Every day there is a different special offer available. This event is worth a visit just to taste the numerous free samples and be charmed by various old ladies trying to flog you their wares!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Hokkaido Food and Drink Fair...
At Saga Tamaya department store from April 13th until the 24th.
Every day there is a different special offer available. This event is worth a visit just to taste the numerous free samples and be charmed by various old ladies trying to flog you their wares!
There are many types of cheesecakes, cream puddings, chocolate snacks, cheeses, meats, and fish to sample. There are also special Hokkaido seafood bento boxes on sale, and even a sushi stall too. My personal favourites are the wine-tasting corner and the spicy chicken wings. You can also purchase locally produced Hokkaido beer, healthy yogurt drinks and also delicious crab cakes and dumplings. Only while stocks last though! Enjoy!
Every day there is a different special offer available. This event is worth a visit just to taste the numerous free samples and be charmed by various old ladies trying to flog you their wares!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
JA Saga Prefecture Agricultural Festival 2011!!! Updated...
Thursday February 3rd. Saga Airport Park, Kawasoe Town.
Pedalling flat-out on a "granny bike" certainly builds up an appetite - and luckily once I finally arrived at the festival there were plenty of things to sample. With tweed jacket, flat cap and welly boots on, I entered the main arena/tent looking dapper and definitely agri"cultural".
But onto the eating. Avoiding the usual Japanese festival stall food (anpanman and doraemon cakes, cold fried chicken, jumbo octopus balls etc), I made my way to the inner sanctum where locally-sourced ingredients were used to create some great dishes.
The minced pork and lotus root hot buns (特別肉まん), from the Kashima area of Saga Prefecture, were juicy and a little sweet. The Daatan soba noodles, named after an ancient tribe from Northern China, were thicker than your average soba and, even though there was NO yuzukoshou, they were very tasty and perfect for a slightly harsh mid-winter day. According to the old lady who served them, they were also good for me, as they have a high concentration of Rutin (more info here http://www.hellolife.com/dattan.html) - by this time I was too busy slurping to hear exactly what she was banging on about.
Other notable highlights included fresh mikan juice, smoked cheeses, roll cake, organic ureshino tea and youkan tasting - plus of course plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood from all over Saga Prefecture. There were events of some kind on the main stage during the day, such as Enka singing and a gardening demonstration, but thankfully I missed them!
If you have some time to kill or would like to sample/buy local Saga goods then the festival is worth a visit. Each day also has different events and different produce from a variety of regions.
The line-up for the next few days is :
Friday, February 4th - Farm produce from Ogi City, Taku City and Yamato Town. Plus goods from Kashima and Ureshino.
12:00-13:00 Karaoke Tournament!
13:00-14:00 Auction
Saturday Feb 5th - Farm produce from all over Saga Prefecture!
Anpanman Event 10:00 - 10:50 and 14:30 - 15:20
11:30 - 12:40 Brass Band Performance
11:30 Crepe and Juice making event
14:30 Kinako making event
Sunday Feb 6th (FINAL DAY) Farm produce from all over Saga Prefecture!
11:00 - 11:30 JA Saga Group Song Performance!
12:00 - 13:15 Yosakoi Dance Performance
10:00 Miso making event
11:30 - Decorative Cake making event
13:00 - Gardening Event
The Festival runs until Sunday February 6th and opening hours are 9:30 until 16:00.
A free bus service runs from Saga station on Saturday and Sunday.
Please check the website JA Saga Matsuri for more info.
Pedalling flat-out on a "granny bike" certainly builds up an appetite - and luckily once I finally arrived at the festival there were plenty of things to sample. With tweed jacket, flat cap and welly boots on, I entered the main arena/tent looking dapper and definitely agri"cultural".
But onto the eating. Avoiding the usual Japanese festival stall food (anpanman and doraemon cakes, cold fried chicken, jumbo octopus balls etc), I made my way to the inner sanctum where locally-sourced ingredients were used to create some great dishes.
The minced pork and lotus root hot buns (特別肉まん), from the Kashima area of Saga Prefecture, were juicy and a little sweet. The Daatan soba noodles, named after an ancient tribe from Northern China, were thicker than your average soba and, even though there was NO yuzukoshou, they were very tasty and perfect for a slightly harsh mid-winter day. According to the old lady who served them, they were also good for me, as they have a high concentration of Rutin (more info here http://www.hellolife.com/dattan.html) - by this time I was too busy slurping to hear exactly what she was banging on about.
Other notable highlights included fresh mikan juice, smoked cheeses, roll cake, organic ureshino tea and youkan tasting - plus of course plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood from all over Saga Prefecture. There were events of some kind on the main stage during the day, such as Enka singing and a gardening demonstration, but thankfully I missed them!
If you have some time to kill or would like to sample/buy local Saga goods then the festival is worth a visit. Each day also has different events and different produce from a variety of regions.
The line-up for the next few days is :
Friday, February 4th - Farm produce from Ogi City, Taku City and Yamato Town. Plus goods from Kashima and Ureshino.
12:00-13:00 Karaoke Tournament!
13:00-14:00 Auction
Saturday Feb 5th - Farm produce from all over Saga Prefecture!
Anpanman Event 10:00 - 10:50 and 14:30 - 15:20
11:30 - 12:40 Brass Band Performance
11:30 Crepe and Juice making event
14:30 Kinako making event
Sunday Feb 6th (FINAL DAY) Farm produce from all over Saga Prefecture!
11:00 - 11:30 JA Saga Group Song Performance!
12:00 - 13:15 Yosakoi Dance Performance
10:00 Miso making event
11:30 - Decorative Cake making event
13:00 - Gardening Event
The Festival runs until Sunday February 6th and opening hours are 9:30 until 16:00.
A free bus service runs from Saga station on Saturday and Sunday.
Please check the website JA Saga Matsuri for more info.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Nanbu Yakitori ー 焼鳥なんぶ
This legendary establishment is renowned for both its hospitality and amazing eats. On entering quickly find a stool next to the counter and order a beer, from then on you are bound to fit right in. The Mama will keep your glass full while The Master conjures up some grilled delights on the open barbecue. If you are looking for a challenge then why not strike up an over-the-counter conversation with the Master - his Saga dialect is alomst unintelligible to the untrained ear.Nanbu serves traditional yakitori fare, such as pork belly (バラ), chicken wings (手羽先), chicken meatloaf (つくね) and shrimp (えび). Other notable dishes are Mariko's Special Potatoes (マリコのポテト) and bacon-wrapped quail eggs (うずら巻).
Many people are averse to pig's trotters, but the locally-sourced tonsoku (豚足) at Nanbu are fabulous. Their preparation is a closely-guarded family secret, however they are rumoured to be marinaded in citrus vinegar (ポン酢) and gently steamed before being finished off on the charcoal grill. Whatever the method, the end result is a heavenly trotter - crispy on the outside and juicy-soft on the inside. Sucking on the bone marrow is highly recommended.
Many people are averse to pig's trotters, but the locally-sourced tonsoku (豚足) at Nanbu are fabulous. Their preparation is a closely-guarded family secret, however they are rumoured to be marinaded in citrus vinegar (ポン酢) and gently steamed before being finished off on the charcoal grill. Whatever the method, the end result is a heavenly trotter - crispy on the outside and juicy-soft on the inside. Sucking on the bone marrow is highly recommended.
At Nanbu the menu is only the beginning of the affair. For regular customers, first-timers, or just about anyone with a smile, the Mama will inevitably serve a dish from the secret menu (裏メニュー). These are often seasonal and regularly include such delicacies as deep-fried freshwater soft shell crab, A-grade Saga beef steak (佐賀牛), sea urchin (うに), scallop sashimi (ホタテ刺) and salted salmon roe (イクラ). Not only are these scrumptious dishes of the finest quality, they are also "on the house" (サービス), courtesy of Mama Chiyuki!
Prices are reasonable, ranging from 80yen for grilled chicken breast (鳥身) to 350yen for a chive omelette (ニラ玉子焼き). Asahi draught beer (生ビール) is 450yen per ice-cold mug, while local cold sake is 1000yen a bottle.
Nanbu Yakitori is a classic izakaya. Simple, delicious, reasonably-priced and very friendly. A good time is always guaranteed.
Nanbu Yakitori 焼鳥なんぶ
Yae Town (near Nanbu bypass), Saga City, Kyushu, Japan.
0952-23-6736
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