BREATHE in some GREEN

NATURAL dining TORAMARU

Peeking in secretly to the long, earthy interior of Natural Dining Toramaru whilst no customers were there, made me feel like I was about to step into an ancient machiya-style place sacred in downtown Kyoto.

http://www.na-toramaru.com/shop.html

The restaurant stretches all the way back, like many cafes on Kyomachi Bori street, to reach a greenery so vivid I almost want to call it MA-midori like masshiro {pure WHITE} and makkuro {BLACKEST black}, but know that's just another one of my imaginary made up words of Japlish. The blast of Mother Nature's greenest from the double glass doors tall at the back, was overwhelmingly beautiful.

Having cycled about the city all morning under perfect summer sun, I was over the top hungry. By 11:45, I had found my perfect seat of ambience, selected a lunch set mood, and ordered from the young, fast-talking waitress with the enviable blue sushi-chef style half apron worn in well. What was more surprising than the almost immediate delivery of my anticipated lunch, was the precise arrival of customers constant from 12:01.

The “Nan-mei-sama desu ka?” (How many in your party today?) greetings flowed on and on, and the restaurant quickly filled up. For a Tuesday lunch, it was very impressive, although my waitress mentioned it as one of the slow days.

The joy of going early to a place you have never been, is that you get to see it transform into another identity. I've always liked that. I remember a 24 shot, hour-by-hour photo compilation story I once saw on Cafe Continuous (a groovy 24-hour cafe over in Horie which I promise to write about soon), and the dramatic way a place can be altered with the energy of customer personalities and aura. When I was waitressing a million years ago now, I remember that same sense of change. I felt it again today at Toramaru.

Another great thing about eating out in Japan, is that it is so very easy to indulge yourself to a lunch outing. It is so cheap, so fun, and so invigorating to get out of your daily routine, and possibly make a new 'Deai' (meeting) with something or someone.

The 4 lunch set variety of today, ranging from 650 to 1000 yen with a free drink service of something hot or cold, is extremely good value don't you think?

It delights me always.

I had the TAIYO (sun) set, with a main fish dish (grilled codfish) with a tri-coloured vegetable topping, miso soup, flavoured tofu, rice (second helpings are allowed) and 100% OJ. Perfect!

In the same way of my translation-ing of the word 'Deai', is the music that I notice immediately when I walk into a newly found place stunning. Do you do the same? Do you believe you can learn about the intentions of a place by its CD collection? Just like how we sometimes choose a book by its cover design (which I do often).

Today's soundtrack involved Verve remixed. Jazztronik. Phyllis Dillon. Beck. Otis Redding. Cookin' with Blue Note. Indigo Jam Unit & Flexible. Fantastic Plastic Machine. Spinna B-ill & the Cavemans and Equina de Minnas. This is what I 'met' today.

Who or What will you meet when you visit?

NATURAL dining TORAMARU is open 11:30 – 17:30 for LUNCH

and 18:00 – 24:00 for DINNER.

OPEN everyday.

Here is another visually alluring website (in Japanese).

http://www.medic-web.jp/shop/s10000630/index.html

QUICK and EASY access

Walk 5 minutes from Exit 7 of Higobashi station (Subway Yotsubashi line) down Kyomachi Bori street. Natural Dining Toramaru is on the left side.

If you need something sweet after lunch, why not try the Japanese Cafe Sui next door-ish. All sorts of sugary delights to tempt you!

http://www.medic-web.jp/shop/s10000628/

It is also another great space to breathe in the area's green charm.

the CHEAP eats of an UDON life

underground UDON

My students often ask me which noodles I like best in Japan. They try to pick my character somehow by how I will answer. They try to decipher my depth of Japanese-ness by what I like, and how I eat it. It is not as potentially dangerous in securing my non-native identity as perhaps say, “Do you like “natto” (fermented soy beans), “horumon” (intestinal cow parts), or “ikura” (those orange fish egg squishy thing-ies at sushi bars) Janelle?” No, the noodle question can be quite fun and playful, and in silly ways almost intimate; almost a way of connecting, almost a way of allowing them to see me beyond my foreign teacher label.

The title of this piece of course gives away the biggest clue. Udon rocks my world. I love the chunky-ness and the volume. I love the variety and the texture. I love the staff wrapped in non-uniform uniform of head towels and big smiles, stirring the big pot of broth. I love the easy satisfaction you get from a bowl of Udon noodles, and I love the easy price. As much as I love the mood of late-late night ramen on the way home after a fabulous time out, I definitely have a soft spot sweet for udon.

Always on the lookout for new places, especially in busy, busier, busiest Umeda, I came across this gem the other day. Donmaru is a cheap eat establishment in the Sanuki Udon style, which means it has a self serve area where you can pick your add-ons to your basic bowl of noodles. Basically you can create your own bowl of goodness depending on your needs and frame of mind. Udon quantity comes in small (sho), medium (chu) or large (dai) to suit your appetite, and can be hot (atatakai) or cold (tsumetai).

There are vegetable tempura style toppings (pumpkin, egg, chikuwa, eggplant etc.), traditional toppings (wakame seaweed, kelp kombu, radish, spring onion etc.) hand made onigiri, and mini side salads.

The best thing for me about this Higashi Umeda store Donmaru, is that you quickly forget the rush and rumble of what lies above ground, and quickly find your own pocket of space private and peaceful. There is low key lighting, elegantly simple wooden tables and chairs, and a diversity of customers stimulating. The orange walls give you genki, and the food jigs you up. The seating layout allows you to take it slow with friends, stand up and slurp, or just be alone comfortably with ease. Listen to the J-pop tunes and enjoy. Easy on the wallet, and easy on the digestion, have a bit of udon for lunch today!

You'll find Donmaru just around the corner from Sonezaki Police station on the corner, and the well known Asahiya Bookstore on Midousuji street (You'll also see the funny boldly coloured orange bank in the middle there too!). Go down the subway entrance directly next to the glasses shop (just near the bookshop). It's underground at the bottom of the stairs there.

Donmaru is open everyday 11:00 - 22:00. Closed every 3rd SUNDAY.

Some prices and pictures are here (in Japanese).

http://www.gurumet.net/60928/

Take a peek at the fabulously feel-good movie “UDON” with English subtitles on You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQUdYSV0NF8

It will certainly make you want to take a trip to Shikoku; the land of Sanuki Udon. I travel to Takamatsu city (the self-proclaimed Udon Kingdom) in Kagawa Prefecture by slow ferry from Sannomiya Kobe at least twice a year. It is simply stunning in simplicity and sheer originality of places to eat at.

Here's a simple description of Sanuki Udon types

(in English; just scroll down a little)

http://arttakamatsu1.ashita-sanuki.jp/c3760.html

There is a 80 yen off coupon here for DONMARU udon noodles and broth (JUST add your favourite tempura style vegetable toppings! It's fun!)

http://www.gurumet.net/60928/coupon/

Coupon ends August 31st, 2009.

FUDO at the Graf Bldg.

MODERNLY artful LUNCH escape

It was one of those “ki ni naru” places that I kept on spying on my cycle home from Namba adventures. It looked funky and free from the smoothe exterior, and I knew I would get a chance to go there some day. It was the third Saturday night in August when I first went; the time of Obon rememberings and slow city grooves all about. People were lighting candles down at nearby Dojimagawa river in front of Dojima crosswalk there, and there seemed to be an extra sparkle of glimmer about. This annual festival celebration welcoming home the spirits of loved ones gone, fit right in with the mood of ambient space of Fudo on the second floor at the Graf Bld.

Located just 50m from The National Museum of Art, Osaka, the Graf Bld is easy to find, and easy on the eye. Daily blackboard specials for lunch and dinner cost around 1000 yen, and range from spicy vegetable health curry, to home-made hamburger combinations. Soup, onigiri (rice balls), donburi (a main meal on rice), and gohan (rice) sets change daily as well. The cafe menu has all your favourite cakes, crepes and caffeine chargers.

Fudo is an attractive big space of freedom to unravel yourself. Although you can't see Tosaborigawa river beyond, you can feel its presence as you sink into the huge long bucket seats across the entire back wall. There is also a large, wooden communal table, sweet modern lighting unique, and an atmosphere of intimate privacy. The young wait staff and chefs all ooze utmost attention to detail in both service and food presentation. The mood is light, soulful and earthy-arty.

If you have time, why don't you also visit the Graf Living shop on the 3rd floor, and the showroom on the 4th. The original wooden furniture is hand made further down the road at the Graf Labo. The Graf Salon on the 1st floor also holds regular events of art, music, poetry and even woodwork lessons.

Check their website below for all their upcoming events exciting.

http://www.graf-d3.com/index.html

The Graf Bldg is open from 11:30 – 20:00, and closed on Mondays.

How to find the place:

The Graf Bld is only a quick 5-minute walk South West from Watanabebashi Station (Exit 2) on the new Keihan Nakanoshima Line.

You could also try walking 10-minutes West from Higobashi Station (Exit 3) on the Yotsubashi Subway Line.

If you'd like a scenic stroll, it's also only about a 10-minute walk from Fukushima Station on the JR Loop Line. Turn right out of the station, and walk straight down Naniwa-suji avenue. Cross at the intersection (Sonezaki-dori) and continue on the same street toward the river. Just before the river, you'll see on the opposite side corner the gigantic modern-brown ABC TV station (Asahi Broadcasting) at Hotaru Machi.

Cross over the street here, and walk down the Dojima Crosswalk Promenade.

http://www.dojimacross.com/index.html

Across the river to the right, you will see the silver Sydney Opera House style arcs of The National Museum of Art (Kokuritsu Kokusai Bijtsukan).

http://www.nmao.go.jp/english/home.html

When you get to the end of the promenade, turn right and head toward the museum. The Graf Bldg is on the left hand side of the street behind the museums (The Osaka Science Museum is also at this location).

A great map of the area in English is here:

http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/about/pdf/nakanoshima.pdf#search='tosaborigawa'

You could combine a visit to the Graf Bldg for lunch with a trip to the nearby Cirque du Soleil which has two shows daily until October 18.

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/corteo/tickets/osaka.aspx