居酒屋 かまどか (Kamadoka) short review

If you have been following me on Facebook, you would have already seen this post about my short review of this place. But since there were requests to (and I feel the need to) write a longer review... here it is!

Since I wasn't the one ordering (everything is written in Japanese... not very foreigner friendly), I was in for surprises. We started off with drinks and we were given salads as appetizers. 

Steamed Tofu with Soy Sauce

This was a surprise. I actually thought it was going to be sweet, but it turned out to be salty. It was nicely steamed. It literally had the consistency of pudding... but in a form of a savoury steamed egg taste.

Edamame

This is a very typical Izakaya food in Japan. I can't comment much other than it was tasty... I really liked how they added a dish of salt on the side so we can control the savouriness of these Edamame beans.

The sashimi was really fresh. I liked how they seared the Salmon slightly giving it a nice taste. Since this was a daily special, you might not get the same fish we got. The sliced raw fish were nicely prepared.

Grilled Chicken Leg

This was really delicious. This grilled chicken leg was very well marinaded (something that is quite uncommon in Tokyo) with salt and grilled perfectly giving a nice grilled taste. The cabbage was used to wrap the pieces of chicken leg so it wouldn't feel so oily. Overall this was a very decent dish. I highly recommend it. I was also in awe how this chicken leg was so big too.

(ginger) Tempura

This tasted like fried ginger. I wasn't sure whether this was green onion/spring onion. But it tasted like ginger. It was very interesting and quite tasty... the veggie in question was extremely fresh.

Soba

It was my first time having Soba in an izakaya. It was very delicious. The Soba was very soft and cooked to perfection. Unlike soba restaurants, the soba was extremely smooth. The soba was also very fresh. I liked the presentation of this soba... it was very Japanese: simple yet elegant.

I had a wonderful time at this Izakaya. I will definitely be coming back. The only down side (like most Izakayas) they did not separate smoking and nonsmoking. As a nonsmoker, I wasn't very happy when the table next to us started smoking and contaminating our air.

score: 9/10
website: http://www.kamadoka.com/

Diane Hair Oil Moroccan Argan Extra Damage Care review

Quantity: 100 ml
Made in Japan
Price: ¥1814 (tax included)

I have been dying to try this hair oil... so I was so happy when my friend gave it to me! Diane is known for its quality in hair products in Japan and they tend to be slightly pricey. e.g. A 500 ml bottle of shampoo can cost ¥700 - ¥900

Claims:

• Preventing split ends and hair breakage 
• Fixing unmanageable, unruly hair 
• Taking care of dyed hair

first impressions:

• very oily
• light scent
• works
• a little (literally one pump) is all you need for all of your hair...

one pump... it was extremely hard to capture this clear oil on camera

All you need is one pump, I keep saying this because it is true... the first time I used this, I thought it was like most hair oils and started using 3-4 pumps, that was WAY too much! After trial and error I came to realize that one pump is more than enough. This oil is heavily concentrated so by using more it would make your hair all oily and gross.

I have long hair and all I need is one pump

This hair oil did wonders to my hair, because of the pollution in Tokyo, I constantly have to wash my hair... this causes split ends and my hair is fragile. After combing my hair, my sink would look as if some hairy monster decided to settle there...

yes... all you need is one pump!

After using this hair oil for about 3 days, I started noticing a significant difference to the health of my hair. My hair felt much stronger and didn't snap easily. It also had a natural shine and became more manageable.

I highly recommend this hair oil! Remember... one pump!


Score: 9.5/10
Website: http://www.moist-diane.jp/en/product/hair_item04.html

Revlon Ultra HD White Matte Lipcolor Obsession review

product

Revlon has been heavily marketing this product all over Tokyo. It was quite hard to avoid seeing it so I gave in and decided to test it out. I chose Obsession because I am a big fan of pink lip colours.

applicator

claims:

Revlon's Ultra HD Matte Lip Color is a lightweight, high definition, matte color with a moisturizing velvety feel.

Benefits:

100% wax-free, gel formula
Plush velvety applicator
Creamy mango and whipped vanilla fragrance
Many high definition shades to love

ingredients:

Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Isododecane, Vinyl Dimethicone / Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Silica, C30-50 Alcohols, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Diisostearyl Malate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bis-(C12-14 Alkyl PPG-4) Hexamethylenediurea, Kaolin, Bismuth Oxychloride, Silica Silylate, Parfum (Fragrance), Methicone, Sodium Saccharin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, BHT, Benzoic Acid, Limonene, Linalool. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 27 (CI 45410), Red 27 Lake (CI 45410), Red 28 (CI 45410), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Red 33 Lake (CI 17200), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985).

with and without the tint

first impressions:

• contains A LOT of ingredients @.@
• colour pay off is incredibly high
• applicator was really helpful to spread the product
• colour is extremely vivid
• the product is very thick
• weird/artificial sweet coconut smell (it says it has a mango and whipped vanilla fragrance)
• rubs off easily (transferable)
• easy to spread product
• not matte
• gives a flawless finish

vividness of this lip color

I am quite in love with product... but I would still prefer using my Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm because this product is slightly too thick for comfort (contrary to it's claim of lightweight). When I apply it, it is hard to pretend I am not wearing anything on my lips because I can feel it. It is extremely transferable because it does not fully dry. It felt like I was wearing layers of lip stick... that being said, I was impressed with the colour it produced and I was surprised how long lasting it was. It also does not tint nor stain lips at all.

after drinking a whole cup of coffee

Pros:

• hydrates lips
• sturdy container
• gives a flawless finish
• easy to spread product
• the applicator glided the product on smoothly
• colour lasts for a long time (even after food!)
• colour pay off is high and vivid
• no lip tinting or staining (this can be a pro or con)

Cons:

• transferable
• not matte
• strange artificial smell (can be a good or bad thing... I wasn't a fan of the smell)
• doesn't fully dry
• despite it not drying, if you aren't careful and make a mistake, it is hard to correct because of the thickness of the product
• sticky
• very thick
• not lightweight at all!!!!

Score: 9/10
Website: http://www.revlon.com/products/lips/lip-color/ultra-hd-matte-lipcolor#309978161028||0

居酒屋 千年の宴 (sen nen noutage) Izakaya short review

Firstly, this is a chain 'Japanese' bar. So you do not have to go to the one I went to. 千年の宴 can be translated as "A thousand year's feast (or banquet)". The name gives me a feeling that it is a celebration to something important... or why else a thousand years?

Ginger Ale with White Wine

I find it intriguing that they would put Ginger Ale with White Wine... (I've had Ginger Ale and Beer... and it was good... so perhaps this would be a good mix too).

impressions:

• too much ice
• combination is ok... (prefer Ginger Ale and Beer more)

It was... good... but I like Ginger Ale and Beer SO MUCH MORE... this was ok... but somehow the combination made the White Wine not very "winey" and the Ginger Ale lost it's distinctive taste.... it doesn't seem like a really good match.

Appetizers

The appetizers were very savoury. They were well marinaded with salt and sesame oil (and the likes) They were really good. After having these appetizers, I was excited to try the other items we ordered.

Onigiri

Having Onigiri at an Izakaya is strange... but to my surprise these onigiri was really good! It tasted so much better than the Onigiri available at convenient stores... it was so tasty. I was also impressed with the sour plums (梅干し) on the side. You can choose how you like your onigiri.

Omelette

This was a very typical omelette. It was well made and tasted quite good. It was served really warm.

raw octopus with wasabi

I know this doesn't look so appetizing... but it was really good!

The Wasabi was extremely overpowering... but it was a good combination with the octopus/squid! I can't tell the difference between Octopus or squid... the wasabi was simply too strong.

Omelette rice? guess again!

Omelette filled with Yakisoba

This was a surprise for me... The usual Japanese dish has rice inside. But tada! This one had Yakisoba inside! It was very delicious. It was on the sweet side but still extremely delicious!

Fried 山藥 with cheese

This was one of the highlights of this meal... (山藥 translates to Yam/山芋/Yamaimo). It was really good. There was some wasabi salt to pair it off. I would never have imagined combining Yamaimo with cheese was ever a good idea. But this was definitely a surprise for me... they were so well matched.

fried Chicken

It might seem like ordinary fried chicken but these were extremely crispy! The presentation doesn't look very appealing but the taste was really good. Unlike most places, the chicken was well marinaded. When I took my first bite, I was surprised as to how juicy it was.

Sashimi salad

There were lots of octopus sashimi inside. It was a strange Greek salad drizzled with a herb filled oil topped with pepper. It was very delicious though. I highly recommend it. The quantity was quite big :).

Hokkaido Milk Cheese Cake ice cream

This was another highlight of the evening. Hokkaido Milk Cheese Cake Ice Cream. I was already full when my friend decided to order this... there were two scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream with Cheese Cake bits at the bottom. It sounds simple but it was really REALLY delicious! :9

Score: 9/10
Website: no website

Ichiran ramen 一蘭ラーメン review

Ichiran

It has been a long time since I have written a review for ramen... so here's to break the chain and let's get started!

Whenever I ask someone to give me a ramen recommendation, Ichiran ramen seems to always be one of the first answers. Whenever I passed by a Ichiran Ramen it is hard to miss because there is always a long line (long line = 20 people waiting). If you have been following me for a while, you will know just how much I  loathe lines and waiting. 

Ichiran 

A few weeks ago, I FINALLY had the opportunity to eat at Ichiran, the line was much shorter and I was really hungry. When I got near the front of the line, I had to order from a vending machine, I chose their best selling Tonkotsu Ramen (Pork Bone Broth Ramen). It cost ¥890. It is more expensive compared to other ramen shops but I was excited. 

I was then given 2 sheets of paper with a clipboard indicating how I wanted my ramen: everything from the texture of the ramen to the intensity of the flavour to how much garlic you want... etc. The whole process was very foreigner friendly and the staff tried to be as helpful as possible for first timers. 

I thought it would be interesting to take a picture about the info of their ramen. Once it was our turn to go inside, we were excited. The eating area contained booths for privacy. If you went with a friend, you can close the panels so you can talk. There was a window facing us and we had to give our ramen preference sheet and order from the vending machine to the person standing on the other side of the window. 

eating area and ramen

Once our ramen came, they would put shades so we can eat in private. It is also to call our server by touching a button (no pressing... just a light touch). The whole experience was very interesting and unique. We had unlimited water which we could help ourselves to.

impressions of ramen:

• very rich soup
• a very unique taste
• the bowl of ramen was much smaller than most ramens in Tokyo
• their special sauce was slightly spicy but added a really nice kick to the whole experience
• unlike most ramen shops, the meat was very fresh and tasty
• the noodles were very thin (Hakata style (博多))
• no egg :(

Ichiran's  (一蘭) Tonkotsu ramen 豚骨ラーメン屋らーめん　とんこつ

To put it simply: I liked it! despite it being slightly pricier and smaller quantity it was really tasty. I liked the overall experience and enjoyed eating ramen privately. 

I highly recommend their special sauce (the red sauce shown in the ramen picture) because it really intensified the flavour of the soup. It is spicy but tolerable. The next time I go, I plan to order 1 1/2 scoops of this sauce to make my ramen taste better. 

I was kind of disappointed that we had to pay for our own egg because this ramen is already slightly more expensive than most.

I finished!!!

I would definitely be coming back! I had a wonderful experience. It is slightly more expensive than most ramen shops in Tokyo and the quantity is much smaller... but the taste was really unique. It can satisfy your hunger. Most tourists come for the experience (eating privately) and it has become slightly commercialized... but the soup base/broth is definitely good. I also like that we were able to personalize our ramen!

Score: 8.5/10

Website: https://www.ichiran.co.jp/english/

素爪ケア(nail crack relieve) review

For all us nail polish fanatics out there, a chipped nail is devastating... it can ruin a perfect manicure. It is unfixable. To this, a certain Japanese company has a solution: cover it with a clear coat so it does not bother you. It is suppose to hide the crack as well.

素爪ケア product

Out of curiosity,  I decided to give this product a try. I didn't have an obvious chipped nail, the chip was not obvious on camera. The chipped nail caused a bit of my nail polish to fall out. This product cost ¥950... so it should have some credibility to work... right?

I tried to zoom in on the crack, but it just showed blurriness #fail

I applied a thin layer but nothing happened... then I tried to apply a thick layer.... I waited for it to dry... for it to harden so it can form a protective layer...

Nothing.... NOTHING! There were no changes. I didn't expect a change in appearance since it was a clear coat... but it didn't repair my nail, it didn't stop the crack from getting worse. It was just... the same... as if I applied a regular top coat... the crack area wasn't protected... I could still move it around... without any effort

Such a gimmick...

Classification: Gimmick

Score: 0/10

Website: 

Japan McDonald's マクドナルド BBQ Pork burger (バーベキューポークバーガー) review

Japanese name: バーベキューポークバーガー

English Translation: BBQ Pork Burger

For those who have been in Japan would know just how expensive beef is. Japan's McDonalds has come up with BBQ pork to minimize the use of beef. Their solution was Pork. BBQ Pork.

close up of burger

what's inside the burger (based on my tastebuds)

• lettuce
• ketchup
• pickle slices
• slice of melted cheese
• pork sausage patty (the one they put in their breakfast sandwiches!!!!)

I am quite impressed... when I ate this burger I didn't miss beef.  I really liked that they chose the breakfast sandwich pork sausage patty making it extremely flavourful. The combination was quite good.

I haven't seen this burger outside of Japan yet... so it might be a regional Japanese limited edition... if you get the chance, I would recommend you try this out :).

Score: 8.5/10
Website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/basic_information/menu_info.php?mid=7080