Thanksgiving Dinner 2008

This is a magical world of garden paths, lanterns, burbling water, little glass Japanese houses and fabulous food. We had Thanksgiving dinner here, in our own little house. The air inside was warmed by a big bowl of charcoal set on the table, and a heater underneath. In this little house that overlooked the lovely gardens, we were served a multi-course meal.

Our dinner started with sesame tofu with wasabi, then we had a taro sweet potato for our second course, then smoked trout with vegetables, then mushroom soup, then Kobe beef with onions, then AFTER that, they brought a course with miso soup and rice. There was a bowl the server had with a yellowish stringy, slimy substance that I tried. I was the only one who tried it. (It had a slightly smoky flavor, was salty and was the consistency of mucus.) THEN, for dessert, our server brought little moochi balls covered in crushed walnut, sitting in a sweetish dark sauce.

Here is my impression of this memorable meal. Up until the the rice and miso soup, it was delicious and satisfying. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of miso soup and rice, but it was just not necessary at that point. I was getting full...A nice piece of fruit or a cookie would have been perfect. Always leave your audience wanting more, not wishing for less. How do the Japanese eat so much and stay so slim? As you can see, I've been packing on the pounds this fall.

More impressive is the atmosphere of this place. It is perfectly beautiful. The kimono clad servers, the lanterns, the bridges and trees, it is just other-worldly, and very peaceful. It's like stepping back in time. Definitely like stepping OUT of Tokyo. It was a Thanksgiving dinner like none other.