Archive for category Asia
Lone Birdie @ Deep Water Bay, Hong Kong
On this 9-hole executive course, we managed only one Birdie. It happened on the Par 3 10th hole (actually the 1st played the second time around). At 89 yards, our 56° wedge got below the hole for an easy 6 footer. The greens are small and several Par 3s are over 180 yards, one even registering 241! So this is no easy course. Great short game practice though.
111007 Deep Water Bay, Hole #10 (Par 3)
Triple Birdies @ Discovery Bay, Hong Kong
Today’s back-9 was sensational. One over on the Jade Course at Discovery Bay, Hong Kong! Three Birdies. Two back to back. Amazing.
The first came on the Par 3 3rd. 179 yards downhill, our 5-iron got me 18 feet left of the hole. With the huge right to left swing, we didn’t expect it to go in. But wait…bang. Birdie number one. Then on the next hole, the Par 4 4th, our drive left us with 140 yards. With an 8-iron, we were just short of the hole by three feet. Birdie number two. Towards the end, on the Par 3 8th, our 4-hybrid managed to get us on the green, but 33 feet below the hole! 33 feet…uphill? No way… No way… OMG. Birdie number three! We were so excited we forgot to take a photo (again).
111005 Discovery Bay, Jade 3 (Par 3)
111005 Discovery Bay, Jade 4 (Par 4)
Birdie at the Centurion Golf Championship @ Clearwater Bay, Hong Kong
Did not play particularly well at this year’s Centurion Golf Championship at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club, Hong Kong. But on the 5th hole (our 14th) we had a textbook birdie on this Par 5. A perfect drive, an iron to 140 yards and a 7-iron to land 6 feet past the back pin. A tricky downhill putt proved not to be a problem.
110923 Clearwater Bay, Hole 5 (Par 5)
Review – Sushi Ichi (鮨一), Tokyo
Recommended by our golf buddy, we were expecting great sushi. But first, we had to find the place. For some unknown reason, our taxi stopped one block short of the restaurant and we were walking in circles looking for the place. just as we were about to give up, we popped into the Ginza Apple Store to ask for directions. Cleverly, the staff whipped up an iPad and launched Google maps to type in the address. In a second, we knew exactly where to go. Cool. The restaurant is actually one street behind the Apple Store, tucked inside a nook so look out for the signs directing you inside.
Chef Masakazu Ishibashi was serving us and we went for the omakase (chef’s choice) as usual. For about ¥15,000 (US$195) per person, it wasn’t cheap (especially with today’s exchange rate) but the quality was very good. I confess that I couldn’t resist the chu-toro as it might have been rude to reject it. It literally melted in our mouths. The grilled tuna cheek sushi was also very nice. The uni (sea urchin) was Grade 1 and rightfully so as it was very fresh and sweet. The sushi rice was good, but when compared to Sushi Kanaseka, it was a tad soft.
The highlight was when Ishibashi-san asked us if we liked crab. Are you kidding? Then the waitress bought a live Hokkaido crab (¥8,000/US$104) that looked delicious. Off to the steamer for him. Once cooked, the meat was removed and we started devouring the claws. Then the amazing part was the crab meat mixed with the soft fragrant roe…delicious!
A great place for sushi and now that we know where it is, the location is very convenient. We can always pop in the Apple Store after lunch 
– 18/20
Sushi Ichi (鮨一)
1F, 4-4 Ginza 3-Chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061
T: +81 (3) 3567 0014
E: info@3567-0014.com
W: www.3567-0014.com
110917 Sushi Ichi - 4-4- Ginza 3-Chome
110917 Sushi Ichi - Main entrance to the restaurant
110917 Sushi Ichi - Chopsticks holder
Review – Roppongi Robataya, Tokyo
Hey this might be a touristy place, but the atmosphere was really great. All the staff speak pretty good English, so ordering was not a problem. Even if you’re lost in translation, you can just point at what you want grilled as everything was spread out in front of you. We arrived early (around 7:00pm) so there was just one party apart from us. But the later it got, more people arrived and the atmosphere became ecstatic. Towards the end of our dinner, there was a “Changing of the Chefs” ceremony where everyone joined in the shouting and synchronized clapping of hands.
The food was great and cooked right in front of you – teppanyaki style. There was a water tank where we picked fresh shrimp and abalone. Really nice. The Kobe beef melted in our mouths and surprisingly the garlic and ginko were excellent.
I’d suggest to go a bit later, around 8, to experience the atmosphere to its fullest. You can walk around Tokyo Midtown, which is right next door.
– 16.5/20
Roppongi Robataya
1/F Kyowa Building Nishikan
4-4-3 Roppongi Minato-ku
Tokyo, Japan
T: +81 (3) 3408 9674
W: www.roppongi-robataya.com/english
110916 Roppongi Robataya - Logo typography
110916 Roppongi Robataya - Chef picks ingredients
110916 Roppongi Robataya - Live seafood
