http://www.lamenkazu.com.br/
R. Thomaz Gonzaga, 51
Liberdade
This weekend, Paulistas are celebrating the Chinese New Year in Liberdade. Yes, Liberdade is the Japanese part of town, but the two cultures collide in certain corners of the neighborhood. It's the Chinese Year-of-the-Dragon, and I hope that means one thing and one thing only...less rain in Sao Paulo.
I have been to Aska, another noodle-house in Liberdade, but my Japanese-Canadian friend, Mary, said that she found another place that was just as good. She definitely hit the mark. Lamen Kuzo has a different, slightly more upscale vibe than Aska. But it's not really upscale at all...just in comparison. The menu is similar...lots of different kind of lamens with different broths....but if you are still a bit confused, there's a decent English menu they will hand you whether you request it or not (if they hear you speaking English, that is!). Noodle bowls range in price from 17-25 Reais.
I opted for the Shoyu Tyashu. The noodles are thick and hearty...even a little chewy, in a good way. I'm not the most expert or avid pork-eater, but this particular bowl came with FOUR slices of pork. I had a small bite of one...I still don't really get how you eat a big slice of pork with chopsticks and a soup spoon. The dish was tasty...not overly powerful with any one flavor, but a nice simple taste of Japanese soul food in a bowl.
We also sampled the guioza, but I still insist that Mary's homemade ones are better than I have had in any restaurant. Ever.
Mary and Janhavi shared a cold noodle dish...and on a hot day, this actually seemed like the perfect option. Fresh veggies in a smooth and savory sesame-based sauce made the simple noodle dish pretty complex in texture and flavor...I would definitely try that sometime.
On a total non-foodie note, but almost as important (as I am a sucker for a nice, clean bathroom), definitely don't miss the ultra-modern toilet in the ladies' room (I didn't see what was in the men's bathroom, unfortunately). All I will say is that it was the most hi-tech toilet I have ever seen outside of someone's home. Worth a visit.
Showing posts with label japanese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label japanese. Show all posts
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Aska Lamen House (Liberdade)
466 Rua Galvão Bueno
Liberdade
I love this place for many reasons...One, it's the only place in Sao Paulo I even know to go to for a bowl-o-Japanese noodles. Two, it's cheap. You can get out of there, stuffed, for 20 Reais. Three, it's delicious. Four, once you get a table (you could wait 30 minutes-1 hour!!), it's really quick!
I also love the rules on the front of the menu...it's such a small restaurant by Brasilian standards that they are like Japanese restaurant czars about their seating and eating policy. I wish I had taken notes...but things like...if you are two people, sit at the counter, not at a table; on the weekends, you might have to share a table; only one refill of broth (but not on the weekends or holidays), and some other weird stuff I have never heard of in a restaurant, but I think is standard for Japanese restaurants?
The menu is not really that understandable if you are not Brasilian or Japanese, but I really don't think you can go wrong with any of it! The guioza is delicious (some of the best I have had in SP, I think), and Mary K. told us how to create the best dipping sauce...1 part soy, two parts vinegar, and a little bit of the hot stuff. It made all the difference!
This is a place to frequent, if you don't mind the wait and rush...because the big bowl-o-noodles will keep you full all day long. :)
Liberdade
I love this place for many reasons...One, it's the only place in Sao Paulo I even know to go to for a bowl-o-Japanese noodles. Two, it's cheap. You can get out of there, stuffed, for 20 Reais. Three, it's delicious. Four, once you get a table (you could wait 30 minutes-1 hour!!), it's really quick!
I also love the rules on the front of the menu...it's such a small restaurant by Brasilian standards that they are like Japanese restaurant czars about their seating and eating policy. I wish I had taken notes...but things like...if you are two people, sit at the counter, not at a table; on the weekends, you might have to share a table; only one refill of broth (but not on the weekends or holidays), and some other weird stuff I have never heard of in a restaurant, but I think is standard for Japanese restaurants?
The menu is not really that understandable if you are not Brasilian or Japanese, but I really don't think you can go wrong with any of it! The guioza is delicious (some of the best I have had in SP, I think), and Mary K. told us how to create the best dipping sauce...1 part soy, two parts vinegar, and a little bit of the hot stuff. It made all the difference!
This is a place to frequent, if you don't mind the wait and rush...because the big bowl-o-noodles will keep you full all day long. :)
Monday, March 23, 2009
Tadashii (Morumbi)
Tadashii
Rua Jamanari, 40 Panamby (Morumbi)
http://tadashii.com.br/
It's Japanese, it's sushi, it's a 40 Real Rodizio. In short, while it's not the BEST sushi place I've been to in SP, so far I've been there twice and it's been consistently good. A little more expensive than the typical all-you-can-eat, but worth it b/c the place is nice and the fish tastes just a little fresher. The menu is huge, and you even get dessert with the rodizio. There's a pretty patio, too.
Still not sure what the girls in the Japanese dresses DO exactly, but they're fun to watch. And there's a unnervingly high waiter:patron ration...odd.
In Janhavi's and my opinion, it's the best sushi you can get on this side of the river.
Opens at 7. Closed Mondays
Rua Jamanari, 40 Panamby (Morumbi)
http://tadashii.com.br/
It's Japanese, it's sushi, it's a 40 Real Rodizio. In short, while it's not the BEST sushi place I've been to in SP, so far I've been there twice and it's been consistently good. A little more expensive than the typical all-you-can-eat, but worth it b/c the place is nice and the fish tastes just a little fresher. The menu is huge, and you even get dessert with the rodizio. There's a pretty patio, too.
Still not sure what the girls in the Japanese dresses DO exactly, but they're fun to watch. And there's a unnervingly high waiter:patron ration...odd.
In Janhavi's and my opinion, it's the best sushi you can get on this side of the river.
Opens at 7. Closed Mondays
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Aoyama Temaki Hall (Itaim Bibi)
Aoyama Temaki Hall
Rua Adolfo Tabacow, 269
Itaim Bibi
no website
This place was such a find that the first time I went, I returned less than 3 days later. I have to admit, the only reason we went in the first place was because its "big sister" sushi restaurant (Aoyama, around the corner on Mario Ferraz) was packed and we did not feel like waiting. That's not to say that sometimes there isn't a wait out the door (the restaurant doesn't have THAT many tables, although there is an upstairs and there's room for about 10 at the "sushi counter"), but on that particular evening, we sat down right away.
I guess the thing to do here is the rodizio (that's Portuguese for "all-you-can-eat"). You can order as many temaki rolls as you want, and then all of this other stuff comes with it, too. Tiny little fried spring rolls (veggie), guioza (pork dumplings), and a tray of assorted sushi-like (but kind of unidentifiable) items. And you can't forget about the near perfect and refreshing marinated cucumber salad (which I saw an entire family drown in soy sauce...gross!). But my advice is really to save room for the temaki rolls.
If you are a vegetarian, or if you don't eat raw fish, you are in luck here. There's grilled salmon, shimeji (mushroom), kani (fake crab), and pepino (cucumber) temaki. There are some weird choices, too...like mixing different fish with mayonaise, and even one with salmon, strawberries, and whipped cream. When I gave the sushi guy an interested look about the strawberry one, he shook his head at me in warning to stay away. I did.
There are also some combinations that come mixed with cream cheese. Unless you REALLY love cream cheese, either stay away or ask for "um poco de cream cheese"....just a little. They oblige, and it's actually pretty good. Like what you would get on a bagel, but wrapped inseaweed instead.
I really enjoyed (and am, in fact, craving right now) the straight up salmon and ginger, peixe branco (white fish with drops of lime, camarao (shrimp), and california roll (it's really pretty, too). Fresh, tasty, healthy.
***Only thing that weirded me out was that there was not one single Asian employee in the whole restaurant -- not even the guys making the temaki rolls! I made the comment to Janhavi, "I hope there's some really old Japanese man in the back telling everyone what to do in here!".
The service is quick and friendly. Can't wait to go back again.
Rua Adolfo Tabacow, 269
Itaim Bibi
no website
This place was such a find that the first time I went, I returned less than 3 days later. I have to admit, the only reason we went in the first place was because its "big sister" sushi restaurant (Aoyama, around the corner on Mario Ferraz) was packed and we did not feel like waiting. That's not to say that sometimes there isn't a wait out the door (the restaurant doesn't have THAT many tables, although there is an upstairs and there's room for about 10 at the "sushi counter"), but on that particular evening, we sat down right away.
I guess the thing to do here is the rodizio (that's Portuguese for "all-you-can-eat"). You can order as many temaki rolls as you want, and then all of this other stuff comes with it, too. Tiny little fried spring rolls (veggie), guioza (pork dumplings), and a tray of assorted sushi-like (but kind of unidentifiable) items. And you can't forget about the near perfect and refreshing marinated cucumber salad (which I saw an entire family drown in soy sauce...gross!). But my advice is really to save room for the temaki rolls.
If you are a vegetarian, or if you don't eat raw fish, you are in luck here. There's grilled salmon, shimeji (mushroom), kani (fake crab), and pepino (cucumber) temaki. There are some weird choices, too...like mixing different fish with mayonaise, and even one with salmon, strawberries, and whipped cream. When I gave the sushi guy an interested look about the strawberry one, he shook his head at me in warning to stay away. I did.
There are also some combinations that come mixed with cream cheese. Unless you REALLY love cream cheese, either stay away or ask for "um poco de cream cheese"....just a little. They oblige, and it's actually pretty good. Like what you would get on a bagel, but wrapped inseaweed instead.
I really enjoyed (and am, in fact, craving right now) the straight up salmon and ginger, peixe branco (white fish with drops of lime, camarao (shrimp), and california roll (it's really pretty, too). Fresh, tasty, healthy.
***Only thing that weirded me out was that there was not one single Asian employee in the whole restaurant -- not even the guys making the temaki rolls! I made the comment to Janhavi, "I hope there's some really old Japanese man in the back telling everyone what to do in here!".
The service is quick and friendly. Can't wait to go back again.
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