Restaurant Review: YAYOI ken

YAYOI ken

 

Reviewed by Haruka Hirano and Risa Ito 

YAYOI ken is Japanese casual restaurant. It is a restaurant chain which is located from Kanto to Kyusyu. Haruka and I went to the one in Shibuya, the nearest one from Aoyama Gakuin University. It is on B1 floor of Aoyama Oval Plaza, located just on the other side of the school.

 

As you can see, the sign is visible. Although it was the first time for Haruka to go there, she said that it was really easy to access. It doesn’t take more than 10 minutes from the school and Omotesando station as well.

 

When we arrived at the restaurant, there were some other people waiting for seats. After five minutes or so, a staff came and welcomed us to be seated. There were already menus and a water bottle on the table. What surprised us is that this restaurant has an automatic ordering system by using monitor. The display was very useful because it has both English and Chinese menus for foreigners. We can also call the staffs by using it.

 

 

 

Haruka ordered Misokatsu teishoku and I ordered Chicken nanban teishoku. Our food was served just after 10 minutes. My teishoku includes rice, miso soup, tofu and salad. YAYOI is popular especially among young people because we are all free to have second helpings for rice. To consider the taste, quantity and quality of food, we conclude that it was very good.

However, one thing that we were not happy with was the service. When we entered the restaurant, there was no greeting. We were just called by names and led to the seats. There were two service staffs at the time we went, but both of them seemed to be not enjoying their work. We could easily tell how tired they were by just looking at their faces.

Anyway, we enjoyed the food itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Restaurant Evaluation

 

 

Service Staff:

(0/1) Greeted in a pleasing manner

(1/1) Uniforms neat & clean

(0/1) Friendly; enjoying their work

(1/1) Thank and invite back again

 

Restaurant:

(1/1) Floors clean

(1/1) Chairs and booths comfortable

(0/1) Overall feeling positive & fun

(1/1) Silver, glass and china were clean and properly placed

(1/1) Lighting was appropriate

 

Building & surrounding:

(1/1) Easy to access

(1/1) Signs visible, attractive and well maintained

(1/1) Toilets and sinks clean and in good condition

(1/1) Paper towels and toilet paper was stocked

 

Food:

(2/3) Taste

(2/3) Quality

(3/3) Temperature

(2/3) Perceived value

 

Total Points: 19/25 = 76%

 

Restaurant Reviews

*** Written Review ***


Me and my partner were given an article called "Old Tom & English, restaurant review: Soho's latest white-hot spot bucks the no-reservations trend in exclusive style"


HERE is a link :)



This written restaurant review include:


* Something about the price range of items on the menu and what is considered to be a good tasted

Dishes range from £4 for triple-cooked chips with heavy mayonnaise to £11 for seared rump of lamb. The reviewer haven’t mentioned a value of lamb rump, but chips are considered to be the best that she has ever had anywhere, any year.

 

 

* Description of what the reviewer ordered

Her first dish was nibbles including popcorn cockles, crispy fish, and kale. Triple-cooked chips with a pot of heavy mayonnaise was her favorite. She wrote that Pan-fried king scallops with black pudding and a courgette purée seized back a dish from MasterChef shame. Crispy pig cheek with cider apple and fennel had a joyous cylinder of crunch with very melty meat inside. The sauce was piquant and lovely she said. Since the plate had a watery pool of blood-like liquid and the flavors didn’t marry, her least favorite was smoked wood pigeon with beetroot, pine nuts and samphire. Egg and mushroom on Melba toast was fabulous, though it was a lie that the toast was on the top. It came with an earthy Jerusalem artichoke purée and a hefty blob of butter spiked with Marmite. She mentioned that if it was not a plate to send a hangover on its way, she would not have known what it was. However, she concluded that the puddings were wonderful, and reported that a flourless salted-chocolate cake was neither too fudgy nor crumbly, just potent; and two little lemon-and-thyme doughnuts with chocolate sauce and a frill of fluffy cream floated down the gullet with ease.

 

 

* Description of facilities

 

She introduced that there are little alcoves where guests are guzzling cocktails, to the loo. Those alcoves are named after famous prostitutes and madams, as “tom” being a past term for prostitute. The reviewer didn’t seem to have a good reaction to those facilities.

 

 

* Recommendation of the restaurant

 

Since it is an entry-by-invitation place and opens at night only, she strongly recommends it with reservations.

 

 

 

Further things to note:

 

 

What additional information can you find out about the restaurant from ites Website?

The website introduces a menu of the food and drinks served at Old Tom & English. Prices are also shown in pounds. Some of the menu have taken pictures and shown at the gallery.

 

 

What did you learn about the values of the reviewer and cultural values through this review?

 

At the beginning of this review, she puts much emphasis on décor and atmosphere of the restaurant. Thus, it can be said that she sets a high value not only on food itself, but also on comfortableness at Old Tom & English.

 

 

 

Would you like to try this restaurant?

 

To be honest, I would not like to try this restaurant. The biggest reason is that it always requires the reservation which I thought was troublesome. Also some of the menu have unfamiliar foodstuffs in it, so it is a little scary for me to imagine how it tastes.

 

 

 

 

 

*** Video Review ***

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were given the video review about the best Ohio restaurant called The Galaxy.

 

HERE is a link :)

 

 

What is revealed about the reviewer?

 

The reviewer is Angus O’Hara who is an executive chef and sommelier at the Galaxy Restaurant.

 

What criticisms do you have of the video?

 

I thought it was a very good video. If I’m forced to say something, I would say that the content was not enough. At the beginning of the video, the Galaxy Restaurant was introduced as the place where people can offer three different dining experiences at one location. By watching the video, I noticed that the review put much emphasis on the Steakhouse, and other places are just given with brief explanations. I could easily understand that the Steakhouse is the main dining at the Galaxy Restaurant, however, it might be better if it has much information about two other places as well.

 

Notice whether the voices of the speakers are monotonous or have a pleasing emphasis on certain words and phrases. How does that affect your understanding and enjoyment of it?

 

The voice of the speaker is not monotonous, and he has a pleasing emphasis on certain words. When he introduces the steak, he puts emphasis on “Limousin” which is the French breed of cattle. It makes me easier to understand that a combination Limousin and Angus, called Lim-Flex, provides the perfect blend of beef product.

 

Are there any expressions of phrases that stand out in your mind after watching this video? What techniques or language would you like to use when filming your own video review?

“The things that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet, but at the Galaxy in Wadsworth” was the most impressive phrase. I would like to use the language that makes the viewer feel that he/she really wants to go and taste the food at the restaurant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDNOS

Have you ever heard of EDNOS?



EDNOS stands for


Eating

Disorder

Not

Otherwise

Specified.



It is an eating disorder that does not meet the criteria for
anorexia nervosa (拒食症) or bulimia nervosa (過食症).



So, here i found a video from ABC News introducing two women suffering EDNOS.

 

 

 



Many people think (though i was the one too)
that EDNOS is not as serious as anorexia and bulimia......


!!! HOWEVER !!!


The symptoms and behaviors are quite similar.

And also more people are diagnosed with EDNOS than those two.




Take a look !
You will see how it affects their healths, and how serious it is.

NeverSeconds

As everybody else in the class is doing, i would also like to analyze the blog NeverSeconds.

• What do you think of Martha Payne and what she accomplished?

When I first looked at the blog, I was very surprised to know that her blog has reached over 10 million hits. Similar to the blogs we analyzed during the class few weeks ago, this blog also has a simple design with clear white background, which I felt very comfortable to read. Some photos are shown for each postings and all of them are nice and not uncluttered. One of my favorite posts is about Japanese school lunch (給食"kyushoku") which was actually posted by Doni. I'm interested in Kyushoku Koshien since it can encourage local production for local consumption and educate healthy eating.

• What are your memories of your school lunches?

I had school lunch at my elementary school in Japan, and also in Thailand.
In Japan, there was a big cooking facility at my school and lunch was provided everyday (with milk always lol). Comparing with other people, there was no option for lunch , however, I was not forced to eat all. Students could freely reduce the amount if they felt it's too much, and have another helping as well. In Thailand, students could bring their lunch from home or have school lunch at cafeteria. I used to prefer school lunch because it was served in buffet style, and I had more choices than in Japan. Students were also given some choices for drink, so I was really happy that I didnt't have to drink milk anymore.

• Did you feel that you had any input on the nature or quality of your school lunches?

I didn't feel that I had any input on the nature or quality of my school lunches. I think this is because that I didn't have any chance to advance an opinion about it at that time.

• What do you think of the dining facilities at AGU and how do you think they can be improved?

I think the dining facilities at AGU are good enough. However, one thing that I feel uncomfortable is that it can accomodate a few. It will be nice if there can hold more space for students to sit (difficult though).

• What creative way(s) do you think we (individually or as AGU students) can help others in the world less fortunate than us...especially in connection to food?

I think most important thing is not to waste the food. To save the food by using appropriate amount could surely help others in the world less fortunate than us.


That's all !!! Thank you :)

Analyzing a food blog

hellooo :)
how are you doing?
it's getting colder these days.
i feel that winter is just around the corner.


well...
today i would like to introduce one of the famous food blogs, The Year in Food !!!

This blog is written by a lady, Kimberley Hasselbrink.
She is a food blogger and also a photographer in San Francisco,
and currently working on her first cookbook, Vibrant Food.


*Quality
As she was the finalist of best food blog awards 2013, this blog's quality is definitely high.
Her original recipes which has been introduced on her blog are very attractive
because these are not just common food but are cooked with seasonable fruits and vegetables.
I'm also interested in a variety of her recipes, such as for pasta, salads,
desserts, soups, vegitarian food, and even drinks and cocktails.

*Usefulness
I thought that this blog is useful mainly for people who like cooking.
Although some of her recipes require seasonal fruits or vegetables which might be difficult
to find at nearby supermarkets, however, most of them could be bought with ease.
Since her recipes are categorized into many types such as mains, sides, and seasons,
the readers can easily find recipes which they are looking for.

*Visual attractiveness
Visual attractiveness is also amazing.
As I mentioned before, she is a photographer,
and each blog articles has beautiful photos of food taken by her.
I think many readers like her photographs because they are simple and natural.

*Accessibility of the language
I thought her English is easy so that everyone can understand and enjoy the blog.
Also, it seems that she tries to keep paragraphs short and attract the readers by showing her photos.

*How interesting is it to you personally?
I personally like this blog very much.
I don't usually cook at home, however her photos make me feel that I want to cook.
It is also interesting to see the seasonal food which I have never eaten before.



If you have time, please go and see her amazing food blog :D

My food-related book

Today, I would like to introduce the book I'm reading.

I chose the book called "Eating Disorders" edited by Viqi Wagner. It was published in 2007, and can be divided into four chapters. In IE Seminar which I had last year, I learned a little about eating disorders from students' presentation, and found that it was becoming serious problem among women. As this book is one volume of Opposing Viewpoints Series, it includes many interesting topics with differing points of view. I chose the book because it is not just showing what eating disorders are, but I could also develop critical thinking skills by reading many different opinions about a single issue. So far I have started reading the first viewpoint which says that eating disorders are a growing public health threat, and I'm quite sure that this book will promote better understanding about the issue.