Glamping in Chiba

Almost all travelers to Tokyo have been to Chiba Prefecture just right next to the city – after all that’s where Narita Airport is located. But this time we decided to stay one night in Chiba Prefecture for our glamping adventure.  

Many Short Stays

March was my month of many short trips with hops to nearby towns for leisure. And that included 3 separate brief stay in Macau all courtesy of Galaxy Macau. I drove on the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge for the first time, getting us from home to hotel in less than 2 hours with a more pleasant drive that I expected. I still do prefer the ferries as far as Macau transport option goes, but at least now we have a choice to go by "land" if we so choose.

The Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic

Combining the view to die for on top of Gloucester Tower with the most glamorous décor filled with Baccarat pieces scattered inside the open dining area was The Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic, the newest (and arguably the hottest) restaurant in town sitting inside the Forty Five restaurant complex. Also remarkable was the open kitchen which sit right next to the dining room with no boundary in between, giving a home-like atmosphere to the otherwise elegant, almost condescending space.

Night in Yokohama

We made an unusual detour to our Tokyo trip with a stopover in Yokohama before driving further east into Chiba Prefecture, and it was our first time driving in Tokyo too, taking out a rental car for the latter part of our trip. 

One to Watch

At the Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau ceremony last month, there were no happier faces than chefs Romain and Adrien, whose restaurant Racines has gotten its first Michelin star in the 2024 Guide. I had the chance to dine at the place just a few months ago and this certainly came as no surprise, given how much I enjoyed the meal at this small bistro-style venue in the quiet Tai Ping Shan Street neighborhood in Sheung Wan. 

Rooftop Teppanyaki

Forty-five has quickly become the talk of the town with a few fine restaurants opening in quick succession in this complex spanning multiple floors on top of Gloucester Tower. I had a chance to visit two of their outlets in March, starting with Kaen Teppanyaki in one Monday evening.  

Petrus' Seasonal Menu

We forgot how nice the view was from Restaurant Petrus until we got up there and paid a visit a couple months ago to check out Chef Uwe’s winter menu. And the food too, at this legendary restaurant with a legendary chef at the helm. 

Tempura Kaiseki

Just as Yakitori Hirako which we visited was no ordinary Yakitori place, Tenmasa that we went the next day was no ordinary Tempura place either. 

20 Courses of Chicken (and Sake)

“Take one sip after eating and swallowing. The best time is 5s after the food is gone from your mouth. Do not drink in 2 sips”

We have seen chefs being super particular about timing, portions and steps – for example, Chef David Chang’s recipe for his signature Soy Sauce Egg at Momofuku calls for the eggs to boil for exactly 6 minutes 50 seconds – but this is perhaps the first time we have seen chef being THIS particular about how his dishes are to be consumed. 

The Strings

We stayed in the district of Shinagawa for our last Tokyo trip in November. While Ginza or Shinjuku were our usual choices as far as location is concerned, I wanted to give a shot to this IHG property called The Strings next to the train station.