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Tuesday 9 September 2008

Savouring My Taste Bud in Kawaguchiko

When I was looking for information about Kawaguchiko, I came across that Houtou Noodles is a specialty of this town. At the time I was visiting this town, I certainly did not let it slip through my mouth.

We looked around several restaurants and found this giant menu interesting, and we spotted Houtou Noodles in it!

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We were the only customers as it wasn't actually lunch time yet. This restaurant looks like it has been there for a very long time as all the furniture are all retro style.

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It is run by a very friendly couple. The husband did the table setting for us.

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While the wife served us our orders that she cooked.

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Inside this dark steel pot...

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...was definitely the prominent delicacy of Kawaguchiko, the Houtou Noodles! From what I have seen, it is band noodles cooked in miso soup and vegetables, including pumpkin and mushrooms.

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The thick band noodles in fact looked like 'ban min' in Malaysia. They tasted almost the same too.

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When eaten with some of the fried ground chili, it was really delicious. The soup has the natural sweetness extracted from all the fresh vegetables and mushrooms.

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The friendly husband then brought out this bowl of his 'secret weapon' while we were still enyoying our noodles. A bite onto it made me fell in love with it! This was the best pickled daikon I have ever had! The daikon was still crunchy yet not too salty, preserving the natural fragrance.

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It turned out to be that this restaurant was the one featured in the top selling Hong Kong food magazine. Wow! What a surprise to us. We were at the right place with the right food!

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Since this is a celebrity restaurant, I asked for a portrait of the cook cum owner. She was very obliging when I requested her to hold the copy of the magazine in her hands. Extremely friendly indeed!

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After the satisfying lunch, we went roaming around in Kawaguchiko, including seeing Mt. Fuji. When it was dinner time, we decided to go back to the same restaurant for another round of local delicacy, but it was not Houtou Noodles anymore, it was for the deep-fried pond smelts.

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The pond smelts were deep fried with coated flour to perfect golden brown by the very friendly restaurant owner.

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When the pond smelts were eaten with rice mixed with a ground mixture of seaweed, sesame seed and herbs, I just can't describe how delicious that combination was!

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If you are visiting Kawaguchiko, don't forget to try these two extremely delicious local delicacies, especially at this restaurant. I don't know the restaurant name, but it is easy to find. Get across the pedestrian crossing at the traffic light in front of the train station and walk straight ahead for another 30 metres or so. The restaurant is right on you left.

11 comments:

BerN said...

the food really looks good...

Mothering4Money said...

What great luck to stumble upon such a fantastic restaurant.

I love the pic of lavendar ice cream.

Terri @ A Daily Obsession said...

i don't know why, but the food on this post just looks absolutely more deliciously to me than ur other food posts. it looks like home comfort food.

Tink *~*~* said...

Wow, I think I would really LOVE soup with chunks of pumpkin in it!

Tink *~*~*
My Mobile Adventures *~*~*

CK Ng said...

BerN:> Yes! They were as good as they look. :D

Mothering4Money:> We considered ourselves very lucky too as there are many restaurants there serving the same food. :)

Terri:> Probably you have had too much authentic food in HK. Haha! :D

Tink:> I didn't know that pumpkin tastes good in soup before this too!

Megane~kun said...

I'm going to Kawaguchiko this Golden Week. Do you have a shot of the restaurant's name? Even if it's on a plate, or the menu, or much better if you got a shot of the name out front!

I know you gave the instructions how to find it (some meters in front of the station), but if you could give the name, it would really be a big help! (I can read kanji btw)

CK Ng said...

Hi Megane, I'm sorry that I have forgotten about the name of the restaurant. However, it is really easy to find as I have described. Happy holiday in Kawaguchiko.

Ping said...

I think this is the one http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/Restaurant_Review-g1165976-d1664155-Reviews-Houtou_Fudou_Kawaguchiko_Ekimae-Fujikawaguchiko_machi_Minamitsuru_gun_Yamanashi_.html

CK Ng said...

Hi Ping, the restaurant that I visited is different from what you have mentioned, but nice information anyway. :)

Ping said...

CK, i think the restaurant is no longer there. If im not wrong its opposite the bicycle rental shop. So had to settle for hoto fudo restaurant which is just opposite the train station.

CK Ng said...

Hi Ping, it's sad to hear that the restaurant is not there anymore. I guess the old couple who managed the restaurant decided to retire.

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