September 2016 - Gazing and Grazing

Sasagin, Tokyo – Late Summer Goodness at a Favourite Izakaya

September 18th, 2016

Every time I visit Tokyo, I look forward to squeezing in dinner at Sasagin especially when there are seasonal goodies to try. This time round the Sanma fish (or Pacific Saury in english and, according to Wikipedia, also known as the mackerel pike) was in season and it was simply grilled with salt. The Sanma is an oily fish but much less fishy than mackerel or sardine. And when its grilled just right with salt, all you need is a squeeze of lime or lemon. While also known for a great...

Hanamaru, Tokyo – Best Conveyor Belt Sushi has a Ginza Branch

September 12th, 2016

I'd happily recommend Hanamaru to anyone looking for good sushi in Tokyo and now that its Ginza branch is open, it's even better. This is conveyor belt sushi that renders a visit to a Michelin-starred sushi-ya unnecessary for the most part, especially as I could eat almost 12 times at Hanamaru for the cost of a single meal at the loftier restaurants (JPY 2,500 which is around USD 25 left me very full and happy enough to cry). The fish is fresh and Hanamaru serves some Hokkaido specialities...

Mid-Autumn Lights at Gardens by the Bay

September 4th, 2016

The giant light displays at the Gardens by the bay are a nice reminder of the Mid-Autumn Festival that used to be one of my favourite childhood festivals. Every evening until September 18, these "lanterns" will be lit highlighting the various folktales that surround the festival. In addition, as the Singapore Art Festival is also going on, Ron Arad's 720 degrees art installation is set up in The Meadow of the Gardens. The installation consists of projected images on a "curtain" of silicon...