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Letter from a reader@Mr. Robert Lucchesi |
I always knew coming to Japan to study Japanese fulltime was neve  r going
to be easy. However, this is the decision I made late last year when I
enquired about studying at Ibaraki International Language Institute in Higashinamekawa, Hitachi City.I previously lived in Mito City for around 14 months from 2003 to 2004 training in Martial Arts and teaching English. It was during that time when I decided to fulfill a long- term ambition of mine and return back to Japan to study the language seriously. My sole purpose was to improve my Japanese Language skills and develop oral fluency. I felt that this would be a stepping-stone in obtaining employment in the Japanese Liquor Industry, through the skills I acquired from the language school. Having spent approximately 12 years working in the Liquor Retail Industry in Australia, 8 years of which I worked as a Liquor Store Owner and Manager, I now wanted to try my luck in Japan. I could see a huge potential for Marketing Australian wine here. You could say, it was my glove of wineh and glove and fascination of Japanese cultureh that brought me back to study the language. Sure, therefs always the possibility of eventually gaining employment as an English Instructor, whether it is teaching at kindergartens, teaching Business English or working as an Assistant Language Teacher. However, I wanted to do something different. After returning to Japan in April this year and moving to Juo Town with my partner Miyuki (who incidentally works as Mid-wife) it did not take me long to realize that finding part-time or casual employment as an English Teacher was not going to be easy task. Whilst doing some shopping in Hitachi City around the defunct Isejin Department store, we stumbled upon a Bread shop advertising positions for a esoon-to-openf Wine Bar upstairs. I felt that, with my limited Japanese and vast experience in the Liquor Industry, perhaps it wouldnft hurt applying. I had nothing to lose. We contacted the Pastoria bread shop owner, Mr. Kazutoshi Shouji for an interview. The scheduled interview turned out to be a total success. We ghit it offhquite well and he wanted to employ me as soon as possible for pre-opening training. That was back in April 20th, 2005 and Ifve been working there part-time ever since. The Wine Bar, La Soie (French for silk), is opened Tuesdays to Sundays from 6:00pm to 12:00am. There is an a la carte menu specializing in French/Fusion cooking with a smattering of Italian. The wine menu truly compliments the dishes on offer.  Wines (by the glass) start at around 700 and a good bottle of French red
from either eg.Bordeaux or Madiran in South West France will set you back
around 3,000. There is a great selection of French, German, Italian,
Spanish and Australian wines available. There is also a enamaf beer for
500 to start proceedings if you wish. I recommend trying one of the
Sparkling wines as an aperitif prior to ordering a meal. Therefs also fine
French and Italian, wine-based spirits to have after meals to. Other new and innovative services that La Soie have started to provide are the; gWine and Cheese Marriage Seminarh on premise, eShucchof Service- where you actually get to have a Sommelier visit you for the night and provide you with a selection of wines, tasting notes and advice on food matching. This service is ideal for self-starters, novices and Wine appreciators. Therefs also a special ladies set from Mondays to Fridays (heijitsu) with the opportunity of choosing, one of the white wines and two of the red wines on offer including ehors dfoeu-vref for only 1,900. Bread Maker/Pastry cook of Pastoria and Wine Sommelier of La Soie, Mr Souji is always attentive to recommend a suitable wine to match with the dish chosen by the customer. In most cases though, the customer chooses a wine prior to ordering a meal. Wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, Rhone and Chianti have proven very popular. |
| Soujisan has had an interesting past, spending 25 years as a
Pastry cook in Hitachi and a short spell in Germany and France studying
the trade seriously and diligently. His passion for wine, which developed
out of his love for bread and cheese, drew him to studying the Wine
Sommelierfs course in Mito City. As there are no other wine Bars in
Hitachi City specializing solely in wine, La Soie offers a unique, first
class culinary experience. It has been Soujisanfs professionalism that has inspired me to commence the Wine Sommelierfs course next year and remain in the Industry for years to come. In the meantime, I need to concentrate on my studies and learn as many kanji characters as I possibly can. Very few Gaikokujin have ever completed or even commenced the course so I know Ifm gin for a rideh! My other short-term goal is to get married. I have met and been associated with many wonderful Japanese people here in Ibaraki and have thoroughly enjoyed my life here in this intriguing and interesting country. I have made many friends over the past six months and hope to make many more on both a personal and a professional level in future. @The Wine bar is a popular haven for Engineers (I have in my possession many business cards to prove this); Mature couples celebrating a special event and the groups of working ladiesf and young professionals with one thing in common, gA love of good wine.h Strangely enough, I have not met a many foreigners but am hoping this will no doubt change in the not-to-distant future. Positive comments I receive from my Engineer friends in particular, is the fact they are able to practice English with me whist enjoying the savory delights with wine. Itfs almost like an English conversation lesson and gastronomic adventure all in one! In turn, I get a chance to talk with them in Japanese and learn more Ibaraki-ben and hear more eOyaji gyagu(gag)f too. |
| Address of La Soie: 10-25 1chome Kamine-cho, Hitachi 317-0064 Tel. 0294-21-5876 |