Odori Kitchen Just Keeps Getting Better

It's been a long time!

I've been busy with other projects and just haven't set the time aside to post lately.  I have much to show you, but in the meantime, I feel the need to revisit the subject of Odori Kitchen in Shirahama.

Roara, author of the blog "This is where I live." somehow made her way from Chiba City down to Odori Kitchen and (naturally) fell in love.  So she invited a few friends and I to go down this past Saturday, blessed with good weather, and have lunch on their lovely patio.

This is my 3rd time at Odori Kitchen (my 2nd lunch) and I feel like it just gets better every time I'm there. It was a perfect day to spend a warm, spring afternoon: great food, great people, and great conversation.

The restaurant has got some new menu items in for spring, so I thought I should show you. YOU NEED TO GO!  Call me when you do... I want to go, too.

My dish!  Shrimp and asparagus tomato cream sauce pasta. The sweetness of the fresh asparagus matches well with the shrimp and long onion, and there are little capers in the sauce for a salty kick. This might be the most well-made tomato cream sauce pasta I've ever had.

Bamboo shoot and ham risotto!

Bacon and assorted green beans spaghetti.  It had string beans, sugar snap peas, and sora-mame.

Gorgonzola fusilli.  I think Seeks unhinged his jaw and threw this down his throat.  He ordered a large portion and it was still gone in 3 minutes.

The B-set lunch comes with a dessert.  Three of us had panna cotta.  It was fluffy, creamy, and delicious with vanilla bean specks and a tart fruit sauce that brought out the cool sweetness of the panna botta.

Kimbap had the very last spinach chiffon cake. (Seeks almost fought her for it.)  I'm not a huge chiffon cake fan (because I like my cakes FULL of shortening) but this was rather moist and just sweet enough. You could taste the slightest hint of spinach but it wasn't overpowering or "green" tasting.  All in all, a very well-made cake.

I don't want to be a groupie, but I am a huge fan of this restaurant.  From time to time, they also sell food from booths at local events and festivals, too.  Next time I see their booth, I'm there.  Next time I can get a friend to go for dinner with me, I'm there.  One day, when I muster up the confidence, I'm just going to go up to the owner and ask him to marry me.  Imagine eating like this every day....it would be a dream come true!

Let's get to the point: go, people.  Go now.

Liz