Pilsen, the King of Towada Bars

Bar Spotlight: Beer Plaza Pilsen ビアプラザピルゼン

Pilsen is the king of Towada bars. It has a great atmosphere, tasty food & drinks, and friendly & attentive (all-male) staff.

Recommended Menu Items:

Cucumber with pickled plum paste wrapped in seaweed 350yen
梅きゅう (ume kyuu)

Fried Bee Hoon (Rice Vermicelli Noodles) 600yen
焼きビーフン (yaki bee hoon)

Fried Cheese チーズ揚 (chiizu age) 400yen

Bacon & Onion Lyonnaise Potatoes 550yen
ベーコンとオニオンのリヨネーズポテト (bacon to onion no riyoneizu potato)

Simmered Giblets 400yen
(もつ煮込み motsu nikomi)

Agedashi Tofu (Deep-Fried Tofu in Dashi Sauce) 450yen
揚げだし豆腐 (agedashi doufu)

Fried Chicken Knee Gristle (Cartilage) 400yen
鳥ひざナンコツの唐揚 (tori no hiza nankotsu no karaage)

Spinach Salad 500yen
ホウレン草サラダ (hourensou sarada)

Garlic Toast ガーリックトースト 370yen

Towada Beef Tataki 680yen
十和田牛たたき (Towada gyuu tataki)

Chocolate Parfait チョコレートパフェ 500yen

Rice-Flour Dumpling & Red Bean Matcha Parfait 500yen
白玉とあずきの抹茶パフェ (shiratama to azuki no matcha parfait)

Strawberry & Condensed Milk Parfait 550yen (Winter Only)
苺と練乳のパフェ (ichigo to rennyuu parfait)

Unbelievable Parfait アンビリーバブルパフェ　2000yen (for 4-5 people)

Hours: 17:30-02:00, Closed Irregularly (Usually on a Monday)

Price Range: 2000yen～

Seating Charge: ～300yen/person 

Nomihodai (all-you-can-drink): Available for parties (call for details)

English/Picture Menu: English menu available

Seating: Table and Counter 

Good For: Solo Dining; Couples; Small-Large Groups; Parties

Reservations: Recommended for larger groups on Fridays and Saturdays, and for parties

Phone: 0176-25-1231

Parking: None (pay parking available across the street/nearby)

Address/Map:
1-47 Higashisanbancho (十和田市東三番町１‐４７)
Towada City, Aomori 034-0031 

Italian Bar Sette Colore

Restaurant-Bar Spotlight: Sette Colore セッテ・コローレ

[May 27, 2016 Update: Closed indefinitely and most likely permanently]

An Italian bar that opened in the autumn of 2014. It has a good selection of food (appetizers, fish, meat, pizza, etc.) as well as many different wines and other types of alcohol. The casual but stylish atmosphere makes it popular among the 20's-30's set.

Recommended Menu Items:

Chicken Liver Paste with Garlic Toast 690yen

(チキンレバーペースト　ガーリックトースト添え)

Bagna Cauda-Style Vegetables & Dip 590yen

(バーニャカウダ風　彩り野菜のディップ baanya kauda-fu irodori yasai no dippu)

Sette "Chef's Whim" Pizza 1100yen

(セッテの気まぐれピッツァ sette no kimagure pittsa)

Baked Bourgogne-Style Escargot 980yen

(エスカルゴのブルゴーニュ風オーブン焼き esucarugo no burugounyu-fu oubun yaki)

Baked Pork-Wrapped Mini-Tomatoes with Cheese  590yen

(ミニトマトの豚巻チーズオーブン焼き mini tomato no buta maki chiizu oubun yaki)

3 Variety Cheese Plate 780yen

(3種のチーズ盛り合わせ sanshu no chiizu moriawase)

Hours: 17:00-24:00 (23:30 last order), Closed Wednesdays
Price Range: 2000yen～
Seating Charge: 300yen/person (appears on bill as otoshi  (おとし) for the small appetizer you get)
Nomihodai (all-you-can-drink): 2hrs = 1500yen alcohol/800yen soft drinks; all members of the party must pay for the same level of nomihodai, i.e. either all 1500yen or all 800yen--no mixing and matching. (Only generic "red" and "white" wines included in the nomihodai menu.)
English/Picture Menu: N/A
Seating: Tables (5 tables x 4 seats; 1 tables x 2 seats) and Counter (～5 seats)
Good For: Solo Dining; Couples; Small Groups; Parties
Reservations: Recommended for Friday and Saturday evenings or parties
Phone: 0176-22-7788
Parking: None （pay parking available across the street)
Address/Map: 1-41 Higashi San-Bancho (十和田市東三番町1－41)
Towada City, Aomori 034-0031

Asakusa Okonomiyaki & Monja

Restaurant Spotlight: Asakusa 　お好み焼き　もんじゃ　浅草

Photo from "No Marrs, No Life" blog

A great local restaurant for okonomiyaki *(Osaka-style) and monjayaki.*

*Okonomiyaki is a dish made from batter, cabbage, egg, and various meats and vegetables all mixed up and grilled on a hot plate like a pancake. Monjayaki (or simply, "monja") is similar to okonomiyaki except the batter is more runny and it remains lumpy when cooked.

You cook everything yourself using the hot plate grills on each table. Feel free to ask for advice if you're not sure how to cook something. But for okonomiyaki, generally you mix up all the ingredients in the bowl well and then pour it onto the well-oiled grill and shape it into a pancake. Cook until slightly brown before flipping and cooking the other side until nicely browned. You may choose to flip it one more time to let it cook a little longer. To finish, add sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes, ginger and nori seaweed flakes to taste before cutting it up and transferring it to your plate to eat.

Recommended Menu Items

Pizza Ten Okonomiyaki 780yen
(ピザ天　お好み焼き)

Cheese Hamburg Ten Okonomiyaki 780yen
(チーズハンバーグ天　お好み焼き)

Mochi Cheese Ten 780yen
(もちチーズ天 お好み焼き)

Pork Kimchi 780yen
(豚キムチ Buta Kimchi)

Hours: 14:00-22:00 Thursday-Tuesday (closed Wednesdays)

Price Range: 1000yen～

English/Picture Menu: N/A

Seating: Table (1 table x 4 seats) and Tatami (5 tables x 4 seats)

Good For: Solo Dining; Couples; Families; Small Groups

Reservations: Usually not necessary except for larger groups

Phone: 0176-23-4811

Parking: Available (limited)

Address/Map:
4-3 Nishi Ni-Bancho (十和田市西二番町4‐3)

Towada, Aomori Prefecture 034-0082

Katsu Curry Ramen Izakaya Yosaku

Izakaya Spotlight: Yosaku 焼肉とラーメン　与作

Yosaku is a brightly-lit and fairly spacious izakaya with mainly private booth seating and a few counter seats. Although it has yakiniku (meat that you yourself grill at the table) and other  common izakaya foods (fried chicken, grilled fish, etc.), it is best known for its katsu (pork cutlet) curry ramen (カツカレーラーメン). It's a popular place for ramen lovers to end a night out drinking.

Recommended Menu Items:
(The only things I've eaten there...)

Katsu Curry Ramen カツカレーラーメン 900yen

Yosaku Miso Mix Ramen 与作味噌ミックスラーメン 1200yen
(toppings: wakame seaweed, char siu, corn; choice of thick noodles (太麺 futomen) or thin noodles 細麺 hosomen)--I recommend the thick noodles)

Russia Gyoza (Peri Menu) ロシアギョウザ（ぺリメニュー） 550yen

Hours: 17:00-03:00 Tuesday-Saturday; 17:00-02:00 Sundays (closed Mondays)

Price Range: 1000yen～

English/Picture Menu: N/A

Seating: Booth (4-6 people) and Counter (～4 seats)

Good For: Solo Dining; Couples; Small-Large Groups; Parties

Reservations: Recommended for medium-large groups/parties.

Phone: 0176-22-6265

Parking: Available (a block southeast, next to (south of) the Civic Center Plaza parking lot and just north of an liquor store called Step)

Address/Map:
18-8 Inaoicho (十和田市稲生町18‐8)

Towada, Aomori Prefecture 034-0011

Nitobe Memorial Museum Closure Notice

The Nitobe Memorial Museum will be closed indefinitely from (15/08/31 uodate) was permanently closed on April 1st, 2015 as the strength of the concrete was deemed too weak and potentially unsafe in the event of the earthquake.

The Official Portal of Towada City, "Nitobe Memorial Museum Closure Notice" (Japanese): http://www.city.towada.lg.jp/docs/2015022600044/

Stamina Gen Tare Potato Chips

Stamina Gen Tare is a delicious sauce produced by KNK,* a local Towada company that manufactures various sauces and dressings as well as soy sauce. It is a soy sauce-based sauce made with apples, garlic, ginger, and other vegetables. The soy beans, wheat, apples, and garlic used are 100% Aomori-sourced, making it a truly local product. It is delicious as a sauce for yakiniku grilled meat, and meat & vegetable stir-fries, among other things.

*KNK = Kamikita Nousan Kakou Nougyou Kyoudou Kumiai (上北農産加工農業協同組合) Kamikita Agricultural Products Manufacturing Agricultural Cooperative

And now, for a limited time, you can enjoy the taste of Stamina Gen Tare in potato chip form!

They are made with Aomori apples and garlic and have a very authentic Stamina Gen Tare taste despite not having any of the actual sauce in the ingredients. Just be warned that the garlic smell and taste are quite strong, so you might not want to eat them at work, for example. On the other hand, the garlicky taste makes it the perfect snack to go with beer (or other alcoholic drinks).

Moreover, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of the chips will go to The Michinoku Future Fund (みちのく未来募金 Michinoku Mirai Bokin), a charity established after the Great East Japan　Earthquake of March 11, 2011 that provides long- and medium-term support, particularly relating to education and professional training, to children in the Tohoku region who have lost one or both parents.

Look for them at local supermarkets. (I have seen then in Max Valu and Universe in Towada; I'm not sure about its availability outside of Aomori, though.) At around 100yen for a 58g bag, it is a cheap and delicious snack.

Highly recommended!

April 2015 WARAKU Traditional Handicrafts Trial Class

Gallery & Cafe WARAKU Traditional Handicrafts Trial Class (April)

Try your hand at making traditional Japanese handicrafts! Aimed at beginners, trial classes will allow you to start and complete a piece within just one class.

Dates: April 4, 11, 18, 25 (Saturday)
Theme: Six Camellia Tapestry (六色椿のタペストリー roku shoku tsubaki no tapesutorii)
Cost: 6500 yen (Kit: 5500 yen Lesson: 1000 yen)
Registration: Necessary; Register In-Store, or Call 090-5239-5832 Ikuko Hayashi (林いく子)

Maple Toast Cafe Restaurant Hanayobi

Cafe Spotlight: Cafe Restaurant Hanayobi 花曜日

Hanayobi is a cute little cafe that offers generously portioned meals at a reasonable price. It is also famous for Maple Toast, an 8cm brick of toast slightly hollowed out to make room for an 8cm tall serving of ice cream. It comes with salad,* so you know it's not just a dessert, it's a meal! (*Actually, you can choose between salad or coffee...)

Recommended Menu Items:

Maple Toast Set* (メープルトーストセット) 850yen
*Choice of salad or coffee

Puchi Maple Toast (プチメープルトースト) 380yen*
(About 1/6(?) the size of the regular Maple Toast)
*Also available as a set (choice of hot coffee or salad) for 550yen

A Set (Aセット) 880yen*
(rice, hamburg, meat sauce spaghetti, salad)
 *Get hot coffee/tea with meal for an additional 200yen, or 250yen for iced coffee/tea

B Set (Bセット) 780yen*
(pizza toast, meat sauce spaghetti, salad)
*Get hot coffee/tea with meal for an additional 200yen, or 250yen for iced coffee/tea

Special Menu: Stew Set (スペシャルメニュー　シチューセット) 1200yen*
(choice of beef or cream stew, AND hamburg, salad, rice, and chocolate puchi parfait)
*Get hot coffee/tea with meal for an additional 200yen, or 250yen for iced coffee/tea

Hours: 11:00-17:00, Closed Sundays & National Holidays
Price Range: ～1000yen
English/Picture Menu: Pictures for Dessert Menu (cakes & parfaits) and Special Menu only
Stamp/Point Card: Free stamp card available: 1 stamp for every 500yen spent and receive a 500yen voucher after collecting 20 stamps. Also get a free coupon (100yen off, 50% off coffee, etc.) with each visit, valid up to approx. 1 month after visit.
Seating: Tables (3 tables x 4 seats; 3 tables x 3 seats)
Good For: Solo Dining; Couples; Families; Small Groups
Reservations: Usually not necessary, except for larger groups
Phone: 0176-25-7555
Parking: Available （～8 cars)
Address/Map: 
14-5 Honamicho (十和田市穂並町14－5)
Towada, Aomori Prefecture 034-0037