Satsuma, Kanda, Tokyo, Japan

Omelette and Curry-and-rice at Satsuma, Kanda, Tokyo, Japan

It was, simply fabulous and I did not expect that much brilliant omelette to be served at the lunch of a small bar, located at one of back streets of Kanda crowded with small bars and local cuisine, one station north by Yamanote Line from Tokyo terminal.

And, you, as one of the keenest omelette lovers in the world, might feel strange that omelette is served with curry-and-rice.  Yes, Japanese chiefs made innovation and fusion on every imported dish from overseas; this curry-and-rice was originally introduced from England, not India, after Brits invented curry powder to cook Indian curry at their home country, so Japanese firstly got to know curry as "western cuisine".  And over the centuries, Japanese keep innovated this curry-and-rice into more Japanese style, and in fact this Kanda area is very famous for curry; more than 150 restaurants, from Indian and south-east Asian restaurant to western style ones, and bars and even ramen shops, serves their own receipt of curry every day.

So... who ever combined curry-and-rice and our holy omelette; what a combo!  Next time you come to Tokyo, all you have to visit for omelette is, not a breakfast buffet at Imperial Hotel, though it is of course worth to have, but this Satsuma.  After enjoying Japanese sake, then you should try this :-)

Happy Omelette!

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Cafe Un Deux Trois. Mandarin Oriental Taipei, Taiwan

It was indeed my first travel to Taipei, Republic of China.  Landed at relatively small Songshan Airport, bought a local prepaid SIM as usual routine when travelling abroad, and headed to a hotel where was my stay this time by walk along a broadway immediately connected to the airport down to south for 10 minutes.  Then I found a relatively new but classic style building with a shopping mall;  this is Mandarin Oriental Taipei, opened in early 2014.

Interior is new but classic, functional but gorgeous; very "Mandarin Oriental" style which you can find everywhere you stay at Mandarin Oriental.  Indeed, a concept of bath in each room is very next to bed so that you can see outside, especially sunset even in the bath tub (with a glass of sparkling wine, if you feel something special), and this is quite resemble to MO Tokyo.

Unless you are granted for executive lounge access, your breakfast is at their cafe; Cafe Un Deux Trois, MO Taipei.  Like others, they serve in buffet style, from western continental ones to Chinese local cuisine, and omelette is to be asked for order to staff, not chief at the grill, with your preference.  So unfortunately I had to miss omelette on the day 2, my first breakfast in Taipei, as it seems staff might have forgotten my order to convey due to miscommunication between staff and me (or staffs, I do not know)... But, I at last got my breakfast as my preference as above on the day 3;  with smooth surface and no seam...  You may also enjoy another dishes from grill like french toast, Bergen waffles.  Enjoy!

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Saigon Kitchen, Hotel Des Arts, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

After my last trip to HCM City two years ago, I completely missed to find my good excuse to come back here, but this city has been kept changing a lot here and there, to have this new boutique hotel under Accor hotel franchise.  I was lucky to be one of the first guests during their 90 days of soft opening period so that all the hotel staff really and literally took care of me well as if an old friend, but to check their operations work as on their plan.

Their breakfast at 2nd floor, Saigon Kitchen, appears same format found around the world, as breakfast buffet, however, you may be stunned for the lineup of cuisine, from typical western / continental breakfast stuff to local pho, with two hot grills.  One is for sweet crapes, to top with caramel, chocolate or berry sources, and the other is, no wonder, our favourite omelettes.

As you see above, the cook carefully prepared and brought to my table for me, a seamless rugby-football-shaped omelette nicely and softly.  If, as Japanese I am can say one more, it might be nicer to cook as half-cooked so that we could have enjoyed egg juice leaking out when you put your fork into it.

Now I got a new home in HCM City, with reasonable nightly rate, so all I have to do next is to work hard to find another good excuse to bring myself back here.

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Executive Lounge, Royal Park Hotel, Tokyo, Japan

Simply, it was a sort of "City Break" for me to stay overnight at Royal Park Hotel, where is 10-15 minutes distance by car from my apartment in Asakusa, Tokyo.  But, unusual experience always gives me a break:  calm and silent night, with no computer, no smartphone ringing, but laying on the softly cushioning bed and reading some books which I bought and left for a month or two unopened.
And, another joy for me after overnight at a hotel is... no wonder.  Omelette.

Thanks to hotel arrangement, I had an access to their executive lounge in 20th floor for breakfast (and, no exception for lounge service, your favourite cocktail for evening if your check-in was early enough) and I enjoyed their buffet style breakfast.  And... they assigned one chief for hot grill for... omelette.

As always in Japan, omelette is seamlessly yellow rugby-ball shaped as if all the chief learned from one-and-only master but reality is not;  even at home, we would expect that shape and seamlessness.  And, once I saw that, I feel comfortable :-)

Executive lounge was, more or less anywhere from hotels and airports, a bit crowded, but it was Sunday 8 a.m., so people including me was a slight late / slight early starters for sunny late summer Sunday.

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Live Kitchen "Cooka", Osaka Marriotte Miyako Hotel, Osaka, Japan

Our common understanding about Osaka is "a city for cuisine".  Traditionally, various technique and presentation of dishes to the rest of this countries, while, of course, local fresh vegetables, fish and meats drives directions of local cuisine, but influence of "a city of cuisine" as trend is unavoidable.

But, as for omelette, a cooking technique is quite back to basis, to cook a simple rugby football shaped, seamless omelette appears to my table.  One interesting innovation by this hotel is that you have to pick one stick, with labelled your table number, to bring to chief's grill area, to put your stick into a cup together with your favourite ingredients like ham, bacon, vegetables, etc.  Then, two smily female chiefs will cook for you and floor staff will serve you, by finding you with that stick.  Shame you cannot give any grace to chief cooking, but just laid back to chair to wait for your omelette.  Smart enough, efficient enough for busy morning hours...

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Vivre - L'experience des saveurs, Sofitel London Heathrow, London

From Jersey back to Tokyo is not an easy travel.  From Jersey to London, most likely you may fly with BA, as the long-haul flight is BA for more reasonable priced ticket, then you should be firstly touching down at Gatwick.  Then 70 minutes of journey to Heathrow by coach follows.  As typical flight schedule from Heathrow to Tokyo is around noon, considering this extra 70 minutes journey, you may have to catch the first flight back to London, but early morning flight has a risk of cancel or delay due to fog thanks to geographic isolation of isle of Jersey by relatively warm sea.  So you had better leave there in the prior day and have a sleep somewhere in London.

All we know, central of London is more expensive for nightly rate, and less quality with typical airport hotels; except Sofitel London Heathrow.  It stands at the prime location, just 3 minutes away from Terminal 5 (no need to walk through a long tubular for "just SIX" minutes form Terminal 4:-), and very sophisticated appearance and services, facilities, and restaurants and bars which are uncomparable with typical airport hotel.

Among them, my favourite is wider range of buffet at Vivre.  While I recommend you to try their "Miso soup", which is nice to try before back to Japan, their omelette is as above.  Not that bad as similar in London, many folded one, with your a pick of salt and pepper needed, yes, you are yet in London :-)

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The Waterfront Restaurant & Terrace, Radisson Blu Waterfront Jersey, Jersey

And I was also back to Jersey, after almost two years of missing reasons for visit.  Thanks to local financial service industry, relatively wealthy but small and calm island has been stayed as it has been, while I recognised some bit small changes here and there in the town of St. Helier.  But, a big surprise is with my favourite hotel in Jersey, for its renewed restaurant as appearance.

But, they keep serving their pride of "Super Breakfast", and free range eggs for my omelette.  And they also keep serving the same omelette, no seamless rugby football one, yet.  Of Jersey, nothing has changed in principal :-)

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Carluccio's, Canary Wharf, London, UK

In January, 2015, I was lucky to have a good excuse to be back to London.  And one of my routine in London is to see my good ex-boss at the breakfast table near his office in Canary Wharf.  Carluccio's seems, regardless of my favourite routine visit, famous for its splendid but reasonably-priced breakfast, even though they have a big franchise in UK, so always crowded.

My favourite here is, in fact, "Colazione Magnifica" for my choice of free range eggs, but that morning they did not accept it for omelette, so I had to order a simple omelette with mushroom as above :-)

Taste?  Yes, it is as always, I put some salt and pepper on it, it is yet another routine in London.

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