About food in Japan

An-mitsu (あんみつ Japanese traditional sweets)

An-mitsu(あんみつ） is a Japanese traditional sweets. It could be a kind of "parfait" in Japanese style.

Literally "an"(餡、あん） is sweet bean paste that is often seen in Japanese traditional sweets. "Mitsu"(蜜、みつ） represents sweet syrup made from sugar.
So in a bowl of "an-mitsu", the bean paste and syrup are the biggest features. But we cannot miss also "kanten"(寒天、かんてん）, Japanese agar (gelatin jelly made from a plant) for an-mitsu.

In addition to these three main ingredients in an-mitsu, other attractive filling maybe added; fruits such as a pice of orange, strawberry or cherry, cream (like one in the photo), "shiratama"(dumpling). Then the sweet bowl is "upgraded" to something with more attractive names - "fruits an-mitsu"- "fruit cream an-mitsu"  or "fruit shiratama an-mitsu" etc etc

Mihashi in Ueno is a traditional sweets house known for the an-mitsu and other traditional sweets. Eat-in and take-away for some products are available.
It is located just a stone throw from the Ueno park.
Why do not you take a break with the traditional sweets after enjoying Sakura (cherry blossom) at the famous park?

Cafe name: Mihashi
Address: 4-9-7 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Website: http://www.mihashi.co.jp

 

Mos burger - モスバーガー

Mos burger is a casual hamburger restaurant chain in Japan.

I wonder if we should call it  "fast food".  Like the global giant, McDonald's, we can find typical menu such as hamburger, fried potato there.  However speed of preparing food is not their priority. The chain is proud of making a hamburger by hand after a client orders it.

Price is not its sales point but quality and safety of ingredients are. At some units, you are able to find name and place of farmers on a black boad in front of the restaurant. These on the listed are who raise lettuce and other fresh vegetable for the Mos burger unit.

You could have to wait for your order for longer time and maybe have to pay a little bit more at Mos burger than at other firstfood restaurants. Instead you will surely get a fresh and tasty hamburger.

A three days ago, the "slow food?" restaurant chain celebrated its 37th birthday.
The first unit opened in a residential area of Tokyo in 1972 and the company added 100 units within 7 years from the first one opening.

Now there are over 1000 Mos burgur shop across Japan and 100 more in Asian countries/area such as Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong.

Its first and still the most famous product is "Mos burger"(Yen320). Meat sauce(like Bolognaise sauce) and chopped onion between a slice of tomato and hamburger are unique points.

My impression was "It is fantastic" when I had it for the first time and I was a high shcool student. I do not know how many times I ordered the product since that time...

Mos barger is also known as the first restaurant which offered "Teriyaki burger" and "rice burger". Both are now often found at other restaurants and even on shelfs at convenience shops or supermarkets in Japan.

A point to be kept in mind is another uniqueness of the chain.
It rarely opens the restaurants in a prime location, for example area around major train stations such as Shibuya, Shinjuku or Ginza. It rather exists in residential area or a place a bit far from a train station. Don't miss a sign of another "M" logo in red!

Restaurant name: Mos burger
Website: http://www.mos.co.jp

 


   

Les MIGNARDISES - small sweets

"Les MIGNARDISES" is French words not Japanese. It is the name of a sweets shop and according to the shop information, "Les MIGNARDISES" means "small sweets".

What I got is surely French traditional sweets, macaron. If it is only that, I have no reason to bring the Les MIGNARDISES specialty here. The size is unusually small, almost 2cm diameter. That is what we can find only at the shop in Daimaru Department store in Tokyo.

 

How impressive it is... Nine flavors of small pieces of macarons are lined up in a rectangular white box. The colours of the nine flavors make gradation from white to brown. The flavor names are also enough attractive; White chocolate lavender, Caramel vanilla, Cacao 41%, Chocolate rose, Cacao 80% and so on.

The size is not enough big even for a bite but, when I put a piece into the mouth, the taste is never as small as its physical size. It is rather more complex and sophisticated...in other words, the macaron has a fine world in a small piece.

Shop name: Les MIGNARDISES
Address: 1st floor Daimaru Tokyo, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo