Nagoya: Kishimen

Okay, first up. Kishimen at this place is not my first choice. 

I know I know I know, I had 1 month in Nagoya but I didn't make it to where I wanted to go for kishimen, I ought to be shot.

Actually! I did travel down to Atsuta Shrine for kishimen BUT THEY CLOSE AT 4PM!!!!!

And given how I travelled out of Nagoya for all of my weekends, and my weekdays mornings were spent in Nagoya University Hospital.... I just.. couldn't...

Thankfully! As previous mentioned, this foodcourt in Lucent Towers also serves kishimen!

Beef Kishimen.

I also ordered another of Nagoya's specialties the Tenmusu ( Not my favourite)

Definitely one of my favourite meals, I think I had it on 3 occasions.

More than any of the other food items. But that's partially because I really REALLY REALLY love soupy noodles.
plus it was winter when I was in Nagoya.

PERFECT for warming up the tummy (:

Lucent tower
Nagoya Station

NAGOYA: oyakodon

Kobe is known for its beef, Oma known for its tuna, Nagoya is known for Cochin chicken.

What is cochin chicken you may ask? I honestly had no idea that Nagoya was so well known for its poultry until google told me. Anyway, it's a a type of chicken produced at the beginning of the Meiji Era by crossing a buff cochin breed imported from china and the native breed of owari. 

The reddish meat is rich in flavour and has good chewing texture. 

There are many places in nagoya to enjoy the cochin chicken, I was a little lazy googling where the good places are. So I decided to just try the cochin oyako don at this food court in Lucent Towers.

I really love this foodcourt. It's a gathering of all Nagoya's specialties from popular restaurants - pork cutlet (yamachan), hitsumabushi, kishimen, cochin chicken.

Oyako don

Cochin chicken tebasaki

I feel really bad saying this, because cochin chicken is known as a delicacy and even a treat for Nagoya residents. But... I really don't think the taste suits me. It's definitely more chewy than normal chicken. And I'm really lazy, I dislike chewing too much haha.

But nonetheless, GOOD EXPERIENCE!

Lucent Towers

B1

NAGOYA: Cafe du Ciel カフェ ド シエル

A typical weekday in Nagoya for me would be 

730am - 5.30pm: Operating theatre

occasionally I'll be in clinic doing stuff like (see below)

And for an hour everyday, I'll be doing these virtual operations in the training room. 

By the end of the day, I'm so tired, my body is just in need of sweets! 

And the best way to end the day, is to be spoilt by an array of desserts in a cafe overlooking Nagoya !

Oh, did I say, I've loved skyscrapers ever since i was a little girl. I told myself that when i grow up, I wanted to work in the CBD where all the tall skyscrapers are.

Then I got into medical school, and graduated. 

But there's no hospitals built as skyscrapers. 

So my dreams are shattered.

View of Nagoya from 51st Floor

Definitely definitely choose the window seat ! Despite the fact that this is not a cheap cafe, there was still a large crowd, mostly comprising of Japanese ladies of higher social status. Well, I guess this is not unexpected since this cafe is located just above Takashimaya haha.
 I had to wait an hour before I got this seating !

Which dessert should i choose hmmmm...

YOU WILL NEVER GO WRONG WITH CHEZ SHIBATA. 

Matcha Green Tea cake

By the way, they do not only serve desserts. They also have a lunch/tea time/dinner menu.

It's really a perfect place to have a light meal and a fancy drink or one of the many delicious sweets while enjoying the splendid view of the city

I highly recommend this cafe if you want to spoil yourself after a hard day at work or your partner (:

Cafe du Ciel カフェ ド シエル

JR towers Nagoya Station 

51 Floor

NAGOYA: Yamamotoya Honten

Another of Nagoya's food specialities is misonikomi udon, which is basically udon simmered in red miso soup. I love Udon !!!!

I would only only recommend you try this dish IF you're a huge fan of miso. Because, the taste/smell of miso is really overpowering haha

So if that hasn't turned you off already, the best and only place to try misonikomi would be the founder of misonikomi itself -- YAMAMOTOYA !

There's a variety of choices re: what type of meat you would like to have in your misonikomi. There's beef, cochin chicken (nagoya specialty chicken) there's vegetarian etc. I chose to go for the prawn tempura (1417yen)

LOOK PERFECT EGGS!

Don't worry if you're unable to read the japanese menu. There's english menu available

Yamamotoya

http://yamamotoya.co.jp/shoplist/ (Click to view their multiple shop branches) 

NAGOYA: Salon de Mon Cher

I was recommended by some of the medical students at Nagoya University Hospital that since I love sweets so much, I have to get myself down to this place. I was told that the dojima roll (swiss roll) is the best !

I remember buying a hello kitty cake from one of their booth at a department store, and it was the best character cake I've ever had. You know how such character cakes work, they look nice but they don't taste good. But I don't know if its Japan or Mon Cher, THE CAKES ARE KAWAII AND OIISHIIIIII!!!!

Very very grand interior

As you can see, almost everybody there were ladies with other ladies, or ladies with husband. I was the only.. table for one. haha oh wells.

You know, I love desserts so much, I've been telling everybody that my dream guy is someone who loves sweets as much as me. But somehow all the guys I've met,known, been with, are all not fans of sweets.
Tsk, Nick is not too bad now. He's been trained by me for 6 years. At least tho he's not a fan of sweets, he doesn't restrict me from visiting these desserts places. And he always give in to me whenever I say I need desserts after a meal :D ( he's a keeper! )

Menu!

I opted for the dojima roll + gateaux set (1380yen)

Perfect for afternoon tea !

Some of the gateaux selections

Chose the strawberry shortcake because it's so pretty! Look at the crown! Just befitting for a princess like me ( hahahahahahaha. joking not joking ) 

SO SO SO GOOD. THIS IS THE BEST SWISSROLL I'VE EVER HAD. Strawberry shortcake was good but definitely overshadowed by the swissroll.

I AM DEFINITELY GONNA GO BACK WHEN IM BACK IN NAGOYA NEXT YEAR :D

Salon de Mon Cher
Midland Square, Nagoya
opening hours: 10am-8pm (last order 7.30pm)
Fri, Sat and public holiday: 10am-9pm (last order 8.30pm)