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[RECIPE] Matcha Mochi Bread

I recently got some Japanese Matcha powder from Heapwell Superfoods and hope to add them into some of my desserts. My boyfriend doesn’t like any type of bitterness from his desserts, and he loves red bean. So I decided to go online and learn how to make this Matcha Mochi Bread. At first I thought kneading a dough would be very difficult, but after trying it, it is actually quite fun and simple. You just need to have some patience and energy during kneading. You can even knead the dough with your kids or husbands/boyfriends to add some extra fun.

Continue reading “[RECIPE] Matcha Mochi Bread”

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Nana’s Green Tea

Regarded as the Starbucks of Japan, Nana’s Green Tea recently opened its first North American store in Kerrisdale, Vancouver. Prior to its grand opening, I was lucky to tag along with Jason to its media event. Its minimalist and elegant interior design is paired with wooden chairs and tables. Though there is limited seating, it is not too packed. After the media tasting, I went back again on a weekend afternoon, and the line wasn’t too bad, as I only waited for 15 minutes.

We tried some signature desserts, drinks, and savory dish in the media event.  Continue reading “Nana’s Green Tea”

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Top 10 Restaurants to Eat in Hong Kong (Part 1)

Yes I just returned from my month long vacation in Hong Kong, Korea, and Taiwan, so I finally have time to sit down and consolidate a list of must try food spots for you all. Hong Kong is known as a food paradise, yet as a local, I’ve found food in Hong Kong to be pretty mediocre. It can get quite expensive compared to other cities, including Vancouver! So on this trip, I spent more time digging through hidden gems to share with you all.

Continue reading “Top 10 Restaurants to Eat in Hong Kong (Part 1)”

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Yama Cafe

If you are ever looking for cafes to satisfy your matcha crave, Yama Cafe would be the go-to place.  Formerly known as Basho Cafe, Yama Cafe is a cozy Japanese cafe, which retained almost the same menu and atmosphere from before. It serves breakfast and  lunch sets, afternoon sweets, and a large selection of beverages. And more importantly, they are ALL gluten-free and made in-house.

I love studying and grabbing a snack or two from here. Though the cafe can get pretty busy, it is never too loud to a point that I would get distracted. I was back again for a media event to discover more on the menu and this cozy cafe itself.

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Food Crawl Stop #3 – Sushi by Yuji

Time for some wasabi kicks into our food crawl – Sushi by Yuji. Melody chose this restaurant, because it is reasonably priced, and the ingredients are super fresh. More importantly, we are here for some egg porn!

Sushi by Yuji is a hidden gem on Nanaimo Street. Though it is small, they serve some of the best sushi in the Kensington area. We again ordered some of the daily specials, as well as the signature nigiri sushi. I only tried two sushi, Aji (Spanish Mackerel) Nigiri and Ika Mentaiko Gunkan, because I was full after two restaurants LOL!

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Restaurant Yugo

When anyone asked about Japanese-French fusion, I immediately thought of Pidgin, but now there is a new restaurant on this recommendation list – Restaurant Yugo. The restaurant uses the simplest decor and lighting. Inside, you can see a marble sushi bar table, where you can have more interactions with the owner and the chef. This is definitely one of the hidden gem in West End.

To me, excellent service always comes first, before anything else, including food quality. And in here, I love how the owner and the chef patiently introduce each dish’s details to each of their customers. You may think I am exaggerating, but you can definitely see that passion from that smile. In addition, they serve the most unique dishes with some of the best ingredients I have tried. Continue reading “Restaurant Yugo”

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[RECIPE] Black Sesame Japanese Cotton Cake

What can you do when you only have eggs, milk, sugar, and flour? Here is a good recommendation for you! In this recipe, I used the “Scalded Flour Method”, which allows the cake to become more moist and fluffy. It was my first ever attempt to make this type of cake, and you can see how successful it was. So let’s get our hands dirty for this delicious cotton cake.

Why is it Called Cotton Cake?

Japanese cotton cake is famous for its airy and fluffy texture. The lightness of the cake can be just like angel cake and chiffon cake. But what makes cotton cake unique is that it tastes way better after you put it in the fridge overnight. It remains airy, but at the same time, it has a ice-cream-like texture. When you cut through the cake, it is just as soft as cotton. Continue reading “[RECIPE] Black Sesame Japanese Cotton Cake”