Restaurant Reviews

Monday, 5^th January 2015

The beginning of this year, I visited a restaurant called crisscross omotesando with my friend, Saori. We went there to have breakfast. It is located a back street in Minami-Aoyama, and near from our university. The restaurant looks fine on the outside, and the appearance matches an atmosphere on backstreet of Aoyama.

http://www.tyharborbrewing.co.jp/jp/crisscross/

As soon as we entered, two waitresses greeted clearly and they said choose any seats we like. The inside of the restaurant was small but there were some terrace seats outside. Now it is winter season, clear vinyl sheets partitioned off, and a heater was installed there. We choose to stay inside. The décor was simple but warming, a pretty small flower was displayed each brown table, warm colored lamps were hang over. Since it was early morning, a few people were in the restaurant. Most of them were young women, and they looked like enjoying their calm and quiet morning.

The morning menus are pancake, French toast, toast, granola, and some side dishes. I ordered buttermilk pancakes with whipped butter and maple syrup, and hot tea. We sat near the kitchen, so it was easy to see what was going there. It was clean, and some chefs were making our orders. About ten minutes passed, they served our pancakes. Three circle pancakes and whipped butter like a vanilla ice cream seated in a very white dish. These three were wearing white powdered sugar, and looked very soft. Of course, it smelled really good. After taking some pictures, we started to eat. Although there are hundreds of pancake shops around Aoyama, it was the first time for me to try pancakes. I am glad that my first pancake was crisscross’s one. That was so soft, sweet, tasty, and went well with hot tea. A pancake itself was sweet (and could be much sweeter if you pour maple syrup), so I recommend you not to add sugar into tea or coffee. In terms of the price, that was not so cheap but I think the dish is worth it. And it is reasonable to assume because this restaurant located in Aoyama.

The restaurant, crisscross omotesando, offers friendly and warming service and tasty dishes. The location is also perfect. Visit there if you have time. I promise you all like it.

crisscross omotesando

5-7-28 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 Japan

03-6434-1266

http://www.tyharborbrewing.co.jp/jp/crisscross/

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I wish you a year filled with peace, good health and happiness.

How was your winter vacation? Did you enjoy it? As for me, I had my part-time job almost everyday in December... but early in the new year, I took a rest and enjoyed holidays with my family.

On this post, I have two topics, written and visual restaurant reviews. Hope you enjoy reading it.

First, it's about written review. The title of the article is “Rick Stein, Winchester, restaurant review: Is this latest venture the start of a chain to be rolled out across the country?” This is written by John Walsh. According toThe Independent, he is a commentator and he has been editor of The Independent Magazine, literary editor of the Sunday Times and features editor of the London Evening Standard. http://www.independent.co.uk/biography/john-walsh

He wrote a review of a restaurant called Rick Stein Winchester.

https://www.rickstein.com/eat-with-us/rick-stein-winchester/

This restaurant mainly serves piscine and seafood dishes. Walsh mentions that the physical surroundings, decor are pretty simple and comfortable. Wooden tables are white-topped, and do not have napery (linens for the dining table). Customers can relax with these tables, cushiony banquettes, Cornish sea scenes on display, and copper lamps hung over. The waiting staff are remarkably bright-eyed and welcoming, and rush to bring you menus, water and bread, he says.

In terms of the menu, he says that he can promise it has a lot of comfort dishes eating on chilly November lunchtime (This article was written in November 2014). He ordered the fish and shellfish soup with rouille and Parmesan, salt and pepper squid, main-course hake, Dover sole, and pudding of autumn fruit sabayon that reeked of Christmas. He says most of all meals are delicious and good value, for instance, the soup with rouille and Parmesan, a salt and pepper squid, main course and pudding. As for the soup, he insists that only a fool or a madman could fail to order it, he means everyone should try it. The taste is like the tomato-and-cayenne-spiced broth warming your insides, the garlicky rouille fresh and lively. Second, he ate a salt and pepper squid, and says it was also delicious. However, only the Dover sole was not great, he says. The dish is the most expensive thing on the menu at £32.95, but it is terrible, waste of a light delicate fish and of £33. He mentions the taste was awful but the staff’s service was pretty good. The manager of this restaurant came and apologized for the dish, took the dish off the bill.

I’ve never read this kind of article, so it was difficult for me a bit, but interesting. I recommend this restaurant if you like seafood. As for me, fish and shellfish are my favorite, so I hope I could visit there someday.

Rick Stein, 7-8 High Street Winchester (01962 353 535). Around £37 per person, before wine and service. Lunch menu: two courses £19.95

https://www.rickstein.com/eat-with-us/rick-stein-winchester/

Next, I’m going to write about a video. I saw “Step Inside Be Our Guest Restaurant.” 

This movie is about Disney world in Florida. It’s the place I really want to visit once in my lifetime :) The theme of the restaurant is a Disney movie called “Beauty and the Beast.” In this review, only a woman talks and introduces about the restaurant. She speaks clearly and cheerfully. I think her way of speaking is suitable for introducing a Disney facility because I believe Disney world is dream itself!! It’s the most important to tell pleasure to audience.

Chefs, owners, managers and restaurant staffs are not featured in the video. I guess the reason they aren’t focused is that it is unnecessary for this restaurant. As I’ve mentioned, the most important thing for Disney world is to give excitement and pleasure to everyone comes there, so it’s not important who is the chef or who is the manager. The dishes served there should be tasty, but customers maybe don’t care who made them. It’s perfect as long as people can enjoy eating, and the atmosphere is like a dream land, I guess.

If you have time, you can watch this video! I recommend it. Her speaking is clear and easy to understand. Ahh I wish I could visit there…