2015-04-15: Horsies & Burgers

We have lovely weather and no activities planned but we have bikes. We could try all the best burgers in Nagoya! Then go ride some horsies.

Food & Beverage Review: Layers Burgers

http://www.layers7.com/
Map Ref

Might be just me but I almost missed the place

Our pointing skills are usually pretty good but here they failed us and we got three burgers instead of the two we wanted. I would like to claim it is deliberate because I want all the tasty burgers but it is just another inadvertent spreading chaos where-ever I go technique. I think this one is my habit of saying a word, e.g. Avocado and pointing at what looks like an avocado burger but is actually something else. It does mean I get to try more things though so I probably won't change.

Kind of a beach shack vibe

Bacon & Cheese: Really good, juicy, lots of lettuce and tomato, not too much cheese. Definitely in the "burger that has cheese" school rather than "cheese that happens to have some bread and meat near it"

Tall burger

Blue Cheese: Good but the blue cheese was of the vegemite strong single flavour type and I prefer blue cheeses that have more going for them.
Avocado & Cheese: Really good as well. Maybe a bit too creamy. I think the bacon should have been in this one and in future will ask for that to bring a bit of salt into it.
All burgers come with onion rings and chips. Chips are good, Ewa says almost as good as mine.

Deceptively small looking

Onion rings are some of the best I have had. I think the Japanese have access to good sweet onions which I never found in Australia. But they are made well too, not super oily and also not too many, usually onion rings leave me feeling remorseful after eating them. These and I still felt like a somewhat acceptable member of the human race. So, bonus!

Buns Are Toasted. I can't believe how many people forget this vital aspect.

The BBQ balcony was closed. I am okay with this as it is fairly unpredictable weather at the moment.
Apparently the owner spent a lot of time in Australia and this might be why he uses Aussie beef mixed with Japanese. Damn good mix too. I think the patty is the best I have had since we started this trip. This does make me suspect that the BBQ mentioned in the BBQ Balcony might be an Australian BBQ and not slow smoked meat. If it was southern US style barbecue I would have to investigate obtaining membership to the secret club that doubtless exists for it.

Rating: 8/10 (+1 if the balcony had been open, if I see the balcony open I will stop whatever I am doing and revisit)

Easier to find than the burger place

To The Horsies! It is only a 10km bike ride to the Horsies but as we are riding on the footpath it took some time. I think the rules for riding on the road are the same as for riding on the footpath, you don't see many helmets or anything. But the road does seem more for bikes going fast, the foot path is for bikes moving quicker than walking steered one handed while an umbrella or phone is in the other hand. I am not sure what the rules are, sometimes pedestrians seem to deliberately stand in groups blocking you and sometimes people on bikes fly round blind corners and pedestrians scurry.

Japan is either FLAT or MOUNTAINOUS. Nagoya seems to be flatter than Białystok.

Activity Review: All The Best Burgers in Nagoya

We have eaten at Layers and despite the apparently small size of the burgers we are not eating any more burgers today. All things being equal they would probably be disappointing after Layers anyway.

Rating: 2/10 (Even by our standards this is pretty lacklustre dedication to duty)

Just Strollin'

The Horsies place (ARC - www.arc-jpn.com) apparently does a lot of work with disabled kids. The disabled kids, I assume, have a great time riding the horses and mostly do it on the lunge or with a guy leading the horse. For obvious reasons they aren't doing jumps or dressage. Based on the kid that was there before us they really get a kick out of it. The coaches look happy too. Bloody do gooders.

The Little Pony went Crazy though

I am sure this is why the horsie and I had a 5 minute discussion regarding exactly who was in charge of deciding where we would go and how fast. Once we had sorted out the dynamic of our relationship he realised he was allowed to go fast. He likes going fast and conveniently forgot who was in charge of the choices. That was okay, I like going fast too.

Cultural Observation: Joining The Team

Almost everything here looks to have a joining fee. Often one that looks ludicrous to an outsider. To join the boxing gym cost the same as 3 months membership did. Even apartment renting typically has key money. Which seems to be a month or two rent to show you are dedicated to the team of the apartment (in theory you get this back like a bond in Australia but I am told in practice don't even consider it).

I would join his team

The horsies is either $60/30 minutes or you can join for $1200 and then the lessons are about $20/30 minutes. Obviously if you join and ride a couple hours a week for a year it is half the price to join up.

Rating: 5/10 (I still don't know if the membership continues while we are away but that would make it 6 if so)

Lady Bike Makes It Up The Climb

Other competitors were not so strong