Pork belly doesn't have to be heavy

Area:  250m from Kokusai (International) Center
Restaurant:  Decans デカンス
Map and Info:  http://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ001038601/map/?vos=nhppalsa000013

Hours: 11am-11:30pm (LO 11pm)

For reference, I was here at around 3pm and was still able to order the lunch meal!  For only 750円 the set included the rice dish, soup, salad and drink.  This was the pork belly lunch; the thin strips of pork were streaked with fat making it soft and buttery.  Its sweet teriyaki sauce went well with the wasabi mayo on the side, and was a nice addition to the sesame oiled bean sprouts.  Underneath the blanket of pork was a surprise of half a soy-sauce flavoured hard boiled egg.

The rest of the meal was a bit of a letdown as the soup was too salty to drink, the salad's dressing had a chemical lemony flavour and the frothy coffee tasted like hot water had just been added to a pack of instant coffee and creamer mix.

With the quiet techno music playing in the background, bright orange chairs and plain white wall decor, this restaurant's atmosphere is just shy of a comfortable one, but that just may be because I sat at the counter near the entrance.  I hear there is also a second floor:  I would be interested in coming back to take a look and to try their other lunches such as the salmon and salmon roe rice bowl, or maybe one of their udons.

Expensive coffee is brewed differently, but is it worth it?....

Area: Takashimaya ７F at Nagoya Station
Restaurant:  Papas Cafe パパスカフェ
Map and Info: http://tabelog.com/aichi/A2301/A230101/23003652/

Hours:  10am-8pm (LO 7:30pm)

If it weren't in Takashimaya, I may have thought this was a maid cafe since the waitresses were dressed in maid uniforms.  The decor does have a nice French Bistro feel to it though.  But being in Takashimaya, you can expect it to be a little on the pricey side; note the 630円 coffee is the size of a very small cup.  It is brewed by manually pouring hot water through a sac which drips into the cup, but somehow I'm not sure if I'd pay that amount again for this coffee.

The vegetable sandwich (680円) was filled with fresh veggies (yellow pepper, tomato, cucumber, onions), and an olive oil seasoning.  It's probably not apparent from the photo, but it's quite a large sandwich, almost one and a half times the regular bread size.  I think you could probably imagine the taste just by looking at the photo.  What I liked about this cafe was that they ask if you want to keep the crust on or have it cut off.  I tend to look down upon cafes that automatically cut the best part of the bread off!

The best part was probably made somewhere else...

Area:  In Trusty Hotel (トラスティホテル), about 300m north east of Fushimi Station Exit 1 伏見駅
Restaurant: Cuore Lounge ラウンジクオーレ
Website:  http://www.trusty.jp/nagoyasakae/information/lounge.html
Map: http://tabelog.com/aichi/A2301/A230102/23015446/dtlmap/

Hours: 7am-11pm

When I saw the website for this lounge, I thought it looked pretty elegant, but upon arriving, it looked like an outdated hotel lobby restaurant that may have been once 5-star.  Nevertheless, I sat down to try their food.

I was late for the lunch time hours so I missed out on the sets, so I ordered the herb chicken and focaccia a la carte.  At first I just had the chicken, but it was so salty that I needed something plain on the side to mellow out my tongue.  Had the salt level on the chicken been a little lower, I'd be able to enjoy the herb flavours and the well-cooked juicy meat.  I'm glad I ordered the bread though, as it was actually the highlight of my meal.  The warmed dough was soft and the slight buttery flavour satisfied my palette over the main dish.  I'd like to know where they get their bread from!

Falls into the category of typical Japanese Bakery

Area: Nagoya Station (closer to the Takashimaya side)
Restaurant:  Cafe Danmark カフェダンマルク
Website:  http://www.mermaid-bp.co.jp/shop/cd/

Hours: 7am-10pm

I didn't know, but this bakery/cafe is the same company as Mermaid Cafe and Danish Bar also located in Nagoya Station.  Mermaid seems to be a little more expensive, but Cafe Danmark is also a little harder to find (closer to the Meitetsu bus area).

It's always difficult to make choices in a Japanese bakery, but today, I went with the syv korn シュコルン (150円) 7-grain bread, satsuma potato danish donut (140円), and the potato+bacon pie gratin (180円).  I liked the crispy texture of the pie, it was almost like eating a flaky pot pie.  The 7 grain bread had a nice density and slight sweetness, however it was a bit dry.  Similar to a bagel, it may be nice to make a cream cheese sandwich out of it.  The danish donut seems to be one of the store's original goods, but it doesn't really standout, as it is probably tastier without the extra step of it being fried.

For my vegetable portion, I went for the mini coleslaw (120円), and mini broccoli and egg salad (120円.  They might as well mix the two together as the dressing is the same.  The coffee (260円) was mediocre, not any different than other bakeries of the same calibre such as La Vie de France or Cascade.

Somehow different...in a good way

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Area: about 200m from Nagoya Station (Bic Camera side), beside Hotel L'ouest
Restaurant: Cafe Old Pal オールドパル
Map and info: http://tabelog.com/aichi/A2301/A230101/23026688/dtlmap/

Hours: 10am-6pm (Sun, Holidays until 6pm), Closed Wednesdays

This colorful cafe has a slight American diner feel to it.  Quiet, and not crowded, it's a nice place to leisurely spend lunch time. 

The menu has a variety of pastas, and a few panini's and salads to choose from.  I had the Special Panini (800円), which is an house-grilled herb chicken breast (sometimes white meat is better!) smothered in their special tomato base sauce.  The strong rosemary and mustard flavours made it actually seem like a warm Italian sandwich that could be sold in western cafe's rather than in Japan.  I quite enjoyed this, as well as the abundance of veggies such as zucchini, nameko mushrooms, yellow, green and red peppers, and eggplant in the sauce.  The small pieces of ham were the seasoning of the sauce (the sodium level was well controlled).  The bun held up well to this sauce and retained a crispy toasty outer layer.

The salad, seasoned with a simple olive oil dressing was light and refreshing.  The accompanying drink (I chose a cappuccino), was not only delicious, it came with espresso art!

I would like to go back and try their other panini's (BLT, or Mozzarella), or pastas.  I have a feeling they would be a little different than the usual flavours found in Japan.

Ten Ren's: Nuts over Pie-Nuts (closed)

Area: Fushimi Station, Exit 10 伏見駅 (Intercity インターシティ Building)

Restaurant:  Ten Ren's Cha for Tea　チャ―フォティー

Website and Map: http://fiverecipe.cmsset.net/theme4.html

Hours: 7am-10:30pm (LO 10pm)

I was kind of excited when I came across this restaurant since I recognized the company's name, Ten Ren's.  It's a Taiwanese chain and I frequently visited a branch back home in Canada.  Although the menu is very different, I was still glad to see some unique items. 

The lunch menu is a great deal, and can be eaten late in the day as well.  I had the Ja-ja men set (only 690円 for the noodle bowl, dessert, salad and drink).  The noodles had a nice chewy texture; it's different than spaghetti pasta.  The meat sauce was salty, but if you mix it with the plain noodles, its spiciness is brought out and the flavors meld with the raw vegetables.  The dessert was an Oolong tea jelly, a nice, light palette cleanser.  The tea of the day was a Jasmine tea, but you can also choose coffee if you prefer.  

It wasn't part of the set, but I was interested in the meat pie (about 230円 each).  I think it was called a Pie-Nut (パイナッツ）.  It takes 7 min. (I love how the Japanese are so precise) for them to heat it up, but the wait is worth it!  The pastry is flakey, but has some density and the flavour goes so well with the simple ham and cheese filling.  There's also a ground meat pie, and a dessert red bean paste version.  I'd go back just to have the meat pie lunch set (if I remember correctly it's less than 500円), and maybe I'd add an extra on the side.  

It's a new restaurant in a relatively modern-looking building so it does have a clean elegance.  A good place to chat with friends or read a book, this reasonable cafe is a big recommendation.  

All you can eat salad is the only attraction here

Area: Fushimi Station, Exit 10 (Intercity Building B1) 伏見駅

Restaurant: Cucina Italiana Travel Cafe トラベルカフェ　クッチーナ　イタリアーナ

Website and Map: http://www.travel-cafe.jp/shop/cucina.html

Hours: 11:30am-11pm (Lunch and salad buffet until 2:30pm)

This cafe seems to be a branch of QuicPay Travel Cafe closeby, but this one has a different atmosphere and concept. For one, as you can guess from the name, this cafe serves Italian dishes (pizza and pasta). 

I had the eggplant and basil sauce pasta if the day (880円 for the lunch time special, includes the drink bar).  For 280円 more you can also have access to the salad bar.  It's worth it if you're like me and like to get in as many veggies as possible in a day.  There are options so that you can put together a Japanese style salad with wakame seaweed and daikon topped with sesame dressing, or a more western flavor involving lettuce and carrots topped with Italian dressing for example.  The salad bar not only serves veggies though, you can also get your fix of French fries and risotto.  Although a bit mushy and atypical of Italian risotto, the creamy cheesy flavor and bacon made it a nice appetizer. 

The pasta however was a bit of a letdown.  There was eggplant, but not enough to call it eggplant pasta. Lacking in basil flavor and quickly drying up, it needed a drizzle of something like olive oil.  If there's a next time, pizza will be the choice.

A bakery that stands out

Area: 3 min walk south east of Marunouchi Station 丸の内駅, Exit 5

Cafe: Guruman Vital グルマンヴィタル

Website and Info: http://www.guruman.co.jp/contents/information.php

Map:  http://tabelog.com/aichi/A2301/A230102/23000910/dtlmap/

Hours: Weekdays 8am-7pm, Weekends & Holidays 10am-6pm

At first I thought that this was just a regular Japanese bakery but somehow the selection seemed a bit more European after looking more closely.  Maybe it was the abundance of crusty baguettes, and denser looking pastries that made me feel this way.  

Today I went with the bluecheese and walnut baguette (about 360円), the milk bread bun (120円), a cup of veggie soup (300円), and a coffee (150円).  The crusty, but chewy outer layer and soft and dense on the inside baguette was what stood out most though. The combo of bluecheese and walnuts is always a good one, and went perfectly embedded in this bread. 

The milk bun was more typical of a Japanese bakery; light and not so sweet.  The sugary whipped butter filling brought back memories of licking the bowl after making shortbread cookies from scratch. 

The potage soup and coffee were not so outstanding, but this is mainly a bakery, so it's forgivable.  You can find Guruman's goods in Dean and Deluca as well as Million Cafe at the Fushimi theatre, however the selection is not as wide. 

A lot in one space, but a comfortable place to sit

Area:　About 50m south of Fushimi station 伏見駅, Exit 3
Restaurant:  QuicPay with Travel Cafe
Website and info: http://www.travel-cafe.jp/shop/quicpay.html

Hours: Weekdays 8am-10pm, Weekends & Holidays 10am-8pm

I'm not sure what the whole concept of this company is, or exactly what QUICPay is, but this cafe space seems to have 3 stores in one.  There's Mon Cher (famous for their roll cakes), a cellular phone store and the cafe.  I visited twice because the first time I regretted my choice, and because I was craving a creamy dessert the second time around.

The first visit, I had the Kapao Rice bowl (780円） which consisted of ground meat mixed with finely chopped veggies, a lot of sweet basil and way too much salt.  The good thing is that it comes with a salad, and the half-cooked egg runs over the warm rice nicely.  This dish may have been more enjoyable if the salt level was tuned down a little.

The second visit, I had the TC Sando Giusto (Sandwich, 480円）.  For 180円 extra, I added a coffee, for 150円 a salad, and for 480円 a roll cake.  The snack-sized sandwich was actually really delicious, although simple.  Using crusty on the outside and soft on the inside pizza dough, it's contents, truffle oil, lettuce and Spanish Serrano ham, gave it a slightly finer dining taste.  The ham, unlike the prosciutto you can find in convenience stores, presents a nice meatier flavour in addition to ham's saltiness.

The salad was simple, with a house dressing made of carrot, onion, and apple blended to a pulp with some other ingredients.  Different, but I came away with a strong onion breath.  It may be better to cook the onion a bit first, and to cut the lettuce to bite-sized pieces and not fist-sized ones (for the record, I can not fit my fist in my mouth).

The famous roll cake has an eggy outer castella cake that has a good density; moist and not too light.  The real attraction is the cream; light, not too sweet, milky in flavour, I could just eat the cream alone!  The coffee's aftertaste was a bit too bitter for my liking, but that was fine since I had a sweet cake to balance that.

All day MORNING

Area:  4 min. from Nagoya Station.  Mitsui Building B1 三井ビル  (across the street from the spiral building on the Meitetsu side of the station.

Restaurant: Riyon リヨン

Map and Info:  http://tabelog.com/aichi/A2301/A230101/23003160/dtlmap/

Hours: 8am-8pm

This is one of those kissaten's (Japanese coffee shops) that are filled with anyone from businessman to grandmas and pas, and young couples.  The attraction here, after looking on the internet for a place eat breakfast, seems to be the morning service.  For 380円, the price of coffee, you also get a pressed sandwich of choice and a small package of peanuts and rice crackers.  I came early in the morning, but supposedly this shop has this deal all day.  

I chose the fruit pressed sandwich, which just consisted of pineapple slices and strawberry jam.  I may have enjoyed the red bean paste more, but I didn't know what to expect from the fruit version.  The bread is thin and flimsy, but the nice part is that the press used gives it a nice crust (and an extra layer of crust in addition to the bread's natural crust!).  Other flavours include potato salad, egg salad, and peanut butter.  They should really do a peanut butter and jam version as well!  

Taking the Crossroad is an adventure

Area:  a 10 min walk south of Nagoya Station, 3 min from Sasashima Raibu station (ささしまライブ駅） on the Aonami Line.  1st floor of the JICA building

Restaurant: Cafe Crossroad カフェクロスロード

Website and info: http://www.jica.go.jp/nagoya-hiroba/information/access.html

Hours: Lunch 11:30am-2pm, Cafe time 2pm-5:30pm, Dinner 5:30pm-9pm

This is the type of cafe that you'll want to come back to multiple times, especially if you like to eat something different than the usual fare you can find easily in Japan.  Every month they put out a new special lunch menu that features a dish from a different part of the world.  

Sorry for the late post (holiday season is busy, isn't it?), but this lunch menu was from December.  To give you an idea of what this cafe serves, I had the Jordan dish.  It featured grilled chicken, vegetable pilaf, vegetable soup, salad, and grilled veggies (700円）.  First off, this is a good deal, as the coffee and tea is all you can drink, and today's Guatemala fair trade coffee was delicious with the right amount of bitterness and fullness.  The chicken had a bit of spiciness and the flavour of garlic was strong.  I'm not sure if this is authentic, but I enjoyed it along with the juiciness of the dark meat.  The soup was nice, but it tasted almost as if there was chicken broth in it (despite the claim of veggie soup).  There was some sort of oil floating around in it, and I'm not so sure it was olive oil or such (good thing I'm not a vegetarian).  The grilled eggplant was a nice match to this plate.  I enjoyed the jasmine rice used for the pilaf since I've been craving something other than short-grained rice.  

Other lunch fare included a dish from Thailand, and another from Vietnam.  Overall, a great lunch, and I can't wait for the chance to go back and try something new! And get drunk on fair trade coffee.