dornachu

Are you looking for a specific kind of food? ←

I'm going to tokyo the end of novemeber, wondering where these "street vendors" are? Thanks!!!

I'm dying to try le souffle. You mentioned that there are other branches with more flavor, do you know where they are? i try goggling with no luck. Thanks!

[ So, back to food. I reckon the simple stuff could be really delicious, no? Refills for rice is a very handy thing to learn to ask for. Which is the word for rice in that sentence, out of curiosity? Gohan is rice. How can you tell, from looking at it, whether a place is serving up good, honest, tasty food? (Apart from that fact that it's full of locals!) I was in Tokyo last year, and i've yet go to a restaurant where there are alot of foreigneers, some of the Ramen places are very cheap, i ate at this yummy place in shinjuku. I also had a yakitori meal for quite cheap. And do the Japanese eat at a very specific time in the evenings? (I guess that depends on whether you're in the country or a city?) Not that i know of in Tokyo, however, it can get very busy so eitehr go early or late. I'd like to also visit the Tsukiji fish market while I'm in Tokyo - I've also heard that there are great 'hole in the wall' type stands cooking up maybe a big bowl of soup or noodles which sounds great. I've seen many of those, and those noodles sure look yummy. They also have these egg thingy (tomago something) that is piping hot, and it's absolutely delicious!! Also: Is 'arigato' ok in most situations for thank you? And is there a good word/phrase for 'excuse me' in the sense of "I'm sorry I knocked over your bowl of soup" and also in the sense of "can I get past so that I can take a closer look at that amazing stew thing?". Sumimasen Oh, I can't wait!! ←

I wasn't even having any wine, had I known that there would be plain rice (actually rice with barley) and miso soup, I really would prefer to have it with my meal...it will be so good with that beef/potato dish!!

I agree with you. Based on price, def not. But the food really isn't quite izakaya either... strange... Nonetheless, this is an awesoem restaurant!!

In particular, scroll down to the last post. I'm not particularly paranoid, but I also think restaurants make more money by filling you up before you get to the rice. ← Hhahah, i agree with you in most cases. But this place is $25 for that meal, it's prix fix, so i dont think they care about that. The question is, does this sound more like izakaya or kaiseki?? to me it's kaiseki, but onthe web alot o fppl call it izakaya....

I went to a little Japanese restaurant in LA called Wakasan, it's a cute little place! On some discussion group, they said it's a izakaya place, but I am not sure. It's not very noisy (but not all izakaya are noisy filled with salary man anyways). It's Omakase, and they served about 10-12 dishes, including some pickeled vegetables, sprouts, etc, grilled fish, sashimi, ankimo (yum), that beef and potato dish, tempura, etc then after i'm about to burst (too full!!), they said something to me in Japanese where I can only catch the word gohan and miso. And then she brought out this big bowl of rice with barley, huge miso soup with fish, and veg in it, and chawanmushi!!! Is it typical to serve gohan at the end? I'm confused because I don't understand how i am suppose to eat this plain rice when my food was all gone!! just curious!!

I can't believe Sawa is actually just sours!!! How weird is that?? They don't taste the same in the states though.... I thought it was fruit juice mixed with shoujou... anyhow... I am very jeolous of the yuzu fanta!!!!! What's the diff between Shu Hi and Sawa then?

Yeah, that's a great idea. I've seen that copy in my library. I will get it and bring it over.

Thank you so much!!! I just went to a wonderful sushi place in SF, and the owner and waitress are all japanese!! I get to practice my japanese, and the good thing is if i don't understand, i can ask.!! I had a fish called pincho (spelling) that was very good, do you know what that is?

Torakris-san, Yep, this is it!! I enjoyed it although selection is prob limited.And yes, one must finish at least 7 plates and finish by 30 min. I was by myself last time, so that was easy. Do you have any other good sushi place that won't burn a hole in my wallet that you recommend? I prefer to be at either Odaiba (i'll be visiting here!! and get some hot spring soak!), shinjuku, shibuya, or neighborhood of Roppongi hills (where i stay). Thanks!!! I can read a little bit, mostly recognizing the Kanji because I can read chinese. But I'm determined to learn the fish names that I like, and use them in Tokyo. I know enough phrases to get by, like please , thank you, where is, how much is that, etc.

Sorry, it's actually in Shibuya. I can't type the words out from this computer, but the numbers are 24-8 I'll be there late november, what kind of fish is in season? I don't know if it's a norm (not here in the states), i actually order from the chef alot, i copied what my neighbors do "Umi o kudasai" eheheh... but i wonder what other type that I can try to order and they won't give me a dirty look because it's very expensive and not suppose to find in a kaitenzushi... Thanks!

Hi all- I had a wonderful time when i went to this Kaitenzushi in Shinjubu where everything is 105 yen per plate. 築地本店 However, my japanese is quite limited, I wonder if they have some rarer types of sushi that I can't get in the states? its difficult for me to ask them, and even if i manage to ask the question, i don't usually understand what the answer is.. Anyone been there, and what are some special sushi that you had?? Thanks! Dorna

For most purposes just a sumimasen will suffice. here is a chart that shows the different ways to apologize/interupt with different degrees of formality... ← Jo dan ja nai wa yo!!!! (this is the first phrase of jap i learnt, ehhe) You have that many levels of formality to apologize?? Amazing!! Thanks!!!

When you interupt someone, is it "sumimasen, chotto" or Chotto, sumimasen? Thanks

What other must have items that's non-perishable that i should bring back to the states? Recommendations, anyone?

Does this come in a bag so that I can take home to the states?

Thank you so much!! I learned so much here!!

Another thing that puzzles me: Goodbye- I watch alot of japanese dramas, and I hear them say "Ja-na" spelling? IS that a casaual way of saying good bye? When they use "sayonara", it is usually like that girl doesn't want to ever see a guy again, or they are not gonna see each other for a LONG time.. is this correct? Thanks again!

I think you are thinking of domo rather than dozo. You could use domo but I personally would stick with arigatou. Domo just sounds a bit curt to me, especially coming from a woman.. oops, i meant domo,. is it blunt? I should stick with arigatou? Thanks,

Wo is pronounced as "o"??? Thank you so much for telling me!!! Otherwise, i'll be running around saying Uni WO kudasai...

What an interesting thread!!! I reaad the whole thing and i have a few questions , hope you don't mind. I never took japanese before, i learned to get by when I travel to Japan via those phrase books.. 1. When i order sushi, i used to only say e.g Hamachi kudasai, but i was reading the first few post, and i have to add the honorable word "wo"? I am only familiar with "wa", when do i use wa and wo? 2. Usually when i go to a restaraunt, i have no idea what they are saying at first, i just tell them how many people just to be safe. What are some of the common things they say? 3. How do you say hot tea pls? is ocha kudasai understood that it's hot? 4. when someone brings something over, and u want to thank him or her, can i say dozo instead of arigato? Thanks!! dorna

Hi all, I want to try Imaiya, but are there cooked food there? How come you guys can eat raw chicken in Japan? In the US, it'slike a big no no!!! I am a little chicken about raw chicken. ehehehe Anyways, I am not looking for any upscale restaurant, I actually prefer where the locals go (not expense a/c kind of deal, love hole in the wall places). I went to one in 麻 布十番, and it was absolutely the best, lots of man went there after work, it was noisy, smokey, love it. Wondering if there are other ones that I may be able to try. Also, i'm debatingwhether to have a Kani meal (is that chainwith a big crab decent? ) or have any other type of hot pot, cook at your table kind of meal. Is it special enough to have? I already tried fugu (yum and fun), whale (didn't like it at all), soba, ramen, yakitori, Ume no hana, okonomiyaki, any suggestions? Looking for japanese food, not interested in others.. Thanks!!

Hi all- I am so in love with Japan and I'm going back for a few days. I had an amazing yakitori near Roppongi, i forget the area, but it has 4 kanji and it's within walking distance of Roppongi Hills , near Grand Hyatt. I want to try something diff, but still like Yakitori, where would you recommend? I will be staying at the GH again, so anywhere near a train station, not too far would be great!! Thanks!! F