious, which was surprising to me because gobou has never been one of my favorites, while the chicken possessed a savory soy sauce seasoning to it.

Chicken and Burdock (ごぼう) in Tomato Sauce Pasta

As you can see from the menu photos below, amo la Pizza now offers a fine dining experience with a variety of culinary delights for all. I've yet to try amo's selection of nomihoudai party courses which are available upon request, but their menus are enticing.  And with the lovely waitress, Honami, attending to you, who could ask for anything more?

Dinner Menu

Dinner Menu pg. 2

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