Dining with a prime view of the harbor to accompany fine food and drink is always an enticing proposition. Third-floor fusion cuisine restaurant and wine bar Bay Side Bistro 1-1 & The Rooftop offers such scenery from its spot overlooking Zou-no-Hana Park. Add to that a mix of jazz, soul and pop playing from an all vinyl album collection and the ambiance is complete. The kitchen is run by veteran chef Yuzo Terashima. Terashima has dedicated over 50 years of his life to preparing French cuisine, including a five-year stint in Paris. He even speaks some French. The menu is…
Author: Seasider
The end of June marks the halfway point of the calendar year. With many projects, don’t you assess your progress roughly halfway through? It’s interesting that most of us only use New Year’s to reflect on the previous year, or to make new goals for the upcoming one. But if we tend to measure our lives in years, and our lives are a kind of ongoing project, maybe we should take assessments at halfway points. June usually marks the rainy season in Japan. It’s a quieter, more meditative season–good weather for ruminating. Am I closer to my goals for the…
If you love a classic American meal of cheeseburgers, salty fries, mac ‘n cheese, spicy chicken and spare ribs, all with an ice-cold bottle of beer or Pepsi, you’re in for a treat. MEAT Meets MEAT World Rally 〜U.S.A〜 at COMPASS in Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel & Towers is a buffet that serves authentic American cuisine featuring quality meat from the U.S. Besides Western food, COMPASS offers Chinese and Japanese selections during the event such as dumplings, sushi, tempura and tonkatsu (made with tender American pork cutlet) which are must-try. The kitchen crew behind the food counter is there to…
I’ve spoken to many managers and HR personnel over the years that have told me that they encouraged their employees to live in Yokohama, even if their jobs are elsewhere. Likewise, I’ve spoken to many employees who transferred to the Kanto area and who noted that they chose to live in Yokohama on the recommendation of somebody in their company. How has Yokohama convinced so many people of its suitability for living? I think the intimate community feel plays a big part. Even when you go inside of a business, there’s always the sense that people working there are neighbors.…
Yokohama is home to many hole-in-the-wall cafes and eateries. Every so often, if you’re lucky, you’ll stumble on a hidden gem like Nagi Coffee. Nestled in Matsumoto-cho just minutes from the hubbub of Yokohama Station, this charming little cafe is situated on the first floor of a lovely red-brick apartment which also houses an antique store. Nagi Coffee’s food is both delicious and generous in its portions. The atmosphere is cozy and nostalgia-inducing. And, of course, the coffee is top quality. It’s one of those rare cafes that’s well-rounded in every aspect. The cafe exudes warmth and calm, and one…
The Left Coast Tasting Room in Tsujido is quintessential Shonan. Laid-back surf culture is the vibe and you’ll easily fit in showing up wearing shorts, tank top and sandals after a day at the beach. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, just like its owner Takayuki “Timmy” Yatabe. Timmy and his wife Yuka have been running the American diner-style establishment for about six-and-a-half years. It was formerly known as Timmy’s Cafe, but last year Yatabe became the importer of California’s Left Coast beer, and hence the name change. There are usually six Left Coast beers on tap (16oz, ¥1000~) along…
While Hakone is known primarily for its hot spring resorts, several world-class museums and gorgeous views of Mount Fuji, we’d like to offer a lesser known reason for you to go: the Kamaboko Museum. It also shares its campus with Hakone Beer, a rather good craft brewery. Kamaboko, or “fish cakes”, are served with a variety of Japanese foods, from cheap bento to expensive kaiseki (multi-course) dinners. But how interesting could a museum about fish cakes possibly be? Very. The museum is fun, family-friendly, attractive, immersive and educational. It has exhibits detailing aspects of its centuries-old production history, but…
Spring is finally here! Why is it that spring somehow seems to bring a sense of relief? We’ll let you ponder that as you lounge in the sunshine. You’ll get quite an extended opportunity for leisure time starting from the end of this month. This year’s Golden Week holiday, which extends a whopping ten days, is the longest we can remember. Not everyone is happy about the length. We can sympathize (childcare issues), but we hope that you’re at least able to spend most of the time doing what holidays are for: unwinding and rewarding yourself. How do you plan…
Everything about the Tokaido Beer brewpub in Kawasaki has an artisanal feel, from the beers to the attention to detail in its design. The brewpub facade is an intricately carved motif of dragonflies and ginko leaves. The interior bar counter directly faces the shiny brewing equipment behind a wall of glass. On the opposing wall is an attractive mural of the Kawasaki cityscape. The handcrafted glass lighting that hangs above the counter adds a touch of class and ambiance. Owner Katsumasa Iwasawa’s family has run the architectural firm Iwataya Co., Ltd. in the building next door since 1894–the year his…
Now that spring is in full swing, it’s a good time to kick off a healthier lifestyle–but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to give up on sweets. Honey is a great substitute for sugar, and is rising in popularity recently for its health and medicinal benefits. My Honey, a cafe/honey store which opened in Motomachi this past March, sells organic honey from Hungary, where there are strict regulations for producing high-quality nectar compared to other countries. There are two other My Honey stores in Japan, but the branch in Yokohama is unique as it has ties with local Motomachi…