Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Arabian Restaurant [Zenobia] / アラビアンレストラン 「ゼノビア」

With less than two weeks left in Tokyo, my wife and I were invited out to lunch by yet another couple of friends. Yamakawa-san and Dokken-san (the former owner of the rock bar Dokken). Yamakawa-san knows I enjoy ethnic foods and he and his wife have recently been hooked on Middle Eastern cuisine. He also knew my favorite type of food is Middle Eastern. So he invited us, along with Dokken-san, to lunch to an Arabian restaurant called Zenobia in Hiroo. Yamakawa-san mentioned that the owner of this restaurant is Syrian.

東京に居るのはあと2週間ちょっと。そこで、また別の友達が私たちを東京最後の贅沢なランチに誘ってくれた。誘ってくれたのは友達の山川さん。もう15年以上の付き合いになったな。彼が僕の趣味の食べ物が良く分かって、最近彼と彼の妻もハマってる料理店がある。場所は広尾。連れてくれたのはアラビアンレストランの「ゼノビア」。実は僕の一番大好きな料理は中近東料理です!喜んで、行った。私たち以外に元ロックバーのマスターのドッケンさんもう誘われた。

Here we are waiting for the restaurant to open.

レストランの前で開店時間を待つ。






The restaurant is located in the basement of this building.

店はこのビルの地下一階にある。


A look at the interior.

店内は落ち着いた雰囲気。







There were two choices for lunch - The Arabian Lunch Plate for ¥1200 or the Zenobia Lunch for ¥1500. The Arabian Plate features 3 types of cold mezzeh, falafel, sanbosa, kobbah, shawarma, salad, all you can eat naan, dessert and a drink. The Zenobia Plate offers 2 types of dip, a main dish, salad, naan, dessert and a drink. I of course ordered the Arabian Plate. My wife had ordered the Zenobia Lunch.

ランチメニューは2種類ある。アラビアンランチプレート(¥1200)かゼノビアランチ(¥1500)。
アラビアンランチプレートにマッザ(ペーストなど)3種類、ファラフェル(ひよこ豆のコロッケ)、サンブーサ(チーズの春巻)、コッバ(ひき肉とナッツのコロッケ)、シャワルマ(ロールサンドイッチ)、サラダ、ナン(食べ放題)、デザート、とドリンク。ゼノビアランチはマッザ(ペースト)2種類、トマトソースのメイン料理、サラダ、ナン(食べ放題)、デザートとドリンク。もちろん僕はアラビアンランチプレートを注文し、妻はゼノビアランチをチョイスしました。


The salad was pretty decent with a lemon vinaigrette dressing and bits of mint leaves.

サラダは良かったが、量はちょっと少なめ。ドレッシングはレモンのビネグレットとミントの葉っぱも入ってます。


Hummus, one of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes. A dip made with garbonzo beans, olive oil, lemon, and a sesame paste called tahini. You use it as a dip with pita bread. Well, this restaurant served naan instead of pita.

個人的にハマスが大好き。材料は胡麻から作ったペースト、タヒニとレモン、ガーリック、オリーブオイルなど。ピタパンをディップして食べるのが最高。ま、この店はピタではなく、ナンを提供した。




This was the main dish. A tomato sauce based entree.

これがランチのメインのトマトソース煮込み料理。


I would have been happier if they served pita but I don't mind naan at all.

ピタパンならもっとアラビアぽいと思いますが、自分もナンが好きなので、文句は言えません。




My friends Dokken-san and Yamakawa-san.

友達のドッケンさんと山川さん。


This was an interesting dessert but I don't know what it's called.

面白いデザートが出たが、どういう名前かわからない。


Ending our meal with some mint tea.

食後はミントティー。


You could eat Middle Eastern style if you like.

中近東風で食べることも出来る。


There was a wide range of hookas on display as well. We did not indulge.

店に”フッカー”という水パイプが並んでましたが、私たちはタバコを吸いませんでした。

On certain days at this restaurant you can also enjoy a belly dance show.

確か毎週の金曜日、この店でベリーダンスショーを見ることも出来る。





We then went our separate ways after lunch. As long as we were in Hiroo, we decided to explore the are more thoroughly. But that will be for another post.

ランチ終わったら、彼らが帰って、私たしはせっかく広尾に来てるからこの周辺を探索してみた。でもどれはまた別の時に話します。


Here's a shot of a gourmet burger shop called Homeworks that has been in business for a long time. Many foreigners live in and around Hiroo so hamburgers are very popular. There is also a supermarket that caters to the foreign market, called National Azabu. We would take a peak there later.

ここも東京一軒のグルメバーガーショップ。老舗の店です。広尾の回りに外国人が多いため、バーガーも人気があります。この近くに外国人向きのスーパー、ナショナル麻布もあります。あとどそこを覗いてみます。


I was interested in going to this restaurant as well but I don't think we will have a chance to check it out before we move to Aomori. How can I not be interested when the sign on their window says "Nice to MEAT You"?

この店も気になる。残念ながら、青森に引っ越すまえには行かれないでしょう。窓に「Nice to MEAT You」が決め手だね。あ~、行きたかった。

Friday, November 10, 2017

Tribute to Maki-Hime / 真己姫へのトリビュート

With my impending move to Aomori from Tokyo, I finally got a chance to see one of my oldest friends in Japan. Her name is Maki. I always called her Maki-Hime. She was one of the first people I got to know after moving to Japan. We both worked at the big Red and Yellow in Shibuya. Although she had transferred to different locations, she still kept in touch. She went to New Zealand for a short time. I remember receiving a letter from her (unfortunately I can't find it now). Anyway, it's now been 20 years since I first met her. She taught me my very first kanji characters - 真 (ma) and 己 (ki). Yep, the first kanji I learned to spell was her name - 真己. Well, I did know how to write the kanji for mountain (山) and river (川), but these were new kanji characters for me. She had spent the last couple of years living in Hawaii and learning the Hawaiian language and culture, so I thought I would give her a ukulele which I doubt I was ever going to learn how to play and it gave us the opportunity to meet before my move.

東京から青森引越しの時間が迫ったので、東京から離れる前に多分日本で一番古い友達になった人と終えた。彼女の名前は真己。僕がいつも真己姫で読んでました。僕が初めて日本に来たときに職場で仲良くになった。彼女が僕にいろんな漢字も教えてくれた。最初に学んだのは「真」と「己」だ。はい、彼女の名前の真己!!もちろんそれ以前に簡単な漢字「山」や「川」はかけたが、大人になって初めて覚えた漢字が真己だ!彼女もこの数年間(どのくらいの期間か分かりませんが)ハワイイにも生活してた。ハワイイ語とハワイイの文化を勉強してた。日本に戻ってしりましたが、中々会えることが出来なかった。僕が絶対弾けないウクレレを彼女にプレゼントしようと思って、やっと会える約束が出来た。彼女は三軒茶屋まで来てくれて、僕と僕の妻と一緒にランチを食べた。


Our first meeting in a long time but also our parting as I will be moving to Aomori.

久ぶりの再開なのに、お別れにもなるんだ!






After lunch, we went walking around the neighborhood. We stopped in at a novelty shop called Village Vanguard and were just being a little goofy.

ランチを食べたあと、三軒茶屋周辺を歩き回った。ここは三軒茶屋店のヴィレッジヴァンガード。


So, thank you Maki-Hime for being such a great friend and keeping in touch all these years. You have an open invitation to visit us in Aomori.

そして、真己姫にずーと友達といてくれてありがとう!今後も宜しくお願い致します。機会があればいつでも青森に遊びに来てね。

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Farewell to Tokyo Dinner / さらば東京の食事会

It was nice of my friends to throw us a going away party in Kagurazaka. My friend 21 (that is his nickname) suggested having a more private dinner. Just him and his wife along with me and mine, and our friend Tetsu who was unable to attend the party.

神楽坂での送別会は凄い嬉しかった。そのご、友達の21番が少人数で食事に行こうと提案して、参加者は21番夫妻、僕と僕の妻と送別会に参加出来なかった友人のてっちゃん。

21 had brought us to the restaurant on a previous occasion and we thought it would be great to have a farewell dinner here. It is an oyster restaurant called [Kaki Garaso] which translates to something like "Oyster Bistro". I saw on the Internet that the Sangejaya location has closed.

21番が以前もこの店を紹介してくれた。ここで最後の食事も最高な場所と思った。牡蠣小屋の「かき殻荘」です。












21 even gave me a going away present. A new wristwatch. I had stopped wearing a watch a long time ago, but now it has become a necessity.

21番から腕時計を貰った。長い間腕時計はしなかったけど、現在は必要品になりました。



And the food!!

そして食べ物!!



You can't get more luxurious than that can you?

こんなに贅沢して良いのか?






We didn't forget our vegetables!

野菜も忘れてませんよ!










We then went to a small bar which serves a variety of Nihon-shu. My wife was getting a little tired so she went home before me. 21's wife also left early so it was just me, 21, and Tetsu.

かき小屋のあとに小さな居酒屋に行って、日本酒を楽しみました。21番の妻と僕の妻は先に帰りました。ここで僕と21番とてっちゃんの三人になった。


21 was aware of my love for bacon!

21番が僕の好みの厚切りベーコンがよく知ってました!




After drinking beer, we decided to indulge in a bit of Nihon-shu.

ビールを飲んだあとに日本酒です。


I don't remember the names of the Nihon-shu and have difficulty reading the kanji but they were all delicious.

日本酒の名前は忘れまたけど、そして、読めない漢字ばっかりだが、覚えてるのは美味しく飲みましたこと。


I just love the label on this one.

僕はこのラベルが気に入った。


A few more farewell dinners and lunches and my wife and I will be off to a new beginning.

ほかのさようならランチや夕飯の約束が残ってるので、それからは僕と妻の新しい冒険が始まる。