Cliff(y) Goes Dining

Virgin experience with Omi beef, red konjac and 'choji-fu'! My family and I had the opportunity to go on a day trip to Shiga Prefecture, specifically the town of Omihachiman, that's not too far from Kyoto. For lunch, we dropped by a restaurant serving Omi beef, which is recognised as one of the top three brands in Japan, alongside Kobe and Matsusaka beef.

Eat or don't: the store sells only one dish! When strolling through the lively district of Dotonbori in Osaka, Japan, it's probably hard to overlook the sight of at least one dragon holding a bowl of noodle. Established in 1928, Kinryu (lit. Golden Dragon) Ramen has got a few branches in the area. Be it day or night, you can satiate your ramen cravings anytime as they're open 24/7.

Certainly way better than being no. 18 in the market! Takoyaki , the celebrated Japanese octopus balls, stands as a quintessential street food experience in Osaka. I recall having pretty good ones from Kukuru in my previous visit to the lively Dotonbori district many years ago. This time round, I was drawn to another famous shop that calls itself no. 18, but the origin of the name remains a mystery with no clues provided on their website.

Not a single visit to Japan without 'ekiben'! A portmanteau of eki (lit. station) and bento (Japanese meal box), ekiben  has long been an icon of Japanese culinary culture. I know the meal boxes are served at room temperature, but I'm always drawn to them, thanks in part to their exquisite presentation. My family bought some from Ekiben Tabi Bento situated within Kyoto station to savour them for lunch, not inside a train, but in the comfort of our hotel room.

Abalone-topped sushi, anyone? Founded in 1995, Kura Sushi is the second largest sushi restaurant chain in Japan, trailing only behind Sushiro (スシロー). Having more than 450 outlets in the country, it's since expanded its presence to international locations, such as Taiwan and the USA. While visiting Osaka, I decided to drop by the branch located at the vibrant district of Shinsekai.

Came for the parfait, but even more amazed by the 'cha soba'! Kyoto is synonymous with that finely ground green tea powder known as matcha . In the heart of Uji, a town distinguished for producing high-quality matcha , lies a traditional tea house called Nakamura Tokichi that's been around since the Edo period. Though we didn't have the chance to visit the main outlet, my family and I managed to get a table at the Isetan branch that's conveniently linked to Kyoto station.

Fancy some winter-exclusive soup curry? Although CoCo Ichibanya can be found in Singapore, I've always been interested to try it in Japan. Started from a shop in the suburb area of Nagoya in 1978, the restaurant chain specialising in Japanese curry has grown to over a thousand outlets, going as far as Hawaii and Los Angeles in the USA.

Deep-fried 'hamo' (lit. conger eel), anyone? Kyoto was the first destination on our eagerly anticipated family trip. After dropping off our luggage at Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Hachijoguchi, we made our way to the food court at the basement level of Kyoto Tower. Among the various options, it was the stall by Nishiki Uoriki, a restaurant founded in 1919 at the bustling Nishiki Market, that piqued my interest the most.

Tasty beef lasagna by Brahim's Food Services, but no more... After so long, I finally managed to have a family trip again in December 2022 with Japan as the destination. Unfortunately, just like the last part of my Azerbaijan travel series, I've lost all photos during this trip, save for the ones that I managed to post to my Instagram feed. Let's take a look at what I had onboard Malaysia Airlines MH52 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Osaka, Japan.

Lavender apricot for the win! Happy birthday to Pikachu! With Mid-Autumn Festival on the horizon, and Melon's birthday in exactly two weeks' time, it's customary for the two of them to celebrate with mooncakes. This year, we shall look at the snowskin mooncakes from the sweets boutique by Janice Wong, a Singaporean chef, chocolatier and artist.

Go to Orchard Towers for... Thai food! I can count with the fingers of one hand the number of times I went inside Orchard Towers. No, not to engage in sleazy activities in what used to be colloquially known as "Four Floors of Whores", of course, though authorities began forcing the nightclubs to shut down in August this year. Located on the third floor is a rather popular eatery serving Thai cuisine.

Welcome to the world's highest urban microbrewery! Situated on the 33rd storey of Tower 1 of Marina Bay Financial Centre, LeVeL33 is a restaurant-cum-sky bar that offers a splendid view of the bay in the downtown area of Singapore. The four of us agreed on their signature whole table  ContemBrewery Menu , priced at  S$148.00 per person, which incorporates "beer ingredients and brewery processes into creatively curated restaurant dishes".

Serving allergy-free granola products since 2015! The Oatberry Café is known as a plant-based, allergy-friendly granola specialty café, but it also serves delectable all-day breakfast items. I first chanced upon it near Telok Blangah MRT station while looking for a brunch spot after a hike at Mount Faber Park. However, it has since moved to Scotts Square along the bustling Orchard Road.

Addictive deep-fried squid appetiser with lots of garlic and chili! Even though it probably doesn't sound like one, Folks Collective is a Thai restaurant located at Cross Street Exchange near where I used to live. It's said that the inspiration behind the restaurant "stems from a Bangkok night market that grew out of an abandoned railway station" with 'every corner [revealing] a sentimental surprise from bygone days".

Will the supply of Italian food ever exceed its demand? Welcome to the first post on the Singapore food scene for the year! One fine day while wandering about the Esplanade Mall, my uncle and I decided to go to Supply & Demand, a modern Italian trattoria with a rooftop bar, for dinner. Here's a fun fact: I didn't take Economics when I was in Junior College, but at least I'm aware of supply and demand curves.

Yummy yam and coconut cake for dessert! After the delectable meals onboard Austrian Airlines OS25 , let's take a look at the catering onboard Thai Airways TG409 in the Economy Class from Bangkok, Thailand to Singapore. Alas, I lost all photos that I took during the flight, so I'm borrowing those taken by my BFF to feature here. This post shall finally wrap up my Azerbaijan travel series.

Welcome to the Vienna Coffee House above the clouds! My virgin experience with Austrian Airlines was in the Business Class cabin, thanks to miles redemption. My BFF and I had a 10-hour flight from Vienna, Austria to Bangkok, Thailand, in which I tasted one of the best dessert wines in life. It was probably my first time having fried chicken above 35,000 feet.

Little did I know that Austrians eat stuffed bell peppers with rice! It was my first time transiting at Vienna International Airport in Austria. Playing the miles game allowed my BFF and I to fly in the Business Class cabin of Austrian Airlines for the first time. As we arrived from Istanbul, Turkey and we'd be flying to Bangkok, Thailand, we had access to the lounge in the non-Schengen area of the airport.

Surprisingly no local dishes served onboard... After the sumptuous meal at the flagship  Turkish Airlines Lounge , it was time for my BFF and I to fly with the flag carrier of Turkey, or should I say Turkiye now, from Istanbul to Vienna without intending to do a trip to Austria at all. We had an early dinner during the flight that was slightly more than two hours.

Blown away by the delicious local and international food! Thanks to airline miles, my BFF and I'd be flying in style with Turkish Airlines, though not directly to Singapore. Because of that, we also had the opportunity to visit Turkish Airlines Lounge at the new Istanbul Airport in the Arnavutkoy region, trying all sorts of dishes and beverages offered inside the massive lounge.

Eat breakfast like a king, even in Economy Class! The time for my BFF and I to leave Azerbaijan finally came. Once again, we flew with the country's flag carrier to Istanbul, Turkey before we took the long route home. We've seen in the previous post on the generous lunch serving onboard J2 76. What about breakfast, you ask? The proof is in the picture below.

Little did I know that tea could go so well with jam made of figs! Before I post more airline meals that I had on my way back home to Singapore from Azerbaijan, I thought it'd be worthwhile to come up with one on a home-cooked lunch that I had in the country's most isolated and highest village. It was part of the day tour to Quba and Xinaliq that I signed up for with TES Tour.

The place to go for small-sized Shakh Pilaf  for one or two! Stylised as SAHiL, the highly rated restaurant-cum-bar is one of the few lining up the promenade along the Caspian Sea. For our last dinner in the country last year, my BFF and I decided to head to Sahil Bar & Restaurant. During the weekends, visitors are treated to local jazz and mosic performances at the restaurant.

A happy reunion with Georgian food! Ever since I came back from my trip to Georgia in 2018, I've been missing the unique cuisine, occasionally dreaming about it. As I knew I'd finally be back to the Caucasus region, albeit to a neighbouring country, I couldn't contain my excitement of finding a Georgian restaurant. Imereti Georgian House is located not far from Baku's Fountain Square.

Eat breakfast like a king! Literally meaning 'Tea Garden 145', Cay Bagi 145 is a teahouse-cum-restaurant that's located in the heart of Icherisheher, the Old City of Baku. Step into this renowned eatery, and you'll be in for a treat as it offers not only delectable dishes, but also a gorgeous view of the surroundings and the Caspian Sea from its enclosed terrace area.

Virgin experience with quince leaf 'dolma'! In a blink of an eye, we'll soon be halfway through February 2023, and I have yet to finish posting on my trip to Azerbaijan last year. Any plans for Valentine's Day? Here's a post on another underground eatery that provides an exquisite dungeon-like dining ambience. My BFF and I just had to drop by Dolma Restaurant that's said to be among the most recommended in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Fancy a bowl of local soup with tiny meat dumplings? Happy New Year, everyone! I shall continue putting up posts on eateries that I went to in Azerbaijan last year. Established in 1987, Nergiz Restaurant prides itself in being one of the most well-known restaurants in the capital city of Azerbaijan. Offering a charming underground dining environment, akin to that of Barbarestan in Tbilisi, Georgia that I went to a few years ago, the restaurant offers an impressively wide range of dishes.