Sunday was a rare fine day in a so-far soggy fall. While fellow Blockhead David was away scaling secular cathedrals, we were taking in local pleasures.
The scarlet higanbana spider lilies along the concrete-encased Koidegawa River were in spectacular bloom. For this year’s Higanbana Festival, there was the added pleasure of free matcha green tea served by kimono-clad local residents.
Alerted by the Japan Times food critic Robbie Swinnerton on his Food File blog, we headed to Enoshima Island and The Market, S.E.1, which serves generous scoops of excellent craft ice cream. That day there was a batch of pale green Bramley apple ice cream, tangy and full of flavor. The specks of apple peel included were a bonus for the eyes and tongue.
Off the coast, hundreds of surfers were in the water, lured by the promise of waves whipped up by the previous week’s typhoon.
At Hopman, Chigasaki’s recently opened craft brew bar and restaurant (21 different beers on tap; also introduced in the Food File blog), the owner told us of the imminent arrival of a keg of legendary Green Flash West Coast IPA from San Diego. As recent converts to the glories of hop-rich India Pale Ales, this was exciting news.
Two days later, we Shonan Blockheads and friends gathered at Hopman to sample this giant of beers. It was everything promised: an explosion of flavor, a bitter symphony. Which is saying a lot as Hopman also had a batch of Baird’s superb Suruga Bay IPA, brewed just down the coast in Numazu. If you like extreme IPAs, Suruga Bay satisfies.
Over pints of one or the other, we swapped stories of a wonderful weekend.
--Julian (The good photo by M)
Keep up with what's on tap at Hopman at Chigasaki by following their twitter feed:
https://twitter.com/HOPMAN_TASHIRO
or at Tashiro San's blog:
http://hopman.seesaa.net/
Posted by: David | 10/05/2010 at 12:26 PM
You mean I don't have to go along there every couple of nights to keep up? This is upsetting.
There was a Swan Lake IPA from Niigata tonight--seasonal, said Tashiro-san, the owner--in fall and winter only. It was superb. As we left, he mentioned that Stone and Suruga Bay were on the way.
--Julian
Posted by: Julian Bamford | 10/05/2010 at 09:45 PM