Sunday, April 21, 2013

Hasenberg (Usagiyama)

Since we had some occasions for celebration, my mother invited us and my aunt's family to the best Japanese restaurant of Switzerland: Hasenberg (Usagiyama).
Unfortunately, the weather wasn't good - it was cold and even snowing (!!) but we still enjoyed the good food, the atmosphere, the friendly service and the company of each other.I have already been to Hasenberg several times for dinner with my mother and brother on special occasions but never tried the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. The authentic Japanese meal there is really delicious and presented beautifully and served by Japanese female in kimono gracefully and with friendly smiles; you feel like you are really in Japan. Usually, the price of the menus are quite high so we were excited to see what kind of meal will be presented on the buffet which you can eat as much as you want for a lovely price of CHF 39.80 ! When the buffet opened at 11:30 AM, we ordered first some green teas, grabbed a big plate and headed to the buffet:

They had sushi rolls, summer rolls with tuna, fried dumplings, spare ribs, Japanese style fried chicken, shrimps sautéd in chili-sauce, curry, katsu (deep-fried pork cutlet with egg, onions and sweet soysauce),...
 
fried rice, white rice and 2 different kinds of miso-soups.


The choices on the menu may vary depending on the season and supplies.

As you may have realized the meals are not all typical Japanese, some are typical Chinese. It's also very popular in Japan.



Kaitenzushi, the conveyor belt sushi-bar.

 
The private rooms.




Ahhhh, I ate way too much yesterday... ;-9

                             Service: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★                  Atmosphere:       ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
                             Food:     ★ ★ ★ ★                       Value for money: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

http://www.hotel-hasenberg.ch/
Wednesday - Saturday
Lunch 11:30 - 14:00; Dinner 18:30 - 22:00

Sunday
Lunch 11:30 - 14:00; Dinner 18:30 - 21:30

Specials:
Wednesday
18:30 - 22:00: Sushi all you can eat CHF 68.80 (1 Drink + Misosoup included)

Thursday and Saturday
11:30 - 14:00: Asian & Japanese all you can eat buffet CHF 39.80 (Dessert or coffee/tea included)

Thursday and Sunday
18:30 - 22:00: skewer grilled, up to CHF 4.00

Closed:
Monday and Tuesday

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Wedding-macaron-tower

O.M.G. My eyes became all heart-shaped when I saw this picture from the westwing.ch wedding-special. Isn't it pretty?!


Ok, to be honest, I don't really think macarons are very tasty but they are the prettiest-looking sweets, aren't they? Especially when they are pastel-colored like those from Ladurée! ;)
Anyhow, this macaron-tower and the tiered cake stand with all the goodies arranged look amazing! I would want them on my own wedding, too instead of an usual and boring white wedding cake... Not that I'm planning my wedding right now but these days I read and hear and see a lot about this big topic.
Some of my co-workers or friends got married or are getting married, all the tv-series I'm watching are talking about the big w-day, zalando did a wedding-issue and now there is a wedding-special on westwing.ch with lovely pictures and an interview with a wedding planner...
http://www.westwing.ch/magazin/inspirationen/suesses-glueck/
Well, don't get me wrong, it is nice. I don't feel bad or frustrated or left on the shelf or something. I'm just wondering why that topic is so relevant right now. Of course I want to get married one day. A few years ago, I was actually hoping I would be married and have my first child at my current age that I am right now.... Weeell, it didn't happen and it will not happen any time soon but I'm ok with that. My boyfriend is a little younger than me and since we are in a different stage of life, marrying and having kids doesn't come into consideration. We do talk about it and about our future together and that's all that matters to me right now. I can't imagine becoming a housewife and changing diapers, anyway... ;) I'd rather enjoy a princessy afternoon tea with pastell-colored goodies and wear pretty dresses! <3 br="">
Gorgeous...

via weheartit.com

Thursday, April 18, 2013

coolbrandz.ch

Just subscribed to www.coolbrandz.ch.
When you are a member there (or a "coolbrander" as they call it) you can try out novelties and then give feedbacks and write about your experiences. I thought I could write the reviews about the new products in my blog so people know what is cool right now! ;)
However, I'm very looking forward to the first novelty! Stay tuned ladies & gentlemen!



via coolbrandz.ch

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Tibits

Went to Tibits Seefeld yesterday for late luch. The vegetarian buffet (paying by weight) is a little expensive but it's really delicious and I feel like I'm doing something good for my health. ;-)
I also like to come here in the afternoon for a cup of coffee/tea - they have a wide variety of drinks! I can never decide what to chose...




I like the interior and the atmosphere in the restaurant.





I wasn't that hungry so didn't put much on the plate. The price was a little more than CHF 13.-, a little too pricy...


tibits Zürich
Seefeldstrasse 2
8008 Zürich
Phone 044 260 32 22
Fax 044 260 32 23
E-mail info@tibits.ch
Mon - Thu 6.30 – 23.30
Fr 6.30 – 24.00
Sat 8.00 – 24.00
Sun 9.00 – 23.30



Thursday, April 11, 2013

Typical Japanese 和風

I'm posting here a few pictures that are typical Japanese. Enjoy "wa" (和)!
Ahhh, I miss Tokyo!
 
A little Temple in Akasaka (Akasaka Fudo-Temple)


A pathway with coffee shops and restaurants on each sides in Omotesando/Minami-Aoyama

The entrance of a restaurant in Akasaka


A green tea shop in Akasaka


Lunch set with minced tuna, miso soup, vegetables and Japanese rice - sooooooo goood! (somewhere in Kitasando)

Dinner set with Udon-noodle, tempura (vegetables dipped in batter and fried) and tororo (Japanese grated yam) (in Ginza Mitsukoshi)

Dinner set with warm soba noodle (buckwheat noodle) with tempura (in Akasaka)

Cherry blossom at night in Midtown. So beautiful, isn't it...
 
 
 
 


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Ladurée Ginza

An entry about Tokyo:
Met with my ex-colleague for lunch in Ginza. We used to have lunch together, many years ago, when we were still working for the same company. She is about 10 ? years older than me, still single, is full Japanese but doesn't get along with Japanese people (she says), especially with men since she 'thinks' and 'behaves' like a Western person - meaning, she is direct, says what she thinks and feels, believes that sexual equality is important (which doesn't mean that she is a feminist). And that is not common in the Japanese culture.
In Japan "we" are important, in the Western countries on the other hand "I", the individuals are important.
In Japan "we" all have to get along, "we" should do what everyone else is doing and should not be egoistic and think only about oneself - you should go with the flow.
My ex-colleague doesn't think that way. She wants to say what she is thinking, tell her own opinion and not lie just to 'harmonize' with everyone.
When you don't like something, why should you lie and say you like it?
However, she took time for me and we met up in Ginza to have a lovely lunch at Ladurée, my favorite pastry coffee shop! I so wanted to come here for afternoon tea ever since I went to Ladurée in Paris.

Afternoon Tea at Ladurée Ginza:




Look at these pretty cakes!


Atmosphere:        ★ ★ ★ ★ ★               Service: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★    
Value for money: ★ ★ ★ ★                   Food:     ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

UNIQLO, the Japanese clothing company is now collaborating with Ladurée.



A collage of my favorites ♥



Saturday, April 6, 2013

Harajuku

An entry about Tokyo:
Went to Harajuku Takeshita-Street for shopping. Harajuku, that's where fashionistas from all over the world should visit when they are in Tokyo, where the craziest-looking clothes are sold, where young girls from villages outside Tokyo or from hicksville come just to show their gothic lolita-, visual kei- or cosplay-style and to get photographed by the tourists. Harajuku is very interesting not only for fashion-fans. As you may know, Gwen Stefani, the lead vocalist of the band "No Doubt" was so impressed by Harajuku that she made a song called "Harajuku Girls" and created her own fashion line called L.A.M.B. which is inspired by Harajuku girls' fashion. In Harajuku you can also buy character goods, like key chain of Elmo or Disney charakters, stationeries with Pingu, Hello Kitty, Doraemon, stuffed toy of Spongebob, Cookie Monsters... Japanese just love characters so much!


A tamagotchi shop? Was there a revival of the tamagotchi?


Rilakkuma (relaxing kuma = relaxing bear) is very popular among the Japanese - not only for kids, even women in their thirties love them. ;)

Some of the characters are weird-looking, like these mushrooms. "Busa-kawaii" characters, which is a combined word of busaiku (ugly) and kawaii (cute), are very popular as well.