Yamato Japanese Restaurant

My friends really enjoy sushi and I really enjoy food. Suffice to say, we found ourselves driving two hours east to Yamato Japanese Restaurant - where the raw fish are plentiful and tables are not. [Make a reservation unless you want to wait.]

You can order a la carte, but I believe most people come here for the buffet. Lunch ($16.99) is limited to sushi, makimoto and hand rolls, while dinner ($22.99 - 24.99) includes sashimi, combinations and dessert. 

Menu and buffet ordering form

The quality of the fish is sometimes questionable - see the suspiciously red tuna below - but for the quantity, Yamato provides more than enough options to satisfy the average consumer. I would recommend reading their menu though, as their interpretation of "basic" rolls may not coincide with yours.

Stripes and striations

When we ordered too many "dragon rolls"...

Another plus to this buffet is the parking. Street parking is free (but limited) unless you unfortunately visit during street cleaning hours.

Come to gorge and if you know of any other sushi buffets - preferably priced for those on a budget - please let me know!

A departing photograph from me to entice you.

For more photographs and candid thoughts on what I ate, click here for the diary entry.

Yamato Japanese Restaurant

117 Chiswick Road

Brighton, MA  

+617 787 8881

http://www.yamatoboston.com/

Satori Tea Company

In a city where searches for "tea" yields "milk tea", I had almost given up hope for a reasonable tea parlour*. Enter Victoria Boyert and her mother's British-style tea parlour, Satori Tea Company, where over 70 kinds of loose-leaf tea are offered along with a "tea atlier".

Four years ago, I first walked into Satori and was utterly charmed by its eclectic interior design and Victoria. [She is really knowledgeable about her tea, for those who want some guidance. Ask and you shall receive.]

After experiencing their service, my friend and I made a pact to return every single time we were in the Bay Area. And we have.

Sweets from the second visit: red velvet cupcakes and warm heritage scones paired with a pot of Vietnamese black tea

The staples: heritage scones, clotted cream and lemon curd

New nibbles

Satori has changed a lot over the past few years; I have noticed new employees and policies, menu edits and website variations. Don't misunderstand me, these consequences of a thriving business are fabulous but I believe the quality has degraded.

This is no longer a place where we can leisurely sip tea and nibble on fancies while catching up. Instead, we feel rushed and obligated to order our usual, as "new" additions may prove unfavourable.  Such a shame, because we truly enjoyed Satori.

A beautifully quirky set-up but disappointing in quality

Come for the loose-leaf tea and perhaps indulge in a scone. I cannot vouch for their rotating baked goods, crumpets or clotted cream but their lemon curd still appears to be tasty. Satori Tea Company is a bit pricey, but is on par with the other tea room* in San Jose. 

For parking, remember to park in the garage across the street marked with "Pv" or "Parking Validation"! Your wallet will thank you.

For more photographs and candid thoughts on what I ate, click here, here, here or here for the diary entries.

Satori Tea Company

37 North San Pedro Street

San Jose, CA 95110

+408 292 1502

http://satoriteausa.com/

*Lisa's Tea Treasures, to my best knowledge, stands to be the only other competitor.

L'As Du Fallafel

Perhaps the most touristy eatery I frequented, aside from Breizh Café, and well worth it.

The queue may get long, but you will always be entertained by someone and it does move rather quickly. While eating in is an option, take-away is much more popular (and cheaper!).

A late-night favourite as well

Mounds of filling

Order the falafel, which comes with grilled aubergine, cabbage, cucumber, hummus, tahini and hot sauce. Be warned, the hot sauce is extremely salty so do not ask for more hot sauce if you are not a fan of salty foods. 

My biggest mistake was asking for more hot sauce.

This is quite possibly the cheapest and tastiest meal in Paris, so while you're already there, you might as well give this a try. And despite the name, they also have shawarma for those craving meat. 

L'As Du Fallafel

32 - 34 Rue des Rosiers

4th Arrondissement

Paris, France 75004

+33 1 48 87 63 60

Sadaharu Aoki

Upon my arrival in Paris, I had one mission: find the best croissant aux amandes*.

That never happened, sadly.

But the most unique (and delicious!) croissant aux amandes I consumed was a matcha flavoured one from Sadaharu Aoki, a pâtisserie that fuses traditional Japanese ingredients with French pastries. 

The 6th arrondissement location (there are twelve around the world) is teensy, as are most Parisian shops, with a clean, modern interior. With the exception of baked goods, almost all the decor were in shades in grey and beige. Pristine glass cases displayed rainbows of temptation and contrasted with the sleek metal borders.

[Be careful, photography is not allowed. I took these before I deciphered the lady's French.]

How could you not give one of these a try?

I thought that extra fifth of an euro was well worth it.

Come for the interesting flavours - where else can you purchase a wasabi flavoured macaron? - and gorgeous displays of pastries, chocolates and baked goods. There is a reason why there are multiple global locations and you will just have to taste it for yourself.

Perhaps I am projecting some sentimentalism (this was the first almond croissant I ate while in Paris) but I truly did enjoy what I purchased. An extra perk: neither the macaron nor almond croissant was overly sweet!

Let's have another look at this beaut.

And a closer look at those layers.

Sadaharu Aoki

35 Rue de Vaugirard

6th  Arrondissement

Paris, France 75006 

+33 1 45 44 48 90
http://www.sadaharuaoki.com/profil/en.html

*I personally think the best croissant aux amandes is from Filou's Artisan Patissier in Melbourne, Australia.

Lentil As Anything

The commonality between all living creatures, food, is stuck between a dichotomy of scarcity and surplus. When my friend told me about this vegetarian/vegan restaurant that has a pay-as-you-go policy, courtesy of their belief that everyone should be able to afford a meal, I was intrigued. Does this policy actually work?

Based solely on the three times I have visited, it appears to.

Lentils As Anything has a few locations around Melbourne, although I have only frequented the Abbotsford Convent location. Breakfast is served a la carte, while lunch and dinner are buffet-style with a rotating menu (except for Thursday and Friday nights).

Random Saturday menu

Lines can get impossibly long, but the atmosphere alone is worth it. Food can be a hit or miss, depending on your cuisine preferences and the volunteer chefs of the day. Do check their Facebook for the most current menu and older posts to get a better sense of what the cuisine of the day may be. There is usually a live act, but the most interesting conversations may arouse from your fellow table-mates (part of the seating is cafeteria-style).

Smorgasbord of food

Hot cocoa, ordered a la carte

I would definitely recommend at least one visit to this joint, solely for the atmosphere. And since this is also for a great cause, it's essentially a double-win! 

For more photographs and candid thoughts on what I ate, click here and here for the diary entries.

Lentil As Anything

1 St Heliers Street

Abbotsford, VIC 3067

Australia

+61 3 9419 6444

http://lentilasanything.com/