Mikuni Reprise

We've been making good use of the FAR card, and I've had quite a few happy meals at Mikuni. Again, I stress that without the card, there's really no point in going there, paying all that money, for what is an above-average meal with a really ridiculous price tag.

This was the lunch bento - probably cost about $90.  

The cod was not too bad - but cod normally isn't bad anyway.

Tempura - light, fluffy, crispy, decent.

Pretty standard sashimi - it was fresh, but I daresay sashimi at any restaurant like Ishiban Boshi and upwards is usually fresh.

California Maki - very normal, nothing to shout about.

Some prawn crisp as a starter

I think this was the business lunch ($75). 

Fresh sashimi again, this time slightly more enjoyable than the version than came with the lunch bento. Maybe it was the presence of hotate.

Thinly-sliced pork with miso - now, this I really enjoyed. The soup was nicely sweetened by the chinese cabbage and onions. Drank up every last drop.

Tempura was pretty standard.

Not sure what this tofu/tamago thing was.

A close-up look at the pork - perhaps the most excellent thing one can order at lunch time

The beef and prawn teppanyaki set

The beef was good, and the prawn was yummy but really, if the prawn is that fresh/good, you really don't need that creamy sauce. Ugh.

We managed to score some extra desserts in addition to the normal fruit slices - a red bean cake, and some green tea ball.

Christmas and New Year Eating

We were very blessed and fortunate to have been invited out to various places over the festive season, and we had lots of great food shared with great friends. These aren't necessarily the best ever dishes or photos, but they were eaten in good company with good conversation. 

Christmas Party 1: Roast beef round 1 - this was pretty yummy but slightly dry.

There was a very yummy salad with rocket, sundried tomatoes and cranberries with balsamic vinegar

 

 Turkey - with plain boiled veggies

 

Roast beef round 2 : much juicier this time

 Grilled sausages

 

Next up, a new year's eve dinner at an old friend's house - clams with garlic, white wine and crab meat

 

Which went on top of angel hair pasta

The salad which looked really colourful - we brought a cheese platter with quince paste, dried apricots and nuts which I regret not taking a photo of

The star of the evening was this roast rib - straight out of the oven, done to rare-medium-mediumwell perfection

Dripping with juices - beautifully done

A closer look

So good you can even eat it on its own

Last, but not least, we had our usual Christmas dinner at the inlaws' place. Unlike previous years, this was a smaller-scale affair, but as yummy as ever.

Ham with honey mustard and grilled pineapple rings

Turkey - this was perfect.

Potatoes, oven-baked and pan-fried, with paprika

The entire spread

Sausages

Veggies to make ourselves feel slightly healthier

The ham was super yummy and sufficiently un-salty

The husband carved the turkey expertly

Log cake made by the SIL

Happy New Year everyone!

Ramen Chashu

The wonderful MIL started taking Japanese food classes, and recently learnt how to make Japanese chashu. It's a pork belly rolled up, and stewed for a super long time with some mirin and soy and goodness knows what else.

 Ready to be sliced, several hours later

It was GORGEOUS

She also had some ramen, which was cooked separately

All ready to go

What a beauty

 

Ramen with chicken stock and an onsen tamago - better than any MSG-laden commercial ramen out there.

Aoki reprise

This was a couple of months ago - we managed to make it to Aoki for a weekday lunch towards the tail end of truffle season, and gratified ourselves with a chawanmushi with shaved white truffles. Divine.

The husband had a nigiri sushi set, which I believe, was $50. He won't eat ikura and ama ebi anywhere else but Aoki.

Another view of the set.

I had my usual mazechirashi - I don't think I've ever ordered anything else during lunch.

Every little bit is precious. It's amazing how happy this bowl makes me, everytime we go.

The dessert was slightly different - although it was still a trio of different things, there was a tofu-like item instead of the mochi. Can't really remember what it tasted like (or was!), but the umeshu jelly is always a great way to end the meal :)

Pizza made by the MIL

The MIL suddenly decided she wanted to make pizza at home one day, so it was a pleasant surprise when we got home and saw her blending tomatoes and kneading dough. Of course we got to do the fun stuff  after she did all the hard work.

 We had a variety of toppings - this was anchovies, olives and shrimp

While the other one was a basil+tomato and pepperoni combo

She ran out of dough so this was a hawaiian topping on a frozen pizza base

 

In the oven they went

Freshly baked

They looked great, and smelt even better

This one was really good - nice and cheesy and not too salty - except the anchovies!

This was no Roman pizza, but it was good enough : )