One night only izakaya (Japanese tapas bar)

It is the last day of an-an cafe 1st anniversary event. There were so many request opening in night time from customers in the last 6months. So I will do it!

さて、いよいよ、あん庵カフェオープン一周年記念企画、最終日に皆さんから過去6ヶ月で一番リクエストのあった、夜に居酒屋をします。

On Thursday 25th June, lunch service as usual till 3 pm.  Reopen at 5pm and Japanese tapas service starts. (last order at 9:00)

今週25日の木曜日に、お昼のサービスを3時で閉め、5時に居酒屋として再開します。(ラストオーダーは9時です)

an-an will serve something very common menu in izakaya tapas bar in Japan. 

日本の居酒屋で、定番のメニューを揃えてみました。

However, an-an does not have the license to sell alcholic drink, please bring your favorite bottles. You can also purchase some bottles at the near by off license. (No soft drink please)

ただし、あん庵はお酒を売る免許を持っていないので、お好きなアルコールのお飲物を持参ください。ソフトドリンクは持ち込まないでください。

Here are some of menus in the event

一部のメニューです。

Chicken gyoza dumplings 鶏肉の焼き餃子

Chicken karaage 鳥の唐揚げ

Kushikatsu (meat & vege) 串カツ

Corokke コロッケ

Nikujaga 肉じゃが

Fried bean cued stakes 厚揚げのステーキ

Japanese style salad (tofu, seaweeds or harusame noodle) 和風サラダ (豆腐、わかめ、そして春雨)

Onigiri (rice balls)おにぎり

... And more! 

Priced from £1.50-£3.00

お値段はわかりやすいお手頃価格です。

hope to see you on the day!

では、木曜日にお会いできることを楽しみにしています！

なお、混み合うことが予想されます。ご了承ください。

Japanese afternoon tea

As the first event of celebrate an-an cafe's first birthday, I would like to hold ...

Japanese afternoon high tea! 

It's start from 3 o'clock on Friday 19th. If you prefer in the morning, 10 o'clock slot is also available.

In Japan, there is a similar formal tea party called "Cha-kaiseki". However we are in Britten. I want to adopt Japanese sweets into British afternoon tea.

There are two reasons not to go traditional Cha-kaiseki.

One is plates and bowls... Cha-kaiseki needs so many various kind of small plates and bowls in different use. An-an only have dinner plates or side plates... And it's not easy to collect decent tableware for this event.

The other is in traditional Cha-kaiseki, you only can have one sweets at the end. But in British way, I can fill at least 2 plates with sweets.

However, still I want keep some aspects of Cha-kaiseki, it's vegan.

At first, please choose your favorite tea.

Sencha, roasted green tea (ho-ji cha), green tea with roasted brown rice (genmai cha), jasmin tea or other herbal teas...

The first plate is Vegan sushi... Equivalent to cucumber sandwich???

The second plate is for daifuku, manju and dango with various sauces.

The third plate will be the ornamental seasonal sweets for tea celemony (the photo is an example. They are hydrangeas.)

I won't spoil the fun to tell you in too much detail. 

I hope you will enjoy sweets with Japanese seasons.

£12 per person with Japanese Matcha green tea. If you don't want to have matcha green tea, it's only £10 per person. It's £17 worth of sushi and sweets ! If you like Japanese sweets, you cannot miss it!

If you cannot finish all, you sill can take away all on your plates. 

If it gets busy, I will ask share tables with other customers.

I only have 8 seats on each session, please make booking as soon as possible. Please don't forget to tell me which slot you want to come (10am, 3:30pm, 5pm or 6:30pm)

Please ring 07791137409 or order@an-an.co.uk for booking.

the second selebration of an-an cafe first birthday is on Thusday 25th. I open Japanese tapas bar for one might only! The detail is on the next blog!

Have a good day... Be happy, my friends!

June sweets and events

It's already weeks ago! 

Thanks for those who came to Sussex and The Big World Market.

The first day was really lovely weather and enjoyed the view to big open sea.

Then the blustery storm washed away the good feeling in the next morning... Needed a good few hours to lift myself... Well, all the people, customers and stuffs and friends, helped me to go on. 

Specially, I cannot thank enough to friends who came all the way from Eastbourne and even farther! 

Today I felt the beginning of summer! Sun and blue sky! 

But apparently, it will be cooler after rain tomorrow evening...

So, we have to take full use of this bright sun shine!!!

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Do you know an-an serve smoothies and milkshakes?

An-an have smoothies in 4 colors. See the past blog.

Iced coffee is also very popular! Don't forget to ask for iced Matcha milk tea . Both are very popular drinks back in Japan.

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Here are sweets from June.

Of course, the most popular one is the strawberry daifuku (Mochi).

This year's strawberries are really sweet and tasteful. The best ever!!!

Next line-up is kuzumochi.

Please use plenty of homemade organic roasted soy flour and homemade black syrup.

Kuzu flour is also organic. 

Dorayaki ( smooth azuki, chunky azuki or matcha green tea) and waka-ayu (a sweet fish) are also available. 

If you like to buy sanshoku dango ( 3 color dango on skewer), please ask at least 15 mins in advance. I will steam it on request. You can ring the cafe before come around.

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June's Events

Sunday 7th June the event finished. Japanese sweet making workshop. If you are interesting having the workshop, please contact. You need to gather at least 6 friends. A meal included.

Sunday 21st The Big Tea Party is going to be held at Brighton Dome studio theatre. It's a part of multi-cultural study and took such a huge subject... Tea! About 10 countries were appointed to present their culture and food related to "teas". Along with Japan, China, Iran, Asia and African countries are preparing exhibitions with serving teas and treats.

Tickets are still available from Brihgton Dome Studio Theatre (http://brightondome.org/event/7542/crossing_the_teas_the_big_tea_party/) £7.00/person.

Saturday 27th Huruhon ichi (second hand book market) at croydon Japanese school. 10:00~12:00. 

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AAAAAnd!

It's been one year since I opened this cafe.

It was amazing year! So I would like to hold some events to say thank you and reply to some of requests customers made in the past year.

"I want to try as much Japanese sweets as possible!"

Friday 19th - an-an will have Japanese afternoon tea party in Japanese style!

Have you had "high tea" in Japanese way? Probably not. So an-an will make it!

More detail comes in the next blog. Watch this space! (Booking necessary)

"Don't you open the cafe/take away in the evening?"

Thursday 25th - an-an izakaya (Japanese tapas bar) opens one night only!

Maid cafe style pancake in the morning. Lunch service is as usual.

.... 5pm Japanese tapas bar!

Howeve, an-an don't have license to sell alcoholic drink, so bring your favorite bottles

You can also take away lunch menu through the night. But if you want to sit and enjoy Japanese izakaya atmospher, please book a seat or two.

I will list up what will be available on the day.

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So, have wagashi and lovely month, my friends!

Sweets in May

Wow, the fist of May... may Day is already gone.
Shocking.
I am very unsettle these days... I just realize how fast time passes.

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But, I want to say, I had a lovely day today!
Although I was a half hour late for the cafe opening time, my old friend was waiting for me!
And, there were so many familiar faces! I was soooo happy that I could talk to my friends!
(a big apology if you needed to wait for your food as I was talking to you so much!!!)

So here is another excuse why i haven't written this blog very often...
Any extra time i have goes to do up my cafe currently. Of course, in the evenings and weekends. I became so good at using Electric drills and a circular saw instead of cooking utensils and frying pans.

Well,  I think I can show you some of more progress now! i will show you in the next blog!!!

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Here is a line-up of sweets in May.

this year's warm spring brought British strawberries a bit earlier.
Strawberry Daifuku Mochi have already been on the shop shelves.
£1.50 / sweet


I will try to make some everyday, however, if you need to purchase a big number (i.e. more than 3?), please let me know before 3 days.

Then, This sweet is also already on the shop shelves. It's Kashiwa Mochi, special sweets for the Children's Day on 5th May.
£1.50/sweet


You can chose Chunky Adzuki Bean Paste, Smooth Adzuki Bean Paste, and Miso seasoned White Bean paste. We have limited number of leaves, so it will finish as soon as I run out the leaves.

This time, Wagashi set of Children's Day consists of 2 Koinobori, 1Kabuto, and 1 Shobu Iris. I hope to hear your order very soon.

As soon as Children's Day's sweets finishes, i will start making "Young fish", dorayaki skin with Yuzu flavored mochi.
£1.50/sweet



I will try to have sweets as much as possible. However, i recommend to order in advance if you do not disappointed.

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Events in May
2nd May（Sat）Croydon Japanese School  till 12:00
　　　　　　　Brighton & Hove Japanese Club till 16:00
11th May（Mon）Hove Cornerstones Church (Ohisama Ahaha)　11:00-11:30
30th（Sat）‐31st（Sun）Hove Lawn Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Festival "The World Market"
　　　　　　　　For more detail;（http://brightonfoodfestival.com/events/sussex-the-world-market-2/）

It looks very quiet, but I also have an event I cannot announce here as I make some Wagashi for the World Tea project "Crossing The Tea" with ART:Sync Brighton(http://www.artsync.co.uk/). This event is not open to public, so I would be only very busy behind the scene around mid May time...

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I plan to take part in the Second-hand Book sale at Croydon Japanese School and Emigrants Festival in Worthing in June, Natumatsuri in West Acton on 11th July.

Yes, quite busy. I know...

Unless I make something in my kitchen, nothing is done. So I just do it.

Next project would be sending an artwork for the new menu with more Japanese like desserts, not only Wagashi!

an-an will come back to business at the cafe on Tuesday 5th! Please come to buy Kashiwa Mochi.
I just want to go away for a short break during this bank holiday weekend... somewhere far away....

It's April fools. So I am very serious today.

I cannot remember when was the last blog any longer...

Thankfully, my Japanese cafe is getting busier...
Busier it gets, my careless mistakes happens more. Even I cannot hide it any more.

For example, it happened yesterday.

"I did not know such a nice Japanese cafe here! It's lovely"
It was a lovely comment from one of the customer.

Then after nice conversation with her, I finished off her order, Mix Katsu lunch, with a nice touch half bottle of sauce...

When I squeezed the bottle of Katsu sauce, the dispenser tip came off! Then the half-filled bottle became empty and Kasts were immersed by the sea of sauce.

I tried to make a new one immediately, but she maybe did not have time to wait for another one, so she asked me for some rice in a new box to go with and paid the full amount of money...

She was too nice.  I really hope it didn't cause her high blood pressure...

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Therefore, I am going to have a seriously serious day today, as I normally have really foolish days on 364 days a year. (Is this sentence English, by the way???)

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So, here is one thing I am seriously working for these few weeks.

There was a request on FB a few weeks ago.
"I cannot forget Nikuman I ate in Japan! Could you make it?"
So, I answered, "I will try to make it before Easter".
And I am now in trouble.

At first, I thought it just like steamed Usagi （Rabbit) cake. Yes, I underestimated the complication of its recipe.

The problem is the skin part. When I gather the ingredients, I was shocked.
I found "Strong flour" and "yeast", among the usual list of ingredients.

I have to say, I am really really not good at baking bread. I can bake cakes, I can make Japanese sweets. However, I have never succeeded baking bread ... Yes, any form of bread, which contains strong flour and yeast.

Here is the first attempt.


I used normal flour, but it came out really brown from my steamer.
As Rabbit cake is quite yellow using non-bleached flour, I expected a bit yellowish colour, but not as brown as this.
I checked on internet and found if the steamer temperature was too high, it come out  yellowish...So, I tried to put lower temperature next.

Here is the second attempt.

a bit lighter colour, but still very brown.
The first one was very light and fluffy texture, but this one came out with really heavy texture.

I still have the meet mixture, so I will try till I get it right. (and I don't know how many times I attempted by now.)

There is only a day left till the Easter.
Can I win?

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Aghhh! there is no time to write about April's sweets and plan before going to Cafe!
I will write another blog tonight... if I still have some energy.

Oden Night report

an-an had "Oden night" as "English/Japanese Language Exchange" back in January.
Well, never mind that "food" is more focused than "languages" in this case.

It was really fun and tasty night!

I made Western Japanese style Oden (Hot pot) in a biiiig slow cooker. All the attendees enjoyed the meeting so much as well as Oden. (You may see some of the unfamiliar food in the hot pot... I will explain later.)

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So, the question would be what is Western Japanese Style Oden?

Here are the list of what's in it.

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Western Japanese use Beef Shin.

I guess only Western Japanese use this meet.

The stock is from only Kombu Seaweed. Very light soy flavor, too.

Then, we throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and leave for a few hours.

Moori (Japanese white radish)、
Satsuma age (Deep fried Fish balls)、
Atsuage (Deep fried Tofu in blocks)、
Konnyaku (potato Jelly)、
Kombu (thick meaty seaweed)、
Eggs、
Chikuwa (Fish cakes in bamboo shape)、
Potatoes

I think that's all.
Well, somebody said only Western Japanese Oden have Potatoes, too.

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If you are interested in having an Oden night, please contact me.
This is for 8 to 10 people.
with One drink (soft drink or tea) and rice.
About 3 hours from 7o'clock.
For pricing and other detail, please contact me directly.

I need to order the ingredients from various places, so please leave prenty of time (at least 10 days) to the night you want to have the Oden meeting.

Fast and Furious February.(Part 1- Setsubun )

February is the shortest month in the year, yet events are full on.
So I just feel I need to make schedule properly, February finishes when I realised.

Tuesday, 3rd February 
It's Setsubun.
Hung a sardine's head on a branch of Holly at the front door.
Japanese people dress some one close up like an ogre and hit him/her with crispy roasted soy beans!
... and shout "Go out, Ogre! Come in, Happiness!"
Eat the soy beans, same number of your age.

(Specially in Western part of Japan)
For the evening meal, we eat a special fat (about 6cm diameter) rolled sushi.... per person.
The sushi contains 7 items inside the sushi rice and the black sea weed sheet.

This year, the happiness will come from West South West (Ehou).
So we eat the whole rolled sushi without slicing looking towards the direction.... and no talking till you finish the roll.

According to our belief, by eating a rolled sushi in this way, we can take in 7 happiness from the direction. Strictly no talking! If you speak while you are eating sushi, some of happiness in the sushi slip out from your mouth.

If you would like to buy the special Rolled sushi, please let me know as soon as possible.
Traditional Setsubun Rolled Sushi and Salad with prawns and Japanese omelet.(￡3.90/roll)

Image is borrowed from

 http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2142167190969361701/2142167246970418503

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