Posts Tagged ‘jonas’ birthday’

Tekka Japanese Restaurant – The *Hidden* Japanese Restaurant – Jonas’ Birthday Dinner #5

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

Tekka

It’s so small and so popular that if you’re not among the first group (seats about 9 people) to eat there when it opens some time after 7pm, your best bet would be to come back around 9:30. It’s become so popular that people have to purposely give it bad reviews so others won’t go there.

If there’s one Japanese word you should know before eating at Tekka, it’s “omakase”:

Omakase (お任せ) is the Japanese word meaning “entrust” or “protect”. It is most commonly encountered at sushi bars, where the customer may request お任せお願いします omakase onegaishimasu (onegaishimasu meaning “please do me the favor”) to give the chef authority to prepare what the chef wants to make for you at the price that the chef sets. (wiki)

Brian and I were charged $50 each for all this food (and a little extra for the hamachi kama):

Pumpkin, Tekka

Sashimi, Tekka

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Bushi Tei – Jonas’ Birthday Dinner #4

Monday, December 31st, 2007

I was with the family this time, dining at Bushi Tei – one of those higher-end Japanese restaurants where you pay a fortune to eat a little. Actually, despite being expensive, I really enjoyed this meal. Service was almost impeccable – I really want to say it was perfect but nothing can compare to Gary Danko’s service – and the food tasted better than it looked, and boy did it look good!

Complimentary Bread, Bushi Tei

Complimentary Appetizer, Bushi Tei

Boar Sausage

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Iroha Restaurant – Jonas’ First Birthday Lunch

Monday, December 31st, 2007

Iroha Ramen and Gyoza

The  meal was okay and the service needed a little work, but at least I was around great company.

Thanks Weldon,  Andy and Regina!

Regina, Andy, Jonas and Weldon

-jonas
Iroha Restaurant
visited 12/27/07

Chapeau! – WOW – Jonas’ Birthday Dinner #3

Saturday, December 22nd, 2007

In French, “chapeau” means hat, but “chapeau!” means wow! That’s the kind of dining experience I had at Chapeau Ristorante. The head chef greeted us, checked up on us in the middle of our meal, and saw us out the door – he even gave us kisses on the cheek goodbye.

This is a nice place for a pre fixe meal, and if you can, eat there between 5-6pm for their early bird special: 3 course meal for $25.

Chapeau bread
The complimentary French bread

chapeau curry soup
The complimentary curry soup (literally sample size)

Chapeau raw fish
The raw fish

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Kappa – The *Secret* Japanese Restaurant – Jonas’ Birthday Dinner #2

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007

I bet most people have never heard of this restaurant. It’s a hidden resteaurant in Japantown – on top of Denny’s, inside Club Nishiki and through the sliding wooden door – that only offers about seven (?) counter seats. It sounds like a hole-in-a-wall restaurant, but it’s actually very nice and clean. It’s owned by a Japanese couple (from Japan) – the husband cooks, the wife serves. $85 for a pre-fixe menu that looks a little something like this:

The Holy Grail ... of sake!
The Holy Grail … of sake!

Monkfish liver
The Cream of the Crop: Monkfish liver pate – Sounds disgusting but tasted great.

Dungeness crab salad
Fit for a King: Dungenness crab salad that left me wanting more

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