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Showing posts from January, 2020

JPN: Suganoya (菅乃屋)

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Virgin experience with horse meat! Kumamoto, Japan is famous for its iconic black bear mascot called Kumamon, but did you know that horse meat is also popular there? The trend of consuming horse meat started after World War II when there was a shortage of beef and pork. For a taste of it, my BFFs and I visited Suganoya near Torichosuji tram station.
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JPN: Hotel Route Inn Kumamoto Ekimae (ホテルルートイン熊本駅前) [Breakfast]

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Priding itself in serving various types of bread for breakfast! In Kumamoto, Japan, my BFFs and I stayed at Hotel Route Inn Kumamoto Ekimae (3*) for two nights. The hotel is easily reachable by foot within 5 minutes or so from Kumamoto railway station. One gripe about the buffet breakfast would be the absence of fresh fruits.
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JPN: Ajisen Ramen (味千拉麵)

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Thick-cut 'chashu' ramen at the original branch! On the day when we reached Kumamoto, Japan, my BFFs and I made it a point to go to the original branch of Ajisen Ramen that was founded in 1968. Its specialty ramen was born when Liu Tan Hsiang from Taiwan experimented with infusing garlic into tonkotsu (lit. pork bone) ramen that originated from Kurume in Fukuoka.
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JPN: Yufuin Kotobuki Hananosho (由布院 壽花之庄) [Breakfast]

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Enjoying quite a hearty breakfast before leaving Yufuin~ From the previous post on the dinner at Yufuin Kotobuki Hananosho (3*) in Yufuin, Japan, let's move on to the breakfast set included in the half board plan. While certainly not as lavish and sumptuous as the meal the previous night, it definitely wasn't too shabby.
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JPN: Yufuin Kotobuki Hananosho (由布院 壽花之庄) [Dinner]

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Kaiseki: feast for the eyes and belly! One of the things that my I was really looking forward to during the trip was the stay at one of the Japanese style rooms with private open-air hot spring bath at Yufuin Kotobuki Hananosho (3*) in Yufuin, Japan. Let's delve into the  kaiseki (Japanese multi-course haute cuisine) dinner included in the half board plan.
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JPN: Yufuin Kinsho Korokke (湯布院 金賞コロッケ)

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Dreamy creamy cheese inside a crunchy croquette! Along the bustling pedestrian-only shopping street called Yunotsubo Street in Yufuin, Japan is a small shop selling a variety of croquettes. Routinely winning contests for best croquettes in the country, the shop attaches the word  kinsho  (lit. gold medal) to its name.
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JPN: Sanshoro (山椒郎)

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How about a beautiful box full of vegetables for lunch? Sanshoro is a famous restaurant in Yufuin, Japan that's blessed with the view of a paddy field and Mount Yufu. It's said that the owner of the restaurant is regarded as the most prominent chef in Yufuin who used to work at a Japanese restaurant in Milan, Italy and supervise the menu served onboard the trains of JR Kyushu.
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JPN: Tenku Yubo Seikaiso (天空湯房 清海荘) [Breakfast]

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Simple, but adequate breakfast set to start the day~ Directly facing Beppu Bay, Tenku Yubo Seikaiso (3*) isn't a high-end, but more than comfortable enough an accommodation that's located 10 minutes away from Beppu train station by foot. My BFFs and I booked a room that came with breakfast, but not dinner as we wanted to have dinner at Toyotsune nearby.
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JPN: Toyotsune (とよ常)

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Lovely 'anago tempura' drizzled with sweet sauce! Born and bred in Beppu, Japan, Toyotsune is a popular restaurant offering regional cuisine and  tempura  (Japanese battered and deep-fried assortments) dishes. When my BFFs and I visited the main branch in the evening, there were more foreigners than locals having dinner there.
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JPN: Yufuin No Mori (ゆふいんの森)

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Virgin experience with egg and 'kabosu' ice cream! In Kyushu, Japan, my BFFs and I had the opportunity to experience Yufuin No Mori, one of the limited express train services operated by JR Kyushu. We took the train twice from Fukuoka to Beppu and from Yufuin to Kurume. This post features some of the food and drinks sold onboard.
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JPN: Ichiran (一蘭)

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A good ramen place for introverted customers and staff! :P Ichiran is a renowned chain of ramen eateries that had its humble beginning in Fukuoka, Japan in 1960. Originally named Futaba Ramen (屋台双葉ラーメン), it was changed to its current name in 1966. Since we were in Fukuoka, my BFFs and I purposely went to patronise the original eatery in the Nanokawa area.
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JPN: Ganso Hakata Mentaiju (元祖博多めんたい重)

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Choose your favourite: 'mentaiko' soup, rice or noodle? Fukuoka, Japan is well-known for mentaiko (lit. pollock roe), which actually originated from South Korea. Ganso Hakata Mentaiju is a renowned restaurant serving high quality mentaiko with incredible freshness, so my BFFs and I decided to have lunch there.
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JPN: Hotel Sunline Fukuoka Hakata Ekimae (ホテルサンライン福岡博多駅前) [Breakfast]

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Reunited with Japanese breakfast! 'Natto', anyone? Happy New Year! I hope it's been a good start to 2020 for everyone. In Fukuoka, Japan, my BFFs and I stayed at Hotel Sunline Fukuoka Hakata Ekimae (3*) for two nights. While not exactly located in front of Hakata train station, the hotel is within walking distance from it. Let's take a look at the buffet spread for breakfast.
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SIN: YOTEL Singapore [Breakfast]

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Didn't expect the salad to be so fresh! As overseas travel is still very much restricted, I continue to entertain myself by going for staycations here in Singapore. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to stay at YOTEL Singapore (4*) at Orchard Road for one night during the Chinese New Year period. Breakfast set is offered for each guest staying at the contemporary hotel.
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KSA: Saudia [Business, International, Short-Haul]

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Trying Arabic coffee for the very first time in my life! After having a moment of relaxation at the SkyTeam Lounge at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, it was finally time for my BFF and me to leave Turkey. Our virgin experience with Saudia, the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was a memorable one. Let's take a look at what were served for Business Class passengers on the short-haul flight from Istanbul to Jeddah.
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CAN: St. Lawrence Market

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Where you can find the "world famous peameal bacon on a bun"! Originally opened in 1902, St. Lawrence Market is an iconic public market in Toronto, Canada, a culinary hotspot showcasing more than 120 merchants. The current building incorporates one that was once home to the first permanent city hall and jailhouse that operated from 1845 to 1899. During our visit, my BFF and I sampled some delights for breakfast.
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