GOCHISO SAMA DESHITA

means “It was a real feast!” And it was precisely that last evening (Sunday) at the “casual style Japanese restaurant” in the basement (down 2 flights of stairs) of the Gimmond Hotel on Oike-dori, a few minutes walk away. Once again we’re grateful to Debbie Sakura, the woman we met in front of the M Café our first morning here, who suggested the restaurant to us.

Maureen's beef course

We spent about two hours over our 8-course “traditional style set of dishes”. The menu included “shrimp coated with yuba,” but I used my Lonely Planet glossary to indicate that I couldn’t eat seafood. Unfortunately (in a way) this meant I wasn’t served the sashimi course—however a plate of small slices of delectable cold rare beef was served me in its place.

Peter's sashimi

Each course was served individually and in succession. Each looked more beautiful and appetizing than the preceding one, and we’ve photos to prove that.

Here’s the list of courses as noted by Peter on the cover to his chopsticks:

Relish: Yuba (tofu) with dressing (A cmmon food in Japan, the menu added.)

Sashimi, two kinds

Grilled chicken with salad

Deep-fried shrimp coated in yuba

Fried Eggplant in roast duck broth

Rice with Japanese pickles

Miso soup

Dessert: small chunks of cake with some sort of cream.

Fried eggplant in duck broth.

And now it seems we're hungry again -- it's time to go in search of breakfast.