smallworld

Ummm, tonkatsu... That looks about right, Marlene! In Japan in would be sliced up to make it easy to serve with chopsticks, and would have very thinly threaded cabbage on the side (the Japanese version of saurkraut). Now I'm seriously craving tonkatsu!

Melonpan, you are not too americanised. You are right- those noodles should be fairly firm. Restaurants who serve them soft just aren't doing it right. You should definitely try sanuki udon, and also when cooking other Japanese noodles ignore the instructions, test often, and drain them when they're still a little too hard. I think "firm" or "firm texture" works fine. But specificly for pasta and noodles, "al dente" is better.

Thank you for the excellent report and pictures. And very sorry to have flaked out on you like that. Did you get the imression that the food stalls (the ones obviously connect to the stores, at least) were set up to show off the equipment? Or just a money maker, or to add to the festival feeling?

Sushi robots? I've never heard of that, and it sounds awful. Come to think of it, the worst kaiten-zushi shop I have been to had the sushi mysteriously coming down the conveyor belt from the back kitchen (rather than being made, as is the norm, behind the counter by chefs, in full view of the customer). The place was just terrible in a number of ways, and I wouldn't be surprised if the back kitchen was full of sushi robots.

I can't stand traditional snobby sushi shops. My husband has been yelled at in one of these places, and the only time I've been to one the chef was extremely condescending to me. He seemed convinced that I'd be better off at McDonalds. However, there are a lot of bad kaiten-zushi places too. Of the dozens I've been to, there are only about three I'd go back to. I prefer the middle ground- neighborhood sushi shops that serve good sushi, minus inflated prices, snobbery, and conveyor belts. I'm lucky to have a great place nearby (already introduced it in another thread), and I also like the shops around Tsukiji. As for the lingo, I do avoid terms like "murasaki" and "gari", as they sound rather pretentious. But I see nothing wrong with "shari" and "neta". How can you avoid them, other than not talking (which is not an option at our local sushi shop, whose chef's only fault is his non-stop chatter)? Are there other Japanese words for "sushi rice" and "sushi topping"?

Jika could be better translated as "market price". Yes, it's common in other countries too. It makes a lot of sense, and I don't mind it at all (not that I eat at that kind of place all the time though). After all, the price of wild food changes much more than farmed food. Places with fixed prices don't neccessarily offer better value, they could be making a huge profit. They are also more likely to used farmed seafood.

Hiroyuki- please don't take my dislike of Renoir personally. I think people go to coffee shops for different reasons. To me, the coffee has to taste good and be reasonably priced. That's the most important thing. A nice atmosphere and good service are important too, but if the coffee's bad or overpriced, I won't be back. So can I assume that for you, atmosphere is more important? Also, I wonder if the Renoirs in Tokyo or other big cities are different from the ones found in smaller towns (assuming they can be found in smaller towns)? Maybe the Renoirs in Tokyo only look old and shabby in comparison, since Tokyo abounds with coffee shops?

So they've finally decided to export this show. Hope it does well. I like Dotchi a lot, and watch it most weeks. Sometimes they seem to run out of ideas and choose really lame food, or food that isn't fairly matched. I wonder if all shows will be exported, or just the good ones?

Just finished our Okonimiyaki Day. My husband, from Osaka, fancies himself an okonomiyaki expert, so he did all of the actual cooking. We did four kinds, but were full by the third, so we'll be brunching on okonomiyaki tomorrow. This is not a problem. Here are the ingredients: We made a basic kiji (batter) of flour, baking powder, egg, sakura-ebi (tiny dried pink shrimp), dashi powder, grated yama-imo (mountain yam), and water. For each okonomiyaki, we'd mix this kiji with finely sliced cabbage and whatever extras we felt like, including beni-shoga (red pickled ginger), cheese, chopped kimchi, age-dama (little deep-fried balls of tempura batter), and chopped negi (green onion). The batter is then cooked with pork, and for the modan-yaki, yaki-soba noodles; then the okonomiyaki is topped with whatever seasonings we feel like: okonomiyaki sauce, soy sauce, katsuo-bushi (bonito flakes), and more chopped negi. We usually also use ao-nori (seaweed flakes) but we forgot to buy it. Mayonnaise is banned in this house. First up is kimchi-cheese okonomiyaki. This was hands-down the best okonomiyaki of the day. I think the cheese we used was key- we used an aged New Zealand Cheddar, which really stood up to the kimchi. I think regular Japanese grated cheese would have been underwhelming. This okonomiyaki had such a strong flavour that we didn't need to add any sauce- just a splash of soy sauce and a sprinkly of katsuo-bushi. This will become a regular item on our okonomiyaki menu. Next, modan-yaki: This is a regular okonomiyaki topped with plain yaki-soba noodles. Topped with lots of the usual sauce and katsuo-bushi. Here it is ready to go: Next, tompei-yaki, an item only found in a few down-market Osaka okonomiyaki houses. Very very simple- just a flour and water batter pancake, fried egg and pork , cooked seperately and then stacked into one. Topped with sauce, negi and katsuo-bushi. The last two were regular okonomiyaki with age-dama, beni-shouga and pork: A bit burnt, but we weren't really paying attention. These are just for leftovers.

Renoir-never found it that relaxing. Maybe because with the arrival of all the new coffee chains in the last decade they've just given up. Every one I've every been to has been old and on the shabby side- I guess there's no point in renovating since they can't possibly compete with the other chains, and their little niche audience will keep coming. Or maybe I didn't find it relaxing because of the seats (I can't believe you find them comfortable, Hiroyuki). They are so squishy and so low to the ground, staying balanced is a real challange. If I sit straight, my knees almost hit my chin, so I have to sit sideways, but with my legs open for balance. Not fun in a skirt. Perhaps this is why you don't see many women at Renoir. I used to teach private students at a number of Renoirs, and other than the smoke it's a good place for teaching. Quiet, good service. And yes, tea always comes when you finish your coffee. Do you think Renoir will stick around for much longer?

There is a kissaten near us that we go to a few times a month. The coffee is pretty good, but it's expensive. And despite the fact that we've been frequenting the place for over five years, we have never been acknowledged as regular customers. I don't expect all the staff to shout "Maido" when we enter, but it would be nice if the 'master', who is always there, would at least give us a nod of recognition. So the only reason we go to this place is because out here in suburbia, there is no choice. I'm really not crazy about kissaten in general, for a number of reasons: - Too expensive. - Too smokey. - Some seem very cliquey and exclusive, and can give a very cold reception to people who just walk in. - A lot of them are really old. And in a grungy way, not a charming way. - If you stray from the house specialties, the drinks and coffee can be terrible. This last reason is the most important. If the shop has a small menu and makes it obvious what their specialty is, I can usually enjoy a good cup of coffee. But too often the menu is long, and in that case I somehow always order their worst drink. I'm a big fan of Italian-style coffee drinks like espresso, cappuccino etc, and when I first came to Japan I used to be fooled by kissaten who listed such drinks on their menu. Before I learned my lesson, I would go ahead and order a "cappuccino" or "espresso" and be served something entirely different. Once it tasted like one of those instant powders, another time it was simply a cafe au lait with whipped cream on top, another time it was a tiny cup of regular, but very strong, coffee. The worst was at a fancy kissaten that didn't include prices on the menu (should've known this was a bad sign). I ended up paying 1600yen for a "cappuccino" that was nothing more than tiny cup of weak cafe au lait. I eventually did learn my lesson, and began to make sure there was actually an espresso machine in view before I made my order. Even still, these places managed to screw up. The staff had no idea how to use the machines, and invariably the drinks were too cold, the milk was scalded, there was no foam, coffee grinds galore, too weak etc. So I was thrilled when the first Starbucks opened up in Tokyo (what, seven years ago?). You can say what you want about the quality of Starbuck's beans and drinks, but one thing they are good at is consistency. The staff are generally well-trained and know how to make a decent coffee. They may not make the best cappuccino in the world, but it's still a cappuccino. The non-smoking thing is great too, and I like that most Starbucks have outdoor seating. Starbucks has also had positive effects on other coffee shops- many places now have non-smoking sections, and most shops have either dropped the fake cappuccinos from the menu or learned to actually make them properly. There are other good chains and independant shops (I love Ben's Cafein Tokyo) in Japan. But Starbuck's reassuring uniformity, non-smoking policy, and outdoor seats keep me coming back.

Unfortunately, that's not true- "sulfite-free" wines are all the rage in Japan. The Japan Times carried this article last month, with a follow-up this month. I have a student who visits France frequently and swears the wine there is better than the French wine in Japan. This is because, she says, the wineries fill all their wines meant for export with preservatives, and keep the "natural" stuff for themselves. She says French wine in France is very "fresh". I assume many Japanese wine consumers have the same ideas as her. My hope is that the market will change to meet these mis-informed people, thus bringing down the price of the good stuff!

Dornachu, Frommers has a few ideas for you. The Grand Hyatt is in the new Roppongi Hills complex. Some good eating there, but the focus is on big-name celebrity chefs, with lots of international dining- probably not what you're after. The neighborhood is called Roppongi and is a good place to start- it's an entertainment district popular with foreigners, so many restaurants can provide some level of service in English. Two possibilities in Roppongi- Inaka-ya, serving robata-yaki (maybe this is what you mean by sumibi-yaki?) and Seryna, a shabu-shabu place. One branch in Roppongi specializes in crab shabu-shabu (Japanese beef also available), another specializes in Japanese beef (crab also available). Roppongi is also not very far from Tsukiji. The first train will be fine, I think you will miss the tuna auction though (I've actually never seen this and I'm not even sure if spectators are allowed anyway). Tsukiji is walking distance to Ginza, but the shops will likely still be closed when you're done with the fish market, so the nearby Hamarikyu Garden is a nice place to spend a few hours. Alternatively, if you find yourself in the Ginza area in the evening, you're in luck- just a short walk away in Yurakucho are dozens of yakitori bars nestled under the train tracks. An excellent Tokyo experience Shinjuku is another great place to stay- one of my favourite areas of Tokyo. What hotel? This would be the place to try your ramen. Can't really recommend a specific place, as there are so many- just pick one at random or ask a local (any suit-wearing middle aged businessman should be able to help).

Yeah, great topic! Like Kristin says, personal preference has a lot to do with it, so you'll have to try out several different recipes before you find one you like. This is one case in which you're far better off strictly following a recipe rather than improvising. The work has already been done for you, so no need to risk a failed experiment. Every once in a while there is a show on TV about karaage, with taste tests and sometimes scientific tests to determine which recipe is best in each category (crunchiest, juiciest, tastiest, best for bento etc). One of the TV shows Hiroyuki mentioned had a special a few years ago, and my recipe is based on that. I marinate in equal parts regular soy sauce and sake with ginger juice (you're right, juice is better than the stringy pulp), minced garlic and a little sesame oil. The coating is equal parts cornstarch and katakuri-ko, no egg. I also use the double-frying method. Some people do use mirin. It is often translated as 'sweet cooking sake'. 'Cooking sake' is something else. Kikkoman has several kinds of soy sauce, including light soy sauce. It's more correctly called 'light colour soy sauce', and is called 'usu-kuchi shouyu' in Japanese. Picture here: http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/products/lineup/11272.html

OK, so what do Australians call tomato sauce? Great blog, and sorry for the crab chip thing. Should have just assumed you were joking (what with the little pictures of crabs on the package and all) and kept my big mouth shut...

You were probably joking, but on the off chance you weren't let me point out that the chips on the left are, in fact, crab chips. "Of all the different chip flavourings to choose from" indeed! And it might be tempting to assume that, like kani-kama kamaboko, the crab flavour is fake, but I think the small print says they're made from real crab. Enjoying your blog very much, by the way!

Actually, I think pantries are not very common these days, at least in Canada. My family in Canada has one (actually, it was meant as a closet but my Mom converted it) and I always got the impression, based on visitors' reactions, that it was unusual. I really dislike the yukashita shuunou. Not only is it hard to get things in and out of, it's really dirty- dust and hairs from the floor fall down into storage space. And it makes sweeping hard, since you have to sweep carefully around it so as not to send more dirt down there. I want a pantry!

Thank you for the suggestions. Looking forward to the shoyu-zuke recipe and Kristin's blog. In the meantime I will be hiding the garlic from my husband...

This is late, but I wanted to thank Helen for the wonderful food blog. I also checked out Kristin's New Years food blog (I had missed it originally) and it was great! I learned a lot from both of these blogs. I immediately tried Helen's miso-pickled garlic and my husband has been most impatient to try it. Last night we finally opened it up for a taste. It's been less than a month and a half, so not surprisingly the garlic was still crisp with a sharp raw flavour. But it had turned a nice brown and was definately edible. And I would probably be great to cook with. The miso had already taken on a deep rich garlic flavour, and is ready to use. My husband insisted on using it for yaki-onigiri, so that's what we had for dinner last night. He loved it but as I had suspected it was just too garlicky. I didn't like it at all. Would be great as a marinade for meat though. I guess I'll have to wait a few more months for the garlic. It doesn't look like it will last long so I think I'll start some more now. Thanks Helen!

I've seen recipes that add a little white miso (less salt would be needed). Sounds good but I've yet to try it.

Is 'minced meat cutlet' too literal? I love these too, but only freshly made and piping hot. Once they're cooled down they're just lumps of greese. On a cold winter day there's nothing better than stopping by the local niku-ya-san on the way home for one of their menchi katsu. Keeps me warm and is so satisfying.

And not just kids. My husband and I are addicted to a new product called 'Otona no ramen', which is baby-star ramen for adults to eat as tsumami (a drinking snack). It comes in red pepper/soy sauce and salt/pepper flavours, both are good but salt and pepper is our favourite. Unfortunately, this snack has has become hard to find, meaning it wasn't such a big hit. Pretty soon it will disappear from the shelves... Click on the top left box of the Oyatsu Company page.

Don't even bother trying that Peanut Whip stuff- it's just as nasty as you imagine. My husband used to buy it before I found out what it was and outlawed it. I've since hooked him on real peanut butter, only to have our local import shop stop carrying it...

Well, I was exaggerating a bit before. I agree that ordering is definitely the way to go. It's just that I can only order what I know, thus my repertoire is very small. There is always some mystery item whizzing by that piques my interest- I'll grab it, eat it, and fall in love with it, all before thinking to ask the chef what it is. There really are amazing differences in quality between all the kaiten-zushi shops out there. There are a few ways to determine if a new place is good or not. Family-type places (with noisy games at each booth, lots of kiddy desserts on the belt, and weird kid-friendly sushi) are out. The places with no actual people visible (you order through an intercom)- forget it. Places boasting cheap prices- they're cheap for a reason. Once in the shop, order something already out on the conveyor belt. If the chef just grabs an old one rather than making it fresh, it's a bad place. If you see the chef slicing fish, that's good- many large chains pre-slice their fish in a central warehouse and send them out that way to the all the shops. Yuck. Soups or side dishes obviously made with fish by-products are good- another sign that the shop is not using pre-sliced fish. Then there are the little touches, that show the difference between a place out to earn big bucks by skimping on the extras and a place that cares about its customers. Do you get an actual oshibori, or an individually-wrapped wet-wipe, or does the place have one of those plastic tubs of wet-wipes? We've only been to a few places that had real oshibori, so it's not expected, but I will never go back to a place with a communal tub of wet-wipes. That's just nasty. I like the places with good-quality tea bags and real ceramic glasses. If you need to put two or three bags of tea in your cup before you can taste anything, they're using cheap crappy tea. Finally, my husband has a way to test if they use real ikura or not. He'll drop one in his tea, and depending on what happens (something to do with floating or not and a change of colour) he can tell if it's real or fake. Wish I could remember what it was... Thus, after sampling dozens of kaiten-zushi shops, we've found one good shop in Tokyo. Yup, just one. It is expensive by kaiten-zushi standards, but it's pretty good and is a short bike ride away. Oh yeah, I just have to ask- why was your aburi-engawa oily? The aburi treatment has become really popular recently, and I love it. True, it doesn't work for everything, but if I ever see aburi-engawa I will definitely order it.

I always do that! So how do you usually ask for your check in this type of place? they usually give the check with the meal, so I just walk over to the register... Well, you must eat at far classier places than I do! A great many fast-food or lower-end type places don't leave the bill at the table- not just Yoshinoya but ramen shops, kaiten-zushi, curry rice shops and the like. Then again, really high-end places don't leave the check at the table either. At either type of place you need to let someone know you're ready to pay, and while "Oaiso/Okanjo onegai shimasu" is fine for the fancy places, it seems a little polite for ramen. So "Gochisou-sama" seems to work. I also use gochisou-sama/gochisou-sama deshita to thank the staff or cook if they have been extra-nice or the food was really good. I'm spending the weekend in Osaka, where I'll be using the Osaka-ben version: "Gochisou-san". That's about all I can speak as far as Osaka-ben goes, but saying this in a restaurant never fails to blow peoples' socks off. Last visit the staff at a rather scary 'hormone-yaki' shop in Shinsekai were so impressed they gave me a free cellphone strap. Who knows what I'll get this time...