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want to meet at fmd_good Forno Centrale
want to meet at fmd_good Funland
want to meet at fmd_good Nature Park
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Omorisanno's Secret?
honestly the best kept secret is the little stone path that leads to a tiny bamboo grove past the garden, most people stop at the koi pond and miss it. there's a wooden bench tucked in there that's completely hidden from the main building, i sat there for an hour and didn't see a single person. just bring a jacket, that corner gets chilly even in summer
fwiw that garden is legit but nobody talks about the stone bench near the back wall. it's got this little inscription in japanese that's supposed to be a poem about patience or something? i sat there for like twenty mins once and honestly the moss garden is nice but the bench is where the zen actually hits. just don't go during lunch hour, that's when the staff smoke break happens and it kinda kills the vibe
the garden's real alright, but honestly the best time to go is early morning before the crowds show up. around 7am the light hits the moss just right and there's this old stone lantern that casts a cool shadow across the koi pond. i've seen staff bring out tea for patients sometimes, not sure if that's a regular thing or just if you ask nicely.
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Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.