Recent Lovelies

Hmmm, it seems like Autumn has forgotten to show up... despite everyone already promoting autumn foods, beers and Halloween decorations.

However, this does not stop me nor my crazy appetite for lovely tasty things. Especially when it comes to gyoza. I love gyoza, so very very much. But, not surprisingly, it is extremely difficult to find vegetarian gyoza in Japan... until now!

A five minute walk from the West exit of Ikebukuro, hidden amongst a plethora of rabuho (including the rather nice Petit Bali) is 線條手打餃子専門店 (sorry for the kanji, but I cannot remember the correct reading), which has any kind of gyoza you can imagine, including a couple vegetarian options. The style is Taiwanese, so they have a more complex flavor than your average gyoza. I had two platefuls of sheer joy, and they also have cheap teishoku sets if you want a more balanced meal.

Another recent lovely was a Hash run in Shimokitazawa, where besides enjoying abundant portions of Indian food and a long trail, I also came across this hyotan store. The gourds are, for some reason, immensely fascinating and cute to me, and apparently here you can make your own... probably quite a niche market!

One non-lovely thing is that my camera has sand stuck in it, so needs to go for a professional cleaning... and I am stuck using my phone to inadequately try and capture the deliciousness of the coconut cocktail at Teyantei, which is a really awesome Okinawan joint in Shibuya, and the coffee and quiche combo from Paul Bassett in Shinjuku.

But, to return to happier things, a non-Japan related lovely, but long standing passion, are corgis. Seriously, the corgi is possibly the most amazing canine breed ever. I miss mine terribly, and thus squeal delightedly every time I see one nearby. All corgis seem to love me, although sometimes their owners are a bit taken aback. Mine has a tendency to give me looks like the second corgi in the line below, always wondering what weird thing I am doing today.