About food in Japan

Ootoya - real Japanese home-style dishes

Sushi, Sukiyaki, Kaiseki...these are surely Japanese food and also they are more for special occasions such as celebration, gathering party etc.

What kind of dishes Japanese people have in their home?

You can find a part of the answer at a casual Japanese chain restaurant Ootoya (大戸屋).

Ootoya started its history from a small Japanese restaurant focusing on "Teishoku" (定食, set meal) in Ikebukuro Tokyo in 1950's. The restaurant chain aims to provides "heartful homemade dishes", like what Japanese local people have at home everyday, which can never tire diners. So they may be  different from what you know as Japanese food, Sushi, Kaiseki, Shabu-shabu etc. The plates at Ootoya are instead similar to meals hand-made by mothers at home.

Set meal at Ootoya normally include rice, miso soup and a small side dish, in addition to a main dish. The style is very likely at daily dinner at home. What is good for Ootoya, unlike real home dinner, you can choose your main dishes from its wide selections (sorry for our mum...); as its grand menu from hamburg steak, grilled chicken, fried chicken, pork sour souce, Japanese cutlet, grilled dry fish, tuna with rice bowl to seasonal ones. These main dishes can be rather close to Western style meal than typical Japanese ones well known outside of Japan. The set menu price is around Yen 1000.

 

The casual Japanese restaurant chains, Ootoya, runs over 200 units across Japan and almost 50 in other countries such as Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia or Hong Kong. On April 2012, it opened a new unit in New York. 

Let's try real Japanese homemade style meal at Ootoya.

 

Restaurant name: Ootoya

Official homepage: http://www.ootoya.com

 

Units in major area of Tokyo

*Shinjuku East Exit Chuo-street

Address: 3-34-11 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

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*Shibuya Bunkamura street

Address: B1 floor, 2-25-12 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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*Marunouchi Shin-Tokyo building (between JR Tokyo and Yurakucho stations)

Address: B1 floor, Shin-Tokyo building, 3-3-1 Marunouchi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

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*Roppongi

Address: 7-14-7 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

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*Akasaka Mitsuke

 Address: 2nd floor, 3-9-3 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

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Unit in New York

Address: 8 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011

 

******************  Find accommodation in Japan  ***************

OSAKA / NARA / SAPPORO / TAKAYAMA / TOKYO/YUFUIN 

YAKUSHIMA / NOZAWA ONSEN / NISEKO / NIKKO /

HIROSHIMA / MATSUMOTO / KYOTO / KANAZAWA / ISHIGAKI ISLAND /

HAKUBA / FURANO / BEPPU /

 

Hideaway Izakaya, Nakame no teppen (なかめのてっぺん) near the popular cherry blossom spot

 

 

As many of you know already, around the end of March to beginning of April is the best season to appreciate Sakura (桜) or cherry blossom in Tokyo and other parts of Japan.

In Tokyo, Meguro river side becomes more popular among locals as a cherry blossom viewing spot year by year. 

Many restaurants standing along Meguro river side between Gotanda to Nakameguro area are fully booked during the season. 

 

 

Today we recommend alternative course to enjoy a real Izakaya near the cherry blossom spot in Nakameguro, maybe before night stroll along the river.

Izakaya "Nakame no teppen"  (なかめのてっぺん) is off from Yamate-dori, the busy main street of Nakameguro. It is a five-minute-walk from Nakameguro station on subway and Tokyu Toyoko lines. Arriving the multiple-tenant building, many will be confused with another izakaya facing onto the street and being the second unit by same owner.

Th entrance of Nakame no teppen is "hidden" inside of the building and is "too small to find" for many.  Don't worry you will see what that means and the Izakaya staff will find you soon.

Seen inside of the restaurant, it is exactly a typical izakaya that many imagine; wooden tables and a counter in center where the chef prepare yakitori (skewered chicken), hand-writing seasonal menu on walls and lively atmosphere.

 

 

We ordered some of Spring season icons before going out to the river side for cherry blossom.  

Firefly squid (ホタルイカ), sour miso suace

        

Grilled bamboo shoots (焼き筍)

 

    
Sashimi plate is one of "must" iteam for Izakaya dinner.

 

My favorite is tofu with crispy tiny whitebait (豆腐と揚げじゃこ)

 

 It also has fine selctions of Japanese alcohol, sake, shochu (distilled sake) served by a nice Japanese earth cup and Highball(left picture, whiskey soda).

 

 

Nakameguro is residential area just one or two stops from both Ebisu and Shibuya on Yamanote line. In Nakameguro, there are many interesting non-chain-affiliated restaurants. The town is always busy with local diners. Sidewalk way along the Meguro river is five minutes walk from Nakame no teppen. Just go strainght toward the river, crossing Yamate street. 

 

Restaurant: Nakame no teppen (なかめのてっぺん)

Address: 3-9-5 Kami-Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo

Restaurant Information in English: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/b284900/lang/en/

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Zagat Tokyo & Kyoto special "Japan Travel Aid" Edition published

Zagat restaurant guide has had a great collaboration with Japanese public sectors, Japan Tourism Agency, JNTO (Japan National Tourist Organization) and other local organizations, all of which are eager to promote Japan as gastronomic destionation globaly.

"Zagat Tokyo & Kyoto Restaurants 2012 Japan Travel Aid Edition" includes selected restaurant reviews for these two cities as well as introduction of Japan's food culture and destination information.

The special edition restaurant guide is also named "Thank You Edition" because the collaborative work by private-public parties is expression of Japan's gratitude to the warmest support of many people around the world for the natural disaster in Japan last year. Its 50,000 copies will be distributed at free of charge through JNTO tourist informaiton center, JNTO offshore offices (New York, Los Angels, Toront, Singapore, Sydney, London, Hong Kong), Japan Embassy etc. 

It's only 50,000 copies around the world. If you have a chance, don't miss to get a copy

Link to the publisher's site (Japanese): http://zagat.jugem.jp/?eid=95

Link to information by Japan Tourism Agency: 

http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/news08_000109.html

          

Deco Sushi - Makoto Sushi (まこと寿し), Shinjuku (新宿)

If your trip to Japan is the second time or more, you might think of trying something different from normal Japanese dishes. Otherwise on your firt trip to Japan, you could dream that you enjoy a real Sushi restaurant in Japan but you wonder because of language and cultural barrier. For those people, we recommend Makoto Sushi(まこと寿し) in Shinjuku (新宿).

The cosy small Sushi restaurant is located just behind Shinjuku Police Station and Shinjuku i-Land tower amid skyscrapers of central Shinjuku. With the wooden counter and sliced fresh seafood placed neatly on it, inside it looks a typical Sushi restaurant that you have imagined.

What makes Makoto Sushi different from other Sushi restaurants is their unique products called "Deco Sushi". "Deco" is abbreviation of "decoration" or "decorative" in English. It means the restaurant's featuring sushi pieces are "decorated" in unusual ways.

Here are some examples,

 

Hirame (Japanese flounder)

with cooked Shitake mushroom

 

Tuna, fried Japanese leek on top of it

flavoured in truffle oil

 Can't imagine truffle flavoured sushi,

but it was matched well with tuna actually.

 

Uni & Ikura (sea urchin & salmon roe)

with merengue 

Combination of sea urchin and salmon roe, two biggest seafood delicacies, itself is like a dream team. Then, plus egg white merengue and also subtle tender flavour of Yuzu-kosho (Kyushu origin spicy paste made with Yuzu citrus and pepper),

it is fantasy on a spoon 

 They are just a part of Deco Sushi. More interesting decoration sushi are offered by Makoto Sushi, with beef, smoke salmon and Shiokara (塩辛, salted fish guts) as main ingredients as well as anchovy, cream cheese or chili sauce to add taste for example. 

 

In addition, don't miss the interesting dessert,

"tempura" of ice cream 

 

Another qualification of Makoto Sushi, for non-Japanese speaker, the sushi restaurant has two English speaking staff including one Sushi chef, thanks to the restaurant's operator, nearby professional Sushi cooking school which has raised and sent many Sushi chef to the world. So do not hesitate to jump in the world of real Japanese Sushi restaurant and to try both traditional and innovative sushi in central Shinjuku. 

Deco Sushi at Makoto Sushi is not only one-of-a-kind experience for those already familier with normal sushi plates, but also a good opportunity of the first trial for those who are not yet familier with raw fish. 

 

 

Restaurant name: Makoto Sushi

Address: I-Land Annex 103, 6-2-3 NIshi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Official website: http://www.sushimakoto.jp

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Arata (新), Roppongi - casual Japanese meal in modern chic atmoshpere

You may be interested in Izakaya and local cuisines of Japan. But if you would not like to be tired with hassles at a very local place where almost no English is available, Arata (新) must be a good option for you.

Arata is located in a luxury shopping complex, Roppongi Hills. Roppongi, the town, may be the place where we find the most number of non-Japanese people in Japan. Like other restaurants in the town, at Arata, you do not have to worry whether the restaurant has English menu or not. 

 

The modern fashionable interior decoration of the restaurant includes a big wall art of Kabuki actor depicted with illuminated Swarovski stones on ceiling.

On the other hand, what we can find on the menu list is quite local-Japanese dishes that are likely to be offered at traditional "Izakaya".The restaurant aims at proposing new types of "washoku" (Japanese dishes) like the name, arata (新) representing "new" in English.

 

 

 

 

Let us show you, what we ordered one day.

 

Shutou (salted guts of Bonito) with cream cheese (bottom) and

pickles of Japanese vegetables (upper)

"Shutou" is a rare delicacy from Kochi, Shikoku region.

The salty taste is well matched with cream cheese.

 

Kujo leek, known as specialty of Kyoto, sautee with chicken on heated iron plate

 

Californian rolls - that is not Japanese traditional menu though...  

 

Modanyaki (pancake of pork, cheese and noodle)

We could not imagine that we had such a casual local menu

like Okonimiyaki (Japanese style pancake) at this fashionable Roppongi Hills!

 

Creme brulee with chest nuts ice cream

Our journey of Japanese local specialty was not ended

with a simple ordinary dessert.

Chestnut ice cream is on top of

the creme brulee made with rich high quality egg. 

 

 

Other interesting menu will be spicy fried chicken wings Nagoya style, Aburi (char grill) chicken or seafood delicacies, Kushi (skewered) or yakitori and one of the restaurant's featuring item, Nagasaki champon noodle in rich soup cooked for 10 hours.  

Arata also provides an interesting list of beverage including original cocktails with Japanese ingredients. The price starts from Yen 500.

 

At the end of the meal, you might be surprised with the charge. It won't be much higher than the check at casual Izakaya. Considering the restaurant's location, atmosphere and attentive services, it must be value-for-money safe option especially for non Japanese speakers.

 

Restaurant name: Arata (新)

Address: B2 floor Hillside, Roppongi Hills, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.a-ra-ta.com

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Tsukiji Gindaco (築地銀だこ), Takoyaki bar

Takoyaki (たこ焼き, octopus balls) is one of the most well-known local specialty "traidtional fastfood" in Osaka. It is a kind of salty small round cakes inside of  which diced octopus and vegetables are. Sweet thick special Takoyaki sauce is normally on top of them. The crispy outer inside is filled with hot creamy dough and pieces of octopus etc. We are always warned not to eat a ball at one bite, because it is enough hot to burn your tongue. The yummy-round-appearance tempts us to do so... 

Gindaco is a chain of Takoyaki stands and Takoyaki bars where guests are able to enjoy both takoyaki and alcohol drinks in very casual atmosphere. In many cases, it is served as standing bar. "Tsukiji" top name is inspired by the fish market town. Gindaco's flagship store on the edge of Ginza is actually just a corner away from Tsukiji. 

At Tsukiji Gindaco units, in addition to ordinary style takoyaki with sweet Worceter-like brown sauce, it offers unique variations of takoyaki, such as with cheese, mayonaise or shredded leeks, all at very reasonable price Yen 600 or less for 8 pieces. 

 

"Highball" (whiskey soda cocktail) is also featured at Tsukiji Gindaco bars.

Needless to say, it goes well with takoyaki.

 

Tsukiji Gindaco units are in some central locations of Tokyo, such as Akasaka-Mitsuke, Hamamatsu-cho (not far from Tokyo Tower and Zojoji-temple), Shibuya or Roppongi.

It is also worth mentioning that on last December Gindaco's owner company moved its headquater office to Ishinomaki-city Miyagi prefecture, where it got seriouse damage caused by Tsunami on March 2011. The decision was made by the topmanagement in order to contribute more to recovering through income tax payment and employment generation in the region. 

 

Tsukiji Gindaco official website: http://www.gindaco.com  

 Ginza flagship store

 Address: 4-14-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

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Akasaka Mitsuke 

Address: 3-10-19 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

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Hamamatsucho

Address: 2-3-33 Hamamatsu-cho, Minato-ku, Tokyo

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******************  Find accommodation in Japan  ***************

OSAKA / NARA / SAPPORO / TAKAYAMA / TOKYO/YUFUIN 

YAKUSHIMA / NOZAWA ONSEN / NISEKO / NIKKO /

HIROSHIMA / MATSUMOTO / KYOTO / KANAZAWA / ISHIGAKI ISLAND /

HAKUBA / FURANO / BEPPU /

 

Soba noodle at Kanda Matsuya (神田まつや)

This is our year end post of 2011. So it is about what Japanese people have at the end of a year.

As our previous post about Soba, in Japan we have a custom to have soba noodle on the night of 31st December, wishing healthy long life like soba noodle. It is called "toshikoshi soba"(年越しそば, year crossing noodle). It is not fixed style or ingredient for toshikoshi soba so it is arranged with topping as each people like.

Inspiring from soba noodle, today we introduce a traditional soba restaurant in central Tokyo. It gets the most number of guests on the 31st December every year. Even not on the year end date, people often make a queue in front of the restaurant in order to get a bowl of nice hand-made noodle.

Kanda Matsuya (神田まつや) is located in business district of Awajicho (淡路町).  It is also accessible by walk from Akihabara electronic town. Standing on the side of Yasukuni-dori (靖国通り) street, one of main road of Tokyo, the exterior appears appropriate as a soba restaurant with over a hundred year history. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside of the restaurant as well, it won't disappoint visitors' expectation. The space is like a "time trip" to good-old-day in Japan. Also you may find skillful staff making soba noodle by hand.

Kanda Matsuya offers various versions of soba. Many of them are noodle and soup in bowl and one or more ingredient on top of it, typical ones for example deep-fried bean curd, eggs, chicken or curry. The price range is from Yen 600 for the simplest noodle bowl to Yen 2000 with large tempura pieces, depending on ingredients.

 

What I had here is Oyako-namban (親子南ばん, chicken and egg)

that is rare to find in other soba restaurants.  

 

 

Soba noodle is generally light in volume and easily digested food. It is also a good option to have it for lunch, while you have a plan of big dinner on evening or when you had too much on the last evening. 

Related post:

Soba (そば、蕎麦、Japanese buckwheat noodle) 

 http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/12/soba-japanese-b.html 

 

 

Restaurant name: Kanda Matsuya (神田まつや)

Address: 1-13 Kanda Sudacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Official website: http://kanda-matsuya.jp/

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High cost performance Sushi restaurant - Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨)

We really wonder whether this post should be for "casual Japanese restaurant" or "luxury" one. Finally it is categorized for both, as this information must be worthwhile for those

who looks for casual Japanese dining

as well as 

who seeks for upscale dining.

 

Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨) provides sushi menu made with fresh high quality seafood sent from Tsukiji fish market, as Sushi Ten (すし天) the luxury Sushi restaurant under the same operator does. High quality sushi does never mean that they are just pieces of raw seafood on top of rice. Each piece of sushi and side dishes are well and carefully prepared in each different way by professional chef who knows the best way to enjoy each of those seafood. The Sushi course by Manten Sushi must be enough high standard to satisfy those who expect the best sushi dishes in Tokyo, while the price Yen 5250 for chef's recommendation dinner course is nothing more than ones for casual sushi dining.The cost performance level is amazing even for us, Tokyo residents... 

The high-cost-performance sushi restaurant is situated on the underground floor of Marunouchi Brick Square that is 5-minute walk from JR Tokyo station. Like other typical sushi restaurants, seats of Manten Sushi are placed around the wooden counter behind which sushi cooks are working for your fantastic dishes. The space is not so big and never be spacious but is comfortable because of attentive staff, lively atomosphere and wooden interior decoration.

 

 

 For dinner and lunch, the restaurant provides "chef's recommendation course" only, which consists of some side dishes and sushi plates with carefully selected seasonal ingredients. As long you secure seat at the small capacity restaurant, you do not have to hover around sushi ingredient list. Trust the chef's choice and enjoy the great sushi menu    

 

 

Restaurant name: Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨)

Address: B1 floor Marunouchi Brick Square, 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.manten-sushi.com

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Would you like to make a booking for Manten Sushi?

Dining Experience Planner service helps you with making advance reservation for restaurants in Japan. For more information, please visit the site:

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com/dining-experience-planner---restaurant-proposal-service.html

 

 

Gohan (ご飯) - Torafuku (寅福), Omotesando (表参道)

Gohan (ご飯) represents "cooked rice" or "meal" in Japanese. As you may know gohan (cooked rice) has been principale food for long time in Japan, although in modern days, when we have a plenty of choices in food from first food, Italian to upscale Frenche course, we have less chances to have rice in our daily meal. Many Japanese have a rice cooker in their home but a rice cooker might not be the best way to prepare cooked rice.

A restaurant, Torafuku (寅福), offers the best "gohan" as the result of their every effort from selecting high quality rice, using large iron cooker and choosing the best way of preparation(duration of each cooking process, level of heating). Gohan is the simplest dish at a restaurant but the difference in quality could occure depending on how much a restaurant pays attention on it, from ingredient rice and water to how to cook.

Not only gohan, Torafuku carefully considers garnish, main and side dishes that are the best match with thier speciality, "gohan"; sashimi, pork ginger, fried chicken etc. As for rice, it offers 3 chocices from white rice, brown rice and seasonal cooked rice (for example, with mushroom). You can order another bowl of rice at free.

 

For lunch time, Torafuku also provides three kinds of complimentary side dishes which diners are able to take as much as they want. They are mainly Japanese traditional home-made recepi of cooked vegetable. Along with gohan, enjoy the Japanese meal as much as you want.

 The mum's plates atrracts single cosmopolitans in Omotesando (表参道), one of the most fasionable town in Japan. 

 

One small surprise has been in the rice bowl.

It is what you will find when you finish your bowl of gohan.

    
 

 

For dinner, not only rice and dishes, it offer wide selection of sake!

 

Restaurant name: Torafuku 

Address: 3-12-9 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Website: 

http://www.four-seeds.co.jp/torafuku/

http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g150119/lang/en/

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Fresh seafood directly from fishermen - Yonpachi Gyojo (四十八漁場)

An American science magazine reported in 2006 that "natural" fish and shellfish are anticipated to disappear from the world by 2048 as per careful research for 4 years by marine biology specialists. The report warns also that fishery resource is decreasing day by day.

Concerning the situation, a Japanese restaurant operator, AP Company, aims to concerve natural fishery resources with their own effort by sourcing seafood directly from fishermen who conduct "sustainable fishing". The restaurant's name, Yonpachi Gyojo (48th fishery), is made after the year 2048 on the science report. The AP company's attempt is also unique from the point that the restaurant chain purchases seafood directly from fishermen without intermediator or wholesaller. 

What does that mean for us, diners? Guess it's a good news. Seafood served at the restaurant must be more fresh and more reasonable cost by cuting down margin through intermediator's distribution. Sounds nice?

On eveing of a weekday when we visited, the restaurant had been in vital atmosphere with local business people mainly. We were welcomed by cute ladies in Kimono.

Here is some of what we had there.

Fresh fresh fresh!!!

 

We can also enjoy roasting fish by ourselves on a table.

 

At the same time,

don't miss a chance to sip one or more kind of Sake from its wide selections.

At the end of nice seafood meal, ice cream in sake flavor.

 

As mentioned, because of the shorter distribution route, fresh seafood plates are provided at reasonable price. Then total check as well, roughly around Yen 4000 per person we paid.

 

Restaurant name: Yonpachi Gyojo (四十八漁場)

Company website (Japanese only): http://www.apcompany.jp/

So far Yonpachi Gyojo are located in three central Tokyo locations as below.

Gotanda (五反田)

Address: Atrevie 3rd floor, 1-26-41 Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

It is just above JR Gotanda station.

Website in English (Gourmet Navigator) http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g753350/lang/en/

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Ebisu (恵比寿)

Address: 2nd floor Daini Tomoe Build. 1-9-1 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Website in English (Gourmet Navigator) http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g753351/lang/en/

大きな地図で見る

 

Ikebukuro (池袋)

Address: 1st floor, Fujikyu East Build NO.3,  2-16-8, Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Website in English (Gourmet Navigator) http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g753358/lang/en/

 

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