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After a slowdown from the sushi overload of last year, several new restaurants have opened lately in various parts of town. Gracing the dining hot spot of Sand Lake Road is a familiar name in new clothing: Amura.
Owned by the same folks behind the cozy Church Street location, Amura on Sand Lake is upscale and reservedly glitzy. It's to their credit that, despite some stiff competition and the shaky state of Church Street, Amura has thrived enough to expand.
This venue includes teppan tables, secluded on one side of the restaurant from the main room; judging by the appreciative noises coming from that end they seem to go over well. The new Amura is a gorgeous space, with backlit glass walls, rich marble flooring and tiny halogen lights suspended invisibly overhead like stars. But oohs and aahs at the decor quickly turn to gasps at the pricing $21.99 for boring salt-coated scallops? A "deluxe Isleworth boat" sushi assortment for $99.98?
The quality of the sushi does remain high, and it's particularly nice to see varieties of fish that have a low environmental impact, like hamachi (yellowtail, a kind of amberjack) and saba (mackerel). The saba is particularly good, with a slightly pickled taste that complements the firm rice. I recommend any of their nigiri sushi or sashimi, which glistens like jewels under those lights, except for the sashimi appetizer ($8.99), which includes a piece of surimi (that horrible fake crab). Surimi also turned up in the sunomono salad ($7.99) shame on them.
The rolls didn't fare as well as the sushi. The "bamboo wine roll" ($8.99) of white tuna wrapped in avocado was limp and tasteless, the avocado overwhelming other flavors. And the "Magic roll" ($7.99), with shrimp, crab and asparagus was so soggy with a sweet, watery sauce, that it was almost impossible to pick up.
It's when we get to the kitchen that everything falls apart. Not everyone likes the same thing, but I'll bet very few people enjoy oily and lukewarm shrimp tempura, with batter-dipped vegetables that are either undercooked or in such large pieces, like the broccoli, that raw batter sits inside as an unpleasant surprise. All that for $16.95. "fiery garlic chicken" ($15.99), a small portion of chewy chicken bits, was more overseasoned than fiery. The "geisha shrimp" ($18.99) were battered, then covered in an odd white sauce, with a bitter, burnt garlic taste that lingered for hours.
If you go, stay with what Amura knows best sushi and let the kitchen staff take a break.
From the shores of Brooklyn comes Bayridge Sushi, one of the newest entries in metro Orlando's crowded Japanese-restaurant market.
Not that Brooklyn isn't also teeming with sushi and sashimi. Bay Ridge is a tiny neighborhood right on the New York Bay, and to succeed there, you have to be darn good.
Owner and sushi chef Ben Lu was trained by a venerable Manhattan sushi master for many years, and says he moved his restaurant here for the "business opportunities."
Bayridge Sushi is in an odd, slightly cowboy-looking building on the outside, but inside it's thoroughly Far East, with paper screens and blond wood surrounding intimate tables, and the sushi bar up front. There is even a tatami room for those nimble of knee.
Unlike a lot of local Japanese eateries, the menu isn't numbingly extensive, but it narrows the hot dishes down to teriyaki, noodles and tempura, focusing instead on sushi and rolls.
I liked the slightly expensive but convenient a la carte sushi menu, from which you can order single pieces that show off Lu's talents.
The white tuna (shiro, $4.25) is an absolute order; hold the morsel in your mouth and let the buttery fish slowly cook on your tongue.
Eel (unagi, $4.25) is my weakness, prepared here with less of the obligatory sweet sauce to let the flavor shine through.
The tuna is bright pink to dark red, depending on the cut ($3.95 to $4.45), and it tastes of clear water.
My only complaint was the "crab stick" ($3.25) which, like the crab-dumpling appetizer ($4.50) was not real crab, but surimi you know, that formed whitefish stuff.
A better choice is the slightly pickled mackerel with its bracing vinegar bite (saba, $3.25).
The appetizer that was particularly pleasing was the nasu ($3.25), a small jewel of a Japanese eggplant, split and broiled with a topping of miso and ponzu sauce for a sweet contrast to the deep eggplant flavor.
I'm actually not a fan of rolls, but there's a wide selection of not-too-bizarre combinations. The "rainbow," "California" and "dragon" rolls are all here (and not much different from other local concoctions), but I did like the taste and texture variations in the "Bayridge roll" of tuna, salmon and avocado ($8.95).
Bayridge Sushi is a long way from the Brooklyn shores, but in its new Florida digs is a smart choice for tasty, well-prepared sushi.
Sushi and noodles are all the rage at this cool lunch spot. Handsomely presented "torch rolls" with conch, scallops, salmon, tuna and sriracha are luscious, while spicy red tobiko proffer a proper pop. Bento boxes run the gamut and a bonanza of boba awaits tea-totalers.
Picking up sushi for dinner on the way home from work is a fairly daunting proposition in that it usually means stopping by the Japanese deli case near the produce section at your local grocery store. The convenience is nice, but the sushi while tolerable and far better than a delivery pizza leaves something to be desired (especially the weird, plastic-looking tuna). If you're one of the approximately 80 billion people who uses East Colonial Drive for the daily trip home, you've no doubt noticed the poster-sized photo of the scrumptious-looking "Sky Tray" of sushi that graces the window of Bikkuri Sushi and wondered: Wouldn't that be great for dinner?
Although there is limited seating inside Bikkuri, the restaurant's specialty is takeout, as the menu is almost completely composed of takeout trays. From the Rose Party (32 pieces, all rolls; $13.29) to the African Violet (80 pieces of rolls, 10 nigiri sushi; $46.59), a variety of sizes and combinations is available and all of them are, surprisingly enough, priced more reasonably than the stuff in the grocery store.
The 72 pieces (and $50 price tag) of the Sky Tray might be a little much for a typical after-work meal, but I had friends coming over and figured it would be a good opportunity to sample Bikkuri's skills. Still, none of us expected Bikkuri's fare to be as fresh as it was. Some of the nigiri wasn't cut to perfection (a tiny piece of bone showed up in some yellowtail), but the fish was excellent and well-chosen, and the rolls were beautiful and bursting with flavor.
It would have been unimaginable a few years ago to think about picking up sushi as easily as picking up a pizza, much less FRESH sushi, but Bikkuri's tray combinations make it easy, and their excellent sushi makes it a pleasure.
We all know what image the word "buffet" conjures up, and it's not a complimentary one if you're looking for a fine meal. Add "crazy" to that, all sorts of pictures spring to mind that would make the late eccentric filmmaker Ed Wood blush.
So my problem is in finding an alternative phrase for a place called "Crazy Buffet" to describe how impressive it is. Part of a small chain, this location (open since October 2001) has a giant pink facade with a pagoda on top and "gee whiz" decor inside: The black-marble entry, bubbling streams and many dining rooms will make your mouth fall open.
Called an "upscale Japanese" restaurant, many of the offerings are Chinese, including a not-too-sweet honey chicken, tofu-laden hot-and-sour soup, and crunchy, shell-on salt-and-pepper shrimp. Lo mein fans won't be disappointed; neither will seekers of peppery Szechuan beef.
It's when you find bowls of Japanese udon noodles and crabmeat waiting for a ladle of rich broth, or sweet black-hijiki-seaweed salad, or rich and comforting miso soup, that things become interesting.
I have had sushi made with higher grade fish locally, but I've also had a lot worse and paid a lot more. The best part for sushi lovers is that you can choose your favorite and eat all you want. Toasted salmon-skin rolls, California rolls, the interestingly different "house" roll that's fried on the outside with moist fish within, broiled unagi (eel), a refreshing, spicy chopped octopus, sweet red tuna -- the assortment changes with supply, but it's all worth a try.
Desserts, particularly the green-tea cake, are a step above the ordinary, and the bread -- always my first indicator of how much a restaurant cares about its food -- is superb.
Service (yes, there are servers who bring drinks and clear used plates) is attentive and polite. Lunch ($9.95, or $15.95 for weekend brunch) is a great deal for sushi fanatics, and dinner ($18.95 to $21.95, depending on the day) features a one-shot hibachi counter: Pick some vegetables, your meat of choice (chicken, beef, pork or seafood) and a sauce, and it will appear at your table.
Think of it more as Asian communal eating rather than a buffet. And since there are Japanese creatures akin to foxes running wild in their native country, I'll coin a new phrase and say, "Crazy Buffet is crazy like a kitsune."
Rumor had it that in recent years, Dragonfly – Gainesville's much-lauded modern izakaya – had lost some of its luster in its effort to maintain "it spot" status among the college town's cognoscenti. So, like those naysayers' attitudes, the posh Japanese resto headed south to the Dr. Phillips area of Orlando, intent on wowing a less judgmental audience. At first blush, the place does indeed impress – the glossy wraparound sushi bar and angled bento-box ceiling are pure eye candy inside this trendster's haven. Tranquil it's not, but with a name like
Dragonfly," one would expect the joint to be abuzz in music, chatter and hubbub, and it is. The restaurant's website, however, offers an alternative description of the vibe:
Dragonfly strives to reach an emotional enlightenment through the balancing of the Sensual, Spiritual and Savory philosophy. Dragonfly is a modern day female yakuza boss.
The first sentence reads like a bad Babelfish translation; the second – well, that's just bloody amusing, if not a little threatening. Really, apart from the heavily bandaged pinkies on all the servers and cooks, there's nothing remotely menacing here. Daunting, yes – for instance, the menu, which comprises a swarm of small plates of the sushi, sashimi and robata (grilled simply over charcoal) variety. The indulgent passion platter ($24) is a testament to the slicing skills of the sashimi chefs – nine pieces of ruby-red tuna, plush salmon and buttery izume dai (farm-raised tilapia) are artfully presented, while yellowtail sashimi ($6) is spectacularly melt-in-your-mouth. Signature dragonfly rolls ($14), while meaty, are somewhat cumbersome, with tuna and albacore wrapped with thick strips of grouper, then topped with scallions and eel sauce. The fact that the rolls are baked lends to their corpulence, but it's all just a bit too much for its own good. A mistake in our order resulted in a complimentary plate of yellowtail collar (regularly $14), a truly outstanding piece of fish and, like all their robata items, grilled over imported, smoke-free bincho-tan charcoal.Â
Other robata favorites we joyfully gorged on were shishito peppers ($4), skewered chicken breast ($5) and sublime bone-in short ribs ($9) served with kimchi. The latter, a nod to Korean galbi, is further sparked with a dip into the spicy mayo and orange yuzu sauces. Both beef tataki ($10), made of rare, lightly seared ribeye mixed with daikon and ponzu, and sesame-bolstered wakame salad ($5) show that the kitchen can also do the simple things right. No izakaya experience would be complete without a swig of sake ' we liked the crisp, clean and mellow taste of the Hatsumago junmaishu ($24).
Desserts aren't listed on a menu but, rather, recited by rote. We nodded when "green tea tiramisu" ($7) was uttered, which turned out to be more gimmick than concept. The red-bean ice cream ($3) was as modest and toothsome as a meal-ender can get; the bowl came with dollops of flavorless green-tea ice cream and surprisingly snappy ginger ice cream, but we would've preferred three scoops of that blushy confection.
There's no question that Dragonfly is dressed to impress, and with Amura and Nagoya just yards away, the sushi scene on the corner of Sand Lake Road and Dr. Phillips Boulevard has certainly gotten a lot more competitive. For Dragonfly's sake, here's hoping it doesn't make like its namesake and live an intense, albeit fleeting, existence.
Believe it or not, some of the best sushi in our humble burg comes from the Bangladeshi brothers behind Winter Park's fiercely popular Fuji Sushi. One of the brothers, known simply as Mohani to his many sushi worshippers, is to seaweed and sticky rice what Picasso was to paint and canvas. Luckily for his fans on the west side, Mohani has opened a sister location in the Universal Studios/Dr. Phillips area, with a super-hip classic modern/Japanese décor that's a stark contrast to the flagship. Here at Fuji's spiffy new spot, you can sit at the space-agey, frosted-glass sushi bar, underlit with glowing blue lights, and indulge in some of the most amazing sushi this side of Tokyo.
With so many sushi restaurants to choose from, it's not hard to find a decent slice of yellowtail or tuna. So how does one stand out in an ocean of sushi? For Fuji, it's the rolls. As a major creative force behind Fuji's culinary fame, Mohani dares to develop the most unheard-of food combinations in the history of sushi. Take the "candy cane" roll ($8.95), for example. Named for its striped, candylike appearance, it combines spicy snow crab and asparagus topped with red and buttery white tuna strips. The combination, especially the two tunas, will impress even the most discerning of palates.
For a richer, more buttery taste, the "polar bear" roll ($7.50) delivers the goods with salmon, white tuna, cream cheese and crunchy tempura crumbs.
A big part of Fuji's success lies in the something-for-everyone menu. You don't have to eat -- or even like -- raw fish to enjoy a meal here. Vegetarians can choose from a variety of hearty rolls, like the toothy "Popeye" roll ($5.25), done with spinach and tempura sweet potato.
Low-carbers craving something more exciting than plain ol' sashimi will be thrilled by the "naruto maki" roll ($6.50) of salmon, crab, avocado, cream cheese and ponju sauce in thinly coiled cucumber instead of rice.
If you like fish, but not the raw variety, the whitefish "dynamite" roll ($6.95) lives up to its name. Topped with a mixture of the cooked fish in a spicy, creamy sauce and broiled until browned, the end product melts in your mouth; you and your dining partner will be eyeing the last piece.
The "dancing eel" roll ($8.25) might create a similar scuffle with its perfectly grilled eel, generously draped over a roll of crab, avocado, cream cheese and slightly sweet eel sauce.
While the culinary delights of Fuji Sushi's many famous rolls are no secret to legions of Central Floridians, the sushi empire's new location still is, so go now while its still fairly new; inevitably, with food this good, getting a table there is bound to become a bloodsport.
What do soft-shell crabs have in common with the Orlando Magic? Sports fans could debate this for hours, but the answer is: They're on the menu at Fuji Sushi sort of.
This new restaurant near the busy crossroads of Lee Road and Highway 17-92 offers some of the most sumptuous sushi in the Winter Park area, and they name it after local points of interest. So the "Orlando Magic roll" ($8.95) is prepared with soft-shell crab and chopped vegetables. The "Lee Road roll" ($5.95) contains eel and salmon skin. The "Rollins roll" ($4.95) offers crab, avocado, cucumbers with a tempura batter.
The names and ingredients don't always match up, or even make sense, but when the sushi is this good, who cares? Dining here was a rediscovery of how sensual sushi can be. Really good sushi, the kind served at Fuji, is dense in texture, yet light and oceanic in its flavors. A little bit goes a long way and is immensely satisfying.
As a prelude to dinner, we enjoyed the "Fuji roll" ($7.95). Each slice was plump and heavy, packed with an array of hamachi, eel, scallions, cucumbers and asparagus. It was rolled in sesame seeds and flying-fish eggs for a blaze of atomic-orange color. Another appetizing variety is the "rock and roll" ($7.95), with tuna, eel, crab, asparagus and scallions. As a clever touch, the sliced rolls were cradled on the deck of a polished miniature boat platter.
Moving along to soups and salads, we preferred osumashi ($1), clear fish broth, although the miso soup ($1) was not bad, with its soy-bean broth. We couldn't resist the hijiki ($4), a warm salad of black seaweed that had an intriguing smokiness. Of everything we ordered, this was the item that caused dueling chopsticks. A close second was ika karage ($4), strips of garlic-battered squid meat, then deep fried.
Out of curiosity, we tried the "Japanese curry" platter ($11.95), a medley of seafood, vegetables and rice in a mild sauce. It was OK but served as a reminder that curry is best saved for Indian restaurants.
Adding to our enjoyment, the decor is simple and subdued. Lustrous wood partitions envelop the tables and make them seem utterly private, and the primary lighting comes from a single rice paper lantern.
The service is sensitive and responsive. A glance from across the room brought someone immediately to the table. Fuji Sushi pays attention to detail and it shows.
Altamonte Drive near I-4 isn't exactly known as a dining hot spot, what with the never-ending strip of fast food, chain food and, well, almost-food lining the road. Still, there are a few shining moments in the otherwise ketchup-slathered landscape, such as Amira's and Sam Seltzer's nearby and, for a fairly decent meal just outside Altamonte Mall, Bahama Breeze.
Add to that list Hana Sushi, situated in the Renaissance Shopping Center on the west side of the mall. It's a plaza going through a transition, with many stores vacant or under construction, and I guess the Hana folks, who have been there since December, are hoping the changes will do them good, because right now it is an obscure place to eat sushi.
Like many of the town's new sushi bars, it's scantly decorated with light wood tables and some lovely brush prints on the walls. I felt sorry for the four fish in the corner tank and wondered if they knew what was going on right in front of them.
The restaurant's tables were practically empty when we were there, but the sushi bar was amazingly crowded with people who were obviously regulars, a surprising thing for such an odd location, with several people wagering who could eat the largest lump of wasabi. I guess nobody bets on football anymore.
The sushi menu is full of those specialty rolls that combine odd and usually cooked ingredients for those who don't think pristinely fresh tuna is inventive enough but haven't gotten the hang of raw fish yet. I ordered the rainbow roll ($6.95), which seemed interesting: tuna, carrot and cucumber wrapped with grilled eel, which is a weakness of mine. It would have been perfect if not for the inclusion of cream cheese (who came up with that?) that melded the tastes and textures into one schmear-laden blur.
It may not be the best Japanese food in town, but you sure get a lot of it. Along with the regular list of tempuras and grilled meats, the definitive choice has to be the $19.95 bento box dinner. It comes with a ginger-dressed salad, miso soup, tuna roll, four pieces of sushi, tempura veggies, fried spring roll and your choice of chicken teriyaki, or shrimp or chicken tempura. Unfortunately, one of the "sushi" used that fake crabmeat, which I just object to on principle. But the food just keeps coming, bowl followed by plate followed by a lovely red and black box stuffed with food.
Sushi bars were never meant to be the chic, reverent eateries that a lot of folks have elevated them to: They were probably the original fast-food joints. Hana Sushi, tucked into a shopping center, has the right attitude.
Japanese cuisine is all about harmony. Everything from the food to the presentation to the restaurant's decor is suppose to work together to create a flawlessly integrated and refreshing experience. But since my kind of sushi joint is the sort that blares music and uses Godzilla as a mascot, this concept of harmony remained foreign to me until I dined at Hanamizuki.
Situated in a bland I-Drive strip mall, Hanamizuki has zero vibe from the outside. But inside is a spacious room with sage-green walls, elegantly minimalist decor, and a menu of refreshing depth and intrigue. An absolute lack of all things kitschy gives the place an unfussy, authentic air. The focus is on flavorful, expertly prepared food and enjoying it in the proper environment.
My dining partner and I opted for courtside seats at the sushi bar. Hanamizuki's expansive menu is an invitation to experiment, so we kicked off with two appetizers, tako su ($6) and ika nuta ($5). The former was a small salad of sliced octopus that was well-complemented by a soy-sauce dressing with a distinct bacon flavor. The latter was a small bowl of squid and scallions blended with a sauce of white soybean paste, vinegar and a hot mustard with a delightful kick.
Pleased thus far, we moved onto the more traditional sashimi and maki-style sushi (rolled with rice). Moriawase ($20 and up) is the chef's selection of the day's best raw fish. Presented with little fanfare on a medium-size white plate, the dish focuses totally on the superb sliced fish. Fresh and firm with barely a scent from the sea, this was top-notch sashimi (at nearly $2 a bite.) The tightly wrapped maki-style rolls were neatly presented, with the very spicy cod being our favorite.
From the menu's grilled and fried sections, we liked the "beef nagima yaki" ($15), a substantial plate of small rolls of thinly sliced, if a bit dry, grilled beef surrounding enticingly crunchy braised scallions flavored by soy sauce. And the "kashige combination" ($15) boasts 10 skewers, each with one crisp piece of seafood, meat or vegetable (the onion was our favorite). All were deep fried in a very light batter that recalled coconut shavings.
Our sole misadventure was mozuku tororo ($7), a ghastly blend of grated yam and mozuku seaweed in a viscous broth, topped with a raw quail egg. We attempted to eat it with chopsticks, which brought chuckles from the chef and waitress.
Our otherwise exquisite meal was topped off by Japanese ice cream enhanced with red-bean toppings a graceful way to end this feast. Hanamizuki isn't cheap, but it is a most gracious and delicious way to enjoy the foods of Japan.
Way back in 1988, when sushi was considered more of a punchline than a serious dinner option, Ichiban bravely opened on Orange Avenue, offering sushi and sashimi along with tempura and grilled fare. Ten years later, this spunky downtown pioneer is like the woman scorned in the Gloria Gaynor song -- it has survived. And, its dance card is still filled up with admirers.
Not everyone knows this, and those are the uninformed who show up on Friday and Saturday nights without reservations. There was a whole flock of them waiting outside when we visited. But with reservations, we were whisked into the dining area. It's the same as always -- soothing and casually elegant, with kimonos displayed on blond-brick walls, and a translucent glow thrown off by rice paper lanterns.
Seated on tatami mats in one of the booths, we decided we were in a sushi mood and perused the options: rolls made with gator meat ($4.50), asparagus tempura ($3.95), sea urchin ($5) and even quail egg ($1.50). My guest gave up and chose the special ($9.50): tuna, cucumber and California rolls. Ichiban turned this sushi cliché into quite a presentation, slicing the rolls diagonally and arranging them like blossoms on a chop block.
"Dancing eel" turned out to be a happy surprise as well, if an expensive one ($11.95). Crab, cucumber, avocado and flying-fish eggs were rolled up together, bonded by cream cheese and topped with barbecued eel boldly glazed with a dark caramel sauce. Teamed with robust jolts of wasabi, the sushi did exactly what we wanted it to do: primed us for the main course.
For dinner, seafood tempura ($12.99) has to be one of the best deals in town. An abundance of shrimp, scallops and grouper fingers were deep-fried in a fine, frothy batter that melted in your mouth. Teamed with broccoli and zucchini tempura, and even a fried banana, they were artfully propped against a lacy "fan" of fried rice noodles.
And the "Ichiban special," while pricey at $20.99, was a solid investment. A polished black box was divided into quarters, which were heaped with delicacies sized just-right for chopsticks: grilled lobster tips nestled into a split lobster tail; chargrilled shrimp and scallops that cast off a sweet, oceanic perfume; slivers of sweet teriyaki steak; and mixed grilled vegetables.
Ichiban offers the kind of choices that sushi and sashimi adventurers crave, along with tempura and grilled fare more agreeable with mainstream tastes. It may not break culinary ground, but it's good food, prepared skillfully, and served with attention and a sense of fun. Ichiban continues to inspires quiet confidence.
From the moment we walked into Kimonos, we had the sense we were not in an ordinary sushi bar. This small enclave, located deep in the recesses of the Swan resort at Walt Disney World, has an unusual atmospheric cocktail mix that transports its visitors to a place that seems very far away.
The dining area is smart and spare. Rich, lustrous wood paneling creates a luxurious look. A series of rice paper cylinder lamps are suspended overhead in repetition. A dramatic collection of ornate kimonos are suspended along the fringes of the room. A bustling wait staff are clad from head to toe in Japanese garb, and at the sushi bar by the front entrance, chefs carve and slice a lush assortment of seafood in a form of performance art.
Simplicity is the hallmark of the dining experience here. The menu is brief and to the point: There are less than a dozen appetizers which include miso soup and tempura combos. The rest of the meal includes sushi -- lots of it, served exquisitely fresh.
For starters, get numb with a Kimono Cocktail, which is scented with the sharp, distinctive flavors of Absolute Mandarin and cranberry juice, garnished with a snappy lime wedge. It has such an inviting perfume, you might momentarily forget to take a sip ($6.95).
Among the appetizers, gyoza dumplings are an attractive Japanese version of pot stickers ($6). Won ton skins are filled with ground pork and a chopped assortment of water chestnuts, scallions and seasonings that are slightly edgy and spicy. Crimped into crescent shapes and pan-seared, they're easily wielded with chopsticks. A dish of Oriental sauce adds flavor; it's slightly salty, but milder than soy sauce.
"Seaweed salad," however, was marred on our visit by a heavy-handed infusion of saltiness in the ponzu sauce ($4.50). But the seaweed itself was visually pleasing, with a deep, midnight color. The texture was silky and firm, too, accented by nutty hints of sesame seeds.
Among the variety of sushi we explored, the Spider Roll ($8) featured six pieces of soft shell crab, fried into a delicious tangle for visual impact. It was gently crunchy and highly flavorful. The Kimonos Roll ($5) was highlighted by rich-flavored tuna flesh and pale pink yellowtail, which had a slightly stronger taste.
The "sushi deluxe plate" ($17.50) included the chef's selection of nightly offerings. We particularly enjoyed the squid roll, which had a rubbery quality that was curiously pleasing; and a bit of mackerel, which was savory. There also were generous carvings of sweet, firm shrimp and crab rolls, and a selection of red snapper, which was lean and tender.
Kimono's has one distinction that must be noted for those who visit in large groups -- seating is dominated by tables for two, which staff members cluster together when necessary. And the sushi bar scarcely seats half a dozen people. Due to the intimate dimensions of the dining area, it can also be hazardous territory for those allergic to smoke. When someone lit up at the next table over, my allergy-prone friend had to flee while I waited for the bill.
Nevertheless, Kimono's is one of the most elegant settings for sushi in all of Orlando. The gorgeous collection of ornate robes on display are almost worth a visit in themselves.
It isn't often that restaurants go to war over names. But in June, Ron Woodsby, whose company owns the Fishbones chain, took Bonefish Grill to court, claiming their similar name and logo of a fish skeleton was violating trademark and confusing customers.
Then he opens Moonfish, a mile down Sand Lake Road from Fishbones and across the street from his competitor. (A moonfish, by the way, is called "opah" in Hawaii.) And why use "bone" to name a fish spot anyway?
But a lot of thought and effort has gone into the design of the nonbony Moonfish, from the cast-metal opah on the front door to the magnificent art glass in the dining rooms. Everything revolves around fish. Hanging lights over the hectic bar look like little octopuses, and a giant tropical fish tank is echoed in video screens in the rest rooms. Walk around behind the sushi bar to see the catch of the day displayed next to the open kitchen -- clear eyes and bright, firm fish abound.
Don't plan on rushing through a meal at Moonfish; whether it's busy or quiet, things take a very long time. Our server gave new meaning to "wait staff," and the space between courses went way beyond luxurious and into interminable.
But while waiting for a table you can order immaculately prepared sushi like "dancing eel," which combines broiled eel, king crab and avocado, or the "yum-yum" roll of tuna, salmon and fried yellowtail (both $11.95). The expertise of their fish-buyer is evident in these jewels.
Portions are enormous, and when a dish hits the mark, it couldn't be better. A giant steamer full of Prince Edward Island mussels in garlic and white wine ($10.95) is worth the trip by itself. The open, citrus and oak-fired grill does wonderful things to the Oscar mignon, a thick sirloin filet topped with crab and Hollandaise (yes, good steak in a fish house; $20.95).
The "catch" menu changes daily, and lists not only the fish, but who caught it and where -- giving map coordinates. I didn't write down who caught my tilefish ($23.95) but it was a mild and moist one. The "chef's mixed grill," ($21.95) however, gets demerits for whoever picked our oily mahi-mahi and salmon, which were unimaginative choices from such an extensive variety. And serving overcooked shrimp scampi in such environs is practically criminal.
So Moonfish does occasionally miss the mark; still, in terms of the food overall, it turns out to be a lucky entry in the growing number of "concept" restaurants. No bones about it.
Some pubs in Ireland keep a rack behind the bar for personalized beer mugs -- sort of an incentive for steady guests and a companionable gesture. Why don't other establishments do that -- personalized chili sauce dispensers at Thai House? Monogrammed bibs at O-Boys?
Nagoya Sushi has the idea, with a rack of labeled chopstick holders by the front door. Owner Jenny Tay Lu says it lets her get closer to frequent visitors and saves a tree or two.
Nagoya the city is dead center in the island of Japan and is a cultural and economic hub. Nagoya the restaurant isn't in the center of anything, tucked away in a MetroWest shopping center. But judging by the rows of chopsticks, it attracts a loyal following. Lu's husband, Danny, can be found behind the sushi bar, along with his brother, Calvin, creating masterpieces from deep-red tuna, paper-thin cucumber, neon-orange fish eggs and translucent yellowtail.
There's a view of the action from the booths and tables in the relatively small place, but give yourself a treat and sit at the bar. Watch Calvin slide his knife across the grain of fatty salmon (let it melt on your tongue), as well as chop pickled mackerel and slice slivers of tender octopus for the chirashi bowl ($16.95). Dobinmushi ($4.95) is seafood soup steamed (mushi) in a little teapot (dobin) and served with a tiny cup. Danny peeked his head over the counter to see if we liked it. And we did.
I adore grilled eel but hadn't tried grilled lobster sushi (ise ebi; $3.75) -- now it's a new favorite. Try the miso eggplant ($4.95), a stubby eggplant-half covered in sweet miso sauce that caramelizes under the grill -- a simple but extraordinary dish. Miso shows up again on tender pan-fried scallops ($14.95), which would have been more exciting if I hadn't had the eggplant, too. Pick one or the other and enjoy.
The owners successfully play with flavor and color combinations. The flamboyant "New York roll" ($8.95) combines pale hamachi (young yellowtail) with tuna, salmon, avocado and flying-fish roe. Tender shrimp peek through baked mango like crustaceans swimming in a sweet ocean for the "mango shrimp" entree ($15.95). There are several beautiful vegetable rolls -- bright-green asparagus, avocado and cucumber ($3.25), or a dark and spicy kimchi ($2.95).
The sushi rice -- a recipe Jenny Lu brought from her former restaurant in Manhattan -- is as tasty a starch as you'll find anywhere. Which means it's about as good as everything else at Nagoya. Go several times, earn your chopsticks.
While there is a host -- nay, horde -- of sushi bars within walking distance of Lake Eola, we haven't seen very much Thai food downtown, which is odd considering how much pad Thai can be found elsewhere.
One of the places known for that sweet, sticky rice-noodle dish is Thai Cuisine on Edgewater Drive. This was where my partner and I had our first chicken sate and spring rolls together, and I remember the food cooked by its original owners (since changed) quite fondly. Those owners, it turns out, were the parents of the young people who opened Sawadee Thai on Kirkman in 2001, a restaurant I quite liked. Now those (still) young folks, lead by Odum Ketsatha and his wife, Kanjana, have moved to Pine Street and brought the flavors of Siam to the old Le Provence building in the form of Napasorn Thai.
Not much has been changed inside, aside from a new color scheme for the two-level room, a new bar and a complete overhaul of the kitchen, run by Ketsatha's Uncle Damri. ("Thai cooking is very different from French," Uncle Damri tells me.) The menu isn't 100 percent Thai, with smatterings of Chinese (a dark-brothed and savory wonton soup with plump dumplings for $3.50), Japanese gyoza and a good but not stellar sushi menu.
Appetizers are both authentic and jazzed-up. The crispy spring rolls ($3.95) are stuffed with ground chicken and a coleslaw-like shredding of vegetables, both crisp and mellow. The "cheese roll crisp," on the other hand ($3.95), finds cream cheese and tiny bits of shrimp inside the wrap, and I'm still not sure if I liked it or not, but it's different. Most traditional is "sate gai" ($5.95), rich, peanut-sauced chicken slices on a skewer.
My favorite carryover from the Sawadee days is the basil duck dish ($15.95), a savory combination of dark duck meat and spinach-like basil leaves that now features mushrooms and peppers added to the lime-and-basil flavored sauce. Also a treat is "garlic and pepper meat" ($9.95), your choice of beef or chicken ($2 more for seafood) with a tang of spicy garlic, spicier black pepper and even spicier sauce that sneaks up on you until the sweat is pouring. I wasn't as impressed with the "madsa mahn" curry ($10.95), a dish from Islamic south Thailand that is usually loaded with potatoes which here seemed to have cooked down to a thick paste. Still, the combination of roasted peanuts and tender chicken was enjoyable.
Napasorn is both a welcome addition to the downtown food scene and a chance to eat Uncle Damri's great cooking a lot closer to home.
The wilds of east Orlando, almost to the edge of civilization where Colonial Drive intersects Alafaya Trail, is not an area that immediately springs to mind for those on the hunt for good sushi; burgers, steakhouses, Wal-Mart and used-car lots, yes. Sushi, not so much.
Tucked away in the Alafaya Commons Plaza, a few stores west of the Publix, is Origami Sushi, an island of hip serenity in a vast sea of suburbia. Outside it looks like every other store in the strip mall. Inside the walls are painted soothing tones of muted, dusky green and burnt orange, the lighting is toned down and there are Japanese screen prints on the walls. Think funky minimalism and you'll get an appropriate mental picture.
Added bonus: The sushi's good, too.
Many factors go into a memorable sushi experience, but when the discussion is limited to the food, what counts is the quality and cut of the fish, the consistency and taste of the rice, and the presentation. Origami gets all three right.
Maguro (tuna, $3.95) and sake (salmon, $3.95) sushi came from the bar on a proper geta (a small wooden block used as a plate), each piece an identically formed ball of rice topped with, but not covered by, a slice of fish. Report card: "A" for presentation.
With the exception of squid, which will take a few chomps, sushi fish should melt in your mouth, no chewing necessary. Both the tuna and the salmon dissolved without much additional help. That's the mark of sushi-quality, correctly cut fish. Report card: "A" for fish.
Sushi rice is itself a deceptive art form -- how hard can it be to make vinegared rice? Very, judging by the lumpy, starchy version common in sushi restaurants. Origami's rice was another story; slightly sweet, it held together when handled with chopsticks (you're supposed to dip your sushi into the soy sauce fish-side down, you know), yet retained its granularity. Report card: "A" for nice rice.
The rolls (maki) were less of a success. I tried a "New Orleans roll" ($6.95) that was a mixture of crab salad, scallions, avocado and spicy mayonnaise, and found it interesting, if a bit heavy due to the mayonnaise.
Then there are the "special" rolls. Sushi purists probably wouldn't order them anyway, dismissing them as a Western bastardization of Japanese cooking, but I gave it a shot for the sake of diversity. The "heaven roll" ($9.95) crammed just about everything in the kitchen (salmon, tuna, asparagus, cream cheese and flying fish eggs) into a roll, batter fried (tempura) the result, and served it up sliced on the diagonal. Again, the adjective that comes to mind is "interesting" or perhaps "filling." I wouldn't exactly call it "tasty."
Appetizers were also hit-and-miss. The batter on both the chicken ($3.95) and vegetable ($3.50) tempura was crunchy, light and perfect. But a deep-fried soft-shell crab ($6.95) came to the table greasy on the outside and cold on the inside -- a disappointment at the price.
Service throughout the meal was attentive but not bothersome, in keeping with the low-key atmosphere. The clientele was young, indicating that the University of Central Florida crowd has found the place. Perhaps the far-out location was a shrewd business move after all.
As mainstream tastes grow more adventurous, perhaps it was inevitable that a swanky sushi restaurant would arrive on east Aloma Avenue, next door to a bowling alley.
Despite sounding like a play on the word "psycho", Saikyo Sushi Bar and Grill takes its name from a combo of "Saigon" and "Tokyo," a reflection of the owners' backgrounds. Eventually Vietnamese cuisine will join the menu, but for now it's all Japanese. And there's a varied selection to satisfy palettes that prefer raw or cooked dishes. Friday and Saturday nights are busy but lunch hasn't quite caught on, as we discovered on a weekday visit.
One of the owners formerly worked as an architect in Vietnam, and his designs have transformed the place impressively from its previous lives. An arched wooden footbridge leads from the parking lot to the front door, and a garden pond is on the way. Inside, the feng shui is enhanced by soft colors, subdued lighting, a small "tatami" seating area and a gleaming sushi bar.
There is nothing complicated about the menu; it's a to-the-point collection of sashimi (fish served raw) and sushi (vinegared rice garnished with seafood and/or vegetables), with some sukiyaki, teriyaki and tempura entrees thrown in.
Sushi rolls are plumply sliced. The "French roll" ($6.95) is wrapped in a crepe that covers shrimp, crab, avocado, cucumber and cream cheese. Dabbed with tingling wasabi paste, it has a lot of impact. We also loved the crunch of fried soft-shell crab, deliciously blended with asparagus and onions in the "spider roll" ($8.95). Inside there was an unexpected orange blaze of smelt eggs.
Tempura fans will find territory to explore in the deep-fried "Sanibel roll" ($6.95) with salmon and asparagus bonded by cream cheese. The vegetable tempura dinner ($8.95) is a filling assortment of sliced sweet potatoes, onions, peppers, broccoli tips and mushrooms. The dish is oily, which weighs down the otherwise light presentation.
Pork teriyaki ($12.95) benefits from the sauce -- light, never clingy -- that's washed over the grilled strips of tenderloin, dusted with sesame seeds. Entrees come with steamed rice and a choice of soup or salad. Go for the miso soup; it's satisfying and aggressive, spiked with scallions and tofu cubes.
Service was professionally low-key. We had a sense of space, yet our requests were met in a timely manner. Saikyo Sushi Bar and Grill may just go the distance in a location that's been a revolving door for Asian restaurants.
If location is everything, Seito Sushi has it made. Located next to the Regal Winter Park Village 20 complex, Seito enjoys a constant flow of theater patrons walking past its long, rectangular dining room. A cynical restaurant owner might use this captive audience as an excuse to serve inferior food. Lord knows the four yuppie rubes who sat next to me, joking about this immaculate and stylish establishment as a "hole in the wall" deserved just that. But wiser minds have prevailed and, instead, Seito turns out sushi every bit as fresh and well-prepared as downtown's longtime favorite Sushi Hatsu.
Like Sushi Hatsu, Seito bypasses the sometimes challenging culinary aspirations of I-Drive's excellent Hamimasuki to target the casual diner. The menu is brief, focusing on sushi, sashimi and a handful of teriyakis and tempuras -- nothing except wasabi could potentially frighten tastebuds. With the luxury of two visits, my dining partner and I were able to roam Seito's menu. For starters, there's an "octopus salad" ($5.95), a small plate of sashimi-style octopus flavored with a vinegar-soy sauce -- very simple but perfect. Also sampled was a seaweed salad ($4.95), colored a bright relish-green and nicely flavored with lemon sauce.
Meat fans will enjoy starting with "beef negi maki" ($5.95), thinly sliced sirloin grilled and wrapped around green onions and bean sprouts. Like others on the menu, this dish comes with a garnish of leafy lettuce that seems somewhat out of place.
Next up, a lovely salmon teriyaki featuring twin fillets in a rich teriyaki sauce, flavored sweetly instead of too salty. Although presented as entrees, these teriyaki dishes should be considered as a side order, for a change of pace during the otherwise all-fish repast.
Seito's sushi menu offers all the usual suspects prepared with care and presented gracefully. Of special note is a "burduck root and dakuhan roll" ($4.25).The sushi chef couldn't explain "burdock" much past "a tuber," so he handed us a sample of the small, slightly spicy carrotlike root, which produced a wonderfully different texture and taste.
One of Seito's more interesting choices are the "boat combinations," prearranged meals of several items for two to six diners, served in a large wooden boat. We sampled the "love boat" ($34.95) full of teriyaki chicken, seafood and vegetable tempura, and kalbi (beef short ribs), followed by a small plate of a half dozen or so chirashi sushi items and a California roll. Our enjoyment from the "boat" was squashed when it showed up a half hour after ordering with many of the hot items rendered lukewarm.
Other than this oversight, Seito Sushi is easy to recommend and a welcome addition to the sushi scene.
I'm a lucky guy. What I do for a living doesn't require that I spend long days out in a fishing boat or toiling in the fields. So, unlike the people sushi was originally developed for, I eat it as a luxury.
That's right, sushi was the original box lunch, with the fermented or vinegared rice -- called "shari" -- the ingredient that preserves the fish without refrigeration. Like most things Japanese, the craft became an art, all of which culminates in the atmosphere of the new Shari Sushi Lounge, full of artistic morsels that delight the eye and the palate.
This latest restaurant to join the hip habitat of Thornton Park Central makes up in height what it lacks in width, two levels of shimmery chairs and black-clothed tables in a creamy white room. The sushi bar is a chrome and ebony island; the cases of fresh sashimi glimmering under tiny spotlights.
Technically, sushi means the fish part of the delicacy, with the shari having just as much importance as the colorful protein atop it. The fish that landed here are among the best I've tasted, and a combination roll like the "Fort Myers" ($7), with yellowtail and whitefish rolled alongside avocado, scallions and spicy mayo, is a savory showcase. "Beauty and the Beast" ($9) is a knockout, two rolls alternating tuna and eel with avocado, asparagus and flying fish roe -- I don 't know which part is considered the "beast," but this dish is a "beauty."
Simple offerings, such as boiled soybean edamame ($4) or a tako salad of pickled octopus, cucumber, orange slices and spicy kimchee ($7), are done to perfection. More elaborate and original dishes are irresistible. I tried something called "Toro Tartare" ($12) and was served mounds of deep red tuna on top of fried and flaky tortilla wedges; the textures were only surpassed by the taste.
Behind the silver bar is a cool-looking itamai-san (sushi chef) called Chau ("just Chau," he says). Chau's parents own Saikyo Sushi on Aloma Avenue, which is where some of Shari's inventive menu was tested. It is quite extensive, and I can envision several months worth of regular visits before exhausting the tasty options, but the prize is "Chau's truffles" ($15), an assortment platter that offers ever-changing samples of his remarkable talent. Octopus cupped in a crepe, translucent salmon covered in wasabi-flavored roe, and eel with cucumber thankfully bereft of sweet sauce, were just some of the treasures.
As sushi chef, manager and co-owner, Chau is responsible for much of Shari's superb quality, and you'll thank him when you leave.
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June 12-18, 2019
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Now I'm in the market for two extra tracks to have some variety. I have narrowed it down to a couple of ones including muscle relaxation which is theta and delta. I have a hard time relaxing my body. The last time my muscles where relaxed was after intensely cleaning my stove. I don't want to clean every time I want to relax, even though my house will be spotless ;).
A therapy that slows brainwave activity, helping to produce low-frequency waves, is likely to aid relaxation and sleep. But it's not only lowering brainwave frequency that binaural beats may offer to sleep and relaxation. A small study (19 people) has found that exposure to binaural beats is associated with changes to three hormones important to sleep and well being:
Joe: The Journey soundscape took a lot of work. I wanted to bring in the very best of what I knew about brainwave entrainment and to make the best brainwave entrainment product—with the best entrainment technology—that I possibly could. So, there are all sorts of things going on in Journey to provide a sound bed to support the experience of expansiveness and also communicate elements of the heart-based work I talked about earlier. (See part I of this interview, A Guide to Transpersonal Meditation.)
For example, exercise and perusing a goal very ambitiously are both types of stress, except they ultimately benefit the body. Areas of the brain, including the hippocampus, amygdala and prefrontal cortex can pick up on positive stressful experiences and cause "stress-induced structural remodeling" of the brain, which means you experience alterations in behavioral and physiological responses to these positive events. The result is that in the future you're better able to handle similar situations because you learn from them, associate them with a reward and stop perceiving them as threatening.
One RCT (n=108) showed significant reduction in anxiety from a single session of alpha/delta therapy for day surgery patients. A crossover RCT of a single session of theta stimulation in four healthy adults reported significant improvement from the intervention in one of five measures. Five pre/post studies reported significant benefit from the intervention for 16 of 27 outcomes.
Really great stuff here, man. Well done! Without taking anything away from the article it would have been great to have under one "roof" similar information about hypnotherapy and subliminals. I invested quite a lot in buying binaural cd's but after reading your material I think that for short term effects isochronic tones rather than binaurals are the technology to go for now. For longer lasting and possibly permanent effects I'm not sure whether I should go for hypnosis or subliminals (or both). An article as well written and comprehensive as yours but focusing on hypnosis vs subliminals would have completed the circle for me. The stuff I've read so far on binaurals vs isochronics hasn't really done it for me. Any chance you could give it a shot?
Move your focus to the sole of your right foot. Tune in to any sensations you feel in that part of your body and imagine each breath flowing from the sole of your foot. After one or two minutes, move your focus to your right ankle and repeat. Move to your calf, knee, thigh, hip, and then repeat the sequence for your left leg. From there, move up the torso, through the lower back and abdomen, the upper back and chest, and the shoulders. Pay close attention to any area of the body that causes you pain or discomfort.
Acupuncture has increasingly been used to treat many stress-related conditions, including psychiatric disorders, autoimmune or immunological-related diseases, infertility, anxiety, and depression. Researchers have found that acupunture treatments result in changes in the cardiovascular and immune systems, increasing protective T-cell proliferation and helping with cellular immuno-responses. (8)
Sleep issues are becoming much more of a common problem. I think it's great to look at alternative ways to help with insomnia and other sleep related issues, especially when they don't involve the need to take medication. Something proved to be effective is 'Sleepstation' a UK based organisation who use CBT techniques to cure insomnia. Their online sleep therapy course is brilliant and very convenient as it's delivered online. Their website is definitely worth a look if you're having sleep issues
Most of our Royalty Free brainwave entrainment music uses an audio technology known as "binaural beats". These binaural beats are embedded in the music in order to bring about desirable changes in brainwave activity, thereby encouraging various states of relaxation, deep meditation or sleep. When played with headphones, you may be able to hear the binaural beats as a subtle pulsing sound beneath the music.
Participants in the included studies were children and adults, either healthy or with conditions such as learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, migraine, stress, anxiety and myofascial pain. Interventions included single, alternating, ascending or descending frequencies of photic or auditory stimulation or audiovisual entrainment selected either by the participant or by the investigator. Nearly half the studies used single sessions and the rest used multiple sessions ranging from nine to 100. Length of session varied from 0.5 seconds to 60 minutes. Frequency of session varied from twice daily to weekly. Outcomes reported in the review included cognition (including verbal skills, performance skills, attention, memory and overall intelligence/achievement), short- and long-term stress, pain, headache/migraine, mood, behavioural problems and premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Respectfully ask others to change their behavior. And be willing to do the same. Small problems often create larger ones if they aren't resolved. If you're tired of being the target of a friend's jokes at parties, ask him or her to leave you out of the comedy routine. In return, be willing to enjoy his or her other jokes and thank him or her for humoring you.
There are five main categories of brainwave frequencies: Gamma (40Hz+), Beta (13 – 40Hz), Alpha (7 – 13Hz), Theta (4 – 7Hz), and Delta (<4Hz). Each category is associated with a different state of mind; so, for example, when you're in a peak state of performance, your brain produces Alpha Waves, and when you're in a deep sleep, your brain produces Delta Waves.
If mind-consciousness is not the brain, why then does science relate states of consciousness and mental functioning to Brainwave frequencies? And how is it that audio with embedded binaural beats alters brain waves? The first question can be answered in terms of instrumentation. There is no objective way to measure mind or consciousness with an instrument. Mind-consciousness appears to be a field phenomenon which interfaces with the body and the neurological structures of the brain (Hunt, 1995). One cannot measure this field directly with current instrumentation. On the other hand, the electrical potentials of brain waves can be measured and easily quantified. Contemporary science likes things that can be measured and quantified. The problem here lies in oversimplification of the observations. EEG patterns measured on the cortex are the result of electro-neurological activity of the brain. But the brain's electro-neurological activity is not mind-consciousness. EEG measurements then are only an indirect means of assessing the mind-consciousness interface with the neurological structures of the brain. As crude as this may seem, the EEG has been a reliable way for researchers to estimate states of consciousness based on the relative proportions of EEG frequencies. Stated another way, certain EEG patterns have been historically associated with specific states of consciousness. It is reasonable to assume, given the current EEG literature, that if a specific EEG pattern emerges it is probably accompanied by a particular state of consciousness.
4. Be hesitant committing to any BWE system making wild claims. Profit fueled marketers with little to no experience in the BWE field have created a slew of low-quality entrainment systems on the market. These products typically make outrageous promises such as permanently enhancing the brain within minutes of use. Although BWE is a powerful method to improve the mind, it's not a magic bullet.
Brainwave entrainment also happens with the use of pulsating light, and visual and auditory stimuli are sometimes combined for additional effect and visual stimuli is used alone. Using brainwave entrainment techniques is safe for almost everyone, the exception being pregnant women and people who have seizure disorders who should check with their physician before using these methods.
♥ Imagine a really bad ringing in your ear and the pain that it brought along or when your ear was throbbing with pain. Can you remember the sound coming from that ear? Probably not, since the pain was probably far more memorable. This sounds very similar to that, but it is not at all painful. Quite a unique experience, really. Try it out, but you need to be wearing earphones and have the volume up.
Move-Thru-It Strategy: to support optimum recovery rates, use 6-8 pumps or 3-4 droppers. Repeat every 1-3 hours for a day or two (with a good night's sleep). The idea here is a persistent frequency. Once you have achieved initial results, you can switch to more conventional usage patterns such as 3-4 times a day. For example: Kick-Ass Immune, Get Over It
Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Everyone knows stress can cause you to lose sleep. Unfortunately, lack of sleep is also a key cause of stress. This vicious cycle causes the brain and body to get out of whack and only gets worse with time. Make sure to get the doctor-recommended seven to eight hours of sleep. Turn the TV off earlier, dim the lights, and give yourself time to relax before going to bed. It may be the most effective stress buster on our list.
Hello Jason, this is an unusually thoughtful discussion. Thank you for all your expertise and your kind manner of presenting and moderating it. I'm wondering if you have any experience with this: ever since I've been exposed to theta wave music, without headphones, I have found it irritating. And this is in spite of the fact that when I was first handed a CD by someone I knew well and trusted he was so confident I'd love it It didn't occur to either of us that I might not. This happened again recently, which is about 10 years later, when I heard it playing overhead at an acupuncture clinic. I felt restless and even irritated, unable to zone out, which is unusual for me, during the treatment. I realized that the quality of my irritation was similar to what I'd felt listening to that CD a decade ago.So I asked if it was theta wave music and she said yes. The acupuncturist said that some people, but a vast minority, really dislike the music. She said that the few people who dislike it are not simply neutral, but actively dislike it. And she also said, but most people like it a lot. I'm just wondering what kind of factors might be present that would make a person feel so irritated by this music?
Infra-Low brainwaves (also known as Slow Cortical Potentials), are thought to be the basic cortical rythms that underlie our higher brain functions. Very little is known about infra-low brainwaves. Their slow nature make them difficult to detect and accurately measure, so few studies have been done. They appear to take a major role in brain timing and network function.
Over the long term, traditional eastern methods (such as meditation and yoga) train your brainwaves into balance. Of the newer methods, brainwave entrainment is an easy, low-cost method to temporarily alter your brainwave state. If you are trying to solve a particular difficulty or fine-tune your brainwave function, state-of-the-art brain training methods like neurofeedback and pEMF deliver targeted, quick, and lasting results.
None of our formulas contain gluten. The pure Italian wheat-based grain alcohol we use leaves all gluten behind when distilled, and comes with a gluten-free test certificate. The only other grain used in any of the formulas is Milky Oats, which is sustainably harvested and sorted in a botanical house. It is not processed with, or contaminated by, other grains.
According to Dr. Mark Hyman, eating whole, real foods restores balance and reduces the effects of stress on your body. Replacing harmful substances such as caffeine, alcohol, and refined sugars, with clean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats helps regulate your hormone levels, including stress hormones. Food As Medicine Education Director Kathie Swift, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, EBQ cites the connection between the gut and brain in relieving stress. The gut and brain are constantly sending signals to each other, so by keeping your microbiota (the bacteria in your gut) healthy, your brain feels less stressed.
Respectfully ask others to change their behavior. And be willing to do the same. Small problems often create larger ones if they aren't resolved. If you're tired of being the target of a friend's jokes at parties, ask him or her to leave you out of the comedy routine. In return, be willing to enjoy his or her other jokes and thank him or her for humoring you.
Our state of mind, mood, energy level, motivation, and overall well-being all emerge out of the electrical energy produced by our brains. Do you want more control of your moods and thoughts every day? If so, brainwave entrainment is a method which greatly assists many people in finding greater relaxation, better moods, and less anxiety in a way similar to how music uplifts and rejuvenates us, and brainwave entrainment techniques are available embedded into musical arrangements, giving you the benefits of both modalities.
A 2008 study at Hofstra University played two different binaural beats and a control sound (a babbling brook) to patients with high blood pressure. There was no difference between the groups. In one small study from Japan that was published in the Journal of Neurophysiology in 2006, they played various binaural beats to nine subjects, and observed the resulting EEGs. They found great variability in the results. Their conclusion was that listening to binaural beats can produce activity on the human cerebral cortex, however the cause was more likely a conscious auditory reaction and was not correlated to the frequency of the binaural beat. However, a 2005 study published in Clinical Neurophysiology found that they were able to induce a desired frequency in the EEG matching the phantom beat frequency encoded in a binaural beat, however this was with a single subject and was neither blinded nor controlled.
In the average person, the activity of one brain hemisphere is dominant over the other, called brain lateralization. This hemispheric imbalance leads us to experience the world in a black and white way, perceiving separation over connectedness. When brainwave entrainment is used to synchronize brainwave activity in both hemispheres simultaneously, a person can more easily integrate information from all parts of the brain and solve problems with greater intelligence and sensitivity.
When we first use brainwave entrainment, we may not have anything specific in mind that will happen, but we hold a general expectation that "something" should happen. As we begin the process of entrainment we are on high alert looking for any little indication that something is happening. Pretty soon we identify some feeling or twitch or unusual perception. The moment we focus on whatever it is, the act of focusing on it magnifies the thing. Since we were already viewing the situation with an expectation that it was the entrainment that was going to produce some sort of result, we automatically associate whatever our phenomenon is with entrainment.
So using the example track above, the right ear is sent a 20Hz beat, compared to a 10Hz beat in the left ear. As the right ear receives the higher frequency of beat, this works to increase the speed of the 'left' brain hemisphere, which can be helpful for people with conditions like ADD, who are often found to have an abundance of slow wave activity in the left brain.
The exact physiological mechanisms to explain how exercise improves stress have not been delineated. Human and animal research indicates that being physically active improves the way the body handles stress because of changes in the hormone responses, and that exercise affects neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin that affect mood and behaviors (9,11). In addition to the possible physiological mechanisms, there also is the possibility that exercise serves as a time-out or break from one's stressors. A study that tested the time-out hypothesis used a protocol that had participants exercise but did not allow a break from stress during the exercise session (5). Participants were college-aged women who reported that studying was their biggest stressor. Self-report of stress and anxiety symptoms was assessed with a standard questionnaire before and after four conditions over 4 days. The conditions were quiet rest, study, exercise, and studying while exercising. These conditions were counterbalanced across participants, and each condition was 40 minutes in duration. The "exercise only" condition had the greatest calming effect (5). When participants were not given a break from their stressor in the "studying while exercising" condition, exercise did not have the same calming effect.
"Like the pulses of vibration that produce sound on a guitar string, your brain also creates pulses of vibrations. These vibrations are electrical impulses," continues Naik. "Their activity can be measured by using an EEG (electroencephalogram), which measures the frequency of these pulses [which is measured in Hertz]. Your brain actually has a predominant frequency at which it operates in any given moment; this can be associated with your state of mind."
You've heard the "om" sound yogis make when they meditate, right? Well, Joshi says using a buzzing sound is another way to use your voice to calm yourself in the midst of a freakout. "Bhramari, a humming bee sound, can be done by closing the eyes and making the humming sound like a bee," she says. "These sound vibrations calm down the thought waves and relax the entire nervous system. External sound frequency resonates with the internal rhythm of the body and mind, creating peace and tranquility within." Research from India has shown Bhramari to improve cardiovascular patterns. Press your ears closed for an even stronger vibration.
Each of us is unique, and what works well for me might be totally useless to you. Generically speaking, there are three types of meditation techniques. There are techniques that take your awareness outwards, techniques that take your awareness inwards, and techniques that do a little of both. People with exceptionally busy minds tend to do better with techniques that take awareness outwards since their minds naturally head that direction anyway. People with more contemplative natures tend to do better with techniques that take you inwards. The combination techniques are a "maybe" for just about anyone, but are usually best used when a person has some experience with meditation under their belt.
This is not to say that entrainment cannot produce some physical effects, particularly negative ones. It is possible to induce epileptic seizures using entrainment, especially visual entrainment that employs flashing lights. That's why people with seizure disorders are uniformly told to consult with their health care provider before using entrainment if they have a seizure disorder or some other serious medical condition.
This can help develop the ability to see energy fields around people and in nature, and it will also make it much easier to stay awake during your meditations. When your eyes begin to close, you simply have to open them back up again. Doing the meditations with your eyes open is a serious step up in exercising your brain, so go slow with that technique at first.
15. Melville GW, Chang D, Colagiuri B, Marshall PW, Cheema BC. Fifteen minutes of chair-based yoga postures or guided meditation performed in the office can elicit a relaxation response. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2012 June 27]; Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265094/?tool=pubmed. doi:10.1155/2012/501986.
When stress attacks, it can feel like your whole world is crashing down. Remind yourself what's good in your life with a quick gratitude round-up. "Studies show gratitude techniques like counting your blessings can be a significant stress reducer," Dr. Serani says. "Gratitude research reports that those who utilize daily gratitude reflections have higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism, and lower levels of depression and stress." Reminding yourself of the good things in life can put stress in perspective. "Studies show that cultivating an optimistic mindset can help you maintain a positive mood," Whitaker says. "When you are positive and grateful, you are able to handle difficult situations better." Just look out for these stress relievers that actually backfire.
Any other things help you relieve stress? "Yoga is something I always return to. I find there is something about just reconnecting to my breath and surveying my body that allows me to be very honest about how well I am managing to maintain a sense of peace regardless of the chaos around me. On a daily basis, I find cooking to be a wonderful, sensory-rich, hands-on way to unwind from a busy day."
Binaural beats are dual tones, each one slightly different from the other. You hear one tone in each ear and your brain responds by creating a tone to reconcile the difference between the two. Isochronic tones are single tones. The variation in pattern here is brought in by interspersing silence between the sound, which means that your isochronic tone does not have a continuous sound but tones broken up by silences. Studies show that isochronic tones have far more contrast than binaural beats because of the silence and sound pattern. This sharp contrast evokes a faster impact from your brain, prompting it to match the frequency more quickly. Also, isochronic tones are found to be stronger stimulants to the brain.
a past history of trauma. When faced with stressful situations, you may find yourself totally stuck and unable to take action. Your challenge is to break free of your "frozen" state by rebooting your nervous system and reactivating the body's natural "fight-or-flight" stress response. Physical movement that engages both your arms and legs, such as walking, swimming, running, dancing, climbing, or tai chi, can be particularly helpful. As you move, focus on your body and the sensations you feel in your limbs rather than on your thoughts. This mindfulness element can help your nervous system become "unstuck" and move on.
I was failing to achieve deep physical relaxation and looking for ways to shift my consciousness. After trying out many 'solutions' - including some truly bizarre ones - I decided to stop for a while and take a break before my next attempts at astral projection. That's when I was recommended X. I must say it has been instrumental in helping me enter the state of relaxation and vibration necessary to a satisfactory OBE.
Other than that the experience of those brainwave states is no different. Once we achieve a particular brainwave state using entrainment there is one significant difference to the experience and that is that we are usually still at a high level of consciousness. We're not (hopefully) zoned out as we are when daydreaming or unconscious as we are when we're sleeping. We maintain awareness and therefore we get to consciously experience what those brainwave states feel like in some detail.
Literally embrace whatever it is you're going through and then let it go. Try doing a tai chi exercise known as "embracing the tiger," where you take your arms, spread them wide, put your hands together and then draw them—and everything around you—toward your navel, the center of your being. Doing this allows you to take the good with the bad. Then reverse your hands and push them out, releasing your tension. When you can control stress, it can no longer control you. (Follow it with this progressive muscle relaxation technique to reduce stress.)
Infra-Low brainwaves (also known as Slow Cortical Potentials), are thought to be the basic cortical rythms that underlie our higher brain functions. Very little is known about infra-low brainwaves. Their slow nature make them difficult to detect and accurately measure, so few studies have been done. They appear to take a major role in brain timing and network function.
But the question is: Does it have a special effect on the brain? A lot of people think so. The basic claim being made for binaural beats is "resonant entrainment". Entrainment, in physics, is when two systems which oscillate at different frequencies independently are brought together, they synchronize with one another, at whatever the combined system's resonant frequency is. Examples of entrainment occur in animals in nature; for example the chirping of crickets or the croaking of frogs. Synchronization of menstrual cycles in women is another example. Even people coming together and dancing with one another is a type of entrainment. The basic claim for binaural beats is that the perceived low-frequency beat will entrain your brain wave pattern, thus forcing your brain into some desired state.
Hi Et, In all the feedback and studies I've read and looked into over the years, I've seen lots of feedback from people talking about how they don't like the sound of the tones, or they find them irritating in some way. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any particular reason why one person likes it and the next doesn't. It's a bit like normal music, one person's sweet symphony is another person pneumatic drill. It's common for people to find it weird and maybe annoying at first, which is how I felt in the beginning. But usually after a few listens you can start to get used to it and appreciate the sound, and especially the feeling it gives you. Personally, I think it can help if you try to embrace the sound, psychologically speaking beforehand. It can also help to have the sound playing at a very low volume, to begin with, then building it up as you get more used to it.
Brainwave entrainment also happens with the use of pulsating light, and visual and auditory stimuli are sometimes combined for additional effect and visual stimuli is used alone. Using brainwave entrainment techniques is safe for almost everyone, the exception being pregnant women and people who have seizure disorders who should check with their physician before using these methods.
In 1973, biophysicist Dr. Gerald Oster published a famous article in Scientific American titled "Auditory Beats in the Brain", which found that when two pure tones of varying frequencies were combined, a third rhythmic beat was created which he called binaural or monaural beats. According to Oster, monaural beats occur when two tones are combined and sent through a loudspeaker, while binaural beats occur when stereo headphones are used to deliver each tone separately to each ear. Oster concluded that monaural beats were a more effective form of brainwave entrainment.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Choir - Artifact (pre-Raspberries group)
Friday, February 16, 2018
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Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) has resolved to reaffirm and uphold the December 18, 2007 Tuensang res..
Monthly departmental coordination meeting of Bhandari sub-division was held at the conference hall of ADC, Bhandari on Jun..
Koinonia Prayer Centre (KPC) held its monthly revival programme from June 7 to 9 at Tsiese Basa, Kohima under the theme, &..
Felicitation programme for HSLC toppers was organized by DPDB Kiphire and SDPDB Tseminyu on June 12 and 11 respectively.
Two-day, community sensitisation programme on harmful effects of plastic use and training on paper bag making organized by..
Nagaland Government Registered Class-1 Contractors' Union (NGRC-1 CU) has informed all government contractors to app..
District Mission Authority (SSA) Kiphire organized a block level sensitization on Community Mobilization Training (CMT) at..
Nagaland Forest Department (NFD) organized an awareness campaign at Community Hall, Noksen village, Tuensang, on June 12, ..
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Under the theme, "Lets save our earth from plastic pollution", the district administration Sanis town organise..
Training on routine immunization handbook for medical officers and health workers and district workshop on Rota Virus Immu..
Department of Agriculture, Niuland distributed farm machineries (paddy thresher and power tiller) under Sub-Mission on Agr..
Launched on December 3,1990. Nagaland Post is the first and highest circulated newspaper of Nagaland state. Nagaland Post is also the first newspaper in Nagaland to be published in multi-colour.
One gift some dads may want for Father's Day: not being judged for their parenting style.


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"The Sarwar Team" Testimonial - Sarah Wilson - May 2019
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United Way of the Capital Region
In September 2017, United Way of the Capital Region and our community partners launched Ready for School, Ready to Succeed, a pilot project to prepare children academically and socially for kindergarten. Our long-term goal is to improve reading proficiency by third grade. Meet Levi and see how this program is already having a real impact in our community.


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Carlos Fuentes Macías About this sound audio (help·info) (November 11, – May 15, ) was a Mexican novelist and essayist. Among his works are The. 11 May Carlos Fuentes, (born November 11, , Panama City, Panama—died May 15, , Mexico City, Mexico), Mexican novelist, short-story. 15 May Carlos Fuentes, Mexico's elegant public intellectual and grand man of letters, whose panoramic novels captured the complicated essence of.
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Carlos Fuentes, Writer: Pedro Páramo. Carlos Fuentes was born on November 11, in Panama City, Panama. He was a writer and director, known for Pedro . 19 May Carlos Fuentes, man of letters, died on May 15th, aged 18 Apr For 50 years, Carlos Fuentes was one of the leading literary and political figures of the Spanish-speaking world. A giant of Latin America's. Carlos Fuentes, Mexico's former ambassador to France and famed novelist, short story writer, and essayist, spent the academic year teaching at.


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E-Werk, Cologne, Germany
24th February 2015
Simple Minds
On short notice the venue where the show should take place was changed. Instead of the Palladium the concert happened in the location vis- à- vis – the E-Werk with a capacity of 2,000 people. With the new album 'Big Music', the 80s heroes were touring again and fans celebrated their show in Cologne.
At the end of 1977 Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill founded SIMPLE MINDS right after they disbanded their former Punk band JONNY AND THE SELF ABUSERS. The lyrics of DAVID BOWIE's 'Jean Genie' were the inspiration for the band's name. Of course it is hard to give only a short overview about a band's history that spans a musical career of more than 30 years. Up to now they have released 16 studio albums, 9 compilations (if you count 'Themes' 1- 4 as one), a live album and 35 singles/ EPs. Many singles entered the charts in the UK, Europe and the US and thus it is surely one of the most successful Scottish bands. Furthermore SIMPLE MINDS is renowned for being an amazing live band, and it is one of the most busily worldwide touring bands for sure, performing in usually sold out venues.
Naming ROXY MUSIC, DAVID BOWIE, LOU REED, or German Electronic bands like NEU!, KRAFTWERK, as well as the British Industrial Funk band CABARET VOLTAIRE as inspiration, it created its own style of Electronic/ Trance/ Rock/ Pop sound. SIMPLE MINDS is also known for its social engagement with its appearance at the Live Aid concert in 1985 and performing in 1988 amongst many other bands and musicians to celebrate the 70th birthday of Nelson Mandela and speaking out against the Apartheid system. The distinctive vocals of the front man Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill's guitar sound, Mel Gaynor's drum play, as well as the quite typical bass guitar sound, now played by Ged Grimes, makes SIMPLE MINDS so unique. Of course the band had its ups and downs with some changes of band members as well, but it made it to survive as band that still enjoys performing. The line- up is: Jim Kerr (vocals), Charlie Burchill (guitar), Mel Gaynor (drums), Andy Gillespie (keyboards), Ged Grimes (bass and backing vocals) and for the live shows Sarah Brown (backing vocals and tambourine). The actual album 'Big music' was launched in October 2014. http://www.simpleminds.com / https://www.facebook.com/simpleminds
Music & Performance
Like last year, there was no supporting act as once again the setlist was quite long with a break of 15 minutes in between. Therefore we were entertained with some music from the 80's. Right in time at eight, the guys appeared on stage and took their positions. This time they brought an extra support on stage: Catherine AD who played keyboard, guitar and did also the backing vocals. She also worked on the current album with the guys but has her own musical career. Just check her out at Facebook HERE. Jim looked handsome as always, dressed in black with a long jacket and a pink shawl. Always dancing, walking from one side of the stage to the other, waving to the audience, smiling and giving here and there a fan a wink while singing. Surely he is a kind of stage hog but in such an endearing way – not in a self-regarding manner but more like a perfect humble gentleman. In between the songs he introduced the other band members who then had the chance to perform a little solo. Jim himself showed up with a good vocal performance. But I dearly missed Sarah Brown as I was very fond of her voice when I heard her singing last year for the first time. So I just wondered if she was ill.
Anyway I was very pleased to hear that the setlist was so different to the one of last year. Also there were two songs of the very early days - 'Real life' and 'I travel' in the first part - which made me quite happy, though I noticed that some people looked at me bewildered while I was partying hard to these songs. Apparently some discovered the band later when they became more mainstream although most of the audience were at my age or older. But of course there were some younger fans, too. Jim wanted to hold a little speech but was interrupted by an enthusiastic fan shouting on top of his lungs "Simple Minds, Simple Minds, Simple Minds!". But Jim told him to calm down as this will be a long show and he won't last. Apart from the excellent mixture of songs of different decades the guys had another surprise in store with an acoustic performance of 'American/ Home' with Charlie, Ged and Katherine AD at their acoustic guitars. Goose bumps moments guaranteed. Everyone was singing along. Just wow! Some sparklers would have rounded up the atmosphere at this moment. Catherine had her solo part as well when she sang 'Dolphins' and played the keyboard while the guys left the stage only to return for the second half of this song and piece by piece setting in. The song was a bit contemplative and as to start the party again 'Waterfront' followed and then 'Don't you'.
Well actually the latter is definitely not a song I appreciate much but when you hear everyone singing to it, Jim turning the microphone to the audience, I just couldn't help and thus I found myself singing this song as well. Then all left the stage for the break. After 15 minutes finally the gorgeous Sarah Brown entered the stage singing a medley of 'Book of brilliant things' and 'East at Easter'. On this night she wore a fab bronze metallic shimmering dress and her "lion's mane" seems to stress her powerful voice. Then Jim, having changed his black jacket with a tartan pattern one, and the guys re-entered the stage and the second part of the show went on which contained also a fantastic mixture of old and new songs – lots of songs to sing along to of course. 'Sanctify' was the last song, but already when the band started to leave the stage, the audience shouted for an encore and got one including an excellent interpretation of THE DOORS' song 'Riders on the storm' including a keyboard solo of Andy in the style of THE DOORS. And then a diverting - despite the long setlist - evening ended.
01. Intro /Let the day begin (THE CALL cover)
02. Blindfolded
03. Stars will lead the way
04. New gold dream (81-82-83-84)
05. American – Home medley (acoustic)
06. Real life
07. Honest town
08. I travel
09. Rivers of ice
10. Dolphins
11. Waterfront
12. Don't you
--- 15 Minutes break ---
13. Intro / Book of brilliant things / East at Easter medley
14. Once upon a time
15. All the things she said
16. Let there be love
17. Let it all come down
18. Someone somewhere in summertime
19. Midnight walking
20. Big music
21. Sanctify
22. Spirited away
23. Riders on the storm (THE DOORS cover)
24. Alive and kicking
Music: 10
Performance: 10
Sound: 9
Light: 10
Total: 9.8 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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Live Review: Simple Minds - Cologne 2015
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