Hooked on Hook's

  Back from Japan just a week and we already have the hungries for sushi. So off we go to the best in Tampa Bay, Hook's on 9th Street in St. Petersburg. We've been a fan of Hook's mastery with a knife since he left Sushi Rock Grill and opened his first restaurant, right across the street. He's friends with many local fishermen so his fish is always fresh.

  One dish he makes is our favorite and you don't see it being prepared in a lot of restaurants, if at all. It's Usuzukuri. We use to think that usuzukuri translated from Japanese as "always different", because very time we ordered it it was different. Usuzukuri is traditionally thinly sliced fluke with vinegar sauce. We finally realized Hook was tailoring the dish to our tastes. He always used his freshest fish, but he also knew we liked spicy food. So, he would spice up our usuzukuri or add an additional twist of lemongrass or our favorite, fresh mint. 

  Hook's TST roll, hamachi, tako and unagi sashimi and ice cold Sapporo's complete the meal.

Peg's in Gulfport

  Memorial Day weekend and let's start it off right, with lunch. Peg's recently remodeled an old bungalow on Beach Boulevard and relocated her restaurant. Well not just hers', it's a family affair with her husband and son on staff. They prepare freshly made Mexican food and my hands down favorite are their fish tacos. Fresh fish and a creamy chipotle pepper sauce combine for a perfect taco.

  But one of the best surprises is their extensive beer menu. The young heir to Peg's throne is son Doug and he manages the beer selections. With 12 imported and micro brews on tap and over 35 bottled beers, he has his work cut out for him, and he's found some real winners. He introduced us to a Japanese micro brew or Ni Biru from the Kiuchi Brewery, located north of Tokyo. They produce Nest Red Rice Ale and Nest White Ale. The red is a strong pale ale with hints of sake. But if you want the perfect beer match for seafood try the White Ale. It's a Witbier with clove, coriander, orange and nutmeg. I know it sounds strange but it's the perfect beer with Peg's fish taco's. Far East and South West hand in hand again.

Welcome Back?

  Props to Publix for trying. Maybe give it a C+ compared to the bento boxes I was feasting on last week. Maybe dining on this bento while flying along at 180 mph on a bullet train with Mt. Fuji peaking out behind glowing white clouds would raise the grade a little. But, I am sitting at my desk in the newsroom of the Tampa Tribune overlooking the ever so slow flowing Hillsborough River. I took a minute to run next door to Publix for a lunch sandwhich and what do my kanji starved eyes spy, but a bento box.

  The box consists of a roll with brown rice, salmon and tuna sashimi, seaweed and calamari salads edamame, no wasabi or ginger and what the hell is this...... southwestern chicken. Little pieces of chicken with "SOUTHWESTERN SPICES" sprinkled on it!! Whens the next flight out?

Old Favorite

  We were taken to Palette Restaurant in Ebisu the first time four years ago on out first trip to Japan. It was so delicious, Jane and I returned by ourselves the next night. We visit every time we are in Tokyo. It's Sri Lankan cusine, similar to Indian. The same chef works the two man kitchen for the tiny, seven table restaurant. We talk about his family and remember that he was becoming a Japanese citizen while on our last visit.

  This time we got to meet the owner, a woman that not only owns the restaurant but also works with several NPO's in Japan. They work with people that have mental or physical challenges. When she found out we were in Japan working with a like NPO in Okayama, we became fast friends, exchanging small tokens.

  This multiple course dinner is the perfect end to an exciting and adventurous trip. We return to St. Petersburg tomorrow, but it was good to end this trip visiting with an old friend.

Dessert at Palette

Coconut/ginger ice cream.

Sapporo Beer Hall

  In the heart of glitzy and fashionable Ginza is the Sapporo Lion Beer Hall. A real German Beer Hall serving Bavarian and Japanese foods and the full line of Sapporo beers. Built in 1934, the mosaic murals behind the bar of nude Japanese maidens bringing in the hops and barley are spectacular. Beside the big beers pictured above, we had the chance to sample Yebisu Black, a dark lager, excellent. 

Last Bento Box

  Time for one last bento on the shinkansen from Okayama to Tokyo. I chose octopus three way; broiled, fried and in rice balls. And as only the Japanese would, a small hot dog cut into the shape of an octopus. I really need to introduce true bento boxes to Florida.

Dining On Art Island

   Naoshima was the most beautiful island we visited in Japan.  The view from the Terrace Restaurant was simply spectacular.  Our lunch visit was interesting in that I had one of the most unusual dishes of the trip, but neglected to take a photograph.  It can only be described as chili with a cold over-easy egg on top.  I have to admit it was pretty good.  

   Dinner was another course menu which I began with a salad (la nicoise) in Naoshimi style. The only difference I could see from a plain la nicoise salad was in the dressing which was a Naoshimi vinaigrette.  However, David's appetizer of carpaccio of green vegetables with fish aioli sauce (pictured above) was excellent.  It was more of a sashimi dish with the addition of the crispy little shrimp that like to stare at you from the plate.  Some of the fish had a rub on it that was really tasty.

  With a selection of Kihei sake, David had a fish course of conger eel (pictured below) that ranked up with one of the best he had on the trip.  For the meat course, David selected the carpaccio of Sanuki beef which was also truly amazing.  So tender, you could slice it with a fork.  I was giddy with anticipation for my Sanuki cohin.  Next thing I know, the waitress brings me.... chicken???? What??? Where's the beef???  Lesson learned, cohin is chicken and the Japanese like their chicken with the skin on top.

   As a final addition, I had to prove that as the cheese girl, I could find cheese anywhere and Japan was no exception.  Our cheese course included a local Okayama cheese that was everything I could expect.  The waitress couldn't understand how we were too full for the dessert course and offered to pack it up, but we had to explain we were finally two full and satisfied travelers. 

Eel Course at Terrace Restuarant, Naoshima

Cheese Course at Terrace Restuarant, Naoshima